The 2020 release of RE trilogy now available on GOG, it's easier than ever to play the originals and notice how much Resident 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 the Resident Evil remakes is the story. As the older Resident Evil titles 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, including Resident Evil 3. The voice acting, dialogue, and characterization are undoubtedly superior in the RE3 Remake, 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. The iconic Resident Evil villain is 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 the RE3 Remake immediately 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's a 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 re 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 made Resident Evil 3 Remake fall flat compared to RE2. The biggest two are dynamic choices and randomization. In classic RE3, 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 where RE3 never gets stale in the way other RE games 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 that the game is shorter than the original, with the Clock Tower location being completely absent aside 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, the Resident Evil 3 remake had an easy opportunity to redeem itself. Resident Evil usually has one or two extra game modes to play, including Mercenaries or The Fourth Survivor. The original Resident Evil 3 saw the debut of Mercenaries, but sadly, there's nothing in the remake. There's not even any paid or free DLC content like RE2 or RE4.
Resident Evil 3 Remake does come with the multiplayer game Resident 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 in RE1 Remake, and Resident Evil: Resistance isn't enough on its own. When looking at all the other Resident Evil remakes, they have loads of content to offer, so five years later, RE3 Remake sticks out like a sore thumb. RE3 Remake had quality game design, great characters, and voice acting, but it just needed more time.
RE2 and RE4 remakes 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 shame Resident Evil 3 Remake turned out the way it did, and if Capcom wants to bring back other Resident Evil classics like Code: Veronica, it needs to treat them more like RE2 and RE4 instead.
Source: Resident Evil/YouTube
