Capcom dropped a Resident Evil 3 demo during the week on PS4, Xbox One & PC, as it drops you back into Raccoon City as Jill Valentine. It’s both a remake to the 1999 original Resident Evil 3: Nemesis and a sequel to 2019’s Resident Evil 2. If you have played Resident Evil 2, Resident Evil 3 will certainly feel familiar, but it does bring some new additions to the formula. Let’s breakdown the demo.
Like Resident Evil 2, this remake is set to by familiar to fans while expanding on the world originally created. This means there are characters, areas, enemies and gameplay elements, but with a new coat of paint and it’s brought to life thanks to the fantastic RE Engine. You start the demo in a subway station, where you meet Mikhail. You are asked to fixed the power of the train, as Carlos gives Jill the location of the power station. This is where the player gets to take control.
Gameplay
If you have played 2019’s Resident Evil 2, this will play fairly similarly. Jill has a Handgun and combat knife starting off. The gameplay is a 3rd person over the shoulder view. You have aiming cross-hairs for your gun and the knife is now indestructible and can be used indefinitely. New to the gameplay is Jill’s dodge move, which appeared in the original Resi 3. This lets you to dodge in several directions, allowing you to avoid enemy attacks. If you time it just right, you get a couple of seconds of slowed down time to take some crucial shots to an enemy.
You’ll have to explore Raccoon City picking up items, combining some, using others to open doors, solve puzzle or heal yourself. Managing your inventory will be key, as you have limited space from the start. Like Resi 2, you will be able to expand your inventory by picking up R.P.D inventory packs.
Also returning from the PS1 era game, are the red explosive barrels. These barrels are dotted around the city and allow you to take out a large number of enemies at once. They will also be saved and used to take down the main guy himself, Nemesis.
Enemies
Although the demo is only a small slice of the full game, you get to take on several types of enemies. Along with your shambling zombies, you get to take on Nemesis himself. A new type of enemy is also introduced in the demo, where your standard zombie is transformed by Nemesis to have a parasitic addition to their head. This addition spawns a tentacle, that can attack Jill from afar and also causes more damage to the player.
Nemesis is going to be a huge part of the game and he does not disappoint. If you thought Mr. X from Resident Evil 2 remake had a similar stalking element to the original Nemesis, this new iteration of Nemesis is turned up to eleven. He is fast, dangerous and out to get you. The player can run, but Nemesis can disappear and cut off your escape route. He will also follow you into other areas of the map, but like Mr. X, you will be safe in save rooms. Looking forward to taking him on in the full title.
Demo Goal
You are tasked to put out a fire, so you can access the route to the power station. In order to do this, you will traverse a cross-section of the city, moving between street environments and indoor areas. It is certainly action packed throughout, as you avoid attacks to find a fire hose. You can find a bolt cutters to unlock chained areas to find more ammo, hand grenades and even a shotgun. Once you pick up the hose, it unlocks the inclusion of Nemesis. It is advise to run, you can take on Nemesis. If you have a grenade, that can down him or you can do so by shooting red barrels or an electrical box to make him take a knee. If you have the shotgun, some well placed shots can take him down. But Nemesis won’t be down long, so until you have more high powered weapons, best to run. Once you attach the hose to the water pipe and you enter the alleyway, the demo ends.
Overall, you can get through the demo first time around in less than thirty minutes, but there are twenty bobble-heads to find and collect to extend your playthrough. Some are hidden in plain sight, while others require you to unlock by doing certain tasks. The demo is an exciting glimpse at the upcoming title.
News on an open Beta for Resident Evil Resistance on March 27th! This is the online asymmetric multiplayer component, that will ship with Resident Evil 3. For more details, check out the Capcom blog.
Resident Evil 3 will release for PS4, Xbox One and PC on April 3rd.
Are you looking forward to returning to Raccoon City?
