The world has never been more excited for a remake of such a middle-of-the-road game before. Remembered primarily for its system of branching choices that artificially extend the notably short playtime, Resident Evil 3: Nemesis is generally regarded as "that one that came between RE2 and RE4." While Resident Evil 3 remains in the shadow of the far superior Resident Evil 2, this reimagining of the action-oriented RE3: Nemesis manages to capture the series' best qualities and deliver an experience far more memorable than the original.
Comparing RE3 To RE2
It's almost impossible to assess Resident Evil 3 in a vacuum. To take the game at face value and determine how successfully it accomplishes its goals would mean ignoring last year's hugely successful Resident Evil 2 and the context of both RE2 and RE3 as remakes.
Resident Evil 2 is undoubtedly a better game than Resident Evil 3, both the originals and the remakes. It's a lot longer for what that's worth, and the non-linear level design is more interesting and engaging. Resident Evil 2 is, simply put, a more fully-realized game than Resident Evil 3. In a way though, that makes Resident Evil 3 more impressive: Resident Evil 2 is a phenomenal remake of an already excellent game, while Resident Evil 3 is a phenomenal remake of a pretty mediocre game. For the "most improved" senior superlative, you've got to give it up for RE3.
Running Away From Nemesis
On the one hand, the never-ending cat-and-mouse game Leon plays with Mr. X in RE2 is brilliantly paced and tension-filled in a way that that linear chase sequences with Nemesis can't hold a candle to. On the other hand, Nemesis has a bazooka.
Mr. X was scary because it felt like he was always following you and there was no way to stop him. Learning how to get around the RCPD quickly and efficiently was key to avoiding and outsmarting the Tyrant. RE2 gave the player time to build the map of the 🍌area in their mind and rewarded them for their spatial awareness and quick thinking♓.
By contrast, every encounter with Nemesis is a linear chase sequence from point A to point B, often through spaces the player has never seen or been in before. Where the Mr. X sequences are deadly games of hide-and-seek, the Nemesis sequences are cinematic experiences first and foremost. Resident Evil 3 is going for something completely different than Resident Evil 2, and the differences between Mr. X and Nemesis illustrate that shift towꦅards cinematic action rather succinctly.
Leaning Into The Action
Resident Evil 3 is about half the length of Resident Evil 2, but it wouldn't surprise me at all if there's twice as many zombies and monsters in RE3. Ammo conservation and inventory management is still a constant concern, but let's just say after tearing through the RCPD sequence, it's shocking there was any ammo left for Leon at all. It may look and control like RE2, but the pace is wildly accelerated.
This change is reflected in the levels too. The game is broken up into a handful of separate zones that can be freely explored while you're in them, just like RE2, but the zones are now much smaller and Jill/Carlos spend a lot less time exploring them. When I got to the aforementioned RCPD featured in RE2, it struck me how well I remembered all of the interconnected hallways and paths in the labyrinthine police station, even after not playing RE2 for over a year. In a week I likely won't remember my way around the streets of Raccoon City or its hospital nearly as well, simply because I didn't need to spend very much time in them. It's always onto the next thing in RE3.
Believe it or not, the game is actually about an hour shorter than the original. The Clock Tower has been removed, as have all of the branching paths. It's an even more concise experience, running right around five hours, but that length feels completely appropriate for the pace of the story. Other cinematic action games can really overstay their welcome (Uncharted 4 comes to mind), but RE3 is a satisfying experience that never drags or lulls. The value question is for each player to decide for themselves, but it is worth mentioning that the asynchronous multiplayer game Resistance comes bundled with RE3, so there's that.
The Resident Evil Dyad
If Resident Evil 2 (or RE7) introduced you to the series, you may not have realized that there are actually two types of Resident Evil games. They may look the same on the surface, and there's plenty of overlap between them, but Resident Evil 3 is the kind of RE game where the main villain chases you with a flame thrower and your most useful tool isn't your brain, it's a machine gun. Some people consider these the "bad" Resident Evil games, but I for one love them just as mu🌞ch as the slower-paced survival꧑-horror games in the series.
Resident Evil 3 will disappoint some of last year's Resident Evil 2 players, without a doubt, but as an action game, RE3 is a blast. The set pieces are thrilling, the controls are tight, and the breakneck paces hardly ever let you catch your breath. If RE5 and RE6 had been as polished and high quality as RE3 Remake, this series would be hailed as one of the most consistently impressive series of all time. It's no RE2, but it's a helluva good time.
A PC review code for Resident Evil 3 was provided to TheGamer for this review. Resident Evil 3 is available now on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
Continuing the series of remakes by Capcom, Resident Evil 3 pits you, playing as Jill Valentine and Carlos Oliveira, against the terrifying Nemesis. You must navigate a ravaged Raccoon City and discover the truth of the ꦉT-Virus and Umbrella Corp.