Resident Evil 3 Remains My Favourite in the Series This Halloween

October is, without a doubt, the spookiest month, and that means it’s the perfect time to play games that make you go ARRGRRHGRGGHRG. One of my favourites is a game that was relatively well received but also has its fair share of detractors: the remake of Resident Evil 3. 

Now, I want to set the scene here: I was never the biggest fan ofResident EvilResident Evil. I didn’t like the early controls and found the camera angles to be more annoying than anything. However, when Resident Evil 3 came out, I was tempted by the trailers and picked it up. In the end, I found it to be so much fun that I ended up playing through the entire series, but I avoided the early games. 

Just to specify, I have no issue with the first three Resident Evil titles, and I can see why people enjoy them. I never really liked the slow pace, plus I really hate tank controls… so even though I have tried them, I just can’t get into them. However, Resident Evil 3 took everything I didn’t like and solved it. 

The movement is fluid, while shooting feels effortless. Additionally, the inclusion of colour-coded maps indicating where there are still things to find remains one of the best design choices. Yes, you could argue it takes away from the exploration, but I am 35 with very little time to spend going through every shelf.

I have heard some complaints that the game removed a lot of content from Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, and I can’t really speak on that. However, I find the main campaign of the remake to be really well put together. There’s a great flow to it to the degree that it can feel a little breakneck at times. I have heard some complaints about Jill Valentine not being the same character, but I can honestly say I like her. 

Jill in the Remake is a character who acts much more naturally than she did in prior games. Now, that’s partially due to the improvements in voice acting compared to the old days of the original PlayStation. You can try and tell me that it was good in the first few Resident Evil titles was good, but you’d be a Jill Sandwich for doing so.

Also, many of Jill’s character traits from Resident Evil 3: Nemesis are, as I found out after talking to some people who had played both, still there. It’s just that the new games offer more naturalistic dialogue, meaning she still has that same level of sass, but it’s a bit more nuanced. The updated Resident Evil 3 goes further by adding a sprinkling of PTSD from the mansion incident (I get it, trying to find enough gas to burn every zombie was horrifying) helps to add to her character. 

The other complaint I’ve heard is about her design, and I give this one a lot less consideration, honestly. Here’s the thing: the original's outfit was really dumb, just rewatch the second movie to see how little sense it really makes. The new design is far more practical and makes much more sense for someone to actually wear around the house. 

If there is any weak point in the game for me, it’s honestly the Carlos sections, which I just didn’t enjoy as much. Is this dislike entirely due to a rumoured crush on virtual Jill? Perhaps. But Carlos’ parts often felt more like a shooting gallery, which is fine, but not really what I want from the experience. 

Then we have Nemesis, the zombies, and Raccoon City in general. Now, Nemesis works a little differently in Resident Evil 3 compared to Mr X. He is less of a constant hunter and instead turns up at various points as a constantly evolving boss fight. I liked his sections, while it is always the same character, he has usually turned into a different form, so it never really feels boring.

The same goes for the other enemies, namely the zombies and other mutants that are all around. There’s no “bad” enemy exactly, and nothing that feels like a chore to get through. I know some people were disappointed that foes like the giant spiders were missing, but having never dealt with them, I can’t really comment. 

I also love the world design in general, especially the opening section in Raccoon City. Everything is on fire, and the zombies are everywhere, which means you never really feel safe. Sure, all this fades away as you run around collecting everything, but it’s initially really entertaining. Also, I know I just complained about Carlos’ sections, but going back to the Police Station is a blast. 

Now, in the interest of fairness, I never want it to be said that I won’t try new things. With that in mind, I am going to play Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, as it has just been added to PS Plus as a retro title. So be on the lookout for a retro review at some point in the future!