The summer of 1999 proved to be a pretty important time in my life. I was about to enter my first year of high school, pro wrestling was at its zenith in mainstream popularity, and I decided that on a random trip to KB Toys I’d purchase “Resident Evil 2” for the Playstation. For a majority of the summer I struggled to complete “RE 2” and witness all the game had to offer. My experience with “RE 2” cultivated my excitement for more survival horror games that included the sequels to, arguably, the best iteration in the “Resident Evil” franchise featuring strict inventory management, disgusting bosses and more creepy houses than someone can shake a shotgun at on a dark & stormy night. So when it was announced “Resident Evil 2” would get the remake/re-imagining treatment I was incredibly excited; and that excitement was mostly satisfied. Considering how fun the “RE 2” remake proved to be and so many promising previews, I found myself just as giddy for the remake of “Resident Evil 3” as I was for its prequel a year ago.
Did I Complete “Resident Evil 3 (remake/2020)”?
Like the original iteration, the 2020 remake of “Resident Evil 3” features the player taking control of Jill Valentine as she is preparing for her final days in Raccoon City. But before the faithful day can happen for an obviously psychologically disturbed Valentine, Jill is thrust into a pandemic featuring the walking dead. But Jill isn’t alone as she meets up with Umbrella Corporation mercenary Carlos Oliveira – ushering in some of the game’s more action-oriented sequences. Unlike “RE 2”, Jill and Carlos’ times in the spotlight are not separated by play modes as the player controls each respectively during portions of the game. After a little over five hours (almost ten hours in total as cinematics and menus stops the in-game clock, but not the overall clock shown in the top corner of the “Pause” screen) I completed my first playthrough on “Standard” difficulty; picking up most of the copious collectibles and a slew of trophies including unlocking every locked item container and attaining necessary fuses in under five minutes to restart an elevator.
Unfortunately there isn’t a “2nd Run” style mode for another replay, but there are rewards for completing the story under two hours and on the hardest difficulty – something I’ve yet to take part in attempting. There is also a “Shop” that unlocks upon completing the story once. By finishing challengers found in the menu, the player earns points that can be used to purchase items for regenerating health or even adding a rocket launcher with infinite ammo to one’s inventory. In the middle of my playthrough of the campaign I played a few rounds of the multiplayer companion piece “Resident Evil Resistance” to discover an odd amalgamation of “RE 3’s” base gunplay, “Left 4 Dead”, and the most average PVP, team-based shooters.
Did “Resident Evil 3 (remake/2020)” Live Up to the Hype?
“Resident Evil 3” had an uphill battle when it was released in 1999 following the incredible “Resident Evil 2”. Rather than play it safe, the developers at Capcom added more action to the gameplay, varied environments & enemies, and introduced a constant stressor in “Nemesis” – a more powerful Tyrant compared to Mr. X in “RE 2”. A lot of what made “RE 3” unique compared to its predecessor in 1999 applies to the remake as well, but the flaws are definitely more profound. Just like “RE 2 (2019)”, “RE 3” features the ability to move the camera freely 360 degrees while the set orientation is over the shoulder of Jill and Carlos. These camera adaptations dating back to “Resident Evil 4’s” design is perfect for not only making the game feel appropriate for this generation, but also removes the problem of fixed camera angles that would become jarring for the unaware like the original (not to mention making it harder to see items & enemies).
Though the camera is free to move, “RE 3” does a great job of avoiding the loss of fear mostly thanks to the lighting design especially in the neon-soaked heart of a wrecked Raccoon City and some of the late areas featuring reused assets from “RE 2”. Jill and Carlos will shoot their way through various areas, all the while trying to fend off enemies that refuse to die even if you shoot them between the eyes five times with a pistol (though shooting a well-placed red barrel will turn zombies into a fiery heap, while small generators will electrocute & stun said shuffling adversaries). One of the biggest gameplay additions is the ability to dodge. Jill can perform a “Quick Step” to roll underneath a lunging enemy while Carlos shoulder tackles an enemy before unleashing a devastating punch that will down any adversary he meets. Both of these special maneuvers, when done perfectly, temporarily slow down time for the player to hit the aim button for an automatic placing of the crosshairs & potential one-hit-kill head-shot. Unfortunately the timing of “Quick Step” seems to vary in success in regards to both the avoidance & if a head explodes when shot. Also the player can’t keep dodging and “Quick Stepping” over & over again as the third usage in a row will have the character stumble a little.
Enemies are pretty varied including the same zombies seen in “RE 2’s” remake as well as new creatures like the insect-inspired Drain Deimos. Certain enemies are weak to particular weapons; forcing the player to learn the most effective way to survive without wasting the less-than-plentiful ammo. Surprisingly, the least fearsome foe is the one many expected to become the stuff of nightmares: Nemesis.
Promised to be an upgraded version of “Resident Evil 2’s” Mr. X – a brutish stalker who would show up during various times both statically & dynamically when exploring the game’s various areas – Nemesis proves both unsurprisingly thrilling when giving chase to Jill and woefully underwhelming once the player realizes the short distance Nemesis will go to accomplish his goal. Several moments during the first couple of hours Nemesis is a true threat when Jill is out in the open and the player has triggered that moment when her gigantic foe is set to arrive. That fear goes away not long after the first boss fight when Nemesis goes from a potential inconsistent terror who shows up if Jill isn’t careful to a continued series of boss battles. Unlike Mr. X, Nemesis only enters certain rooms & buildings during his quest; oddly just staring through a window at Valentine if she takes shelter inside an “off limits” area.
Nemesis, similar to Mr. X, hits incredibly hard; but can be temporarily toppled by a barrage of bullets or a single hand grenade. Upon collapsing to a knee, Nemesis will also relinquish a storage unit that can house weapon upgrades and ammo depending on the section said drop occurs; meaning a slight victory over Nemesis is beneficial beyond just getting a minor breather when trying to move forward. With the developers promoting Nemesis being more dangerous & omnipresent than Mr. X, the end result is shockingly disappointing at best and terribly underutilized at worst.
Also disappointing is the lack of certain environments, puzzles, boss battles and even gameplay mechanics seen in both the original “RE 3” and the “Resident Evil 2” remake. The cemetery, Clock Tower’s insides and Raccoon Park are all missing from the 1999 “Resident Evil 3”, as are some of the corresponding enemies like the giant spiders and the Grave Digger. Obviously all the puzzles associated with the missing areas are removed as well (barely any puzzles exist in this iteration even compared to the remake of “RE 2”).
One of the more interesting gameplay options in the original iteration not seen here is “Live Selection”. These opportunities to make quick-time choices allowed for different scenarios to play out such as electrocuting Nemesis instead of blinding him for a quick escape. “Live Selection” not being utilized here removes some of the replay value & alternate routes “Resident Evil 3: Nemesis” contained. In “RE 2’s” remake, players could use breakable knives or flash grenades to avoid getting bitten or even die. While Jill has a knife in her inventory all the time, it cannot be used to free her from sure death; and flash grenades are rarely seen. Also the high level of gore & limb damage seen in the remake of “Resident Evil 2” has been toned down considerably. Multiple endings – not surprisingly considering how the “RE 2” remake handled the game’s conclusion – are also gone.
Another missing aspect in comparison to the original “RE 3” is “Mercenaries” mode. In its place is an online oriented, four versus one, asymmetrical experience called “Resident Evil Resistance”. In “Resistance”, the player either joins a team of four “Survivors” shooting & pilfering their way through labs & dilapidated buildings while one other human player takes control of “The Mastermind”. The Mastermind can cycle through cameras to watch the action while unleashing traps, placing zombies both large & small that the Mastermind player can control until it is put down by the Survivors, and constantly commentating. The leveling & loot systems providing upgrades and customization options will keep those coming back for more if they enjoy that aspect of multiplayer gaming, but the lacking filter options for players both new and experienced to play with & against others on their level can create many a one-sided competition. There are microtransactions for the “RP Boosters” to gain better character perks & even some cosmetic items; allowing for players to get a jump on everyone else by spending real money rather than unlocking everything naturally through games both successful and not.
From a technical aspect the game runs as smoothly as its remake predecessor with impressive graphical offerings in regards to the newer environments; though the returning sites seen in “RE 2’s” remake don’t look as vibrant mostly due to certain areas being closed off. The voice acting and general story presentation are some of the strongest in any “Resident Evil” offering. Frame rates & overall stability are highly commendable. Connectivity times associated with “Resistance” can cause players to wait longer than a couple of minutes to get a game going, but once the rounds begin there are little to no issues like lag or disconnections.
“Resident Evil 3” is an ironic example of history repeating itself as this remake follows the release of a highly acclaimed prequel without being wholly better in comparison. But for all of its flaws, the remake of “RE 3” is mostly an exhilarating experience for a short time (if the player doesn’t intend to replay the story on the more difficult settings) without making a convincing argument that it improved upon the original in almost every aspect.
Should You Play “Resident Evil 3 (remake/2020)”?
“Resident Evil 3” suffers from a lot of issues mostly associated with high promises from the developers, coming off the heels of last year’s “Resident Evil 2”, and the numerous cuts both in regards to story & gameplay options. But for all that the game lacks compared to both its original iteration and the “RE 2” remake, “RE 3” still possesses fun gunplay, tense survival moments especially when Nemesis is a stalking threat, stellar graphics, and a better story presentation & voice acting compared to its 2019 predecessor. Fans of “Resident Evil” games may find themselves underwhelmed especially after how well the “Resident Evil 2” remake worked; while rookies to the genre & franchise will probably discover this game a lot easier to grasp & enjoy. No matter what type of fan you are it’s hard to recommend “Resident Evil 3” at full price; being a better purchase when on sale like Nemesis waiting until he was set on fire to decide that investing in a rocket launcher would be beneficial to his job.
