This is a review of only the multiplayer mode included with Resident Evil 3. Be sure to check out the singleplayer Remake review.
While Resident Evil Resistance has some creative and fun ideas alongside an intriguing story, the lack of balance and somewhat repetitive nature of the multiplayer mode keep it from fulfilling its true potential.
Resident Evil Resistance
Developer: Capcom
Price: Included with Resident Evil 3 Remake ($60)
Platforms: PS4 (reviewed), Xbox One and PC
MonsterVine was provided with a PS4 code for review
Rather than include a forced Resident Evil 3 multiplayer mode in the Remake, Capcom went and made an entirely different kind of multiplayer game that is downloaded separately from the main game. More of an asymmetrical survival game than a competitive shooter, Resistance has some unique mechanics that are a lot of fun to mess around with. There’s just a frustrating lack of balance and variety that keeps this experiment from being truly successful.
The story of Resistance primarily unfolds in the background and through dialogue and written backstories. Each of the Mastermind characters is an Umbrella-associated villain from the Resident Evil series. After kidnapping four unwilling subjects, each with their own wonderfully schlocky backstories, the Mastermind throws them into a deadly experiment in order to test the t-Virus. The included characters, from Revelations 2’s Alex Wesker to Umbrella founder Oswell Spencer, are all given the chance to really shine with hammy “evil” dialogue and taunts, which add to their characters as a whole.
Resistance allows for five players to partake in each round; four Survivors and one Mastermind. The Mastermind’s role is that of a villainous Jigsaw-esque Umbrella operative who watches players through numerous cameras. Their job is to spawn traps and enemies, lock doors, and turn off lights in order to slow down and wound Survivors until they run out of time. The four Survivors, on the other hand, have to use whichever weapons and items are at their disposal to solve puzzles and escape with their lives.
“In the various rounds I played, even the most coordinated teams could easily be dismantled by a Mastermind who spawned a bunch of dogs, or their heavy hitter (Mr. X, William Birkin, etc.,) as they can easily stun and incapacitate essentially any group of players.“
The concept itself caught my attention, as having to survive against an unseen presence that can constantly see you is a specific kind of scary. Never knowing where the next threat will be and suddenly getting locked into a room full of zombies can be a tense and thrilling experience. The problem is that, as things currently are, it seems as though the game is definitely weighted in the Mastermind’s favor.
In the various rounds I played, even the most coordinated teams could easily be dismantled by a Mastermind who spawned a bunch of dogs, or their heavy hitter (Mr. X, William Birkin, etc.,) as they can easily stun and incapacitate essentially any group of players. Comparatively, Survivors have skills that can be useful (temporarily blind and stun enemies, heal yourself and teammates, ruthlessly punch your foes a la Chris Redfield,) but are ultimately weak compared to the Mastermind’s skillset. Some maps even let the Mastermind shoot at you and spawn a ton of enemies right at the exit gate, meaning you’re essentially fish in a barrel until the gate triggers.
Compounding onto this issue is the repetitive nature of Resistance. In my experience, Survivors always have the same three tasks for the three rounds of play: find three puzzle pieces, get the ID card off of the armored zombie, and destroy three canisters. The maps vary, and some of them are pretty great (the museum with Darkstalkers references is a delight to explore,) but the tasks seem to always be the same. You can imagine that this gets old quite fast, especially with the aforementioned balancing issues. All these ideas could be ridiculously fun together with some retooling, but as things are, it’s more tedious than anything.
The Final Word
Resident Evil Resistance is a great idea that has less-than-great execution. The balance between the Mastermind and Survivors seems rather unfair, and the gameplay loop can quickly get repetitive. The background story, environments, and core gameplay are all strong– they’re just weighed down by a variety of problems.
MonsterVine Rating: 3 out of 5 – Average
