When the Resident Evil 3 remake dropped in 2020, it was fairly well received, but to some gamers it was definitely lacking when compared to the RE2 remake. Although it's still a solid entry in the series, it's generally considered one of the shortest Resident Evil games, and that includes the original from 1999. One of the biggest changes, aside from the massive leap in visuals, that the official remakes bring is the more modern over-the-shoulder viewpoint popularized by the fourth installment. However, one fan is looking to change that.
In a recent Let's Play video uploaded to the Residence of Evil channel on YouTube, a modder called ranj reveals that they've been working on their own version of Resident Evil 3, which is being built in Unreal Engine 4. Simply called "Resident Evil 3: Remake Fan Game," it's currently in an alpha state but is available to download on the user's Itch.io page. The idea behind this project, it seems, is not to outdo Capcom's remake but to reimagine the original threequel, with more up-to-date visuals that also bring back the fixed camera perspective and the classic inventory system that began with the first three installments.
It seems as though ranj is aiming for a more faithful recreation of Resident Evil 3, and they're not the first person to be doing so. There's also another modder who's doing their own remake of the classic RE title, only this time in Unreal Engine 5. Such endeavors by the community show that there are some fans who miss the control style or viewpoint that began with the first Resident Evil game all the way back in 1996.
It should be reiterated at this point that ranj's remake is still in development, and the alpha build that's available to download now is lacking in some quality, but that's to be expected at these early stages. It definitely looks good, much better than the original Resident Evil 3, which by now is visually dated. The fact that it's being built in one of the most popular game engines in the world suggests that the final product will be of decent quality overall.
With Capcom confirming Resident Evil next gen upgrades coming in the future, namely of 2, 3, and 7, the mainstream horror franchise is still proving to be popular, especially with the success of last year's Village. Despite the way the series has moved forward, with different control schemes and new camera angles, it does seem that there are some in the community who hanker for the more nostalgic days when the games featured tank controls and the classic fixed camera system.
Resident Evil 3 is available now on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
Source: Itch.io
