Review for Resident Evil: Revelations. Game for Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, the video game was released on 26/01/2012 The version for Nintendo Switch came out on 28/11/2017 The version for PlayStation 4 came out on 29/08/2017 The version for Xbox One came out on 29/08/2017
Can there be a good Resident Evil without zombies? Obviously yes, and the two chapters of the spin-off Resident Evil: Revelations I am the clear proof. The original chapter, exclusive to Nintendo 3DS and subsequently remastered for Sony and Microsoft platforms, was a pleasant surprise in a world where, for better or worse, all the upcoming survival horror had already undergone the strong influence of the Third Person Shooter that began with Resident Evil 4.
After a few years - and after the success of Resident Evil: Revelations 2 on the living room console - finally the first Revelations follows the recent fate of all the more or less official chapters of RE, finding itself remastered in HD on Playstation 4 and Xbox One, ready to remind us how beautiful survival horror once were.
Between Dante and the Mediterranean Sea
Resident Evil: Revelations deserves to be seriously considered both for the setting and for the story of Jill Valentine: all takes place on a cruise ship in the middle of the Mediterranean. The story, placed temporally a few years before the events of the game and told through a non-linear narrative in chapters, tells of the fall of Terragrigia, the city of the future: it was razed to the ground by Veltro, a dangerous criminal organization in possession of the fearsome T-Abyss virus. In 2005, citing the verses of Dante's Inferno, Veltro herself makes it known that she is back in action and is ready to use the virus again. The BSAA, an agency devoted to the dismantling of biological weapons, sends Chris Redfield to investigate.
When Chris disappears, his old partner Jill Valentine is already on his trail: this is already a reason able to make the title appreciate (today as in the past) to all the fans who have loved and followed Resident Evil since the beginning of the saga. Through the various chapters - twelve in all, each with a duration of between 20 and 45 minutes of play - the player travels between present and past and experiences the story through the eyes of the protagonists: in addition to Chris and Jill, new players will be able to get to know their respective partners Jessica and Parker (other characters with a very successful characterization) and the other unpublished supporting actors who, as per Capcom tradition, exude Japanese style from every pixel.
Although the plot does not present particular innovative traits, the setting on Queen Zenobia (the cruise ship where most of the action takes place) and the non-linear narrative full of supporting actors make Resident Evil: Revelations still current and interesting, even for those who have already played the title originally on Nintendo 3DS and face the title for a second game after a few years.
The rifle hangs on the wall
The most intriguing component of Resident Evil: Revelations is just him: that shotgun hanging on the hooks on the wall with the slot next to it in which to insert a mysterious emblem to access the weapon. This simple gesture contains the true essence of the first Resident Evil: exploration and environmental puzzles that can be fully relived in the role of Jill from Revelations. The action contamination is left to Chris and the other BSAA soldiers, as you will often find yourself mowing down tons of Hunter with heavy guns. In this respect it can be said that Revelations is the chapter that most of all combines the past and the future of Resident Evil, balancing the shootings with investigations and puzzles. Of course it will never be a return to the glories of the first trilogy, but we are also well aware that nowadays a title with the anachronistic rhythms of the first RE would hardly find space in the hearts of players increasingly devoted to action. However, we are happy to let you know how pleasant it is still to play Revelations, demonstrating how the game mechanics (thanks to the ability to move while shooting, a detail not too obvious in RE) do not feel the weight of the past years.
If you are willing to undergo some backtracking - present however much more massively in the old REs - you will find it pleasant to immerse yourself in the gameplay of this Resident Evil, discovering with pleasure the difficulty of the survival component in the period when the bullets were still counted and when, before picking up a rifle, you had to go through various game scenarios in search of a key in the shape of a medallion.
The popular raid mode also returns, which in local or multiplayer will allow you to face hordes of enemies in closed areas taken from the various levels of the game. In this case we are sorry to admit that the excellent work done by Capcom on the Raid mode of Resident Evil: Revelations 2 brings out all the paucity of the first Revelations at this juncture, and even if it proved to be a useful aid to longevity at the time. of the exit, today risks being snubbed by most.
From the small to the big screen
In its first incarnation on Nintendo 3DS Resident Evil: Revelations was, apart from 3D tastes, a little technical gem: despite the obvious limitations of the portable console, the game was graphically satisfying and well done. Porting to PlayStation 3 and consoles of that generation was limited to a high definition upscaling and a few sporadic improvements. What arrives on the current generation of living room consoles is basically the PC version of the game, which in the Playstation 4 edition we tested keeps constant 60 FPS in high definition. The polygonal models of the characters are obviously outdated, just as it is difficult not to notice the low definition textures scattered here and there in the game world. Despite this, the sensation we felt is the same as the HD remasters of Resident Evil and Resident Evil Zero gave us: reflections and light effects are wonderful and, combined with an anti alisasing able to make a nice injection of botox to a graphic engine that is now showing the signs of age, they are able to make the experience enjoyable even for a non-fan who approaches the brand for the first time.
The sound sector is also always at the top, with a dubbing all in all enjoyable and a soundtrack in which the spirit of Resident Evil is well recognizable: distressing piano melodies will accompany you for most of the exploration, while explosive action songs will underline the moments more frantic and fighting against the most powerful enemies.
Resident Evil: Revelations is such an important spin-off that it can't be ignored. Capcom also knows it well, which brings it back into vogue also in this generation of consoles, allowing those who have not yet tried it to play a milestone in survival horror: it is the Resident Evil which, paired with the same wonderful Resident Evil: Revelations 2, better combines the elements of the new REs with the first trilogy, somehow managing to get everyone to agree. Can you do a Resident Evil without zombies? Apparently yes, and it can be done so well as to make us hope for a third chapter: dear Capcom, know that Leon and Rebecca are still missing and that we are here ready to step into their shoes.
► Resident Evil: Revelations is a Horror-Survival type game developed and published by Capcom for Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, the video game was released on 26/01/2012 The version for Nintendo Switch came out on 28/11/2017 The version for PlayStation 4 came out on 29/08/2017 The version for Xbox One came out on 29/08/2017
If you want to buy Resident Evil: Revelations you can find it at 28.90€.
