Capcom Co., Ltd.’s Resident Evil 3 for Sony Corp.’s PlayStation 4, Microsoft Corp.’s Xbox One, and the PC is a leaner, meaner remake in the survival horror franchise that injects a solid dose of action and scares.
In Resident Evil 3, Jill Valentine must escape an infected Raccoon City while being pursued by the bioweapon Nemesis. She subsequently meets Carlos Oliveira, a member of the Umbrella Biohazard Countermeasure Service, and partners with him in order to survive.
The main menace in the title, Nemesis, is as relentless as ever. He’s more agile in the remake with the ability to leap in front of an escape path, equip a flamethrower, or fire rockets at the player. Many encounters are short sequences that require timed dodges, a welcome new gameplay addition that allows the player to avoid heavy damage.
Zombies are a bit tougher to kill in the latest remake compared to Resident Evil 2. While still as aggressive, the zombies are less reactive to head and body shots. Limbs can be taken out with little difficulty like prior entries.
There are masterfully creepy additions in Resident Evil 3 that will scare even veteran players, including some nasty parasites and the intimidating Hunter Gamma enemies. In addition, environments including the Substation and the Spencer Memorial Hospital are some of the scariest in franchise history.
The largest detour taken in Resident Evil 3 is a noticeable absence of complicated puzzles. While there are several, the game focuses on challenging encounters with the Nemesis and provides plenty of save points in between. The departure may irk diehard fans, but the title is faithful to the action-oriented original release from 1999.
The graphics engine is solid at 60 frames-per-second on PC, PS4 Pro, and Xbox One X, and 30 frames-per-second on the PS4 and Xbox One. The RE Engine again does a fantastic job of creating photorealistic character models and environments that are beautifully horrific. Resident Evil 3 utilizes a more vibrant color pallet, with bright neon signs that light up Raccoon City against a waste of fire-y destruction. Even dimmer locations carry a serious level of grit and lighting detail. Music is more prevalent in this chapter and adds great atmospheric tone to the game.
Resident Evil Resistance, the 4v1 multiplayer game in which four survivors cooperate to escape the Mastermind, is a mediocre online title that has some fun co-op merits, but is largely disposable.
Resident Evil 3 is another strong remake in the franchise that delivers action and horror in a satisfying last escape from Raccoon City. Pour one out for Brad Vickers and enjoy the ride.
