I'm back. For now. Posting in this desolate landscape of a blog.
[Cackles loudly]
Very few things bring me out of blog retirement, but Resident Evil is apparently one of those things.
I love me some Resident Evil. The original version of Resident Evil 2 is one of my favourite Resident Evil games, followed by 3. And following on from the this years' release of the Resident Evil 2 remake, we will also be getting a Resident Evil 3 remake on April 3, 2020.
The shock for me isn't even that the remake is happening. Rumours were abound not long after the Resident Evil 2 remake released. And then the box art leaked a few weeks ago. The shock is that damn release date. April. 2020. That's soon, bitch. REAL soon.
I wasn't a huge fan of the Resident Evil 2 remake. I didn't think that it was bad. There were just things about it that I didn't like. But I honestly feel that it was more a reflection of my tolerance and playing levels for videogames just getting lower as time goes on, I get older and my life changes.
With that in mind, I'm wondering if I'll actually buy the Resident Evil 3 remake on day of release. Who am I kidding? Of course I'mma fucking buy this day of release. Knowing full well I'll struggle through it as I did the RE2 remake.
The teaser trailer doesn't reveal much in the way of what's new outside of the obvious visual overhaul of the original. Story aside, there's nothing which shows the gameplay differences between the RE2 remake. And those who have played OG RE2 and RE3 will know there are a fair few game play differences between the two.
We don't know if the 'live selection' feature is still a thing. This was a feature in the original game which presented you with decisions to make at key points, and the choice you made would impact the path you'd take and how certain events would unfold. For instance, one of the first live selections that I can recall is when you first encounter Nemesis outside of the Raccoon city police station. You can choose to stay and fight him, or run inside the Police station. Staying and fighting him allows you to check the body of a S.T.A.R.S member that he's just killed and obtain a key card which gives you access to a room that you wouldn't otherwise be able to access. We also don't know if events of RE2 will be intertwined into RE3's to a greater extent. But most importantly, we have no idea how Nemesis 'works' in this game.
In the original RE3, Nemesis chased Jill throughout pretty much the entire game, with very few moments of respite. He could also chase you from room to room unlike other enemies. Now, because the OG game had a fixed camera and pre-rendered backdrops, if Nemesis was chasing you and you entered a room, he would never barge through the door in real time once you were on the other side of it. It was only when you were quite a distance from the door and had moved to a point where the camera had changed to an angle where you couldn't see it that you'd hear somebody enter a door, hear 'STARRRRRRRRRRRS' and then Nemesis was on yo' ass again. But this time around with everything rendered in real-time and our experiences of Mr. X in the RE2 remake, everything changes. But the thing with Mr. X was that his slow ass never ran. So you had more than enough time to run away from him and put some distance between you. Also, if you were quiet (easier said than done) you could sneak around much of the police station without bumping into him, especially once you'd opened most of the doors, giving you multiple options to get around.
In the original RE3, Nemesis could run and he could out run you. He didn't appear to run in the trailer, but we don't know if that was a cinematic choice or how he'll be in game. So it's going to be interesting to see how they balance him. Because if he's as persistent as Mr. X was in the RE2 remake AND he can run AND he still has that damn rocket launder, then nobody is going to be able to make it to the end of the game. Surely, there's no way Capcom would be that shitty. So there'll need to be some compromise made to Nemesis' movements and habits so that he remains a threat, but you can still get through the damn game.
One big change that we have seen is that Jill has a new outfit, which is far more practical and action appropriate than her iconic boob tube and mini skirt combo. This change makes sense. Having her run around Raccoon city in the midst of a zombie apocalypse and playing the action hero looking like Namie Amuro would have been nuts. Yes. More nuts than ALL the other shit. But her original look is available for those who pre-order the game and will probably be unlockable in-game for those that don't.
Also, does anybody else think that Jill looks a little like Milla Jovovich?
Anyway.
It's pretty safe to assume at this point that RE2 and RE3 were probably in development alongside each other, or at least overlapped at some point. That's the only way the RE3 remake could be ready to release little over a year after RE2. And with both games running on the same engine and RE3 also featuring a location or two from RE2, it makes complete sense that Capcom would develop the two in parallel.
Ever since Capcom put that RE engine together, they've been like 'BITCH. 👏🏾 LET'S 👏🏾 CRANK 👏🏾 OUT 👏🏾 THOSE 👏🏾 GAMES.' And the quality has been great with each one thus far.
I love to see it.
Somebody in the comments of another site was talking about a Code: Veronica remake, seeing that Capcom is slowly, but surely making their way through remaking each RE game in the series. However. Whilst Code: Veronica is fully canon, it's never been regarded as a main entry into the RE series, and these are the games Capcom have remade thus far. Personally, I ain't got time for a Code: Veronica remake. I could not stand that game. Even though a remake would be a chance to fix EVERYTHING into something I could love; my initial dislike of the game is too strong for me to even want a remake of it. But I wouldn't be mad if Capcom went ahead and did it anyway. I know Code: Veronica has its share of fans who would greatly appreciate it. And that's the brilliant thing about a remake, or at least what Capcom have shown of theirs in regards to Resident Evil - taking something old and making it feel new. Not just to please old fans, but to expose the game and the franchise to new audiences.
OH.
And that Project resistance game that Capcom showed, that nobody was feeling...not even a little bit? It's not a stand alone game. It comes with Resident Evil 3 and has has the full title Resident Evil: Project resistance. Although I imagine at some point down the line they'll make it available separately at a budgeted price. This may possibly mean that it's a replacement for The Mercenaries mode, which originally made its debut in OG RE3 and became a staple game mode in future titles. I hope not though. I loved that shit.
Now, I'd like to take a moment of silence for Brad Vickers, who will now have to die all over again in 1080p.
Don't feel too sorry for him though. Never forget that he flew off and left Jill 'n' dem in the Raccoon city forest to die.