--The Overseer, Resident Evil: Revelations 2
Though it would have certainly benefited from a more serpentine plot and stronger characters, Resident Evil: Revelations 2 for the Vita provides a worthwhile horror experience on a handheld platform. The narrative of Revelations 2 is far less complex than the first Revelations game, despite the early stages of the story resembling a mixture of Saw and The Last of Us, but the gameplay still contains enough horror elements to likely entice players who appreciate ammunition scarcity and vulnerability. If one does not expect superb writing, deep characterization, or a complicated villain, the aspects of the game that do deliver some degree of excellence will be enjoyable. In North America, Revelations 2 is only available for the PS Vita via digital download, and the size of the download is not small. However, the game comes complete with The Struggle and Little Miss, two DLC expansions, so it is a full experience. For all of its shortcomings, it does succeed in some areas.
Production Values
Unfortunately, not many aspects of the visuals are worthy of praise. The colors are muted, the textures are blurry, and the game occasionally (but infrequently) slows down to the point of being very difficult to play. Horrid load times mean that players must wait at least around 60-110 seconds just to return to the main menu or start a Raid Mode mission. Additionally, it can take a while to merely scroll through options in Raid Mode sub-menus. The sound is better then the graphics, but it is not worthy of deep praise. Lip sync errors in some videos detract from potential immersion. The production values are clearly scaled down for the Vita by comparison to the console versions of the game, consistently walking the line of mediocrity.
Gameplay
The gameplay is by far the strongest aspect of Revelations 2, similar to The Last of Us in its emphasis on character duos and item crafting. Claire Redfield, the sister of series regular Chris Redfield, is paired with Moira, who is the daughter of Barry Burton, a character paired with newcomer Natalia. Switching between Claire and Moira or between Barry and Natalia is a key element of the game, at least for players who want to find concealed ammunition deposits, which can only be discovered by Moira or Natalia. Claire and Barry, though, are the only playable characters in the campaign that can wield the full range of weaponry, from machine guns to melee attacks to firebomb bottles. Alternate skins for Claire, Moira, Barry, and Natalia are available before starting or resuming the campaign, just in case players want a different color scheme or costume style.
Fortunately, the addictive Raid Mode, which returns from the first Revelations game, is accessible from the very beginning: completion of the campaign is not required to play it. Raid Mode, somewhat comparable to Mercenaries mode in Resident Evil 5 and Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D, has players fight a fixed number of enemies, their health bars visible. It lets users play as franchise icons like Jill Valentine (who appropriately reprises her costume from the first Revelations), Leon Kennedy, and Albert Wesker. Every character can obtain and equip new weapon models and perks that make Raid Mode a much more bearable affair--it can be difficult when starting with a character who is not leveled up. For a further advantage, perks and weapons can be upgraded, providing an extensive range of ways to overpower or withstand a variety of creatures.
Story
Spoilers are below!
Claire Redfield and Moira Burton are abducted by an unknown faction and brought to an island presided over by an enigmatic woman called the "Overseer," a malevolent persona who communicates with them through bracelets that are now strapped to their wrists. Wishing to find his kidnapped daughter, Barry Burton tracks her to the island, only to discover that the distress call from the island that drew him there was issued six months ago. He meets a young girl named Natalia, who soon claims that Moira is dead.
The Overseer is eventually revealed to be Alex Wesker, sister of the deceased Albert Wesker. Having attempted suicide before being saved by the T-Phobos virus that altered her body, Alex aimed to transfer her consciousness to Natalia. She continues to verbally harass Natalia through the bracelet communication system, but she is eventually located by Barry and Natalia, with Barry defeating her after she injects herself with the Uroboros virus. At this point, depending on a player decision earlier in the game, one of two endings commences.
Intellectual Content
While not as much emphasis is placed on survival horror in Revelations 2 as in the later Resident Evil 7, there is enough pressure from resource scarcity to influence many players to strategize. Planning how to approach a new room or situation--whether by using stealth and attempting to sneak up on enemies or by using the limited ammunition found in the environment--constitutes the majority of the intellectual demands. There are puzzles, but they are not integrated into a large amount of the gameplay.
Conclusion
Resident Evil: Revelations 2 suffers from emotional shallowness and a mediocre plot, and the Vita edition has additional problems in the form of washed-out graphics and audio-visual syncing issues. None of these cancel out the effectiveness, urgency, and suspense of the horror atmosphere, with Raid Mode alone justifying the purchase for those who love its RPG style of gameplay. After all, Revelations 2 is one of the only horror games on the Vita, as horror does not have an extensive presence on any handheld system. As long as players don't expect what the campaign cannot deliver in terms of story sophistication, the survival horror of the game might be enough to win them over.
Content
1. Violence: Firearm and melee attacks produce blood, but the amount is often fairly small, and the blood animations last for only a few moments at most.
2. Profanity: Claire and Barry use "strong" profanity at various points.
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