Before you read this, know that I am a console player, so I was very iffy about reviewing this game for two reasons. One reason is that I love Resident Evil games, and I didn’t want to ruin my love for the series with a less-than-par handheld game. The second reason was that controls for an over-the-shoulder shooter on a handheld scare me. Both of these problems quickly disappeared when I sat down and played Mercenaries 3D.
As I played through the game, the levels looked really familiar. It’s because they are the same mercenary levels in Resident Evil 5 for 360 and PS3. This was one of my favorite parts about the game on the console, so we were already off to a good start. I picked Chris Redfield with his amazingly large forearms and was on my way. You get three weapons for each character, along with three items. One of them is—of course—the famous green herb spray.
So you get dropped into a map and your squad leader barks orders at you. His “pep talks” really boosts your confidence. Now it’s time to shoot some zombies. I switch to the shotgun as fast as I can because, let’s face it, that’s the best gun for blowing off a zombie’s head.
Moving around the map requires a bit getting used to. It’s a little difficult to move and aim at the same time, but it’s not impossible. You can turn and run just by using the analog stick. If you want to strafe then you hold down L and that will allow you to strafe with ease. You aim by pressing R. This will switch your camera to a first-person view. You then fire by pressing the Y button while in the aiming screen. The weapons all have laser sights on them, so you know exactly where you’re aiming. You could literally hit a zombie square between the eyes with no problem.
The AI is pretty decent in the game. They will try to move out of the way of your shots, but most of the time they rush right into their demise. Occasionally, there are special ways that you have to kill the zombies in different maps. One will want you to use combos and another wants you to take them all out from a distance. This adds a bit of flare to the game, so it’s not the same thing over and over. The gameplay is fairly exciting and it enhances the game’s replay value. So if you’re waiting at the DMV and wanna shoot some zombies, this is the game that will make time fly by.
I was most impressed with Capcom’s graphics with this game. Normally you expect polygons and bad stitching. This was not the case with Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D. I turned on the 3D and was amazed at the clarity it provided. The game environments and models are clean and look a lot like the graphics in the console version. As far as FPS games go, the gun models are good, and nothing looked fake. You can even see the muzzle flash and the shell casings eject. All of these details add up to make the experience feel more realistic. The environments have many different textures throughout each map—like dirt, cement, stucco on the walls, and chipping of paint on damaged vehicles—and they all create a genuine vibe of walking through a zombie outbreak apocalypse.
Different characters can be played through the maps. Completing maps earns you new characters to use. Each character has its own unique weapon setup, so each fight is never the same when using other characters. You also have some classic characters in there who are really fun to play.
If you have a Nintendo 3DS, I highly recommend Mercenaries 3D for its gameplay, graphics, and high replay value. It’s always fun blasting zombies in the face, but it’s more fun blasting zombies in the face at your local coffee shop or during your girlfriend’s annoying chick flick night. Well done, Resident Evil. Bravo!
