Resident Evil: Revelations 2 - Episode 4: Metamorphosis Review (Xbox One)

Good or bad. This is what it all comes down to when discussing the fourth and final chapter of Resident Evil: Revelations 2. No, we aren’t simply talking about the quality of the episode — which remains as consistent as the previous ones — but rather the type of ending players will receive in the final act. Episode 4: Metamorphosis provides a satisfying conclusion to the events of Revelations 2 if — and only if — you made the right decision in a past episode.

That’s right — the games’ best and most fulfilling ending can only be achieved if you made the right choice during a seemingly inconsequential QTE in Episode 3: Judgment. What’s even more mind boggling about that “pivotal” moment, is that there’s practically zero build-up or clue as to which is the right one and which is the wrong one. We ended up choosing the ‘bad’ one, but it’s never clear until you reach the climax of Episode 4. When the credits began to roll after a rather abrupt ending, we were left scratching our heads over what we just witnessed. It was only after unlocking a specific medal (“See the bad ending”) that we began to question where we went wrong. After finding our answer online, we went back to the beginning of Episode 3 (about halfway through the game) and replayed it all to obtain the good ending. We don’t think we’re being too unfair here, but seeing that bad ending definitely put us in an unsavoury mood.

Fortunately, the journey to the end is as solid as ever. Players can still expect to run through two campaigns, but Claire and Moira’s is cut unusually short. It’s approximately over in 20 minutes, and the final stretch is an intense chase sequence that will most likely require a few retries to nail down. The rest of the episode is devoted to Barry and Natalia’s trek to the top of the Overseer’s tower to end things once and for all. Episode 4 isn’t the strongest episode out of the bunch, but there’s more than a few heart-pounding moments scattered about that will test even the sharpest Resident Evil veteran.

While we tended to favour playing as Barry and Natalia in past episodes, their segment tends to run its course in Episode 4. With the exception of a brief excursion through a Spencer-ish mansion, players can expect the same dark and drab environments the duo have been relegated to throughout Revelations 2. Thankfully, the cooperative play (either solo or with a buddy) keeps things fresh and entertaining. If there’s ever a Revelations 3, we sure hope Capcom puts more effort into making the environments feel more alive.

Revelations 2 knows how to balance the styles and atmosphere of old and new Resident Evil to great affect — particularly in this episode. Picking up and reading creepy documents is still surprisingly effective, even though its a staple from the blocky PS1 original. Then, in an endurance test of sorts, there’s the suspenseful segment towards the end that literally throws every enemy you’ve encountered in the game at you. No matter what type of Resident Evil player you are, you’re bound to latch on to something here.

With this concluding tale, the optional but awesome Raid mode receives its final batch of content. Honestly, if you haven’t heard the praises yet, Raid mode is a hugely refreshing change of pace; enough, in fact, to feel like its own standalone experience. Your time spent on each episode is worth the admission price alone, and Raid mode is just the icing on the cake.

If you’re still not satisfied with the amount of value packed into Revelations 2, then the two bonus episodes ‘The Struggle’ and ‘Little Miss’ help fill in a few more details surrounding the mysteries of the story. The former focuses on Moira and the latter on Natalia. These are entirely optional so don't feel bad if you choose to skip them but, just like Raid mode, they offer a nice diversion from the main game.