The new Resident Evil 3 (RE 3) remake alongside its online multiplayer version Resistance offers an engaging, action-packed experience at first glance but fails to maintain this momentum. Officially released on April 3, 2020, it’s a remake of the 1999 original franchise game Nemesis. The game sets up favorite characters such as Jill Valentine (the main character) and Carlos Oliveira (supporting character) against the brutal bio mutated Nemesis (antagonist). However, delving deeper, it is evident that RE 3 lacks the very spontaneity that made the Resident Evil franchise unforgettable. RE 2 and the RE 3 remake are similar when it comes to framework and storyline, and like the previous version, RE 3 continues to favor more action. The game counters a high probability of engagements with higher levels of defensive skills in order to increase the player’s chances of survival. The opening scene maintains the gruesomeness of the RE series while at the same time placing Jill Valentine as a reliable and dependent protagonist capable of taking down everything that stands in her way. 

RE 3, like all its previous series, is centered on the events that occurred at Raccoon City. The game sometimes presumes that the player already knows various characters or geography associated with the earlier versions of Resident Evil. There is no cause for alarm if you haven’t played RE 2 since some key memories from RE 2 are well explained in RE 3. Chances are you will meet with some allies, especially the other playable character, an Umbrella Biohazard Counter Measure Service (UBCS) mercenary Carlos Oliveira, and other undesirable non-player characters looking to gain from the anarchy. RE 3 occasionally tries to pull the player away from the high octane action through sarcasm and personal reactions by Jill and friends at various intervals. You also get to experience the skills, abilities, and personalities of Carlos or Jill, which is pleasing to any lover of the RE series. 

The character with the best survival ability is Jill Valentine, as you might expect. She is well-equipped to take out the zombies and other bio-mutated monsters like Nemesis that prowl the streets of Raccoon City. Jill can evade attacks and launch a slow-motion roll that attacks the enemy at its weakest point. Executing this move is very satisfying, and it comes in handy, especially in the heat of action. The game keeps the player engaged in adrenaline-packed action with fast responses, so players don’t get bored even when exploring the city. Although RE 3 offers the player more significant killer and defensive skills, it would be foolhardy to assume that facing the numerous hungry zombies or the very powerful Nemesis force will be a walk in the park. The need to be judicious in the use of ammo and inventory supplies makes RE 3 far more difficult than the RE 2. But do not worry as the various checkpoints and safe zones prevents you from losing too much progress.

RE 3 tries to force the player into tight positions with the possibility of running out of resources. Another twist in RE 3 is that most of its scenery is set in the open locations of Raccoon City streets, roads, and alleys, unlike in RE 2. Also, RE 3 runs for approximately six hours. It has in-depth details of location, violence, and it captures the level of damage, wreckage, or deterioration of the city. Downtown Raccoon City is the most exciting location because the map is big with plenty of zombies to kill, it also shows the crafty personality of Nemesis. Nemesis puts his many appendages to good use by throwing it at you or turning other zombies into hideous creatures. He persistently hunts you in places you don’t expect him to be, keeping you on the edge of your seat. 

Going deeper, there are too many repeats of RE 2, proving that the focus was on action and mobility. The game plot is shallow as it ended disappointingly after six hours. The pattern for deciphering clues is irregular. Looking for clues and fighting off enemies all at the same time can become tiring. After the fight with Nemesis at the beginning of Downtown Raccoon City, he is seen lurking around not doing much except in scripted boss levels. This poor use of Nemesis reveals the shallowness in enemy varieties. 

After completing the game, you can purchase new weapons, change costumes, and other inventory from the main menu, should you wish to play the game all over again. There is no bonus content, but the difficulty mode can be set to Nightmare. 

RE 3’s twin, Resistance, is the online version with a four-against-one multiplayer mode. Four players (survivors) will try to complete tasks while one player (Mastermind) sees everything through cameras and plots the survivors’ failure. The four survivors’ role is similar to playing the offline version, but you may have to work together to overcome the evil Mastermind. Playing with different characters unlocks hidden features, and completing daily, and weekly tasks get you RPs that you can use to buy bonus items as survivors or masterminds.

The Resistance offers timely tutorials where needed, but as interesting as it is, the game fails to perfect movements and motion. If you try to hit fast-moving objects, the characters will not synchronize with your command. Also, the characters generally don’t speak during gameplay. And to compound it all, the architecture is nothing out of the ordinary. I would recommend playing the evil Mastermind in Resistance as you sit and watch the survivors from another point of view. The role of Mastermind allows you to enjoy taking away the joys of victory from the Survivor, but in general, the game is still boring.

RE 3, for me, is better than Resistance, although it reached its peak momentum in no time, and it all went downhill from there. Sadly, this remake failed to meet the standard of its parent version and failed as a type of gruesome entertainment. It also finds it hard to simultaneously keep telling the story about survival horror and top-notch action. It, however, gives its main antagonist a good showing at the beginning. Still, the shortened nature of the story and its rather weak conclusion is evidence that it was copied from the Resident Evil trilogy.