There are many conspiracies throughout the entire Resident Evil saga. First we had Umbrella Corporation’s involvement on the outbreak of the T-Virus on Raccoon City, followed by the various outbreaks of mutations in Spain and Africa from radical Bio-Terrorist cells. The series has steadily shifted its focus from the early survival horror days to a more action orientated experience since Resident Evil 4. The changes have been mostly for the better, but one thing that has disappeared almost completely is the “survival” and “horror” aspects, as the series no longer scares in much the same way it did back in the early games but it also gives you too many things to do to the shambling hordes of mutants. Resident Evil: Revelations is keen to bring back the anxiety by placing the action on an isolated cruise ship, while giving the series another taste of 3D. The truth is out there, but is it worth seeking?

Bridging the gap between Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil 5, the story of Revelations takes place on the Mediterranean. Initially you take the role of former STARS agent Jill Valentine, who together with her new partner Parker are assigned on a rescue mission on the Queen Zenobia to rescue Chris Redfield and his partner Jessica. It soon becomes clear that Chris and Jessica aren’t on the ship, but the presence of the Bio-Organic Weapons (B.O.Ws), used by the terrorist cell Il Veltro to force the destruction of a self-sustainable community named Terragricia, cannot be ignored. You will also take on the roles of Chris Redfield and newcomer Quinn in order to break open the secrets behind what happened in Terragricia and how they relate to the incident on board the Queen Zenobia.

Despite using the word “Revelations” in the title, the narrative is pretty weak to say the least. Presenting it in episodic format is certainly good for handheld devices, but having perspectives change rapidly between characters takes out some of the potential isolation this game could have had. The structure also forces the game to create its own “Previously” segments that make the entire game feel bland in context. Narrative is delivered fairly well, but the series dialogue can’t shake off its B-Move coil.

“While most survival horror games are a test in resourcefulness and tenacity, Resident Evil: Revelations takes a minor turn towards a more action orientated experience.”

Each of the twelve episodes in the main campaign is split into several segments lasting around an hour in total, though it is possible to complete most of them well before that time. Each segment will have you wander various locations of the ship in increasingly open-world settings or reveal the secrets of a deserted air-base in the middle of a mountain range in strictly linear passages. As you travel from point A to point B, you will encounter various B.O.Ws that include shambling ooze covered corpses and other various mutated life forms. Riddle solving is more akin to those from the first Resident Evil for the most part, but you will also use the touch screen to handle lock panels. It isn’t until further in the game that the touch screen gets a little more love in the form of tasks; a missed opportunity to spice up the gameplay earlier on really. The end result feels disappointingly scripted in comparison with other games in the series, which considering the throwback to the old ways makes it quite odd.

While most survival horror games are a test in resourcefulness and tenacity, Resident Evil: Revelations takes a minor turn towards a more action orientated experience. Resembling Resident Evil 4 in terms of perspective and doing away with a vast majority of the item management the series is known for, you will certainly have an easier time of it. You also have something called the Genesis scanner, a device more akin to Metroid Prime’s scanner. Instead of gaining more Intel on the various monstrosities you find on the ship, there is a progress meter on the top that once full, will give you a healing item. You can also scan the environments for hidden items such as bullets and green herbs. By exploring the nooks and crannies of the ship, you will no doubt also find upgrade packages. At specific points on the ship, you can find boxes that not only allow you to switch items, but upgrade their properties as well. Saving is handled by auto-saving after completing certain segments or at certain checkpoints, a strategy that takes a lot of the horror out of the survival gameplay. There are a lot of conveniences at play here, but at the same time it really does feel shallow.

“Sure, it is by far the most technically impressive game on the handheld to date and Capcom’s job on the 3D visuals is nothing but extraordinary, it lacks the thrills of the survival horror genre.”

Gunplay is fairly satisfying as you focus in a completely first person perspective with the now trademark laser pointer showing where your bullets will land, which considering enemies have specific and potentially unclear weak points is always a good thing. You can switch weapons on the fly with the touch screen and even organise sub-weapons. Sometimes switching sub-weapons is a bit fiddly, a trait not in common with standard weaponry as you can use the d-pad for that, but aiming as a whole is precise. I would personally recommend using the Circle Pad Pro if you have one as it makes the game feel more like a standard Resident Evil game, but the controls without them would suffice nicely if you don’t have one.

As you progress through the game, you can unlock new features by fulfilling the Missions – or in-game Achievements to you and me. By unlocking these, you will gain new weapons for use in the Campaign mode which add a little more punch or unlock new modes. One early unlock is the Raid mode, an arcade co-operative mode that you can play either on your own or with a friend. This mode takes segments from the campaign and gives you an objective to get to the goal whilst defeating foes in as efficient a manner as possible. Helpfully, monsters have health gauges and RPG-like numbers float in the sky when hit by bullets, flashing certain colours depending on where you hit them. You can gain ranks in order to use new guns and upgrades you collect while playing; but that aside, the game is based on the skill of the player and the skill of the partner. Taking it online is a fun experience and the added player watching your back helps when things get hectic. More players at a time would have been nice, together with a progressive ramp of difficulty, but it is a nice start.

Taking the idea of the new style Resident Evil games onto a handheld might seem dangerous compared to the safer console options out there, but these are some seriously impressive visuals. While I would still question the ooze-like mutant life forms, the presentation is littered with detailed features that are only amplified by the use of 3D. Seeing the monsters physically lunge at you from the screen as you quickly turn around is probably the scariest this game ever actually gets. The performance is generally steady, though there are moments of stuttering while travelling through lifts or between certain doors as the game loads a new environment. Oddly it even does this through the Raid Mode challenge levels, a touch that is slightly unnerving, but this aside the general presentation is superb. Sound direction is typical for a Resident Evil title and particularly the early stages of the game hint at a return to the former survival horror days of creepy atmosphere.

Resident Evil: Revelations successfully brings the series archetypes since Resident Evil 4 to a handheld format in 3D. The campaign while quite shallow in-depth, makes up for it with its tight controls and providing a massive cruise ship to explore. The arcade Raid mode is the games’ bread and butter though, outshining the main campaign with its superb take on a co-operative experience. While the gunplay is genuinely enjoyable, far less can be said to see this as a survival horror game. With so much ammunition available to you, the game quickly mutates from survival horror to action shooter, losing the vast majority of its atmosphere it built up so hard during the first few hours. Sure, it is by far the most technically impressive game on the handheld to date and Capcom’s job on the 3D visuals is nothing but extraordinary, it lacks the thrills of the survival horror genre. The only real truth in Resident Evil: Revelations therefore is twofold: it is a great handheld action adventure game, but there is no fear factor present in the series anymore.