So I completed the main game today. I loved it. I had issues with it - mainly the creatures, which I felt were dull and not remotely creepy, and the side missions, which were usually just shooting galleries that broke the pacing of the main story - but what I found was that, the further I got, the more interesting and more involving the game got. The main location was excellent, and looked great on 3DS, and I felt they made really good use of it, playing with it and changing the situation to make the most out of areas and, especially, to use backtracking not just to extend the game but add to it in terms of tension or higher stakes.

There were some real highlights in the last few episodes and many 'you've got to be kidding me' moments (in a good way).

I also found myself really getting into the story. That was a bit of a surprise to be honest. I guess I wasn't expecting all that much from it but they managed to craft something really involving here and I found it very satisfying.

And it all worked great on the 3DS. I did use the circle pad add-on. Not convinced it needs it but I had it and got used to it and, with it, had very few control issues. The only one really being that I never quite figured out how to dodge.

So, yes, I loved it. I really hope they make another 3DS RE game. With better enemies. Zombies. I'd even like them to port RE4 as I'm one of the only people on the planet who still hasn't played it.

Yeah, I never quite got a handle on dodging successfully in the demo.  Do you press the stick to the side of an enemy attack, or toward them?  Or is it dependent on the attack itself?

Also, did they make it any easier to distinguish when an enemy actually bites the dust?  Too often in the demo, I found myself wasting a precious bullet because there's no easy way to tell when an enemy really dies before it crumples to the ground.  Like, maybe an additional stagger animation, or more definitive death groan?

Good impressions.  Would love to hear your opinions on Raid Mode.  Are you gonna tackle Hell Mode next?

I really have no idea what the trick is with dodge. I quickly figured it wasn't worth the risk and so just stopped trying to use it. No, they didn't fix that issue with the enemies, or at least not that I noticed. I just got used to shooting in bursts and waiting to see if they'd drop. With the stronger weapons, you also quickly get to know how many shots you'll need.

Haven't really tried Raid mode yet beyond just one quick go. I have no idea if it will grab me or not yet. People are saying good things but if it's just combat, I don't know. I'll try getting into that next though.

Honestly don't know if I'll have the patience for Hell mode. It was tough enough in the demo. I suspect it might just frustrate me - my tolerance for tough games is getting lower as I get older.

You do know this is available on the cheap for both PS3 and 360 as a download, right?

Get the Gamecube version of RE4, Jay. Capcom is so port happy they might just put RE4 to 3DS. Don't spoil the game by playing it on a little screen and inferior hardware. You deserve better.

The dodging addition would probably break the game's difficulty if you figured it out. I'm inferring it's not one of those qte dodges where buttons are displayed. Having not played the game I would assume it's a dodge initiated by striking a directional input by itself or with the run button (?) in a short timed interval before the attack lands on your character. I had trouble with this kinda stuff when it came to figuring out the exact timing needed to critical hit the phantoms in DMC. Just requires a quick play where you get injured or mess around with stuff to figure out little nuances of the game. What does the instruction manual say about dodging?

The manual says 'Use the Circle Pad just before getting hit by an enemy attack to evade'. 'Use the Circle Pad' is pretty vague and, if I remember correctly, in the game itself, it also says to use the B button but the button is definitely not needed as I often evaded without even meaning to just with a nudge of the circle pad. I think it's just a timing thing but it's very hard to figure out.

Made it up to Episode 4 so far.  I love the recap feature at the start of each new episode; they're like awesome mini trailers for the game in themselves.

Gyro controls are superb.  I'm so glad they've given you the option to freely aim AND move around at the same time without the use of the Circle Pad Pro.  Gyro controls also make it easier to quickly sweep an area with the Genesis scanner.

The intro leading up to the first boss was CREEEEEEEEEPY.  Long time since a video game made me feel so unsettled.

Yeah, the dodge technique is fairly useless.  In fact, I've never been able to pull it off successfully since the early 'tutorial' section where it's mandatory.  I've hit a point where I'm down to no bullets (I blame the Custom Parts that allow you to shoot two bullets at a time -- useful, but boy, it's an ammo eater), so dodging would really help out here.

Yeah that first boss was great. The voice really made it. I think you're going to enjoy the second boss.

Although that first boss, for me, highlighted what is wrong with most of the enemies. One of the great thing about zombies is that implied tragedy. They're effectively damaged people. We hear them groan and there's a sadness to it, even though they want to eat your face. That humanity makes them creepier and, maybe due to some primal violent instinct (I don't know), makes it more satisfying putting them down.

But the enemies in Revelations are faceless shapes with no hint that there was intelligence or life there. They may as well be sentry guns - ever enjoyed taking out a sentry gun in games or felt any connection to them?

The first boss is different and that made him much better for me.

.... Rachel, right?  That was a good one, but it was AFTER the battle that left me feeling uneasy.  ..... That laugh.... she really isn't dead yet, is she?

This thread is making me somewhat excited to play it. I hope this and RE6 captures that feel RE4 had.

At the very least, Revelations leaves you with a good idea at how they might approach the multi-character cast of RE6.  For each episode, the game shifts the player's perspective from character to character, and sometimes through several different time lines.  So one episode might have you set in a tensely moody survival horror setting like classic RE, and then the next, a more balls-out action fest a la RE4 and RE5.  It should all be tonally jarring, but somehow, it isn't.  On the contrary, it offers deftness not only to gameplay, but also to the narrative.

Just picked this up since it's finally down to $20 on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Resident-Evil-Rev … evelations