Resident Evil as a whole is regarded as one of the best franchises in the survival horror genre. From gameplay to narrative, there’s a clear reason why Resident Evil is such a highly-beloved franchise. Back in 2020, Capcom reimagined the original Resident Evil 3: Nemesis from 1999 and released the remake of Resident Evil 3. The original title was highly beloved, but is Resident Evil 3 worth playing in 2023 too?
The Graphics Are Amazing in Resident Evil 3
There are many reasons why Resident Evil 3 is still worth playing, but one of the biggest draws of the game is the fact that its graphics and visuals have been updated.
Resident Evil 3 was rebuilt completely from the ground up. Now, it features intensely stunning detailed environments, new character models, and special effects. These things all come together to help immerse players in the terrifying world of Raccoon City.
Atmospherically, Resident Evil 3 is so much better now with improved lighting, sound, and voice acting. The original was released in a time when graphics weren’t the nicest, but with modern technology, it’s certainly a game-changer.
Gameplay is Fantastic
Another big selling point for Resident Evil 3 is the updated and new gameplay. Mechanically, Resident Evil 3 features fast-paced, action-packed gameplay that feels more like a survival thriller movie than anything else.
The original Resident Evil 3: Nemesis featured more methodical gameplay with puzzle-solving and less advanced mechanics. However, with the remake, new mechanics like the dodge feature, you can easily evade zombies from biting you. If you’re low on ammo and you don’t really have much with you in terms of weaponry, the dodge will save your life. Guaranteed.
Gunplay in Resident Evil 3 is fantastic and does have a level of challenge to it. Enemies require more bullets to kill than you might think, but with the variety of weapons, it’s all about finding a strategy.
Since Resident Evil 3 is a game where your main objective is to survive, you have to be more cautious and think harder about where you’re going and what you’re doing in each objective.
Some enemies are stronger than others, and other enemies are just downright terrifying and nasty. However, with the right gun and the right approach, you should be able to work through them.
The Characters and Story are Amazing
Resident Evil 3 brings a new character named Carlos Oliveira, who is controllable during a few missions in the game. The main character is Jill Valentine, a member of the special police unit S.T.A.R.S., and players take her perspective for most of the game. She fights for survival in Raccoon City as zombies and a bioweapon wreak havoc.
Carlos and Jill make a good team, and each character has a different style of gameplay attached to them. While Jill is more for agility and does have a good level of gunplay, Carlos feels more like a soldier than Jill, which gives some variety to the game.
Carlos also has his own set of abilities and his own special weapons, which gives even more depth to the differences.
Jill must contend with iconic villain Nemesis as he chases her around through the game. Be warned, there are some pretty intense jump scares with Nemesis.
The other characters involved in Jill’s story are all very engaging and each brings something unique to the narrative of the Resident Evil 3 remake. The voice acting is also on-point and adds emotional depth to the delivery of the lines, making the game feel more human and more natural.
Compared to the original, the story is expanded a bit more. So, if you recall Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, this one is going to be a bit different.
Any Downsides?
A lot of people say that Resident Evil 3 feels a bit short. It is a bit shorter than Resident Evil 2’s remake, but it’s got a lot of replayability to it. There’s multiple difficulty levels, lots of loot to unlock in the game, and the story is engaging enough that you can keep going back to it several times.
The mechanics may be a bit difficult to get used to, and sometimes you may find yourself stuck on certain levels. That is the charm of games like Resident Evil — you have to think, act, and survive.
Conclusions
Overall, I would certainly say that the Resident Evil 3 remake is worth replaying in 2023. With its great visuals, awesome gameplay, interesting narrative and characters, as well as its stellar horror aspects, it’s a must-play any day.
Even if you’ve never played Resident Evil before, you should give this one a try anyways.
Also, if you’re on PC, you can actually equip some mods that can give a bit more flair to Resident Evil 3. I made a guide recently on how to mod Carlos to look like Ghost, which is linked right here for you to check out.
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Zainah Yousef
Zainah Yousef is the author of The Fallen Age Saga and specializes in gaming, social media advice, and reviews. She's been writing all her life and she probably won't stop anytime soon.
