Resident Evil: Revelations 2 - Episode 1: Penal Colony Reviews
Resident Evil: Revelations 2 is a promising start to this four-part horror title, with some interesting gameplay dynamics let down by dodgy presentation and some technical hiccups.
The old-meets-new action in the story is solid but lacks spark, taking a backseat to what turns out to be an unexpectedly strong bonus Raid mode
Overall, this first foray into Resident Evil Revelations 2 is a good one. The two campaigns are both fun, tense and engaging with a strong Raid mode to back it up. The co-operative gameplay is interesting to experiment with and provides the player with a variety of ways to tackle situations. While the lack of online co-op is a bit of a head scratcher and the graphics aren't up to par, Penal Colony was very enjoyable and more than worthy of a playthrough. If Resident Evil Revelations 2 continues in the same vein, then we can't wait to get our hands on future episodes.
A great start to what will hopefully result in a solid and memorable entry in the Resident Evil franchise. If the following episodes are as good as this one, I firmly believe it will be.
Resident Evil Revelations 2's first episode is a strong start to the game and the only fault I can find with this method of release is that the next episode can't come out soon enough. Penal Colony provided just the right amount of backstory and twists to leave the player wanting to find out what's next in the story.
The first episode of Revelations 2 starts off a little slow, thankfully Raid Mode keeps things interesting and alone justifies the price of admission. Hopefully the story picks up in the future chapters.
If this first episode is a sign of things to come, I think most Resident Evil fans have a lot of good times to look forward to. While the graphics in Penal Colony are pretty disappointing, the atmosphere, pacing, and amount of content are easily worth the price of admission. You'll want to grab a friend to play with in order to enjoy this game to its fullest potential. It'll be interesting to see where Capcom is going to take the story, and those looking for a couple of scares should download a copy of Penal Colony today.
Unlike its predecessor, the campaign in Resident Evil: Revelations 2 thus far places more emphasis on action rather than slow burn tension, though Claire's chapter harks back towards the item management and the notable scarcity of ammo of earlier Resident Evils. Either way with its back to basics approach to narrative, and its deeply satisfying gunplay, early signs are that Resident Evil: Revelations 2 will be a worthy addition to the series.
A successful start to the first episodic Resident Evil, with some genuinely inventive co-op features and the most effective scares the series has seen in years.
A surprisingly good return to the world of Resident Evil, that could pave the way for something rather special.
Resident Evil: Revelations 2 feels like a budgeted release at times visually, but given the interesting environments and insanely detailed Raid Mode, that's okay. Either mode is worth the $6 entry fee alone, and I will be playing this for weeks to come both alone and with a partner.
I'll give Capcom the benefit of the doubt and assume it's going to be a decent game from start to end. I don't find it quite as engaging as Revelations HD just yet, but the setup alone for a larger game has me excited for more.
Both the Raid and Campaign modes are off to great starts, although the episode ends just as things are getting going. As a new idea for the Resident Evil series though, I think the episodic feel could be a hit. I'm loving that each one is only a week apart too. Raid mode has eaten up my weekend, the unlocks are starting to come together and the mode will surely continue to grow with new content each week.
An episodic Resident Evil premieres with great characters and gray rooms
Thus far, Resident Evil: Revelations 2 is definitely living up to the Revelations name. I can't wait to dive into the next episodes.