Capcom recently let loose some new information on theResident Evil 3remake that’s coming out in April. The remake will haveimproved Nemesis AIthat will make the game even more terrifying than it used to be. This is to be expected from a game that is coming out 20 years after the original, but the wayRE3is changing Nemesis sounds like it is going to be a game changer.
Capcom is building off the AI technology it used last year to makeResident Evil 2’s encounters Mr. X some of thescariest video game momentsof the year. Game producer Peter Fabiano said that Nemesis will be free to roam around theRE3remake’s version of Raccoon City and also confirmed that the map will be larger than the areas inResident Evil 2.
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The changes to Nemesis inResident Evil 3will be arguably more significant than any other change to the controls, puzzles, or story. Having an AI that is constantly lurking somewhere in the shadows and can pop out literally any time? That might just be the promise of Nemesis inRE3. Nemesis as a living, breathing being that exists wherever the player is and could be on the other side of the map or in the very next room.
In 2019’sResident Evil 2remake, the tyrant stalking the player,the fashionable Mr. X, would appear in certain sections but wasn’t actually present throughout a majority of the game. In many sections, there was no fear he would show up. It seems likeResident Evil 3is attempting to make the Nemesis a more omnipresent force throughout the game than Mr. X was inRE2.
This improvement to the AI would make the gameplay experience way more unpredictable. Each playthrough of the game could change drastically based on when Nemesis chooses to attack. If he catches the player at a rough time, it could make the next handful of hours of game way more tense. It could also give the game a more randomized feel, similar to a rogue-like take on theResident Evilformula. It is safe to assume the player would be okay during some more story-heavy moments of the game and set pieces, especially as the game is more action-heavy than its predecessor, but that doesn’t mean players should just let their guard down. There’s also likely to be encounters with Nemesis that are more like traditional staged boss fights.
The developers also recently revealed the game will be"more action-packed" thanRE2was. This makes perfect sense considering the fact that the originalResident Evil 3was more action packed than the game that came before it.RE3was always a bridge to a new action focus for the series. The game gave players an assault rifle pretty much from the get-go and even the opening areas included way more combat and encouraged them by being more generous with ammo and items. Even narratively, the tone was shifting away from campy horror and into the even more overtly campy action tone the series eventually became known for in the later titles.
The originalResident Evil 3still maintained the tank controls and fixed camera angles of the very first game, even if it introduced more movement options. The game was trying to break out of its shell, while still appealing to fans of the originals. The choice to takea more action-oriented approachin this remake is facilitated by an over-the-shoulder camera, which was used in theRE2remake, but first seen inResident Evil 4. The over-the-shoulder camera was a way to still convey the tension and limited perspective of the fixed camera angles while allowing the focus to be on the shooting. InRE2,the gunplay was response and sharp. It is easy to see Capcom making a more action-focused game on this engine. Clearly, the engine was designed to be flexible and allow for a balance of tense horror and tight action.
What the Nemesis AI improvement means most of all forResident Evil 3is that it will be unlike anyREgame that has come before it. The mix of action and horror, with Nemesis stalking the player for what sounds like a majority of the game time, feels like it will give fans of the franchise the best of both worlds. Of course, this could also lead to the game becoming to unpredictable or frustrating if Nemesis makes the game to difficult for some players. Additionally, the action-focus could throw off the balance thatResident Evil 2so successfully mastered.
RE2felt great to play but also focused on resource management and played around with ideas of scarcity and constantly shifting the power balance. IfRE3is less hand-crafted will it be as tight of an experience asResident Evil 2or will it lack that pitch-perfect pace? With such a large element of the game relying on chance, the game experience might not reach the consistent highs ofRE2. Hopefully,Resident Evilfans will get a game that will be the best of both worlds.
Resident Evil 3will be out on April 3 for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
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