I don't think that's water...
If you've played the original 3DS version you'll know what to expect, but the console version has had a few tweaks, such as a proper over the shoulder aiming view now rather than the FPS view you used in the original, as well as a couple other minor changes. Those of you who are new to the experience, Revelations controls smoothly for the most part, with some slight awkwardness in terms of dodging enemy attacks (with the proper timing of course) and strafing/moving around which can take a little getting used to after the relative freedom of RE6's control system. Setting up melee attacks is also a lot trickier than in previous entries and is woefully explained in-game, and you also have the Genesis scanner- it can be used to scan enemies to build up a scanning gauge, and when you get to 100% you receive a green herb, as well as using it to scan the environment for hidden ammo stashes and other items to give you an edge in future conflicts.
In terms of the general feel over 12 chapters Revelations straddles the line between 'classic' RE's and the more action-orientated recent entries. Jill and Parker will largely make their way through the cramped, claustrophobic environments of the Zenobia, battling lumbering enemies who still have a lot of power in their natural habitat, picking up various keys and items and backtracking as required to access more and more decks and rooms- while looking out for sudden jump scares and enemies lunging at you from around blind corners. On the other hand, chapters involving other characters such as Chris (and other newcomer Jessica) act as gauntlet challenges as you run from one end of the chapter to the other, gunning down waves of B.O.W's as you go. It helps to govern the pace, though admittedly as you near the end Jill's sections boil down to a seemingly constant race against time and overwhelming odds which can grate a little as you walk into a new room and have another handful of enemies to take out with your (likely) dwindling supplies. And while the story tries to paint this grand conspiracy, you can probably work out who the main villain is before everyone else in game does.
You can find various weapons as you explore, and then upgrade these weapons with the custom parts you find littered about the ship- you can attach several of these to each gun in order to improve their damage, firing rate, clip size and other attributes, as well as find rarer illegal parts which can give you more specialized benefits such as burst fire and charge shots, so in order to keep on top of things you'll need to seek out as many as you can in order to survive. And if you fancy a real challenge, then the console port features a new 'Infernal' mode which acts as the extreme difficultly- enemies are more difficult to defeat and their placement is changed considerably, though you can find some new and improved gear if you persevere.
In terms of graphics, the console version of Revelations actually looks pretty good for something which started out on a handheld. Character and enemy models are highly detailed (even if the basic Ooze monsters don't give much to work with being walking piles of slime), though some of the environments look a little bland, especially some of the crew quarter passages of the Zenobia- though the other environments such as snowy mountains and run-down bases and later environments help to dial up the unease normally associated with classic survival horrors. Sound design remains largely unchanged, including the half-cheesy voice acting performances and dialogue so beloved of classic RE's- having played RE6, the differences between that game and this one are more pronounced.
Much like other the classic Mercenaries mode of other RE's, Revelations comes with an arcade-style mode- though this time you have Raid Mode, which is a more of a gauntlet-based challenge as you run through maps from the single player campaign tackling numerous enemies. As you play, you will earn exp to level up and increase your stats, and also earn BP which can be spent on purchasing new weapons, custom parts and more from the store- as well as earning new parts and weapons from playing through stages anyway. You can also unlock new characters and outfits to be used, each of which offers benefits for particular weapon types or boosting melee attacks and other attributes- putting all this together you can generate your own arsenal for tackling any challenge before you. You can you play either on your own or with another player online, and while it's certainly feasible to complete all the stages on your own, many of the later stages are so overwhelming in their enemy numbers/placement that additional help may be required. Revelations also has online support with RE.net (first unveiled for RE6), where you can compare your stats with other players online and partake in a variety of challenges to earn rare gear- all optional of course if that seems too awkward for you. In all, Raid Mode provides you with just as many, if not more, hours of playtime as the single-player portion of Revelations does.
For something which started out as a Nintendo handheld title, Revelations makes the leap onto main consoles admirably- some of the graphics may not be as sharp, but its gameplay is still compelling in the manner of previous Resident Evil games, providing a more focused (if shorter) affair than the ambitious RE6, and its Raid Mode giving you many more hours of joy. Though its handheld origin does come through a little (such as in the shortness of some of its sub-chapters), the Revelations port is a more than capable addition to the ever-expanding RE series.