Resident Evil 3 Remake - Review/Thought Piece · 6:25am Apr 8th, 2020

The Resident Evil 3 Remake and I have a complicated relationship. On one hand, I really enjoyed what I experienced, and on the other, I am left wanting more.

My history with the game actually starts before the game is released. The previous title, the Resident Evil 2 Remake, was hands down my game of the year last year. It's masterful take on the classic was something that blew me away when I picked it up the night of release. I, Having not spoiled myself with gameplay footage beforehand, made its impact hit that much harder.

Near the end of the year, when I was called in to work a morning shift on little sleep, when I was about to go home, I checked YouTube on my phone and had a mini-fangasim as I read "Resident Evil 3 Remake Trailer."

Really? This ain't a joke? This is a real thing?! My heart leapt with joy and promptly stuck the landing as I felt hype like I never felt before. I am serious when I say I have never been so happy to see a trailer in my life. Well, maybe aside from the Godzilla: King of the Monsters trailer, but I digress.

So, with that little bit of my life experienced, I waited like every other Resident Evil fan with gusto.

April rolls around, I just had several shit days at work and at home in a row. People bitching from the moment I wake up, to the moment I go to bed. The thought of Resident Evil 3 Remake is all that keeps me from breaking down into an angry, pitiful, mess.

I have not spoiled myself on reviews, gameplay, nadda. I made sure to make myself blind as a bat going in like I did with the Resident Evil 2 Remake. However, life had other plans. Not one, but two people knowing how happy I am to be able to play this game, bitch to me about how it's divisive in the reviews, and that many are calling it trash.

I did not want to hear that. In fact, I am still upset that they did that, because that got my curiosity going, and I didn't want it to be true. So, I sinned. I looked at spoiler free reviews, and saw just how split it was. Solid scores, but the general reception was mixed, and often tagged with "disappointing."

I will not lie. That made me depressed. The one shining beacon I was clinging onto was getting shit on as much as me. But I wasn't just depressed, I was pissed. I slammed shut all of social media and the internet till the game released for me at 9 P.M Pacific Time on April 2. And you know what, I fucking enjoyed it. Short, sweet, and to the point. The game was a rush, and scared me more than the previous title. And honestly, I could not understand why I couldn't go the length of a gnat's dick without seeing some negativity on the game.

It was this moment in time I just wanted some positivity, some others to share this joy with, but I was left alone. I was, and still am, isolated with my feelings.

But hope still lingers, as it often does. This game has the same critical reception as the original. History is repeating, and if it keeps doing so, as it often does, then some time in the future people will love this game as a classic much like the original now.

But the game is what's important, and that's something I have yet to get to. I have a lot to say about the game, so buckle up, buckaroos!

Fair warning now. Spoilers ahead..

The game starts strong. You are greeted to pure atmospheric gold with Jill's apartment, first person, interesting enough. It is also here that the game shows what it's all about. After a moment of faffing about, you receive a phone call from Brad Vickens, fellow S.T.A.R.S operative. Not a moment later, Nemesis breaks into your apartment through the wall in front of you, sending you toppling away. It's the first of many escape sequences in a game with an underlying theme of 'escape.'

For the next ten minutes or so, you are going to be having a blast as the best opening, in my opinion, of any Resident Evil unfolds. Raccoon City looks stunning. People are screaming and running in terror, and you're alongside them, trying to get to safety as the threat of Nemesis looms before you. Thankfully, after ramming a car into the bio weapon, you are saved by none other than the man, the legend, Carlos.

The two of you make a break for the subway, and after some banter, and an introduction to the Umbrella Mercs you're going to reluctantly be siding with for the good of civilians, you're sent on your way to the first major area of the game. If you played the demo beforehand, you're going to be well acquainted with the streets of Raccoon City.

That's how it starts, strong. However, the critical issues start showing about two hours in. You've dealt with Zombies, fucking spider like bugs, seriously, fuck those things, and even gamma hunters, who can swallow you whole/ Of course, there is also Nemesis himself, wielding both a Flamethrower, and then a Rocket Launcher.

The action is hype, the tension is enough to form diamonds, and then it all just sorta spins out of control for a bit. You play as Carlos as you revisit the RPD station, his commentary on the place, such as the weird fucking doors, and so on, make him already a endearing character. Seriously, besides his groovy hair, he is such a goofball, I can't help but love him. Dependable badass, with a cheeky side. Capcom has a thing for those types of characters, I swear.

This section is cool, though. You get to see a different perspective to the RPD station before Leon and Claire show up from the previous installment.

What comes after is where I feel conflicted. You are making your way to the Clocktower Plaza when Nemesis shows up again, on fire from the exploding train that was derailed moments prior. He falls into the canal, putting out the flames. Jill, being the best Resident Evil protagonist, don't @ me, says "bitch can't even swim."

But he doesn't have to, because he transforms into his second form. Unlike the original, he doesn't lose his shirt and looks more grotesque. Here, he turns into a full beastly monster on all fours, chasing your ass all the way to the base of the clocktower. Boss fight time, which is cool and all, but here's the thing.

We didn't see too much of nemesis before this. Sure, those moments were so fucking good that they are 10/10, but it doesn't last as long as I wanted. And I am not alone in that. I wanted more from that, and it upsets me. I think here is where I can safely say some improvements needed to be made.

Make nemesis not transform into his beast form here. Make the Clocktower it's own area so it can add to the short length of the game, and have the boss fight just be a mutating Nemesis before he goes beast mode. We get more Nemesis before his unhuman-like form takes root, and a cool new region to explore before the endgame at the hospital and Nest 2.

Which, speaking of hospital, that brings up another point that I would like to make. The horde battle here proves that this game needs a mercenary mode. I am certain Capcom is working on it, but it should have been here at launch. It would have been so fucking good. I am calling it now, give it a few months before announcement/release.

Despite the detractors, however, I beat the game four times now. I unlocked all the infinite weapons, and a few other bonuses to make my many more playthroughs even more interesting. Hell, I got my S rank on standard, and just beat hardcore to unlock nightmare difficulty. There will be more aggression, tougher enemies, and remixed items and enemy placement. I can't wait!

(Yes, I know it is blurry. Sorry).

I, this game is special to me, to be honest. I adore the story, the characters, the gameplay, all of which I think is the best in the series. Despite the faults I have, that others share, it hurts to see all the backlash. This is a good game, and a great game even. It will be a classic, I know it will. If I gave it a score it would be a solid 8 outta 10, which is fantastic! All because it's not a 9 or 10 doesn't mean it's worthwhile. 8 outta 10's are still really good games. Hell, for me, it might rise in rank with time. Each time I play the game I feel more attached to it. But my score is trying to be unbiased, so my biased score of 9/10 is not reflective of what I think it deserves.

I just wish people wouldn't be as negative as they are to a game that is great, and deserves positive feedback as much as it has received controversial feedback. Each time I go searching for discussions on the game, I am left drained, because something I love is so hated for faults that, while are fine to have, shouldn't overshadow the good of the game.

Maybe I am just exhausted from all the bad in my life right now as an essential worker during this troubling times. Maybe I hold onto this so tightly because it's the one good keeping me from being more depressed and stressed.

I don't fully know. What I do know is that I think this game is worth your time, and that I will look fondly on it in the future as one of my all time favorites. It will hold a special place in my heart, despite all its blemishes. So long, RC.