Resident Evil: Revelations 2 - Episode 1: Penal Colony Reviews
Imagination takes a backseat in Revelations 2, but great co-op and an intriguing story pumps blood through its veins.
A so-so start to this new series. The multiple character stuff is interesting, but weak shooting and bland environments let it down.
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.
Resident Evil: Revelations 2 gets off to a rough start with poor writing and safe design choices, but it's redeemed by strong doses of tension during the second act.
Altogether, the sum of the parts for this first episode makes for an enjoyable run and, despite the rocky start, will make gamers look forward to the next episode.
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.
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 surprisingly good return to the world of Resident Evil, that could pave the way for something rather special.
An intriguing start to Capcom's episodic adventure.
It's a "decent enough" little shooter can raise a smile, but not expectations.
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
The first episode of 'Resident Evil: Revelation 2' sets the scene for future episodes with familiar gameplay and local co-op, but is graphically unimpressive.
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.
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.
It's hardly a revelatory release thus far – but this could yet be great.
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.
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.
For six dollars you really can't wrong since there is plenty of game here to be had with the really fun Raid Mode and new game plus type unlocks for the campaign. You'll just have to put up with very dated visuals and the general Resident Evil weirdness you've come to know and love all these years.
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.
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.