Resident Evil: Revelations 2 Reviews
Fails to meet expectations in more ways than one and shows the decline of the franchise.
Resident Evil Revelations 2 isn't even notable enough to be considered bad either, that's probably the bitterest pill. It's simply old fashioned, greedy, and pointless – very much like the so-called "AAA" market attitude is so beautifully reflects.
We can treat the Revelations 2 experiment as a learning experience. This game should be dissected, studied, catalogued and put into storage. I genuiniely hope that there will be another Revelations game--one with better cooperative gameplay and perhaps doing away with episodes altogether.
Despite Resident Evil 7's critical and commercial success earlier this year, some fans took exception to its all-new stylistic approach to Capcom's juggernaut series, which they considered to be a betrayal of the survival horror's legendary roots. Simply put, they claimed the Southern Gothic, first-person horror title was "not a Resident Evil game".Drastic changes to long-running series almost always meet opposition. It's easy to forget today that some people didn't like Resident Evil 4's metamorphosis from the mechanics of even earlier entries, even though today it's considered one of the best games in the series. My (woefully drawn out) point is that sometimes, a series must adapt to survive, and, given my time with Resident Evil: Revelations, Capcom's recent overhaul of the franchise is a godsend.
Capcom are very lucky. It's rare to have a formula that works so well. From the episodic formats, (not to mention the brilliantly produced "previously on" and "next time on" segments), to the strong enough gameplay, there's enough content here for a lot of people to enjoy. I am disappointed about the features that have taken a step back, however if you're looking for a solid, single player, B-grade horror game, this is where to go.
Revelations 2 has its moments as the game includes a lot of easter eggs for fans of the series. The Raid Mode is a fantastic and addictive game mode that is worth the price of admission alone. It tells a sufficient story, but the new characters do not really stick out. The cooperative A.I. is as diverse as ever, but the intelligence behind it has much to be desired.
The low price point and episodic release of Resident Evil: Revelations 2 don't hide its status as a budget title. It has its strengths, including some pretty cool monster design and fun puzzles, but by and large, almost everything it does has been done better by another RE title. RE fans will enjoy themselves, but otherwise, there isn't a ton to boost Revelations 2 above its predecessor. It's not a bad game, but it lacks any real strengths. The Raid mode is the meat of the game, but it can only hold one's interest for so long.
While it plays solid enough, there are a few hiccups along the way like poorly coded AI, missing animation or some sluggish character controls. Episodic structure ultimately was pointless and the way it was handled ended up hurting the flow of the game by having players redo areas back to back with different characters.
While not quite there, Resi's back on track
Resident Evil Revelations 2 is a paint-by-the-numbers exercise in survival horror lacking in bite strength
The Resident Evil series clearly has experienced its fair share of peaks and valleys, and Revelations 2 hovers closer to the former. While I generally love me some co-op in video games, here's hoping that if Capcom adds it to future Resident Evil games, the AI characters are actually capable of outsmarting the zombies they're surrounded by.
The gameplay in Resident Evil: Revelations 2, Episode 2 is still strong, but the story and the environments need to improve to stop dragging the game down
Despite ending on a horribly rushed note, Resident Evil: Revelations 2 provides tons of replayability through extra modes, bonus episodes and a mostly enjoyable campaign.
'Resident Evil: Revelations 2' manages to make for an entertaining stopgap between core 'Resident Evil' entries by offering a fun-filled co-op, but lackluster graphics.
Resident Evil: Revelations 2 brings back a few classic RE staples, but still won't please most longtime fans. Those seeking standard action will still enjoy the third-person shooter gameplay though.
Overall, though, Resident Evil Revelations 2 suffers from the same disjointed quality that initially makes it look appealing. It's a good game that potentially could have been great had Capcom just given it a bit more time or a bit more direction.
Resident Evil Revelations 2 might not move the series forward, but, at the same time, it isn't at all the cheap cash-in it easily could have been. If you're a survival horror fan in need of a Resident Evil fix, Revelations 2 will definitely be fulfilling.
Revelations 2 is an entertaining horror experience; let's hope Capcom aims a little higher next time.
Besides the visually overhauled campaign, there's also a Raid mode where players can return to campaign levels that have been altered slightly and play through using different characters, allowing for online co-op. This mode also features an entirely new chunk of content dubbed Ghost Ship: Chaos, which may or may not be enough to entice players to return to the game once again.
Resident Evil Revelations 2 is a pretty good entry in the series from Capcom. While the actual horror elements, barring some jump scares, aren't that common, you'll still feel a bit spooked out in various moments of the story. For those that want action, however, the Raid mode is by far the star of the package.