Resident Evil has been in a critically dormant state for some time now. Resident Evil 4 served as a departure from all of the elements that the series' regulars had other-wise been accustom to, but managed to garner critical acclaim nonetheless. Resident Evil 5 soon came after and drew positive reviews as well, but it's still considered as the final straw in the franchises' change from survival-horror over to a more action-oriented experience. Resident Evil 6 was the definitive work in that fact, receiving mixed to negative reviews, and a ton of complaints as well. The title wasn't well-loved and that's a lot of the reason why Capcom hasn't been too fast at making another ambitious effort with the franchise. In the mean-time, Resident Evil: Revelations popped up and managed to save some face. The title wasn't anything special at all whatsoever, and was actually bland when everything's considered, but fans welcomed it because it brought the franchise closer to what it had come to expect. It was more based around horror and less based around spectacle.
Resident Evil: Revelations 2, known other-wise as Biohazard Revelations 2 in Japan, is an episodic survival horror video game and stands as the tenth installment in the Resident Evil franchise. While it serves as a follow up to Resident Evil: Revelations, there isn't really a whole lot that either of them have in-common. They both seem standalone enough, and Relevations 2 was developed for the home-consoles, whereas the first was ported from handhelds. The video-game is set between the events of Resident Evil 5 and 6, perhaps in an attempt to figure out where Capcom went so wrong, with Claire Redfield and Moira Burton attempting their survival on a creature infested island. Other times, you'll play as Moira's father, Barry Burton who is looking for her.
The critical reception for Resident Evil: Revelations 2 was positive, but there doesn't seem to be enough reviews available to draw a pure consensus. I noticed that a lot of individuals remarked that it was more playable as a 'multiplayer' offering than anything else. That discouraged me from buying it for some time, but the thing is, after finishing the campaign, I think that couldn't be any less true. Revelations 2 doesn't work as a multiplayer horror as much as it does a single-player because it's most satisfying to play as the one carrying the gun than it is the one with the crowbar or brick. Oh, Barry Burton runs around with a small girl he met on the island named Natalia.
The graphics in this aren't really on-par with what we've come to expect. They certainly aren't higher-tier stuff like the high-production values we saw with Resident Evil 6, but that's okay, and for what it's worth, the scenery looks refreshingly inspired. In-fact, some of it even looks like Silent Hill and The Evil Within at times, not to say inspiration was taken, but to say that Revelations 2 seems more dedicated to the atmosphere than it has in a while. The controls are well-kempt, and are a lot like what we had with Revelations, albeit more polished and allowing for different methods of killing off adversaries. I used molotovs a lot more than I ever did in any other game, and some of it actually proved to be unique ways of killing off enemies. It's all a lot more fun in Relevations 2 than it was in the first Relevations, and in-fact, it's a definite step up from Resident Evil 6. Everything comes together more and even though this is a lighter and less ambitious work than one of the numbered entries, I think this is worthy of being thrown in the same category as Resident Evil 5.
Something else that I didn't expect from this latest entry is how enticing some of the characters are. I am not saying they're the intellectual equivalent of Joel and Ellie from The Last of Us, but Barry and Natalia's rapport is enjoyable. Claire and Moira have chemistry with one another as characters as well, and even if Moira might be a little overbearing at times, all of the characters feel like they have a little more color than what Resident Evil is known for.
The gunplay in this one is satisfying and fun, and the melee combat feels like it's taken a rightful step, albeit the knife is still as bland and as boring as ever, meanwhile, while I said the scenery feels refreshing and dark at times, I should also mention its short-comings. Some of it all can become a little repetitive after a while and the game occasionally feels like it's going through the motions. Still, the amount of enjoyment from the game-play itself is more than enough to make me want to continue on.
Terror isn't abundant in Revelations 2, which might disappoint some, however, I have the consensus that terror was never really a vital element in Resident Evil. Having finished the first Resident Evil, Resident Evil 0, 4-6, and the first Relevations, I can say that I have never really been scared by any of it. It's the tension that Resident Evil has that really does it, and this one has that. I was constantly out of ammo in this one, and would always have to think up strategic or other-wise desperate ways in-order to advance to the next spot.
Resident Evil: Revelations 2 is exactly what I want from Resident Evil. Not only do I think that it's better than the first one and Resident Evil 6, but a lot of me was battling about whether or not it was even better than Resident Evil 5. It isn't. Because it's lack of polish and expansiveness, as well as certain storytelling elements toward the end that I could've done without, but it's thoroughly enjoyable.
This is what I want Resident Evil to be. A tense and rewarding experience that is enjoyable and worthwhile. I am certain they'll be announcing Resident Evil 7 in the near future, but I'd much prefer information about Resident Evil: Revelations 3.
Resident Evil: Revelations 2, known other-wise as Biohazard Revelations 2 in Japan, is an episodic survival horror video game and stands as the tenth installment in the Resident Evil franchise. While it serves as a follow up to Resident Evil: Revelations, there isn't really a whole lot that either of them have in-common. They both seem standalone enough, and Relevations 2 was developed for the home-consoles, whereas the first was ported from handhelds. The video-game is set between the events of Resident Evil 5 and 6, perhaps in an attempt to figure out where Capcom went so wrong, with Claire Redfield and Moira Burton attempting their survival on a creature infested island. Other times, you'll play as Moira's father, Barry Burton who is looking for her.
The critical reception for Resident Evil: Revelations 2 was positive, but there doesn't seem to be enough reviews available to draw a pure consensus. I noticed that a lot of individuals remarked that it was more playable as a 'multiplayer' offering than anything else. That discouraged me from buying it for some time, but the thing is, after finishing the campaign, I think that couldn't be any less true. Revelations 2 doesn't work as a multiplayer horror as much as it does a single-player because it's most satisfying to play as the one carrying the gun than it is the one with the crowbar or brick. Oh, Barry Burton runs around with a small girl he met on the island named Natalia.
The graphics in this aren't really on-par with what we've come to expect. They certainly aren't higher-tier stuff like the high-production values we saw with Resident Evil 6, but that's okay, and for what it's worth, the scenery looks refreshingly inspired. In-fact, some of it even looks like Silent Hill and The Evil Within at times, not to say inspiration was taken, but to say that Revelations 2 seems more dedicated to the atmosphere than it has in a while. The controls are well-kempt, and are a lot like what we had with Revelations, albeit more polished and allowing for different methods of killing off adversaries. I used molotovs a lot more than I ever did in any other game, and some of it actually proved to be unique ways of killing off enemies. It's all a lot more fun in Relevations 2 than it was in the first Relevations, and in-fact, it's a definite step up from Resident Evil 6. Everything comes together more and even though this is a lighter and less ambitious work than one of the numbered entries, I think this is worthy of being thrown in the same category as Resident Evil 5.
Something else that I didn't expect from this latest entry is how enticing some of the characters are. I am not saying they're the intellectual equivalent of Joel and Ellie from The Last of Us, but Barry and Natalia's rapport is enjoyable. Claire and Moira have chemistry with one another as characters as well, and even if Moira might be a little overbearing at times, all of the characters feel like they have a little more color than what Resident Evil is known for.
The gunplay in this one is satisfying and fun, and the melee combat feels like it's taken a rightful step, albeit the knife is still as bland and as boring as ever, meanwhile, while I said the scenery feels refreshing and dark at times, I should also mention its short-comings. Some of it all can become a little repetitive after a while and the game occasionally feels like it's going through the motions. Still, the amount of enjoyment from the game-play itself is more than enough to make me want to continue on.
Terror isn't abundant in Revelations 2, which might disappoint some, however, I have the consensus that terror was never really a vital element in Resident Evil. Having finished the first Resident Evil, Resident Evil 0, 4-6, and the first Relevations, I can say that I have never really been scared by any of it. It's the tension that Resident Evil has that really does it, and this one has that. I was constantly out of ammo in this one, and would always have to think up strategic or other-wise desperate ways in-order to advance to the next spot.
Resident Evil: Revelations 2 is exactly what I want from Resident Evil. Not only do I think that it's better than the first one and Resident Evil 6, but a lot of me was battling about whether or not it was even better than Resident Evil 5. It isn't. Because it's lack of polish and expansiveness, as well as certain storytelling elements toward the end that I could've done without, but it's thoroughly enjoyable.
This is what I want Resident Evil to be. A tense and rewarding experience that is enjoyable and worthwhile. I am certain they'll be announcing Resident Evil 7 in the near future, but I'd much prefer information about Resident Evil: Revelations 3.