After the excellent Resident Evil 2 remake, Capcom follows very quickly with a revisit to the third episode. We were lucky enough to be invited to a two-hour session to test the upcoming survival horror, Resident Evil 3.
- Genre: Survival Horror
- Release date: April 3, 2020
- Platform: Playstation 4, Xbox One, PC
- Developer: Capcom
- Publisher: Capcom
- Price: $59.99
Return to Raccoon City
Resident Evil 3 doesn't follow the events of Leon and Claire's adventures, but happens one day before. A member of the S.T.A.R.S. team, Jill Valentine, is a veteran of the Umbrella Corporation's exploits, having just left the Spencer Mansion.
Her journey through the streets of the city will take a whole new twist when she meets members of the U.B.C.S. who, like her, are trying to find a way out of this nightmare.
They will have to join forces to do so, while facing off against a new weapon sent by Umbrella: the Nemesis. The action still takes place in Raccoon City, but this time it's mostly outdoors.
With the new RE Engine, the results look great, with a special mention for the character models and lighting effects that seem even more elaborate than the previous instalment. The attention to detail is impressive, and Raccoon City looks more alive than ever.
There's much more interaction with the environment than with Resident Evil 2, and not only in the solving of puzzles. Exploration is the main word, since ammunition is still very limited. You'll need to understand the behavior of enemies to get the better of them.
To do this, the big gameplay innovation in this episode comes from the dodging mechanic. With a simple press of the R1 key and a direction, it's possible to dodge attacks and make your way through seemingly inaccessible terrain.
The knife is no longer destructible and can't be used as a self-defense weapon anymore. A perfect dodge will grant a short instance of slowed-down time, allowing you to reposition yourself and take down an enemy with much more ease.
As expected, this new gameplay feature will be your best friend against the Nemesis.
A much more present threat
Although Mr. X was a serious threat in the last episode, it only took a few corridors to lose him. With the Nemesis, things won't be that simple.
In addition to having the same ability to jump high to avoid using ladders and walking behind you, this new enemy will be much faster than you — and will even be able to sprint past you and use its tentacles to draw you towards it.
The cherry on the top is that he'll sometimes equip firearms, including a rather persuasive flamethrower. Because of his intelligence and speed, our confrontation with it turned out to be more intense than expected.
During these two hours, we observed a rather varied bestiary, with some surprises that we didn't expect — such as the Hunters in the sewers. The dogs also make a strong comeback, but are much less annoying thanks to the dodge mechanic.
In normal mode, we found that the game was quite simple. We suggest starting in a more difficult mode, without aim assist, for a little more of a challenge.
The arsenal available is, as usual, very well stocked. We were able to test the handgun, shotgun and grenade launcher, with different ammunition available and intuitively interchangeable without having to go through the menu.
The menu and inventory management remain the same as in Resident Evil 2.
Being able to walk around the city is a real pleasure, and it gives us a feeling of freedom that we didn't have in the police station. Almost every door we came across could be opened to reveal a part of Raccoon City, allowing you to explore its shops and buildings.
You soon realize that this feeling is only an illusion, and that all the cars blocking the streets, barricades and other narrow alleys push you to follow a single path. You will once again come across locks and gates that you will have to come back to once you have unlocked the right item. Otherwise, you might miss out on some of the items that make exploration easier, such as the shotgun.
The level design, which is fortunately very well thought out, allows you to find your way around quite quickly, and creates an environment that is much less intricate than the R.P.D. headquarters. The puzzles are well conceived and will require a few minutes of thought, but are still logical and far from being frustrating. They bring a sense of satisfaction and a moment of respite from escaping the Nemesis.
The RE Engine's character and environment modeling creates an oppressive and realistic atmosphere. You never really feel safe, surrounded by Umbrella Corporation creations or members of the U.B.C.S.
The backdrops in Resident Evil 3 are very good, but we can't help but have a feeling of déjà vu. However, in only two hours, the new features make you want to see more.
Resident Evil 3 follows in the footsteps of its sibling and offers an excellent survival horror experience. Capcom seems to have added a lot of storyboard and gameplay elements that improve on what was offered in 1999 and 2019. This remake seems to be complete, and hopes to prolong the fun with its Resistance multiplayer mode.
The Nemesis, a much improved version of Mr. X, brings an extra source of tension and adds an extra challenge to the adventure. More focused on action with a fast game pace, the two hours we played seemed to have lasted 45 minutes.
This 2020 version of Resident Evil 3 is on the right track to achieve the same success as its predecessor, while still trying to find its own personality.
Original content by Florent "Sketch" Thomas.
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Capcom have announced a demo version of the Resident Evil 3 remake will soon be made available.
