Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D
Encyclopedia
Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D, known as in Japan, is a third-person shooter
video game developed by Capcom
for the Nintendo 3DS
. The game was announced at the 2010 Nintendo conference in Japan. A combination of the "Mercenaries" mini-games featured in Resident Evil 4
and Resident Evil 5
, players must defeat as many enemies as possible within a set time limit.
The theme of the game is entitled "Alone", used in TV spots, is a single album theme for the Japanese alternative rock band Kuroyume
.
, Jill Valentine
, Albert Wesker
, Claire Redfield
, Jack Krauser, Barry Burton, Rebecca Chambers
and HUNK, competing in maps from Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil 5.
connectivity for cooperative play from players around the world, as well as new modes and characters from across the series. The game also features a short playable demo of the upcoming survival horror game, Resident Evil Revelations, which shows Jill Valentine investigating a desolate cruise liner inhabited by strange bio-organic weapons (BOWs).
was not playable. In an interview, producer Masachika Kawata jokingly states Leon's absence is due to his appearance in the upcoming Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City, but mentions that including Leon (and other features) as future downloadable content
is not out of the question.
The game received initial controversy upon release when it was discovered that the game's save data could not be erased. This implied that Capcom was attempting to curb the used-game market. Although Capcom VP Christian Svensson claims this feature was not a business decision, he states that a similar feature will likely not be implemented into future games because of the controversy it has generated.
Thus far, the game has received mixed to positive reviews from critics. NGamer
wrote the first review and gave the game a score of 82%. Tech Digest gave it a score of 5/5, saying, "A few key gameplay improvements over the first versions and superb visuals make this the second must-have 3DS title in as many weeks." IGN
gave a less positive score of 6.5, stating while the gameplay is enjoyable, there's not enough content and that it was "designed to be an extra, not a retail release." Game Informer
was very positive in their review, giving the game an 8/10 and even stated while there are some flaws, "It is the most thrilling handheld console experience I've ever had." Destructoid
gave the title a 6 out of 10 rating, stating "There is fun to be had but is far too expensive for something like this." Joystiq
gave the title a 2.5 out of 5 star rating, stating that "It could have been an addictive mission-based multiplayer title perfect for a portable platform, but with its limited content and quickly tiresome combat, Mercenaries 3D is little more than a fully-priced proof of concept." Nintendo World Report
gave the game a 9 and said that "If you're looking for a portable-optimized intense high-score game centered around killing zombie-like enemies, this fits the bill."
Third-person shooter
Third-person shooter is a genre of 3D action games in which the player character is visible on-screen, and the gameplay consists primarily of shooting.-Definition:...
video game developed by Capcom
Capcom
is a Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating multi-million-selling franchises such as Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil. Capcom developed and published Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and Dark Void too, but they are less known. Its...
for the Nintendo 3DS
Nintendo 3DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo. The autostereoscopic device is able to project stereoscopic 3D effects without the use of 3D glasses or any additional accessories. The Nintendo 3DS features backward compatibility with Nintendo DS series software, including Nintendo DSi software...
. The game was announced at the 2010 Nintendo conference in Japan. A combination of the "Mercenaries" mini-games featured in Resident Evil 4
Resident Evil 4
Resident Evil 4, known in Japan as , is a survival horror third-person shooter video game developed by Capcom Production Studio 4 and published by multiple publishers, including Capcom, Ubisoft, Nintendo Australia, Red Ant Enterprises and THQ Asia Pacific...
and Resident Evil 5
Resident Evil 5
Resident Evil 5, known in Japan as , is a survival horror third-person shooter video game developed and published by Capcom. The game is the seventh installment in the Resident Evil survival horror series, and was released on March 5, 2009 in Japan and on March 13, 2009 in North America and Europe...
, players must defeat as many enemies as possible within a set time limit.
The theme of the game is entitled "Alone", used in TV spots, is a single album theme for the Japanese alternative rock band Kuroyume
Kuroyume
Kuroyume is a rock group that formed in Nagoya, Japan during May 1991, currently consisting of vocalist Kiyoharu and bassist Hitoki. They began as a visual kei group and carried similar looks throughout their career...
.
Characters
Mercenaries 3D is not a canon entry in the series and therefore has no official story. Rather, the game is gameplay driven, where players aim to gain the highest scores possible by surviving against relentless waves of enemies under various circumstances. Playable characters from throughout the series include: Chris RedfieldChris Redfield
is a fictional character from Capcom's Resident Evil series.Chris is one of the two main protagonists in the first Resident Evil game, the other being Jill Valentine. Redfield returned as a playable character in Resident Evil Code: Veronica, where he must search for, and ultimately rescue, his...
, Jill Valentine
Jill Valentine
is a fictional character in the Resident Evil survival horror series by Capcom.Jill is one of the two protagonists of the original Resident Evil game, where she was introduced as a member of the Raccoon Police Department's Special Tactics And Rescue Service , trapped in a secret research complex of...
, Albert Wesker
Albert Wesker
is a character in the Resident Evil franchise. Although portrayed as a supporting character in the first game, he was later established as the primary antagonist of the series; he usually manipulated story events behind-the-scenes and had a role in more games than the other main characters...
, Claire Redfield
Claire Redfield
is a player character appearing in the Resident Evil series of survival horror video games.Claire is the younger sister of Chris Redfield, the protagonist of the first Resident Evil game...
, Jack Krauser, Barry Burton, Rebecca Chambers
Rebecca Chambers (character)
is a player character in the Resident Evil survival horror video games, first introduced in the first game in the series in 1996. She is also one of the main characters in the Resident Evil novels.-Character design:...
and HUNK, competing in maps from Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil 5.
Gameplay
The camera of the game is set behind the player, moving through real-time rendered 3D environments. Unlike most other games in the series, players have the option of aiming from a first-person viewpoint, although the over-the-shoulder aiming from Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil 5 is also available. Another feature is the ability to move while aiming, reloading weapons, and recovering health. Gameplay is shown on the top screen of the Nintendo 3DS, while inventory management is handled on the touch screen. Players are able to customize their characters' abilities (labelled as "Skills") and weapons load-out by obtaining "Skill Points" and "Rankings" based on their gameplay performance. The game also features alternate costumes for each character to unlock, such as a nurse outfit for Rebecca, or an American flag-motif outfit for Barry. The game includes Wi-FiWi-Fi
Wi-Fi or Wifi, is a mechanism for wirelessly connecting electronic devices. A device enabled with Wi-Fi, such as a personal computer, video game console, smartphone, or digital audio player, can connect to the Internet via a wireless network access point. An access point has a range of about 20...
connectivity for cooperative play from players around the world, as well as new modes and characters from across the series. The game also features a short playable demo of the upcoming survival horror game, Resident Evil Revelations, which shows Jill Valentine investigating a desolate cruise liner inhabited by strange bio-organic weapons (BOWs).
Reception
Before the game's release, there was a lot of confusion over why series mainstay Leon S. KennedyLeon S. Kennedy
is a player character appearing in the Resident Evil series of survival horror video games. Leon is a protagonist in Resident Evil 2 and the main protagonist of Resident Evil 4. During the events of RE2, Leon is a new police officer who arrives in Raccoon City late for his first day on the job,...
was not playable. In an interview, producer Masachika Kawata jokingly states Leon's absence is due to his appearance in the upcoming Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City, but mentions that including Leon (and other features) as future downloadable content
Downloadable content
Downloadable content is official additional content for a video game distributed through the Internet. Downloadable content can be of several types, ranging from a single in-game outfit to an entirely new, extensive storyline, similarly to an expansion pack. As such, DLC may add new game modes,...
is not out of the question.
The game received initial controversy upon release when it was discovered that the game's save data could not be erased. This implied that Capcom was attempting to curb the used-game market. Although Capcom VP Christian Svensson claims this feature was not a business decision, he states that a similar feature will likely not be implemented into future games because of the controversy it has generated.
Thus far, the game has received mixed to positive reviews from critics. NGamer
NGamer
NGamer is a British magazine which mainly covers Nintendo video game consoles and software, and also to a much lesser extent, Sony and Microsoft consoles. The first issue was released on 13 July 2006...
wrote the first review and gave the game a score of 82%. Tech Digest gave it a score of 5/5, saying, "A few key gameplay improvements over the first versions and superb visuals make this the second must-have 3DS title in as many weeks." IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
gave a less positive score of 6.5, stating while the gameplay is enjoyable, there's not enough content and that it was "designed to be an extra, not a retail release." Game Informer
Game Informer
Game Informer is an American-based monthly magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of popular video games and associated consoles. It was formed in August 1991, when FuncoLand started publishing a six-page magazine, free in all its retail locations...
was very positive in their review, giving the game an 8/10 and even stated while there are some flaws, "It is the most thrilling handheld console experience I've ever had." Destructoid
Destructoid
Destructoid is an independent video game-focused blog based in San Francisco, California that was founded in March 2006. It has since grown into one of the most widely read video game sites on the Internet, reaching more than 3 million unique visitors per month...
gave the title a 6 out of 10 rating, stating "There is fun to be had but is far too expensive for something like this." Joystiq
Joystiq
Joystiq is a video gaming blog founded in June 2004 that has since become one of the most successful sites within the Weblogs, Inc. family of weblogs. It is the centerpiece of WIN's own network of video gaming blogs, which also includes a blog dealing specifically with the popular MMORPG World of...
gave the title a 2.5 out of 5 star rating, stating that "It could have been an addictive mission-based multiplayer title perfect for a portable platform, but with its limited content and quickly tiresome combat, Mercenaries 3D is little more than a fully-priced proof of concept." Nintendo World Report
Nintendo World Report
Nintendo World Report is a Nintendo-specific video game website that covers Nintendo's current consoles, the Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi, and Wii.-History:...
gave the game a 9 and said that "If you're looking for a portable-optimized intense high-score game centered around killing zombie-like enemies, this fits the bill."