Resident Evil: Revelations 2 turned out to be one the better modern entries in Capcom’s venerable zombie blasting franchise, managing to erase the sour memory that was Resident Evil 6 while simultaneously pushing the series forward in a somewhat positive direction. Outside of that, it also boasts one of the best mini-games in the entire series, namely Raid Mode. Packed full of content, this addictive shoot-’em-up offers heaps of characters to customize and level-up, tons of enemies to battle, brilliant co-op, and a multitude of weapons to obtain and pimp out.
In short, it’s probably better than any of the Mercenaries that Resi has seen in the past, and will keep you entertained long after you’ve beaten the campaign. Still, it’s not a walk in the park. Fortunately, we’ve got you covered with a host of top tips to ensure you’ll be dropping undead left, right, and centre while rising through the ranks and packing lethal weaponry to boot.
Check out our top Raid Mode tips below.
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Head shots + melee = win
Ever since Resi 4, the ritual of landing a headshot followed by a solid kick to the chops has become a well-oil machine for any player, and it’s no different here. While the enemies you face are different than the Ganado in Leon’s Plagas-packed adventure, they still don’t take kindly to a bullet between the eyes, allowing you to then deliver a meaty melee attack while they’re staggered in pain. Most of the time this will be enough to finish them off for good, although if not, you can easily follow up with your character’s chosen ‘floor’ melee attack to kill them. Not only does this save precious ammo, but it’s a quick and efficient way of dispatching lesser foes, and you might even take more than one enemy down if they’re close enough.
Come equipped for every situation
You won’t get very far in the increasingly tough Gauntlets if you don’t come packing the right gear. Facing Hunters and mini-bosses with just a Handgun? You might as well lay down and die. Okay, so you won’t be able to have every weapon slot available from the get-go depending on your character, but it’s worth thinking ahead. You’ll always want a Handgun for those lesser foes—plus, you won’t be able to stagger enemies by shooting them in the head for a melee attack without one—but backup is essential. By that, we’re talking about a Shotgun, Magnum, or Rifle. Machine guns are fine, and they can double as Handguns due to their lower firepower, but you’ll want something more powerful for dispatching Axe Men, Executioner, Hunters, and other deadly adversaries. As such, definitely bring out the Big Guns for that purpose—you’ll be thankful when you’re backed into a corner by a towering beast.
Don’t waste upgrades
Kitting out your weapons line-up is crucial to giving you the edge in Raid mode, although you need to pick wisely: you can’t remove an upgrade once it has been installed. Ideally, you want to equip your Handgun with an upgrade that increases its chances of landing a critical hit and firing speed, which will turn it into a much more capable weapon. Magnums should always receive damage upgrades as you’ll want them to be as powerful as possible, while Rifles should be augmented with steady aim upgrades and/or increased damage. These are just examples, although I’ve found them to be the best choices; experiment with your own arsenal to find the best loadouts for your character.
Learn how to beat foes with special buffs
Certain enemies in Raid Mode will be buffed by various special abilities, such as fast speed, encased in fire or ice, poisonous gas, and more. It’s crucial you learn how to deal with these enemies, as they’ll be the ones that will likely clobber you when you least expect it. The fast little buggers should always be dealt with first, so try and dispatch them from a distance, or at least go full-auto on them if they get too close. For foes encased in elements (fire, ice, electricity), aim for the head and do NOT get too close; they’ll explode upon death, damaging you in the process. On the plus side, they’ll also wound any nearby foes, so try and time your shot just right. Others are even tougher. Sometimes you’ll come across bad guys with a timer attached to them, which deals out damage if you fail to dispatch them before the counter reaches zero. Either take them down from a safe distance (Rifle works best) or mow them down asap if the timer is ticking.
Got any tips of your own? Give us a shout below!