Written by Alexander O. Cuaycong and Anthony L. Cuaycong
Title: Resident Evil 3
Developer: CAPCOM Co., Ltd.
Publisher: CAPCOM Co., Ltd.
Genre: Action
Price: $59.99
Also Available On: Steam, XB1
Capcom has been on a roll of late, with such notables as Monster Hunter World and Devil May Cry 5 proving to be critical and commercial hits. And with last year's Resident Evil 2 remake likewise making waves, not a few quarters have justifiably looked to Resident Evil 3's release with heightened expectations. While technically a remake of Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, the direction the Osaka-based publisher, along with creative partners K2, Redworks, and M-Two, took through its three years in development all but made it a new game. Most notably, crucial elements from its source material were removed, and designs of the characters and settings reimagined, to promote its pronounced bias for action
In Resident Evil 3, players take control of Jill Valentine, one of the few members of the STARS team who survived the Spencer mansion incident in the Arklay Mountains. Its premise is the same as the original: She's stalked by a killing machine designed to hunt her down and silence her, and she must use her wits, her training, and what weapons she has at her disposal to stay alive in Raccoon City. In practice, it plays similarly as well: She has access to the same arsenal, and she's able to traverse the same locations. And for all the attention it pays to action in combat, it thankfully retains the oppressive atmosphere fans of the survival horror franchise have come to consider as standard.
Indeed, zombies still stalk the streets, and the series' more dangerous creatures — from the skittering Drain Deimos to the notorious Hunters — lie just out of sight. Resident Evil 3 likewise retains the dodge-roll function, Nemesis' constant interference in Jill's plans, and even the Carlos segments. At first glance, Capcom has seemingly both made a faithful remake and updated facets for the contemporary crowd. Which does make the whole experience worthwhile. It's visually stunning, thematically engaging, and technically impressive. And, by all accounts, it ticks off the requisite boxes of a game veterans of, and newcomers to, the genre will enjoy.
That said, players who remember the original may have some qualms about the changes Resident Evil 3 makes. For example, the Carlos portions are much longer in nature and duration. Meanwhile, others in the original — among them the graveyard and the clock tower segments — have been reduced or cut out entirely; in their places are old locations that have been expanded. Another notable change: The Gravedigger boss in the graveyard portion has been excised, and a completely new boss, with a unique set of gimmicks, has been put in its place.
The changes aside, Resident Evil 3 has a few glaring problems, most specifically in regard to its length and replay value. The first run figures to take upwards of seven hours to complete, but successive play-throughs will be shorter. While not a problem in and of itself, it becomes cause for concern given the absence of "The Mercenaries — Operation: Mad Jackal," the much-lauded mini-game in original. True, it tries to fill the gap by having two extra difficulty settings in Nightmare and Inferno. Then again, they succeed in little more than ramp up the challenge; they do little in encouraging players to finish the game more than a few times. Which, all things considered, may leave those who enjoy extra modes and extra content wanting for more.
Still, Resident Evil 3 is worth playing through. It may not be as good a remake as Resident Evil 2, but it nonetheless pulls its weight as a worthy update to a highly regarded title.
THE GOOD
- A grounded and interesting take on Jill Valentine
- Graphically impressive while still playing smoothly
- Able to consistently provide tension and dread even as it ramps up the stakes
- Additional difficulty settings (with two of four initially locked until completion)
THE BAD
- Missing "The Mercenaries — Operation: Mad Jackal" mode
- Changes sequences from the original, making it feel more like a reimagining than a remake
RATING: 9/10