In February of 2012, Capcom released Resident Evil: Revelations for Nintendo’s 3DS system. The game was well received and thought of by many as the best Resident Evil game in years. With Resident Evil: Raccoon City and Resident Evil 6 lacking the same critical acclaim, it is not a surprise to many that Capcom decided to re-release Revelations for consoles and PC on May 21st, 2013.
In Resident Evil lore, Revelations takes place in the time between Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil 5. In typical Resident Evil fashion, things aren't always what they seem. Actually, maybe they are and you need to let the game play out to realize your initial suspicions are correct. Revelations is a story rich with deception. If this game was a punk rock song, it would be chalked full of lyrics like “trust no one” or “keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.”
The Floating City
Most of the game takes place in the present, after the destruction of the "floating city" Terragrigia, aboard the cruise ship the SS Queen Zenobia. Flashbacks to the year prior show Veltro, a terrorist organization, infected Terragrigia with the T-Virus in response to the city's growing solar movement. Maybe they felt solar energy was worse for your skin than the T-Virus?
During the game, tensions run high between Clive O’Brian, the director of the Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance (BSAA), and Morgan Lansdale, the head of the Federal Bioterrorism Commission (FDC). Revelations' main characters include Jill Valentine (BSAA), Parker Luciani (FDC), Chris Redfield (BSAA), and Jessica Sherawat (FDC). Jill and Parker were sent to the SS Queen Zenobia to find missing colleagues Chris and Jessica, who were sent to investigate whether or not Veltro still operates, post Terragrigia. Although the bulk of the game takes place aboard the "abandoned" Zenobia, you’ll still travel to a few other locations and play as other minor characters. I fear I have said too much already and could now be questioned by the FSC, (Federal Spoilers Commission)!
HD reboots, remixes and the occasional re-release are all the rage these days. In Revelations' case this is justified, as who wouldn't want to gaze upon Jill or Jessica in high definition as they plunge deep into the bilge of the Zenobia? Lucky for you, if your thing is bio-organic weapons (B.O.W.s) there are plenty afoot and they too look good in slick HD. However, after a couple of hours, you sadly do not encounter many different "friends.” The only exceptions are the boss battles sprinkled throughout the game.
Walk, Don't Run.
If for some reason you weren’t aware that this game was originally released on a handheld, I believe you would be less than pleased with, well, many of its features. The camera angles are not all that great. The character animations can be wonky. The shooting can be less than responsive. No automatic reloading can be maddening, especially in boss fights. Dodging enemies seems to happen when the game feels like it. And there are lots of recaps, "Previously on Resident Evil: Revelations...," as this game originally was meant to be played in small chunks. Lucky for you, you can skip them.
All is not lost though as the game boasts a nice collection of weapons and as you progress further you can customize your weapons into elite B.O.W. killing machines. Customizations are hidden throughout the environments so don't run through with your blinders on or you’ll miss them. There is enough ammo to keep you progressing but if you're trigger happy you might find some sections challenging. My advice is to conserve ammo, shoot when you have the headshot and always make sure to stock up on the herb-green herb of course! There is also a scanning device called Genesis which helps you achieve more health for every B.O.W. you scan.
Raid Mode!
Have a buddy that likes to play co-op survival action horror with you? Sorry, there is no co-op in Revelations as far as the campaign goes. However, there is a minigame co-op mode called Raid. Raid can be a great deal of fun for all who dare enter. As you progress through the main story, you unlock Raid mode stages. You battle your way through these stages (scenes from the story) all the while collecting items that help you unlock more powerful weapons and upgrades. There are 21 total Raid stages and the enemies you battle come in different sizes and speeds.
Final Verdict 
The price tag for Resident Evil: Revelations feels right at $50 rather than $60. I played the game on normal and with my less than stellar navigation skills completed the story in just around 10 hours (according to Steam). Raid mode, while more enjoyable with a friend, should provide you with a few more hours of entertainment. Whether you are new to the franchise or not, this re-release is a welcome addition to both PCs and consoles. If you already own this for 3DS, you might want to wait for a price drop as the changes are minimal and shouldn’t require you dropping another $50.
