Ben-DutkaLast year, Resident Evil: Revelations launched on the Nintendo 3DS. Did you play it? …no? Maybe you don’t have one of Nintendo’s popular handhelds, or maybe you got sidetracked by other good games. Come May, however, you might want to embark on another dark adventure from Capcom, because Revelations is headed to a much bigger screen. That’s right, either the TV screen in your living room or your PC monitor, as the game is being ported to the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii U or PC. Does this make it more appealing?
Heroine Jill Valentine and a new cast of characters are once again battling bioterrorism on a mass scale; this time, we’ll be on board an old cruise liner called the Queen Zenobia, which is just swarming with the nasty undead. Jill and her partner Parker Luciani must attempt to find cohort Chris Redfield and his new partner, Jessica Sherawat. Jill and Parker will be investigating the last known coordinates of Chris and Jessica and of course, this won’t be a simple track-and-locate quest. No, the T-Virus is once again on the loose, meaning you’ll have to face some of the most terrifying foes seen to date.
One of the cooler aspects of this port is that you’ll be able to select your favorite control scheme. “Classic” will undoubtedly have you utilizing the old-school tank controls, while the “Shooter” setup will probably function much like the control in any other modern third-person action title. The story will be virtually the same but Capcom will be adding in new weapons (which can be upgraded), and they’re even tossing in a brand new enemy. If the default difficulty isn’t tough enough, you can try the more extreme difficulty level, and the new multiplayer Raid mode sounds intriguing. Fan favorite character Hunk will make an appearance, too.
Other upgrades and tweaks include reduced load times, more save slots, more weapon customization parts, extra character skills, ResidentEvil.net integration and unlockables, and the totally overhauled graphics. Obviously, we can expect a big step up in terms of visual presentation, as we’re going from the 3DS to much more powerful consoles. Capcom has been crowing about the increase in detail, which is more than significant; it almost sounds drastic. High-definition is definitely where it’s at for this franchise, because you want to always feel immersed and on the edge of your seat. HD zombies and other horrific monsters need to be appropriately freaky.
The only question is whether or not the fans will take to this new effort. Capcom has been on record this year saying they’ve released too many RE titles this generation, and many series followers would agree. And although Revelations fared well with critics, there are still a few die-hard fans who don’t like the direction their beloved survival/horror franchise has taken. Still, with all these positive tweaks and enhancements, a truly nightmarish and even unique atmosphere, and a bunch of extra goodies, this console/PC iteration should be quite appealing. Besides, many have said this adventure is closer to the traditional RE feel.
Resident Evil: Revelations is slated to launch on May 21 in North America and three days later in Europe. It will also be available as a day-one download on the PSN for $49.99.
