Resident Evil 3 remake: Everything you need to know from multiplayer, release date to the new Nemesis

With the tremendous success of Resident Evil 2 Remake, a Resident Evil 3 Remake was always written in the S.T.A.R.S.

Capcom announced the remake in December 2019 and on 3 April 2020, we will once again take to the streets of Raccoon City on PC, PS4 and Xbox One.

In anticipation of the release, and for those who just want more information before making a purchase, we've got you covered with everything you need to know about Resident Evil 3 remake.

Resident Evil 3 remake demo & Resistance open beta

Capcom is showing a lot of confidence giving players access to a slice of the game before they buy it, and before the release date.

Starting on Thursday, 19 March 2020, you will be able to play the Resident Evil 3 demo and get a taste of what's to come. Players will be able to step into the boots of one of the franchises' most iconic characters, Jill Valentine. Her desperate escape from Raccoon City will be your primary objective, but things never go as planned, and chaos ensues.

Unlike the Resident Evil 2 remake demo, there doesn't seem to be a time limit, as nothing of the sort was mentioned in the demo announcement for Resident Evil 3 remake.

This short trip to Raccoon City will give players an idea of how the game will be, showing off the more action-orientated gameplay. However, you will still need to conserve your ammo and items to survive.

With the demo announcement, Capcom also announced an open beta for the game's asymmetrical co-op horror multiplayer experience, dubbed Resident Evil Resistance.

The Resistance open beta will kick off on 27 March 2020, one week before the game's full release. This is likely to stress-test servers and get any remaining bugs squashed. 

Both the Resident Evil 3 demo and the Resistance open beta will be available on PC, PS4 and Xbox One.

Resident Evil 3 pre-order bonus & collector's edition

The Resident Evil 3 pre-order bonus is a throwback to the classic Resident Evil 3: Nemesis.

If you pre-order the game, you will receive the Jill and Carlos Classic Costume Pack. This pack contains cosmetic costumes for Jill Valentine and Carlos Oliveira, inspired by the designs in the original 1999 classic.

If you want something really special, then the Resident Evil 3 Collector's Edition is for you. The contents of this amazing edition are packed in an alternate S.T.A.R.S. version of the iconic item box. It is exclusive to GAME Stores and GAME.co.uk in the United Kingdom.

Check out the contents of Resident Evil 3 Remake Collector's Edition below.

• Resident Evil 3 Standard Game
• Jill Valentine Figure – An 11-inch, finely-crafted figure of Jill Valentine, based on her latest in-game design from Resident Evil 3.
• “Project: N” & “Project: R” Art Book – A classified file containing photographs, reports, and documents of Raccoon City procured by Umbrella Corporation during their various experiments.
• Raccoon City Double-Sided Poster – One side depicts a Raccoon City map utilized by survivors during the horrible zombie outbreak as a means of avoiding imminent threats. The other side showcases a healthier side of Raccoon City before its outbreak with a collage of ads and placements citizens may have seen on a stroll across the city.
• Digital Double Album Soundtrack – A voucher code containing a double-album soundtrack filled with haunting tracks from both Resident Evil 3 and the multiplayer game Resident Evil Resistance.

Resident Evil 3 collector's edition (Picture: Capcom) 

Resident Evil 3 system requirements

First up, the file size for Resident Evil 3 is roughly 43 GB. The multiplayer and campaign are divided into two separate downloads, with Resistance weighing in at 20.47 GB and the campaign's file size at 21.93 GB.

PC gamers also need to know if their gaming rig will be up to the task of running the game. At the time of writing, the recommended system requirements aren't available, but we do have the minimum system requirements to share.

Minimum System Requirements:

• Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
• OS: WINDOWS® 7, 8.1, 10 (64-BIT Required)
• Processor: Intel® Core™ i5-4460 or AMD FX™-6300 or better
• Memory: 8 GB RAM
• Graphics: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 760 or AMD Radeon™ R7 260x with 2GB Video RAM
• DirectX: Version 11

The story and differences

We won't spoil the story of Resident Evil 3 Remake for you, as exploring Raccoon City and meeting the interesting characters (and enemies) is a joy on its own. However, we will give you a quick overview of the story and what has changed from Resident Evil 3: Nemesis to the Resident Evil 3 remake.

First up, Capcom says the new Resident Evil 3 is a reimagining of the story and setting, which means you should expect differences and additions from the 1999 classic.

The story follows Jill Valentine, former Special Tactics And Rescue Service (S.T.A.R.S.) member, as well as mercenary Carlos Oliviera.

It starts 24 hours prior to the events of Resident Evil 2 and follows the two protagonists as they try to escape Raccoon City. The city has been overrun with zombies by an outbreak of the T-virus; a new type of biological weapon, which has secretly been developed by, you guessed it, the Umbrella Corporation.

The RE3 remake announcement trailer gives you a taste of the story.

Capcom will significantly expand on Carlos' and character in the game, giving him his “own interesting section” to play through. You can also expect remixes or different placements of iconic story moments.

Capcom is focusing on delivering a concise story experience, so don't expect multiple endings this time around. One of the main reasons for this is the removal of "Live Selection" moments. These moments, in the 1999 game, allowed players to make decisions that led them down different paths, ultimately leading them to different endings.

While making your way through Raccoon City, you will encounter new shops, a new sewer section, a larger subway system, all in bigger, sprawling areas, and more.

The game will also feature "reimagined sequences that dwarf those in the original game" according to Sony's Tim Turi. Combine this with Capcom dramatically reinventing the streets of Raccoon City, and it is clear that this is much more than just a remaster.

The Nemesis

Anyone who has ever played the original 1999 title should shiver in fear when they hear the name Nemesis. This unstoppable, T-Virus force of Umbrella will hunt you down without mercy in the Resident Evil 3. If you think Mr X was tough, then, to quote Bachman Turner, "you ain't seen nothing yet”.

This brutish bio-weapon is bigger, stronger, and more persistent than ever before. It will stop at nothing to track you down throughout your mission to escape Raccoon City. He can ensnare you with his tentacle grab, block your escape with a flying leap, and track down survivors with ease.

The Nemesis will be a constant threat throughout the game, and for the most part, you will be running for your life from this grotesque behemoth.

If you do manage to temporarily defeat the Nemesis, then it will drop supply cases. These cases will include items such as weapon upgrades and high-powered ammo. Just never fight the Nemesis in a confined space, as this will surely lead to your swift demise.

Resident Evil 3 remake gameplay

The Resident Evil 3 remake leans a bit more to action-orientated gameplay compared to the slow survival-horror experience in the Resident Evil 2 remake. However, don't expect full-blown action akin to that of Resident Evil 6, as you will still need to conserve ammo and supplies, or avoid certain enemies.

The game still has an over-the-shoulder view of the action. If you enjoyed the control scheme, gunplay and movement of Resident Evil 2 remake, you should feel right at home.

With that being said, there are also some gameplay changes. The biggest addition has to be the new evade move, allowing Jill to quickly dodge out of harm's way. It works a bit like a parry, but it is much easier to execute than in the 1999 original.

You can also perform a "Perfect Dodge" while pressing the correct button at the precise time you need to while in an enemy's clutches. This then allows you a "slow-motion counter window" to pepper your foe with some bullets.

Unlike the RE2 remake, your knife won't degrade. However, the tradeoff here is that it can no longer be used as a self-defence item. Lastly, you can use the environment to get the best of your foes, and it will play a pivotal role if you plan on temporarily take down the Nemesis. For example, you can shoot electrical boxes to stun enemies nearby or blast them to smithereens by shooting at red barrels nearby.

If the gameplay is just a little bit too difficult for you, you can always activate Assist Mode. This mode is akin to the original's Easy Mode, allowing for health regeneration, more ammo, a powerful assault rifle and weaker enemies.

Resident Evil Resistance

Last, but not least, is Resident Evil Resistance. This is a standalone, asymmetric multiplayer experience that comes with every purchase of Resident Evil 3 Remake. Think of it as an "escape room" type of game, but with zombies and a mastermind that wills top at nothing to kill off survivors.

Four players control survivors, while the other player controls the mastermind. You can place traps, decide where enemies go, and much more. As the mastermind, a player will be able to watch the cameras in the facility to see where the survivors are, or even take control of enemies directly.

There will be several survivors, each with their own unique abilities and weapons. A timer ticks down as the survivors move onto new areas, and if they manage to complete the third level, they will win against the mastermind.

Survivors can revive each others (in a "downed" state) during a round. However, if the survivor has died, they can make the choice of respawning, at the cost of a time penalty.

The best way to find out exactly what Resident Evil Resistance is like is to watch a full match.

Closing Thoughts

We are all extremely excited to get our claws on the Resident Evil 3 remake. From everything we've seen so far, Capcom has upped their game even further to bring this iconic title to gamers in 2020.

While the occasional “Live Selection” moments are removed in the remake, and we won't have a Mercenaries Mode, it does look like Capcom is more than making up for it with a reimagining of the story, a more focused approach and the Resistance game mode.