RESIDENT EVIL 3

We no longer live in a Carlos-less world, but is that a good thing?

Ian Dean

Jill Valentine’s room is a mess, but it’s a clutter that teases you to explore further. Whether it’s following the string-tagged clues across a busy research board or simply seeing what our girl keeps in her fridge, this is a slow opening aimed squarely at fans. And just as we’re getting comfortable rummaging through Jill’s business, the wall explodes and Nemesis strides in…

It’s an opening that puts us on the back foot and sets up a chase through Raccoon City. Almost everything you do in Resident Evil 3 happens under the shadow of Nemesis. Though it turns up at key beats in the story, evolving with each fight, once this creature is let loose he’ll always be there, chasing Jill from room to room.

Likewise standard zombies and other creatures will also chase you anywhere, and there’s something incredibly unnerving about hearing a door being beaten, you edging closer, and it snapping open as three undead tumble out.

Given the aggression of the enemies in Resident Evil 3 it’s not surprising to find this remake is more action- than survival-horror. The simplicity of the setup – escape the city, avoid Nemesis – means there are far fewer puzzles in this sequel than there were in last year’s Resident Evil 2 remake, and indeed the original Resident Evil 3 from 1999.

FAN DISSERVICE?

Fans may need to hold their Nemesis plush tight, as we reveal there’s a lot missing from this remake. The park stage is gone, the wormy Grave Digger is out, the gothic Clock Tower level is reduced to a boss battle, and the multiple choices and endings have been dropped. Numerous classic puzzles have been left behind, and one that remains is optional, included for nostalgia and to offer some handy gun upgrades.

There was a clear vision for the remake of Resident Evil 3, and to fulfil it Capcom has had to shed a lot. The result is a thrilling action game, perfectly paced and executed with some genuinely anxious moments and, in its final crawl, a ridiculously over-the-top boss fight that draws on one of the 1980s’ biggest monster movies to deliver its shots.