Since Resident Evil 3 Remake from Capcom is so closely intertwined with Resident Evil 2 Remake, there will be some new things to go over before discrediting this release. There are some physical changes and some background changes, but these may be hard to fully see if you are a diehard fan of Resident Evil 2.
To make things a bit clearer, Resident Evil 3 starts technically a day before Resident Evil 2’s plot and then ends after the RE2 plot. This arch can be confusing since you are starting from the Raccoon City Police Station that is from RE2. Leon and Claire are not in this game because technically their story didn’t start until after yours and they haven’t arrived yet. Long story short, RE3 is giving everyone answers to things that happened in RE2. The main character is Jill Valentine, a former member of S.T.A.R.S who is being stalked through the city.
In a way, when you get to the police station, the setting is eerie and familiar. Decorations still hang for Leon and there are little background features that are the same. This is where things start to differ however, The space feels different too. The area is much larger and there are a lot of locked doors. From RE2, the multiple locked doors is probably a jab at Carlos, which obviously wouldn’t just “Keep Out.” Toward the rest of the game, we get a lot of plot enders where we learn what really happened to Brad and Marvin (don’t worry I’m not spoiling all of that).
Nemesis is not actually a big part of RE3. Strange since the game is named after him right? Nemesis has a flamethrower, can change zombies with tentacles and suddenly can slide and jump. But, Jill now has improved dodge ability compared to her previous version. Nemesis used to be a constant threat, but now he feels like a chore you have to get through. A big change too, is that RE3 now has a third-person, over the shoulder camera. This makes players feel closer to the action (if that’s a good thing). Lastly, the game now has a toggle flashlight option, the ability to start at a previous save-point and customizable weapon mods. The more customization the better.
Other things like upgraded character models were inevitable in the game but now you can get collectible bobble heads in the shop and infinite ammo and skins as well as more play time as Carlos. This is all great but a lot was also cut from the game. No mercenary mode, no Grave Digger, no other big boss fights really and no Clocktower, Graveyard Park, City Hall etc. Also, there are no freeze rounds or live selection story choices either. Pretty much, it seems that everything was taken out.
Technically speaking, the game is more inventory based. You’re constantly going into inventory and sometimes supplies are overloaded in some area and when you need them they are almost nowhere to be found. Gameplay is pretty standard but in active scenes the game took on a more stressful outlook. For example, exploring and taking your time is not an option, players now are rushed and chaotic and running just to get the game advanced. Some players may disagree but the zombies seem a bit sluggish as well. A sluggish zombie is good and not good, but the differences may depend on what difficulty you are playing at as well.
Overall, Resident Evil 3 Remake owes a lot to Resident Evil 2 Remake and the plot arch is good. We get answers to things left unsolved and we got some upgraded abilities and supplies. The pacing of the game seems off in a way with the pressure to keep moving. Getting to play more of Carlos is a nice change but the possibility is that players still feel conflicted between loving Resident Evil 2 Remake and accepting the changes of Resident Evil 3 Remake in order to get the full story.
7/10
Available on: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
