You know a game isn't up to snuff when the best part of it is a demo.

Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D reeks of holy-crap-we-need-to-get-a-Resident-Evil-game-out-on-the-3DS-as-soon-as-possible syndrome. That's a shame, since Capcom's 3DS launch title, Super Street Fighter 4 3D Edition, is still one of the best games out on the fairly new handheld system.

Mercenaries, frankly, is not. Despite some fun moments, the game falls short on many accounts. It's missing everything I like from RE games, replacing it with a time-based, quasi-shooter mini-game. In short: Mercenaries is about as deep and complex as the Resident Evil 4 add-on mode it was based off of, and really doesn't have the value of a full retail title. Four hours and 18 minutes from opening to ending credits by my count.

What does the game offer? Wonky enemy physics? Check. The same objective over and over again? Check. Oh, and if you want to add replay value by starting the game over, well, you can't. Capcom made the game with one save file that you can't erase or overwrite. Checkmate.

Capcom's defense is that Mercenaries is really an arcade-style game that challenges you to repeat a level for a better score. Fair enough, but the whole idea stinks worse than day-old rotting zombie flesh. It was like the company knew that all the reviews were going to recommend people rent the game, beat it in a few hours, and move on, so it made sure that you can't. With no way to erase the file, some game-rental stores are boycotting the title.

Gameplay wise, I'm still not sold on the whole planting your feet while shooting mechanic, which may be a weakness of the 3DS's control options more than the game. It does allow you to change to a third person mode and kind of walk, slowly, but if you are shooting you are pretty much cemented to the ground. That's a problem when zombies are running at you.

The majority of the game requires little skill; the enemies either stand there or walk at you a few at a time. And once you finally hit any challenge or depth (and actually some interesting and fun levels), the game quickly ends.

Sure, I could go back and get an S rank on each level with each character. And completionists might go through with all the characters and unlock every medal. But without a story, I need more than that to keep me grinding through the same objective over and over again. I may go back and pick up the game every once in awhile just to shoot through some zombies, but there just really isn't that much else here.

The demo included on the cart for 2012's Resident Evil: Revelations is everything that Mercenaries is not: moody, atmospheric, stunningly beautiful, and if the lighting effects don't get you excited for it, I don't know what will. The demo is short, but it's still the best-looking thing I've seen on the 3DS.

My advice: the economy is tough, money is tight, so unless you really, really like the Mercenaries mode from Resident Evil 4 or 5, skip this game and save your $40 for Revelationsnext year.