I'm really digging the Nintendo 3DS console but the lack of mature games is a little disconcerting. So when I heard that Resident Evil was going to made for the 3DS, I was ecstatic to say the least. We were finally getting a real MA15+ game for this console and best of all, it was based in the Resident Evil universe which would also use the revolutionary 3D capabilities of this console. It was also an original new story, not some cheap port!

Even better is that this game is compatible with the new Nintendo 3DS Circle Pad Pro accessory which simply attaches to your console and gives players a new right circle pad plus a ZL and ZR Button. Gaming definitely got better on the 3DS.

In terms of story, Revelations takes place between Resident Evil 4 and 5 and more importantly is no way connected to the horrendous GameBoy Colour game from a decade ago. With some awesome cinematics to help progress the story, it seems that a new bio-terrorism virus has been unleashed on humanity again, more specifically on the futuristic city of Terragriga and its your job to investigate the origin and mystery of an abandoned cruise ship. Add in classic survival horror gameplay and you're definitely in for a treat.

For fans of the Resident Evil series, Jill Valentine and Chris Redfield return, however each of them are paired with two new partners. Jill is paired with Parker Luciana, another Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance (BSAA) agent and Chris with the rather spunky Jessica Sherawat. Even though the characters are as clichéd as they come, Capcom should be commended on the story telling of this current Resident Evil story which is setup like a TV series. This helps keep the 10 - 12 hour campaign neatly contained and definitely helps in luring you back to the gameplay.

The gameplay does follow the tried and tested survival horror genre where you explore empty corridors and rooms, only to have the living daylights scared out of you when you least expect it. There are a few puzzles and mini-games to spice things up but for the majority of your time, you'll be on the edge of your seat exploring this seemingly abandoned world. Just waiting... to see what's around the corner.

After the initial lull in the game, your senses are soon awakened when you fight your first monster and as you progress, these monsters become more diverse as do the classic boss battles. The controls of the game work well but if you want that true traditional shooter experience, this is where the Circle Pad Pro comes into action. This add-on definitely makes the gaming experience much more fluid and really enhances the gameplay, especially as you use the left pad to move, right pad to look and trigger buttons to shoot. It's definitely much needed when the enemies appear, especially when you're trying to get that perfect shot with a gun or rocket launcher.

Ammunition is quite scarce in the game so you definitely need to use your head while you are engaged with the enemy. Jill also has this very useful scanning tool called the Genesis Scanner which allows you to search the environment for hidden items such as ammunition and to scan your enemies. Environments are well created and use lighting perfectly to help keep things creepy. The ship is very well designed as are certain areas of the city that has fallen victim to this virus.

3D on the other hand adds to the scare factor but when you jerk around the console from a "fright", it does take a moment or two to get your eyes right again. Even so, the 3D just makes the gameplay that tad better. Needless to say, this is probably one of the best looking games on the 3DS at the moment. Music is good but once again, the voice is a little too stereotypical of a Capcom game which although is a trademark feature of this series, it can be quite annoying... especially Luciana's "Italian" accent.

Apart from the campaign mode, you can play the game online in a Raid Mode which allows you to co-operatively play the single-player missions to clear the levels as fast as you can in order to get that top score. It definitely does increase the replay value of this title and is quite fun playing with another person. It can even be played locally.

Final Level

Resident Evil Revelations is a must have game for the 3DS that should be used in conjunction with the Nintendo 3DS Circle Pad Pro accessory. The gameplay is almost flawless and the environments are quite detailed and engaging. The story is a little clichéd as are the characters which may become annoying for some but if you're a fan of this franchise than you really need to check it out. Even if you have never played a Resident Evil game before, the developers ensure that you won't be disadvantaged. It's almost perfect!