Resident Evil games were never known for being particularly long, but the recently released Resident Evil 3 is minuscule even by the series’ standards. An initial play through of the remake takes anywhere between four and six hours.
Playing on “Hardcore” mode can extend the time a little longer due to the added challenge, but nobody will mistake it for an open-worldRPG. However, the game still has several bits of content adding replay value, most of which are listed below. Despite its short length, the production values are stellar and the story is a thrill ride from start to finish.
10 Beat It On A Higher Difficulty
It is recommended for veteran Resident Evil fans to do their first play through on “Hardcore.” Standard gives the player too much ammo, removing the need for tactful item management, while the hardest difficulty available from the start makes ammo scarce and gives zombies more health. Anybody who beat if first on “Standard” should bump it up to “Hardcore.” Anyone who already did unlocks “Nightmare,” which changes the item and enemy placement for an even more grueling challenge.
9 Records
Resident Evil 3 has a plethora of Records for players to complete during the course of the journey. Some of them are story-related, while others require specific attention. Given the scarcity of ammo, some of the weapon specific challenges may be tricky, but thankfully they can be farmed by reloading the save, since the kill count is saved onto the profile and not the individual slot.
8 Charlie Dolls
Resident Evil 2 had Mr. Raccoon toys scattered throughout Claire and Leon’s campaigns. Destroying all of them earned the player an unbreakable combat knife. Resident Evil 3 brings back the scavenger hunt in the form Charlie Bobblehead Dolls.
Destroying the bobbleheads does not net a weapon this time, however. It is simply another one of the Records for players to complete.
7 Clear Out The Shop
The shop unlocks after beating the game for the first time. Inside are tons of special items players purchase through points earned by completing Records. The items, some which are infinite ammo weapons or coins which restore health over time indefinitely, can be taken on play throughs of harder difficulties while still obtaining trophies (or achievements) and completing the in-game Records. Buying everything in the shop will take plenty of time and numerous play throughs.
6 Speed Run
While an initial run takes about five hours, achieving an S rank requires the game to be beaten in two. This is significantly easier than it seems, considering how much time is spent gathering resources and finding keys. Once one is aware of all the locations and is more confident dodging enemies, zooming through zombie-infested areas becomes a breeze. Pausing does not eat into the playtime, so one can always take a break. Save often and re-load if one lost too much time in a particular segment.
5 Play Dress Up
Like most Resident Evil games, extra costumes are unlocked through the shop. Jill’s classic outfit and Carlos’s original hair is also available as a pre-order bonus. It is not a huge change, but some fans might take pleasure in playing through the game again and watching the cinematics while the characters are in different outfits.
4 Get All The Secrets
Unlike classic Resident Evil games, the remake marks on the map which rooms still have items waiting for collection. thoroughly combing through the rooms and making sure every room is cleared not only helps one feel more satisfied, but it also better prepares them for the battles ahead.
Making sure one collects all the hip pouches, weapons, and weapon add-ons is essential on the harder difficulty modes, where most bosses bite it after eating up most of the player’s ammunition.
3 Resistance
For the first time in a while, a mainline Resident Evil title comes packed in with a multiplayer mode. In Resistance, four players team up to flee a level, while a fifth player does all in their power to prevent their escape. They can set up traps, unleash zombies, and even take control of a Tyrant to destroy their hopes of victory. While the idea is a fresh take on the survival horror genre, it is hard to say if it will have legs.
2 Farm Kills
Some of the Records are close to impossible without farming kills at certain points. Depending on the weapon needing kills, certain areas work better than others. scoring all the necessary Shotgun kills, for example, is best done when turning on the power to the subway.
All the spiders make excellent fodder. Netting Assault Rifle kills is easiest when all the zombies attack the hospital and Carlos is protecting Jill and Tyrell. The Magnum fortunately requires fewer kills than other weapons, and farming kills is best done in NEST 2.
1 Play The Original
While the original Resident Evil 3: Nemesis is not available within the game, it should not be difficult for Sony fans to track down. Anybody who owns a PlayStation 3 can buy it for cheap on the PSN store as PS1 Classic. It is also available on the GameCube. Unfortunately, Xbox devotees have no real way of playing it if all they have are Microsoft consoles. Despite its age, the old-fashioned survival horror gameplay holds up surprisingly well. The remake is different enough that the original is still valuable for modern gamers.
