Resident Evil: Revelations – Part 2

AKA Grenades, knifes and Rocket Launchers. OH MY!!

The header image for this post was created Capcom, and is the start screen for the HD re-release of Resident Evil: Revelations

Hey everyone, Jay here.

Just a quick heads up before we begin: this is a continuation of an earlier post by Squidgey

Squidgey: they can probably tell that from the title, Jay

If you want to read the first part (maybe you missed it or you just want to read it again), I’ll leave a link to it right here.

Back to the article

Ah yes, Raid Mode.

Never have I been so encouraged, enraged, and more vocal in my gaming than in this mode. Let me tell you all about it and give some helpful tips on surviving and thriving while in this mode.

Raid Mode? Or is it Rave Mode?

Raid Mode I assure you.

Aww. Not Rave Mode?

Nothing stopping you listening to rave music while you play though.

Anyhow let me get to explaining about Raid Mode.

Raid Mode itself is made up of 20 stages; with the exception of a few parts, you traverse the entire game through this mode.

Save points at the ends of chapters, gradual upgrades to weapons, and being limited to 2 or 3 characters - these aren’t the only things you’re limited to in this mode, however.

Oh did I mention you level up your character in this mode?

Level up? What like an RPG? Are there Limit Breaks? Spiky hair and a long and confusing plot? I MUST KNOW!!

Okay, calm down and I’ll tell you.

It’s not character level up specifically but more of an overall character level, with the option to adjust the level up of down as and when needed.

No spiky hair sadly, but unlockable extra characters and costumes for all of your nerdy needs.

You don’t have limit breaks either. In a way you get something much better.

Well go on, I’m on tenterhooks here!

Enough teasing? Good I’ll get to it.

Each character has there own unique set of skills. So Jill has the abilities to reload pistols and machine guns at aa certain percent faster than the other characters. Other characters have different skills spanning from weapon skills to grenade blast radius increases and unarmed combat boosters.

Unarmed combat? OH OH OH OH can you kick the living be-jesus out of the enemies like in Tekken?

Sorry to dash your hopes but sadly no, it’s more like a desperation knife swipe with the option for a charged attack against stunned “enemies”.

With the application of certain tactics and a well placed pulse grande (this games equivalent to flash-bangs), the larger and quicker of the boss type enemies can be taken care of in a much more satisfying manner befitting your play style and character choice.

So that’s it? Run through the same stages as the main game and shoot stuff? I thought you said it was encouraging and enraging? Sounds like the same as the main game to me.

I can dig that, however I saved the best parts for last.

Weapons are you main source of carnage, inducing wholesale destruction and what fun you can have.

Oh yeah!

So all the weapons in the main game are also included in Raid Mode, the kicker here is that you can not only get better level weapons but you can equip “parts” to the weapons to make them more useful and bad-ass!

Parts? Like mods that kind of thing? Extra grips and laser sights?

One thing to keep in mind is that Revelations was a 3DS title before it was ported twice. So laser sights, grips, bolt on shotguns, and grenade launchers were not included.

not to mention probably either hard to put into the game or just would fit into the style of the game

What I’m talking about is gameplay enhancing parts rather then cosmetic upgrades akin to what’s found in other DLC or loot-crates.

Still confused? Let me explain, you have a handgun like so:

Pretty standard fair right? What about if I put this weapon part on it:

See the difference in stats for the weapon? How the damage goes up? And it’s not just damage boosters. You can get parts for Exp and BP gain, quicker reload, greater clip size, stunning the bay guys and so on.

So experimenting with “weapon builds” (as I call them) can be very useful and the difference between being stuck on a certain stage and blitzing through multiple of them.

Ohh right, sounds good. any builds you would recommend?

Hold your horses cowboy! That’s for the tips section/masterclass (kinda) towards the end. Let me mention difficulty curves, conpletion bonuses and escalation.

In Raid Mode, after you complete the 20 stages on Chasm (easy mode) you unlock Trench mode. This is the same stages as before but with the stakes raised in terms of difficulty and enemy numbers per level. Forget what you knew about the stages before, there are all different now.

At this point the game assumes that you have completed the main story and that you know how to handle yourself. It provides a greater challenge, prompting you to use different weapon parts and liberal, and I mean liberal use of grenades.

Grenades we like… Hang on you said completion bonus before, like infinite ammo maybe?

I can see your eyes twinkling again, sadly no. What fun would it be to have infinite ammo anyway? Where would the challenge be in that? What I mean in completion bonuses is

…

Hang on I haven’t mentioned the shop have I?

Oh crap, more paid DLC? That kinda stuff is getting out of hand these days. What they called loot-creates and er.. micro-transaction. Not in this Resi-game surely?

I’m right with you there with the loot-creates.

Alas the shop item are bought with in game currency called BP (battle points), which is earned through Raid Mode and at the end of every chapter in the main game.

Feel better now by chance?

I do actually. So I’m guessing the further to get in Raid Mode, the more expensive things are?

On the nose.

The higher level equipment does cost more but it’s ultimately worth it for enemy dispatching. Everything from refilling ammo and grenades to buying new weapons the shop has a lot to offer

And before you ask no, you can’t purchase extra characters in the shop, you can however buy bigger ammo and grenade bags as well as body armour after a certain level is reached. And here lies a problem for higher difficulties.

Problem? Body armour and more ammo is a problem?

Not the body armour no, but ammo yes.

Unless you pick up the ammo in the stages it has to be bought back with your BP and the more powerful the weapon, the more the ammo costs.

For example: handgun ammo is the least expensive but the magnum ammo

which is one hell of a lot more powerful

is the most expensive.

So having a mix or weapons with different parts on them despite the fact you may not have skills on them is useful.

Aww really? You have to buy ammo!

Not to fret, completion bonuses can help here.

In the main stages you get bonuses for your performance in the stage. So just take a quick look at this:

These right here are your bonuses, a lower level or recommended level bonus, a genocide bonus

kill everything to get this

a no hit bonus

bloody hard to get on some stages

If you get these three, you’ll get a much more lucrative Trinity bonus.

Bonuses and rank (which range from E to S; with S being the best rank) as well as player level determine BP reward at the end of the stage.

Exp reward only goes on your level and enemies dispatched. The higher the stage level, the more enemies you face and kill. On top of that the weapon parts which you have equipped can also alter your reward.

You want tips and tricks? I got ‘em.

So I said earlier that I’m going to give a masterclass (kinda) on how to play Raid Mode.

So here it is, in no particular order, helpful hints (each with a very brief explanation) on how to get better and further on Raid Mode.

• Don’t worry about completion bonuses.

You can always come back to a level with better equipment later on for better bonuses.

• Grinding will help.

It’s also needed at some point. Not only for the level gains, but for better equipment and parts. So don’t shy from repeating levels.

• Finding a play style that works for you is key.

You don’t have to stick to the same character. It’s limiting to do that, actually. You like to get up close with a shotgun? There is a character to boost that style. Same goes for magnum and sniper rifle use.

Jay: sounds like those old iPhone ads - ‘There’s an app for that’

Like to snipe stuff? Get used to moving while looking down the scope, trust me this will help in later stages.

• Every enemy has a week spot.

Critical damage can be dealt by taking this into account. So take the time to find all the weak spots on each enemy. This is essential for higher difficulties.

• When first starting keep your level as high as possible.

Yeah you will miss out on bonuses, but you will pack a greater punch and advance quicker. This game rewards pushing forward and pressing your luck. As long as you get out alive you will be rewarded.

• Playing with a buddy.

Not only will you level up quicker, but you’ll get further in the game, and in later difficulties this will ensure that you have more ammo between you.

• Buy as many of the ammo bags and armour as you can.

In the long run it’s more important to be defensive than to have better weapons.

• Certain weapon parts are random drops.

Others only appear in certain stages. So don’t panic when you don’t get the part you’re after. Patience and grinding will help here

bring on the grind!

• Don’t forget to use your grenades.

Seriously USE THEM!

• Have a weapon for panic firing.

I’d recommend either a shotgun or a machine gun at all times (especially those early stages). If it works for Dead Space it will work here.

• Get used to the weapon switching as quickly as you can.

It will save your skin

And last but not least my best tip for this game:

If you’re low on ammo and don’t want to waste money buying more, then the best thing to do is go in the first stage on easy (also known as Chasm) at your highest level. Equip only the weapon you want ammo for and physical attack everything.

You don’t use ammo and you will stockpile the desired ammo in the stage. This can be further enhanced by equipping a weapon part called “ammo magnet”.

And if you want a much easier time play as Keith, he is an unarmed specialist so he packs a bigger punch.

Oh before I forget: if you see a pufferfish flopping on the ground, watch out they can hurt you so don’t use physical attacks on these. They won’t hurt you by a lot, but it will be enough to stop you getting your “no hit” bonus.

So hopefully those tips will help you in you Raid Mode experience and good luck to ya.

Have you tried Raid mode?

Who is you favourite character? Mine was Jill. How far did you get?

And lastly did you attempt Ghost ship?

Leave a comment so that we can nerd out in the section below. And as always I shall catch you in another post. Peace out.