These are my thoughts after playing RE3 Remake (hardcore & nightmare)
This article is not professional as it contains my own personal bias, and contains spoilers.
Respect my opinions and that of other commenters, and I'll respect yours.
Graphics:
Generally speaking, it's a beautiful game. Raccoon City looks amazing, as do all the character models. However, despite fully expecting to see a few reused assets, all of the zombie models are entirely repurposed from RE2make. Not a single new skin has been created, and it wasn't uncommon for me to find myself against a horde with three or more copies of the same exact zombie model. Things like that really dampen the immersion, and makes the game feel rather cheap.
Also, despite having a decent gaming PC, the draw distance on enemies was terrible for some reason. In RE2make, I can only recall one part where a zombie entered a low framerate mode, and that was in the extremely long hallways on the 3rd floor. In RE3make, enemies within a short walking distance will drop frames and practically look like a slideshow.
Soundtrack:
This is something I feel was done far better than RE2make. Many of the iconic songs were fully realized, recognizable, and not at all out of place when used. Even the new tracks were catchy and downright cool. The soundtrack knows when to swell, and when to be ambient, no complaints here whatsoever.
The sound effects were fine for the most part, except for one particular section with Carlos... you probably know the one. The game really showed its cheapness here, using literal "splort" stock sound effects and disposing of zombie corpses in an extremely video-gamey manner.
Inventory/Saving:
Ink Ribbons have been removed from the game entirely, even on higher difficulties. That, plus the frequency of save rooms, makes RE3make almost trivial in difficulty. Ammo and healing are abundant, especially if you master the dodge technique. By the end of the game, I had a surplus of unused gunpowders on top of already existing ammo stacks, as well as herbs. I speak as a seasoned fan of the series though, so it may be different for newcomers.
I will say the inventory system itself was somewhat improved, though. Now when you pick up an item, it is added to your inventory automatically. That being said, it'd be nice if there were an option to choose between this and RE2make's style of inventory, since not everyone may have the same preference. I could see people getting annoyed if they accidentally picked something up they didn't want, especially since the pick-up indicator can often be finicky among multiple items.
Controls:
I played using a mouse and keyboard.
Dealing with doors yielded the same issues as seen in RE2make, where it's very easy to get "caught" on the doorframe, especially when running. Even trying to get around an obstacle or dead end will sometimes result in Jill darting back and forth, as you struggle to regain control of the situation.
As mentioned before, a dodge mechanic has been added into the game, reimagined from the original RE3. If you execute a perfect dodge, you are given an opportunity to perform a counter attack immediately after. When aiming, it will automatically target the enemy's weak point, and you enter what is essentially bullet-time for a few seconds.
Because of the existence of the dodge, other mechanics of the game differ greatly from RE2make, unfortunately for the worse. Sidearms no longer function as such - the knife and grenades are now a part of the main weapon roster, leaving you with only the dodge to defend yourself. If you get grabbed, you get a small QTE which only functions as a means to take less damage, but you will still be hurt regardless.
Functionally, I understand that Jill would probably be OP as hell if she could both dodge and use a sidearm defense maneuver. But following up on RE2make, it definitely feels a bit jarring and unfair that you're unable to fend off an attack, especially with how strong Jill is to begin with. It probably would have been better if the dodge was used as a more simplistic defense move, rather than an action-oriented counter.
Enemies:
As mentioned in the graphics section, the zombies are disappointingly copy-pasted from RE2make. Not only that, but the ability to dismember them has practically been removed. You can still shoot their limbs to stumble or slow them down, but they can only be shot off with random critical hits. My guess is that this is yet another mechanic that's been altered, thanks to the existence of the overpowered dodge.
Like with RE2make, a handful of enemies are absent from the final roster. Some are missing entirely, but others seem to have been fused together and reimagined as entirely new entities. Personally, I think the original designs were better over all, and wish we could've seen them more faithfully remade. Something about the new designs just seemed weird, in some cases almost comical... like the Chicken Gammas.
One last unfortunate thing about the enemies is just how many of them have instakill moves. Yet again, I believe this was added to "balance" out the dodge and give it more precedence. Something I have continuously praised RE2make for was having barely any bullshit instakill moments, so it's a real shame to see RE3make go down this route instead.
As to not be entirely negative, it was nice to see how certain enemies have specific tactics take take them out, that don't all entirely rely on dodging and countering. It may be few and far between, but it was a nice inclusion all the same.
Nemesis:
As much as it sucks to say, I think the presence of Nemesis was the weakest part of the game. Not because of his design, though. Yes, it is a little silly how cartoony his face looks on close-ups, but he is still pretty imposing in his first form as a whole. Being chased by him on the city streets which are also flooded with zombies is pretty intense... but that only happens about twice in the entire game, and not for very long.
This isn't the Mister X 2.0 we were all hoping for, unfortunately. Other than the brief encounters near the start of the game, all of the other appearances of Nemesis are entirely scripted and linear. The tension presented in classic RE3 is completely gone. No more do you wander the streets, feeling terrified as you anticipate when Nemesis will appear. Aside from the very first encounter, he is strictly reintroduced via non-playable cutscenes, which completely removes what originally made him such a scary presence, and what made Mister X such a big threat in RE2make.
Another issue is that we don't even get that much time with humanoid Nemesis. Once that first part of the game is done, he immediately shifts into what is essentially his "final form" from classic RE3. It's basically a less grotesque and quicker version of it. Looks cool and all, but it entirely skips his second form and makes him far less intimidating and compelling as a memorable antagonist.
The final form he takes in this version also seems very generic at this point - a big blob akin to William Birkin, but with the RE5 style strategy in shooting the glowing pustules. Same old, same old.
Extra Content:
Something I have a lot of praise for is that they brought back the "shop" from classic RE3's Mercenary mode. You're able to earn points by playing through the game and completing challenges, which then allows you to buy special items, weapons, and even an alternate costume. Imagine that, not having to buy a vanity item with real life money in a single-player game! Take notes, RE2make.
You may have already heard the many complaints that RE3make is "way too short" but honestly, I have doubts about the folks who've made these claims. So far, I've only seen these comments coming from folks who apparently didn't explore the game very much, as they complained about missing certain weapons, and in some cases even admitted to "rushing" their playthrough. Like, if you're just gonna aim for a speedrun record right off the bat, then no shit the game's gonna seem short?
That being said, there is a disappointing amount of content missing from RE3make. Entire areas have been removed, such as the clocktower, park, and to an extent, the dead factory. Many iconic scenes are also either missing, or have been overlooked to a point where they feel more like a tiny easter egg than anything. Despite not personally having a problem with the game's length, I still would've liked to see these areas implemented.
Hopefully there'll be future DLC added as RE2make did, because who gives a fuck about Project Resistance?
Survival Horror:
Like with classic RE3, this remake leans more towards action than its predecessors. While I wouldn't say it's nearly as bad as RE4/5/6, it definitely teeters uncomfortably close towards full-on action over horror. There is rarely a quiet moment, as almost every area, no matter how small, is chock full of enemies. I think the creepiest section of RE3make was probably the start of the hospital, in the long stretches of hallway that actually weren't full of zombies. It was silent and unnerving, probably the quietest part of the game.
I was very glad to see that they removed the annoying-ass character commentary from gameplay. In RE2make, hearing Leon say the same exact "Son of a bitch" line time and time again got irritating so fast and quickly killed any serious immersion. So I more than welcome Jill and Carlos shutting the fuck up.
I'd say that while it has its creepy moments and grotesque monster designs, this is a game more about fight or flight and being on the edge of your seat, rather than the slow-paced survival horror RE2make had. That isn't inherently a bad thing, and I did honestly have a lot of fun on my first playthrough, but I just wish there were a few more quiet moments; a little more time to build tension and fear of the unknown.
Story & Characters:
Despite the missing set pieces and iconic moments from classic RE3, I think generally speaking, they actually did improve both the story and characters for the better. As much as I love classic RE3, the story has always been incredibly simple: Jill must escape the city. Giving Carlos and his team other assignments throughout the story, and adding the plotline of finding a vaccine in order to save the city were very compelling and provided ample weight to the plot.
For the most part, I really love what they did with Jill, from looks to personality. Seeing her dealing with her trauma and paranoia from the mansion incident was done in a way that was believable, but not over the top. Her toughness and snarkiness around Carlos and the UBCS was also fitting. My only complaint would probably be her back and forth attitude against Nemesis. One moment she's terrified, the next she's sassy, and then back again. The sassy attitude kinda takes away from how threatening Nemesis is supposed to be, and often sounds like generic action movie banter.
Also, whoever relocated the iconic "I'll give you STARS" line needs to be fired. Like, right now.
I feel Carlos was very likable over all. Much like his original incarnation, he's flirty, goofy, good at heart, and looks a whole lot better. I'm glad that his role was expanded on and given more precedence, as well as the whole UCBS team. Though I am a little torn about Nikolai - I thought the whole subplot of Jill needing to learn to "pull the trigger" was a bit out of left field, and I was disappointed they went with yet another non-canonical ending where he ends up (presumably) dead. There's no way he got out of the city in 10 minutes though, let's be real.
I'm also very torn about our boy Brad. He somehow managed to have even less screentime than in classic RE3, and was killed rather quickly and unceremoniously. The iconic scene of him and Nemesis is gone, replaced by a rather typical, heroic, killed-by-zombies sacrifice. But I did admittedly enjoy that he was given a spark of redemption, and that he and Jill were actually on good terms - if not very close friends. It's just a shame we were only given such a tiny glimpse of that, rather than expanding on it more.
Conclusion:
Over all, I'd say that RE3make is not quite as good as RE2make was in terms of gameplay and survival horror aspects. While the dodge is very fun to play around with, it unfortunately skews the game balance and replaces the mechanics that were previously lauded. It's a little too fast paced, and would've benefited from taking the time to slow down and breathe.
They're about the same in terms of missing content - both left a lot to be desired when it comes to set pieces, iconic moments, and mechanics that made the original games so unique and memorable. Though it is a huge plus on just how much RE3make did improve the story, characters, and their interactions. For whatever reason, this was done so much more competently than in RE2make.
In the end, I think that instead of splitting the development between two games in a short amount of time, they'd should've focused all their attention on one game and - perspective aside - made the complete, faithful remake that we wanted. It's unfortunate, but it essentially feels like we got two flawed remakes in quick succession, rather than something with full dedication and love behind it.
It was a fun experience, and certainly not a bad game, but my perfect remake will always be the REmaster.
Leggy