Resident Evil 3 review for PS4, Xbox One, PC

It?s been 20 years? 20 long years since the release of the original Resident Evil 3: Nemesis. I remember being big into importing games at the time and couldn?t wait to play it under the title ?Biohazard: Last Escape?. It was an exciting time to be a fan of the series, especially with the ability to play as one of the original main characters from Resident Evil, Jill Valentine.

For me, I felt it was a game that I thoroughly enjoyed at the time, but not one I revisited as often as the other titles in the series. Dare I say, RE3 was one of the least replayed for me. It?s not that it wasn?t a good game — I mean it includes one of my favorite enemies in video game history. There was more to it, and the main reason was it wasn?t a very long game.

The game?s primary focus was evading the main protagonist, The Nemesis while trying to escape Raccoon City. The game took place 24 hours prior to the events in Resident Evil 2 which gives a whole different perspective of the outbreak in the city. Resident Evil 3 had a decent blend of action and puzzle solving that the series was becoming known for. You also had a second character, Carlos Oliveira, to play with during the story, but this wasn?t a 2nd story like with Leon and Claire in RE2.

The question is, does the Resident Evil 3 remake follow in the original?s footsteps? Well, yes and no. The remake has a lot of that new car smell going for it. Clearly, the visuals are the biggest change, looking incredible with the use of the new RE Engine, and some potentially reused assets from RE2 Remake. This may turn some off, but it didn?t bother me, especially since we are in the same town, with some new locations.

Resident Evil 3 remake?s, strongest point is it kept the mechanics and most of what worked well in RE2R which makes for some solid controls and story pacing. One notable difference is how the ?Nemesis? experience feels compared to Mr. in RE2. This time around, you feel a bit more on rails, and the map design can sometimes feel claustrophobic. There isn?t a lot of room for Nemesis to pursue you in many of the locations, so many of the interactions with him are in the form of cinematics or chase scenes.

You?re now equipped with a dodge mechanic that comes in very handy not only for good ol Nemi, but even some of the other creatures you encounter. This is one of those games that I enjoyed a lot from knowing less going in and I?m trying to provide the same courtesy for you, the readers. This mechanic takes a little getting used to, but once you get the groove, it will feel like a natural transition.

Let?s talk about some of the highlights of the game, because this is what?s important. RE3 feels the way Resident Evil 6 should have felt, in terms of action and story pacing. I?m comparing it because RE6 was such a letdown, but still shows Capcom is heading in the right direction. The puzzles are lacking this time around and some of the locations from the original are as much of a focus in the story, but everything feels fresh this time around.

Nemesis? redesign isn?t something I?m particularly fond of, but after playing through the story (in under 6 hours), and reading notes you find the game, I found a new found appreciation for the design, because there are reasons behind many of the visual changes. Something else that was changed from the original, its story spoiler specific, but helps justify the use of herbs in the game.

The characters have matured along with the game which helps provide a great story. While things have changed from the original as expected, RE3R doesn?t feel as familiar to me like RE2R did. I think the changes work for the better and the pacing really does a great job of building tense moments, even if they end up cinematics in many cases. If you are a veteran of the series, I would encourage to play on Hardcore to get most of the experience.

The Assisted mode is very forgiving and if you choose to start here, you may feel a bit cheated. You start with an Assault Rifle and ammo/health are in abundance during the game. This time around, there is no need for the ink ribbons, which I feel some fans will be disappointed with. Also, keep in mind, there are some unlockable items I have not obtained, and there could be a mode to include them again.

Once you complete the story you will unlock a shop where you can purchase items to use in-game with points you earn from completing challenges during the story. This gives the experience a little more replayability, but I can see the attention to this went into the other mode which is Resident Evil Resistance.

I haven?t spent much time with Resident Evil Resistance yet, but I can assure you, if you are a fan of online asymmetric 4 vs 1 games like Dead By Daylight, this is something you will want to check out. It takes a known genre and does some unique things that work for the Resident Evil universe, and I?ll have updated impressions once I get more time with it.

Overall, Resident Evil 3/Resident Evil Resistance is a solid release that hardcore fans will love and will bring something fresh for newcomers to the series. It may not be RE2R, but that doesn?t hurt it in the end. It?s a memorable experience and can?t wait to complete it on Hardcore.

Capcom provided us with a Resident Evil 3 PS4 code for review purposes.