Resident Evil: Revelations

Trapped on an abandoned cruise ship, surrounded by mutating horrors, with ammunition supplies dwindling dangerously. Resident Evil: Revelations proved that a handheld console could deliver a truly chilling survival horror that need not feel inferior to its console siblings.

The game consciously returns to the series' roots, placing greater emphasis on atmosphere, exploration, and resource management than on pure action. The cramped corridors of the Queen Zenobia recall the claustrophobic environments of the original entries. A new addition is the Genesis scanner, which you use to scan your surroundings, find hidden items, and extract healing bonuses from enemies. Alongside the story campaign, the game also offers a cooperative Raid mode, which emphasizes replaying levels and upgrading weapons.

Resident Evil: Revelations was developed and published by Capcom, originally released on the Nintendo 3DS in 2012. Its story takes place between the events of Resident Evil 4 and 5 and brings beloved heroes Jill Valentine and Chris Redfield back into action within the BSAA organization.

Culturally, Revelations confirmed that the 3DS could handle even technically demanding, mature titles, and the game became one of the console's graphical showcases. Thanks to its positive reception, Capcom decided to port the title to a range of other platforms, from consoles and PC to newer generations.

The success also led to the sequel Resident Evil: Revelations 2, turning this side line into a fully-fledged sub-series that, for many fans, represented a return to what made classic Resident Evil so terrifying.

Why play: If you crave classic survival horror with an oppressive atmosphere and clever resource management, Revelations is among the very best on the 3DS.