This third of four chapter raises the stakes but not without some trade off.
Resident Evil Revelations 2 Episode 3 REVIEW
Written By- Tyler Pederson
Sticking to the weekly release schedule, we are now three quarters of the way through this “Season” of Revelations. While I have mixed feelings on certain elements of the ideas being introduced as game progresses, I would never fault the game for simply trying new things. The invisible enemy type for instance make a return, but aren’t overused to the point of forced difficulty. It has become more apparent however in this episode particularly, that the reluctance to push those mechanics too far has led to a significant chunk of padding.
Now, don’t get me wrong. Speaking on it's narrative, I would have to again say these episodes are continually getting better. Both for the obvious reason of having closure on some threads brought up, but also for a particular “revelation” that left me a bit emotional. The story isn’t rushing to a conclusion, it’s reaching it organically via the multiple unique takes on the same setting. This especially shines in this chapter as you again retread the same ground as both pairs of characters, however returning to more dread inducing settings that the first episode introduced.
Gameplay wise there is little to say that hasn't been said in reviews of prior episodes. It’s all the same, a few new weapons can be acquired by those with a keen eye. Nothing has gotten worse, but nothing has evolved here like it did between the first two episodes. Combat wise, the game is beginning the Resident Evil trend that’s been around since 4, wherein the game just starts throwing increasingly insane numbers of tough enemies at you in place of the variety of previous chapters. It’s manageable, but the slip ups here will be more costly than the earlier chapters.
You are again tasked with taking on a boss as each main character, but this time the difficulty curve was much more consistent. They aren't sudden spikes this time, but a proper ramp leading into a fitting challenge to finish out each half. Admittedly, this formula of sorts seems to be their take on each subsequent episode, and I don’t have any problem with that outline, so long as the challenge continues to escalate exponentially but fairly. I will say that for a chapter that highlights the co-op element of the game so well, the finale lacks any originality outside of a classic RE standoff, for better or worse.
There is the unfortunate chunk of padding. It will be very clear what I’m referring to when you arrive there, but to give you a rough idea, it’s a puzzle that hinders movement ability to a crawl, and it’s essentially repeated 3-4 times in quick succession. It’s just enough to push up against one’s patience, but not enough to frustrate me too much. Overall, both pair have their high and low points, but Claire and Moira steal the show on the gameplay side while Natalia continues to hog the narrative spotlight to fantastic results.
This third chapter answers some questions but it raises a few as well. I say this both story wise, and structurally. Capcom are selling these 4 episodes individually, but as far as I know the only manner of obtaining the 2 forthcoming “Bonus” episodes is by either purchasing the season in it’s entirety, or opting to wait for the physical version to be released closer to the end of the month. As it stands, the fourth episode will have to work overtime if it intends to leave all players with closure, but for now, I have returned to intense anticipation of the following, and seemingly final chapter.
Resident Evil Revelations 2 Episode 3 gets a 9/10.