Resident Evil: Revelations Hands-On Preview – Scary Ship

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Richard Walker

Having enjoyed a more than modest dose of critical success on the 3DS, it's undoubtedly great news that Resident Evil: Revelations is coming to home consoles after more than a year since its launch on Nintendo's handheld. Set aboard the SS Queen Zenobia, a huge ship overrun with all manner of T-Abyss (a marine strain of the T-virus) infected horrors known primarily as the 'Ooze', Revelations is about as close to vintage Resident Evil as you're likely to get these days, with the claustrophobic, leaky corridors of the ship almost bringing to mind the dark corners of the mansion from the original Resident Evil. We said almost.

Obviously, Revelations is still a modern Resident Evil game, which means the same over-the-shoulder third-person viewpoint pioneered by Resident Evil 4, and the same kind of combat and control as usual. Based upon the time playing this demo of the near-completed game however, there seems to be more of the classic puzzling and chin-stroking moments classic instalments of the series became famed for, with the ship playing host to a variety of locked doors, defunct machinery and even the odd obtuse conundrum to get wrap your melon around.

Players of the 3DS version will already know the score, and having only briefly played the original handheld version during some downtime at a Capcom event last year, we're going into this pretty much completely cold. We're essentially looking at a new Resident Evil title then, for all intents and purposes, even if that isn't really the case. Completed the Nintendo 3DS version already? Then perhaps you'll return to the HD console version for the upgraded visuals, the new enemies and recently unveiled Infernal difficulty mode, as well as the ability to play as Hunk in Raid Mode. There'll likely be enough fresh content here to entice you back for another tour at sea with the Ooze.

Playing as series stalwart and BSAA co-founder, Jill Valentine, our demo sees us partnered up with Parker Luciani, as we search for fellow BSAA operative Chris Redfield and his partner Jessica Sherawat aboard the ship. Starting out in one of the Zenobia's opulent great halls, all decked out in rich, dark wood and garish gold, we're flanked by two elevators, both of which are unfortunately out of action. We're free to explore most of the ship at our leisure, but our main goal lies in the ship's casino, where there's puzzles to be solved and toothy, sucker-headed Ooze to be killed. Of course, in the interests of seeing as much as we possibly could within our allotted time with the game at Capcom's UK offices, we chose to explore the labyrinthine corridors of the Zenobia, only to become hopelessly lost.

We get the distinct impression that the SS Zenobia is an enormous vessel, and that's only based upon the time we have to poke around a portion of the ship with the anchor and helm keys in our inventory. There are other doors to be unlocked and several other sections of the ship to explore as it makes a beeline along the high seas to the so-called 'floating city' of Terragrigia', which should prove an enticing prospect for Resident Evil fans who missed the opportunity to play the game on 3DS.

It all looks rather nice on a high-definition TV too, belying its small-screen handheld origins with some rather neat high fidelity visuals, boasting a fairly considerable amount of extra detail in comparison to its 3DS counterpart. This doesn't appear to be a rushed port of a year-old game, but rather a decent upgrade that aims to do proper justice to what is one of the better Resident Evil titles in recent years. Obviously it's nowhere near as spectacular-looking as Resident Evil 6, but then that pretty much goes without saying.

With our off-piste exploration of the Zenobia done and dusted, we get on with the task at hand, stopping only to check we've obtained and hoarded enough ammunition from the limited supply scavenged aboard the ship, and to do a little bit of impromptu gun customisation and upgrading. Forging ahead, we find our way into the casino having blasted some of the freakish Ooze creatures that make bizarre, unnatural sounds when they're alive and as they perform their unsettling death throes. Each one is a little different, with claws, spiked bludgeoning limbs or misshapen talons for holding you in place while their lamprey-like suckers try and clamp onto your face. Yuck.

Venturing into the main part of the casino floor, we find ourselves surrounded by slot machines facing a door guarded by a strange contraption that requires an exact weight of coins to unlock. In the centre, we switch on the fountain (having restored power to the ship earlier), which spews bloody infected water, instantly mutating the koi. Springing from the water, we're immediately attacked by slippery T-Abyss fish that are easily dispatched with a few well-aimed bullets. Minor drama averted.

With the power restored to the casino, we're able to play the slots and grab the coins we need to solve the weighing machine's modestly brain-teasing puzzle and unlock the door. Presented with more winding corridors and some additional mechanical puzzles involving connecting broken wires, locating keys and what not, our demo draws to a close. Almost two hours of exploration has raced by, and our time in the casino doing what we were supposed to be doing in the first place, is regrettably brief.

Still, it's enough to show us what we already sort of know. Resident Evil: Revelations is a fine Resident Evil game, and one that should prove right at home on Xbox 360. A throwback to when the franchise was more about puzzle-solving, scraping around for ammunition, atmospheric, creeping tension and a more considered pace, Resident Evil: Revelations coming to consoles in HD ought to be a surefire win for Capcom.

Resident Evil: Revelations is out on May 21st in North America, May 23rd in Japan and May 24th in Europe.

Comments
30
  • If it's a Resident Evil game with Jill in it, I'm buying it. >_>
  • Wait, So a games company has actually listened to its fans?
  • This game was crap, will stick to playing my walking dead game.
  • Trailers and this preview both make it look like a great mix of classic survival horror Resident Evil with the best action parts of RE4. Can't wait to play it. Will be pre-ordering as soon as I can.
  • @#3 - That's not even the same kind of game. Or anything like any form of Resident Evil. And crap? Only thing I don't like about it is switching protagonists all the time and often playing crappy characters like Parker or the two goofballs.
  • Never did get round to play this, I haven't disliked a Resident Evil yet (Apart from Operation Raccoon City) So I anticipate this greatly
  • @5 Why are you feeding him?
  • I put the game in, and then added water. Something went wrong.
  • Really looking forward to this; sounds to be the best Resident Evil since 4! Might even pre-order this.
  • this game was amazing on the 3ds im so glad its coming to consoles im so getting this can not wait
  • I might be getting this because from what I heard that is a combination of what is RE4 and the old PS1 games. If that is true than I will be happy.
  • @5 i agree, it was fun and a pretty good game, the only complaints i have were playing as those two dumb asses, and switching characters all the time, as soon as i found a cool upgrade for a gun for jill, i would have to switch characters and wait to be able to use it, jill was the only character the weapon upgrades could be used for.
  • Goes to show Capcom can still make a good Resident Evil game.
  • If this sells better than RE6, it'll send a very clear message to Capcom...bring back survival horror! I loved this game, looking forward to playing it on a big screen.
  • Look forward to this. Resi Evil 6 is dull awful main series and Resi Evil: ORC is worst, worst and terrible RE entire game and rubbish spin off. I am sure Revelations bought back from what Survival Horror and Resi Evil fans is much happy this time around for once again. :) Some grinding achievements for Revelations is take time well I am look forward Resi Evil returns again, achievements, Survival Horror is back again and HD port version over 3DS with addition online coop and more stuffs. Cannot wait 24th May (it is come out 3 days after my birthday :D)!!!!
  • shit i still ain't got round to playing 5 let alone 6 or orc.... might try and have a rinse through all of them in one sitting when this comes out. :)
  • It's a good game, but i've played it about a dozen times or so already on my 3DS. I'll buy it but may wait a year or so til I play it so I can enjoy it again (rather than feel like another bunch of playthroughs)!
  • This was an awesome game. Can't believe they released this awesome Resident Evil game then followed it up with 6.
  • Hope this one s outsells Resident Crapevil 6, so Crapcom brings back our Survival Horror themed Resident Evil, not this bullshit TPS REsident Evil...
  • I stop supporting resident evil after 5. Too bad for me now
  • Looks good enough to at least rent.
  • @19 how do the screen shots not make this look like a TPS RE
  • After playing this on 3DS i can honestly can recommend this to any Resi Fan plus this maybe our last Resi as we know according to some rumors of a reboot :/
  • As one of those who bitched like hell at the direction the series has gone with the mess that was RE6 I feel almost obliged to buy this. Maybe if enough of us do Capcom will give us a remake of the first 2 or even better make Resident Evil 7 the game the fans want.
  • This is going to be the best in the series since 4....
  • I played The Entire series of this game from 1-6 but I didn't play this one but from what I see :It's even better than 4.I hope it will be....
  • @15 my birthday too 3 days before europe release :D (happy birthday to us)
  • I hope this game sells well because the fate of resident evil is ours now if it sells well the game will keep in this direction so please people buy this game it's AWESOME resident evil game......please....
  • Played every single resident evil games and i can say alot has changed and has also improved, can't wait to see the future of resident evil games are going to be like.
  • she so cute & i will buy this game XD
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