The Resident Evil 2 remake hits this Friday worldwide, and it’s pretty freaking awesome. Capcom took one of the best games of all time and made it better in oh so many ways. Of course, before that game was even finished with development, rumors began swirling of a potential Resident Evil 3 remake. But while that game was enjoyable, and its Nemesis boss is iconic, it wasn’t quite as beloved as RE2. So would it be a good idea? Yes. In fact, here’s why the Resident Evil 3 remake could be even better than RE2.
It starts with what I’ve already mentioned. RE3 was a good game, but it wasn’t quite as good as its predecessors. Both the original PlayStation classic and its direct sequel were heralded for their innovations and improvements over previous horror games. RE3 felt a bit more like a retread of what had been done before. The formula was growing tired, and fans reacted by pushing back against the series as a whole for awhile.
The best part of the Resident Evil 2 remake is how it updates the experience for the modern age. Taking the fixed-cameras and tank controls and making a smoothly controlled third-person title with the same horror feel is a great accomplishment. It did wonders for RE2 and will do even more for Resident Evil 3. The formula isn’t stale this time around, and many of the franchise’s current fans have never experienced the entire story of Raccoon City.
Hell, even those who did likely don’t remember the game as well, if they’re like me. The original Resident Evil was a huge breakthrough, and its remake on Gamecube has cemented it as a true classic that can still be replayed today. RE2 was a huge advancement of that formula, and players played it again and again, just to experience everything it had to offer. If you’re like me though, you likely played through RE3 once or twice and moved on to Code Veronica pretty quickly (it released only a few months after it).
There’s also a lot of elements within RE3 that make it perfect for an RE2 style remake. For one, the game has more locations and feels more expansive. You’ll explore far more than the three main locales seen in Resident Evil 2. And while you do it, you’ll be constantly menaced by the titular Nemesis monster.
We saw how well Capcom will handle this right in the Resident Evil 2 Remake. Mr. X or Tyrant haunts you as you explore the RPD building. Nemesis will act similarly, but present a bigger threat, and offer far more opportunities for scares and pulse-pounding action.
All of this adds up to Resident Evil 3 Remake being an even better improvement over its source material than the already excellent RE2. Of course, both of these could pale in comparison to Code Veronica. So basically, what I’m saying is…please remake all the Resident Evil games.
