For all those people that said the Nintendo 3DS had no games worth playing, prepare to be silenced. Fresh off the presses at Capcom comes the latest portable Resident Evil, entitled Resident Evil: Revelations. Revelations follows Jill Valentine and newcomer Parker Luciani as they investigate the disappearance of Chris Redfield and Jessica Sherawat aboard an abandoned cruise ship called the Queen Zenobia. This ship is filled with all sorts of dangers for Jill and Parker to deal with 
while they learn the whereabouts of Chris, the source of the newly discovered T-Virus, and the actions of the terrorist organization Veltro.
The campaign in Resident Evil: Revelations is excellent. It is a typical Resident Evil game, as far as the style of play is concerned. It utilizes a third-person, over-the-shoulder view reminiscent of Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil 5. The campaign is a hefty adventure for a hand-held device, taking around 8-10 hours to complete. As always, ammunition is scarce, but the more you explore your surroundings, the more ammo you will find. Despite its similarities to previous Resident Evil titles, this game transcends expectations. Most people would think that having an entire game take place in one location would get repetitive, but there are plenty of different environments to explore, from the ship’s luxury cabins to the cafeteria. This ship is expansive, and exploring it is fun and engaging. There are also swimming sections added, which is something not found in previous titles in the series. This new swimming mechanic works well, and it opens the door to possibilities for the future.
In addition to the diverse locations and the ability to play as Resident Evil veterans are the visuals. This game looks great on the Nintendo 3DS. The graphics are sharp and clear, and the 3D is very well done; the effect is subtle and doesn’t get in the way of the gameplay. Whether you play in 3D or 2D, the environments are extremely moody and dark. The Queen
Zenobia is a perfect location for this game: from the long, dark hallways to the sounds of the ship creaking in the tide, the setting is incredibly creepy, and it makes for an excellent addition to the Resident Evil franchise.
The gameplay is what you would expect from a Resident Evil game, as mentioned earlier. However, there are a few new additions to gameplay that makes this game unique. There is a new device at your disposal called the Genesis device. It allows you to scan your environment to gather data. If you scan all the enemies you dispatch, it will add the T-virus sample data to your archives. When you fill the archives to 100%, you get a special healing item that comes in handy when you are facing a large number of enemies at once. There are also a number of other hidden objects and locations that you can scan. If you find and scan one of these locations, you’ll find either an item or more ammunition. Ammunition is already scarce, so finding these hidden locations is imperative to being successful in this game.
This game also supports the Circle Pad Pro, and it is highly recommended to use this peripheral to play this game. Using the Circle Pad Pro, you’ll be able to modify the controls to a scheme similar to Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil 5. Without this add-on, the default control scheme will make you stop to shoot your weapon. However, if you use the Circle 
Pad Pro, you will be able to strafe while firing, which is a huge advantage to the player. While it isn’t required, it is worth the investment for this and future shooter titles.
There is also a new multiplayer mode added to Resident Evil: Revelations called Raid mode. Raid mode can be played as a single player mode, with a friend locally, or over the internet. In this mode, players will be given a set amount of time to dispatch all the enemies on the level as quickly as possible. This mode is in stark contrast to the slow-moving, exploratory campaign. Raid mode is quick and aggressive, and the faster you kill enemies, the more experience you get. You can spend this experience on weapon upgrades and leveling up. It is a fun secondary mode to the main story-line that is worth a look, even if you don’t generally like multiplayer modes.
All in all, Resident Evil: Revelations is an excellent game. It successfully blends the updated Resident Evil franchise with new mechanics to make this a unique and satisfying experience. The fact that this is a hand-held title with such an engrossing storyline and multiplayer options is especially impressive. If you’ve been searching for a reason to get a 3DS, or if you have just been looking for a quality 3DS title to play, look no further than Resident Evil: Revelations. This game can stand up to any other title in the series, and I highly recommend this game for all Nintendo 3DS owners.
Rating: 
This review is based on a retail copy of the Nintendo 3DS version of Resident Evil: Revelations by Capcom