"Resident Evil: Revelations" Review

Back in 2012, "Resident Evil: Revelations" came out of nowhere -- on the 3DS, of all places -- to set the wayward franchise on the right track. What ended up as little more than a one-off on the system set the stage for a more grounded, horror-minded emphasis in the series' mainline entries and spinoffs.

A short-order PS3 port and 2015 sequel on current-gen systems continued the momentum, and now here we have an HD remaster of the original on the PS4 and Xbox One.

It's expected that the game looks and plays far better than it did in earlier versions. Scraped away is any sign of the game's origin on Nintendo's dual screen handheld, and the result is something that matches modern "Resident Evil" games in form and stature. Previously released DLC, also expected, buffs up the package nicely.

Set between the fourth and fifth numbered entries in the series, the game stars stalwarts Jill Valentine and Chris Redfield, who spearhead an effort to sniff out a conspiracy involving corporate and government efforts to mask the greed-driven spread of mutated viruses that have caused havoc in most of the stories in the series. What the plot lacks in coherence it makes up for in set pieces and surprising twists.

While the remake is less than essential if you've played through it in previous releases, the fresh coat of paint makes it worthwhile for completionists, as well as those who never got around to it in previous iterations.

Publisher provided review code.