The undead will soon be walking among us again, as April 3rd sees the arrival of Resident Evil 3 on PS4 and Xbox One. While last year’s Resident Evil 2 already set the quality bar quite high in terms of what players can expect from remaking of a beloved survival horror classic, this follow-up sequel looks to improve upon this pre-established framework in a fair number of ways.
To be fair, Resident Evil 3 appears to be very much forging its own identity, setting players in the shoes of a new protagonist (as was the case in the PSOne original), a fresh perspective on Raccoon City’s downfall, in addition to lots of 21st century tweaks to help it look and play like a modern game. With that said, we’ve put together 5 big ways Resident Evil 3 will differ from Resident Evil 2.
Knives are no longer breakable
While this point might not seem like that big of a deal, anyone that played Resident Evil 2 through to completion will recognise how important ANY weapon you can get your hands on actually is. Leon and Claire had limited guns and ammunition to help fend off flesh-eaters with, sure, but should these ever run out they could always rely on an equipped knife. However, after repelling zombies a couple times these knives tended to break and leave you defenceless.
This gameplay choice in and of itself differed from prior Resident Evil games, where players would previously do entire runs seeing how fast they could get through the game using the knife alone. Going against this design tenant certainly ramped up RE 2’s horror aspect, but it’s pleasing to know that knives will return to their unbreakable status for Resident Evil 3. Don’t get too cocky, though, because it’s incredibly rare that a knife alone will save you. If anything, this is indicative of just how more aggressive the zombies in Resident Evil 3 will be.
A more confident blend of horror and action
Whereas Resident Evil 2 played a lot like a modern Metroidvania, having you explore the R.C.P.D building to unlock new items that would let you open up new areas which were previously locked off, Resident Evil 3 is far more open and action-centric. Because of this, Jill Valentine’s adventure can more smartly blend elements of horror and spectacle, as evidenced more so by the much larger suite of weapons she boasts compared to Leon or Claire.
To some this may come as disappointing news. After all, Resident Evil steered away from its survival horror roots before and eventually lost its way by the time we reached the sixth canonical entry. Resident Evil 3, however, looks to maintain its spooky vibes, amping up the amount of gore and viscera while letting you traverse more environments. Resident Evil 2 largely took place indoors and could therefore rely on claustrophobia as a horror tool. Resident Evil 3, by comparison, sees you survive out in the open.
An improved predator with new stalking abilities
Resident Evil 2 famously saw the ever-intimidating Mr. X crop up every now and then to stomp his way into your path. At any point he could appear to help ruin your day, forcing you to navigate around him or stagger him briefly before you could return to the area you needed to go. Likewise, Resident Evil 3 features another stalking antagonist in Nemesis, who will not only choke you should he catch you in his grasp, but shoot or even flamethrower you to death, too.
Capcom has already been on record stating that Nemesis will function slightly differently from Mr. X, in that he can appear at any time in the story once he’s introduced, rather than only at certain points. Players will still remain safe in, you know, safe rooms when entered, but his increased range of view, coupled with his tentacles and ability to leap right out in front of you makes him a stalking force to be reckoned with. Top Tip: Whenever you hear “STAAAAARS!” being groaned, you might want to start running.
A wider cast of characters to flesh out Raccoon City
If Resident Evil 2 was a game known for being a relatively closed-off affair, Resident Evil 3 looks to offer up some more answers and openness thanks to its outdoor setting and wider cast of characters. Before the horror was relayed only briefly though the odd survivor Leon or Claire would interact with, but in Resident Evil 3 Jill will be fighting alongside the elite S.T.A.R.S unit, who will help to further flesh out the world. What’s more, all performance are brought to life using top-notch performance capture, ensuring players will be gripped from beginning to end.
Resident Evil: Resistance is an all-new multiplayer mode
Because fending off scares on your own clearly isn’t enough, Resident Evil 3 will differ from last year’s release in that it will also ship alongside a standalone multiplayer mode. Resident Evil: Resistance is its name, and it’s here where teams of four will need to fight and survive and a team as one other real-life players takes on a dungeon-master style role. This mastermind player will be able to set traps and deploy other hazards to try and prevent the main team from winning.
The best pre-order price for Resident Evil 3:
