It has been about 20 years since Resident Evil 3: Nemesis released on September 22, 1999, on the first Playstation. After the massive success of the Resident Evil 2 Remake, it’s a no brainer that Capcom would want to make a remade version of Resident Evil 3. Does Capcom have another hit game on their hands or does this remake miss its mark?
Players will take control of returning fan-favorite Jill Valentine who is making her return coming from her first appearance in Resident Evil. Resident Evil 3 takes place during the same time and place as Resident Evil 2. Jill is planning to leave Raccoon City in a few days only to have those plans pushed forward dramatically when she gets attacked by an unknown creature known as Nemesis. She now has to escape as soon as possible and try to survive from the zombies and creatures who have now started to emerge in the city in a rampant way.
This remake plays exactly as it’s previous Resident Evil remake which is a third-person over the shoulder camera style. Gamers know Resident Evil to be a survival horror game. Unfortunately, the RE3 Remake may start that way, it sure takes a different route when the game progresses. In previous RE games, it felt like a Metroidvania style where you revisit areas with a new ability or key to unlock more of the area to proceed forward. This game has a linear path that pushes the player forward and downplays the puzzles to be more simple this time around. The dodge mechanic is added to this game which makes sense because Jill is a series vet and has already dealt with zombies. She can dodge zombies that are close by to avoid getting bit. If timed right Jill will roll out of the way and can pull off a counter by aiming straight at the targets head.
Nemesis is a unique part of the game as its goal is to hunt down any remaining S.T.A.R.S. members and eliminate them. With Jill being the remaining surviving member in Raccoon City, she is it’s priority. At the beginning of the game, Nemesis is quite scary as it can follow Jill around the city from area to area. Players can either fight it and win a special item or try and avoid it and run away. I recommend fighting it because the item can be quite useful as it may contain an upgrade to your weapons. What’s unfortunate is Nemesis seems to be only free-roaming at the beginning of the section. As the game progresses, it doesn’t feel as scary anymore as Nemesis is only there to progress the story. Players who have played the previous RE2 Remake or even the original RE 3 game know that Nemesis would be menacing as it follows Jill throughout the whole game. What’s also disappointing is that in the RE2 Remake, Mr. X played that menacing role better as he would search out players room by room.
Resident Evil 3 Remake is a gorgeous game that uses the same game engine as it’s previous remake, Resident Evil 2. What the developers did this time around was use the lighting more which provided a more realistic and vibrant look. Raccoon City is a dark and scary place, but the way the lights are placed around the city shows the realism which provides the atmosphere which players can get lost in. With the amazing visuals, the Resident Evil 3 Remake comes great audio. There will be good callbacks to the original game such as the iconic save room song that normally plays giving players a sense of safety knowing they can take a breather from the chaos of Raccoon City.
Unfortunately, the single-player campaign is not long and can clock in around 5 to 6 hours on a player’s first playthrough. It could take longer for those who want to explore and are completionists. The game does come with a multiplayer aspect that features a 1 vs 4 gameplay, but unfortunately, I have not gotten around to giving that a try.
Resident Evil 3 may not be a triumph coming from what the Resident Evil 2 Remake brought, but this game is still enjoyable in its own right. It provides fantastic visuals that show the destruction of Raccoon City which players will be completely immersed in. The downside is that Nemesis is not brought to its full potential coming from the heels of its predecessors. This reimagining of Resident Evil 3 brings a more linear fast-paced action game that still may feel like a survival horror.
