The 2020 release ofResident Evil 3 Remakebenefited from significant anticipation, followingone of the greatest horror games everin theResident Evil 2remake from the previous year. The remake ofResident Evil3is likewise a very well-designed game in most regards, but when looking back five years later, it majorly falls short of the quality of all the otherResident Evilremakes.Warning: Major spoilers for both the original and remake of Resident Evil 3 ahead.WhileResident Evil 2 Remakeimproved nearly every aspect of the original,RE3feels closer to the bare minimum, and some cut content makes it possible to argue that it’s even less than that. With the classicREtrilogy now available on GOG, it’s easier than ever to play the originals and notice how muchResident Evil 3’s remake missed the mark. From the story to the numerous cuts and changes to the lack of content,Resident Evil 3 Remake, while good on its own, really could have been more.
A Resident Evil Story That Goes Forward And Backward
Got The Looks And The Sound, But Not The Touch
One aspect that’s improved in almost all theResident Evilremakes is the story. As the olderResident Eviltitles were released in an era when video game voice acting was still in its early years, this part of the presentation is leaps and bounds better in these remakes, includingResident Evil 3. Thevoice acting, dialogue, and characterization are undoubtedly superiorin theRE3Remake, with Nicholai, in particular, being a far better villain than the one-note traitor in the classic game.
It feels like the remake wants to desperately grab the players' attention right away, whereas the more subtle approach worked far better in the original.
The visuals are also fantastic, especially in regards to the new character and enemy designs, but the story itself lacks a lot of the punch that made the original an incredible end to the PS1 trilogy. Firstly, Nemesis doesn’t show up at all until about 45 minutes into the original game. TheiconicResident Evilvillainis only referenced by Brad Vickers, heightening the anticipation and mystery until it inevitably shows up at the Raccoon City Police Station.This was a great move to build suspense, but theRE3Remakeimmediately begins with a Nemesis encounter in the opening section.
The remake feels like it wants to desperately grab the players' attention right away, whereas the subtler approach worked far better in the original. Brad also doesn’t get killed by Nemesis, which lowers the threat factor of the villain quite a bit. The first time the player sees Nemesis in the original is when it brutally kills Brad in front of Jill, showing that it will complete its mission of killing every S.T.A.R.S. member. It’sa great introduction that shows the danger the protagonist and player are in, and Nemesis feels a bit lacking without it.
Resident Evil’s Most Underrated Game Deserves Better, & I Know How A Remake Could Fix It
Resident Evil remakes have done a lot to improve aspects of iconic games, but the next remake should take the most flawed entry in the series.
The final nail in the coffin that makes the original’s story trump the remake is the rescue fake-out. About two-thirds into the classic game, a helicopter arrives, and the campaign’s been long enough that it realistically could end here. The music feels like a rescue is coming, but Nemesis shoots down the helicopter, and a boss fight begins.It’s a legendary moment everyone remembers on their first playthrough, and it’s baffling that Capcom removed this iconic fake-out. Despite the visual and auditory improvements, the story itself is far better in the classic game than in the remake.
Disappointing Changes From Classic Resident Evil 3
The Replay Value Is Gone
Along with story differences, there were a lot of gameplay changes that madeResident Evil 3 Remakefall flat compared toRE2. Thebiggest two are dynamic choices and randomization. In classicRE3, a cutscene would slow down, allowing a player to pick between two options. These would alter the path one takes, including the ending. The enemies, items, and puzzles were also randomized to a certain extent. Both of these made every playthrough fresh and exciting to the point whereRE3never gets stale in the way otherREgames can feel for experienced players.
It’s The Perfect Time For A Resident Evil 1 Remake
Capcom has made successful remakes of every early Resident Evil game in the past few years, except for the first game which deserves a modern update.
The remake, sadly, features no dynamic choices or randomized elements. What’s even worse is thatthe game is shorter than the original, with the Clock Tower location being completely absentaside from a boss fight. The missing location can be felt in its impact on the game’s pacing, as it feels quite odd to play as Carlos for a decent chuck, play as Jill for a boss fight, and then go right back to Carlos. Parts like this make the game feel rushed, and nothing highlights that better than the lack of content.
A Lack Of Content Has Held RE3 Remake Back
No Extra Game Modes
While the campaign is especially short, theResident Evil 3remake had an easy opportunity to redeem itself.Resident Evilusually has one or two extra game modes to play, including Mercenaries or The Fourth Survivor. The originalResident Evil 3sawthe debut of Mercenaries, but sadly, there’s nothing in the remake. There’s not even any paid or free DLC content likeRE2orRE4.
Resident Evil 3 Remakedoes come with the multiplayer gameResident Evil: Resistance, but it received plenty of criticism at launch for a frustrating amount of technical issues.
This is another baffling exclusion,especially as an extra game mode was standard for the franchise at this point. There are more difficulty modes, but they don’t drastically change the game like Invisible Enemy was inRE1 Remake, andResident Evil: Resistanceisn’t enough on its own. When looking at all the otherResident Evilremakes, they have loads of content to offer, so five years later,RE3 Remakesticks out like a sore thumb.RE3 Remakehad quality game design, great characters, and voice acting, but it just needed more time.
RE2andRE4remakes got the required time and resources put into them, with most of the essential stuff from the originals included, plus bonus modes as paid and free DLC. It’s a shameResident Evil 3 Remaketurned out the way it did, and if Capcom wants to bring back otherResident Evilclassics likeCode: Veronica, it needs to treat them more likeRE2andRE4instead.
