Ever since Resident Evil 3 remake's official announcement last December, Capcom has been teasing fans with a generous number of screenshots and gameplay videos to get them hyped up for the upcoming game. What's even more exciting is that the Japanese developer and publisher will release a playable demo sometime before Resident Evil 3's release in April.
Now, an article from the Official Xbox Magazine recently spilled some pretty juicy information about the upcoming game. Unfortunately, the details released by the magazine sparked confusion among fans given that the article made it appear that Nemesis would be able to break into saferooms. Capcom quickly clarified to several news outlets that they tyrant would be unable to enter these safe havens, but there will be areas in the game that will have a typewriter and an item box that Nemesis would be able to access, similar to the RPD's main hall in Resident Evil 2 remake. However, to ensure that the room that players are in is safe, they would have to listen for the save room theme to play.
Apart from the many details that were recently revealed about Resident Evil 3, the most interesting one is the overall upgrade to the gameplay. Although it bears similarities to the 2019 remake of Resident Evil 2, it is no secret that the Resident Evil 3 is more action-oriented than its predecessor. Capcom was able to achieve this by introducing a smarter artificial intelligence model for Nemesis and other monsters, and by equipping the player with a new ability that will make for more efficient and balanced gameplay.
Nemesis Is Relentless But Balanced
When Resident Evil 2 remake came out last year, Capcom re-introduced players to Mr.X and made the tyrant more menacing and terrifying than his original counterpart. However, unbeknownst to many players, Mr. X became a testing ground for Capcom and the company gathered fan feedback in an effort to make Nemesis even more terrifying than the fedora-wearing monster. As seen in recent gameplay videos of Resident Evil 3 remake, it is obvious that Nemesis is much scarier than Mr. X, not only because of his ability to run and use weapons but because Capcom needed the monster to be bigger, terrifying, and much more relentless in pursuing players.
However, Resident Evil 3 producer Peter Fabiano also clarified that even though Nemesis was designed to have a smarter AI, the developers also programmed the monster to give players some room to breathe momentarily. During the design of Nemesis, the developers acknowledged how "pacing is important" to ensure a correct balance between heart-pumping action and letting players feel a little bit relaxed while still maintaining some level of tension and sense of dread that is common in survival horror games.
In the original game, Nemesis was already relentless in chasing players, but most of the encounters are still scripted, and players would just have to run two to three doors to lose the tyrant. However, with all the information revealed so far, it appears that this won't be the case in the remake. Based on RE3 gameplay previews alone, it appears that it would take players a greater amount of effort and expert maneuverability to lose Nemesis, who can now blast through walls. However, to allow players to focus on other aspects of the game, there will be certain areas such as safe rooms and areas where puzzles are located where Nemesis can't enter.
Monsters Behave Differently in Resident Evil 3
Apart from Nemesis, some reports are claiming that other monsters in the game such as zombies, spiders, Hunter Gammas, and many others will have a smarter AI as well. According to a thread that talked about the Official Xbox Magazine article, some of the game's enemies will behave differently in the remake depending on the environment and situation that they're currently in. Although this particular piece of information wasn't fleshed out, it appears that zombies in the game will react to players differently when they're alone or in a group.
It is important for players to know that this piece of information is still unconfirmed by Capcom, but if true, then it is likely that zombies could be more menacing and more aggressive when attacking players in groups. In Resident Evil 2 remake, when players are cornered by two or more zombies, they could only bite the player one at a time. However, it is possible is that multiple zombies can now lunge at the player in Resident Evil 3, which will make it nearly impossible to recover when attacked by a horde.
In the original game, zombies were not as threatening as other enemies in Resident Evil 3. They were slow, easy to outrun, and could be killed by just a handful of bullets. Although they were still slow and could easily be outrun in Resident Evil 2 remake, zombies are just more bulletproof even when shooting them in the head. This is because of the fact that Resident Evil 2 and 3 implement a third-person over-the-shoulder perspective, which makes it easier to land headshots unlike with the classic games' fixed camera angles. Of course, if remake zombies were as fragile as their original counterparts, then clearing them out in the game would be a breeze given that the over-the-shoulder perspective offers better visibility to players.
Even Jill Valentine Gets an Upgrade
Of course, it wouldn't be a balanced game if only the enemies get an upgrade. Capcom confirmed that Jill Valentine will have a few tricks up her sleeve such as the dodge mechanic, to combat the game's more advanced enemies. Resident Evil fans who've played the original game would know that dodging is not new in Resident Evil 3, given that it is central in the relentless chase that Nemesis would give players.
However, in the upcoming remake, the dodge mechanic is also upgraded and Jill is given a new Quick Step move that will allow her to evade lunging zombies and even run past Nemesis' death grip. Another exciting new move is the Perfect Dodge that when executed at the right time, will allow players to avoid the attack while entering a slight slow-mo that can be utilized to land a headshot.
In the original game, dodging was a tad bit difficult to execute, especially when players have a limited view of what's happening on-screen due to the fixed camera angles. However, the Official Xbox Magazine reported that the remake's dodge mechanic will be more user-friendly, but of course, this could vary from player to player.
Additionally, Raccoon City will be much more expansive and will be filled with explosive items that will be extremely useful in temporarily stunning Nemesis or blasting off hordes of zombies. At the moment, the explosive items that were revealed include red barrels that will explode when shot and generators that will send a surge of electrical pulse that will stun Nemesis and any other monsters that are caught in its blast. Just like in the original game, the addition of explosive items adds a new layer of texture to the gameplay and gives players the opportunity to strategize its use. Should they use the red barrel now to kill a few zombies, or is it better to save it for later in case Nemesis drops in?
Now, based on all the information that has been revealed about Resident Evil 3 so far, it appears that the upcoming remake of the classic title will turn out to be another hit for Capcom. It is obvious that the developers have carefully curated all the remake's elements to make for balanced gameplay that perfectly blends adrenaline-pumping action with the franchise's iconic survival-horror mechanic. Luckily, players won't have to wait too long to try out Resident Evil 3 remake, given that a playable demo is launching soon with the actual game releasing shortly after.
Resident Evil 3 is scheduled to release on April 3, 2020, for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One.