Capcom’s recent run has come to a pause for now, and until we know what’s next, Resident Evil 3 is the latest and greatest. From my perspective, this was a fascinating game for several reasons, from its newer development studio to its significant changes compared to the original. The response to it from both critics and community was also interesting and much more varied compared to last year’s Resident Evil 2. Luckily, we got the chance to speak to someone at Capcom about the game in general. Siliconera was able to get in touch with producer Peter Fabiano and pick his brain with a few questions about the project.
Lucas White, Siliconera: Now that Resident Evil 3 has been out for a little while, how does Capcom and the team feel about it? Any unexpected surprises or important takeaways from how fans and critics responded?
Peter Fabiano, Capcom: We’re always looking at feedback and internalizing it as we move forward. We worked to adapt the original source material and make it something fresh for newcomers as well those who played the original. We do our best to please as many people as possible, while staying on vision and creating
the game the team wants to make. In the end, we were able to create the product we set out to, and we are proud of the results. We try to keep aware of what users are saying and will do our best to incorporate their feedback in future titles.
It seems like RE 3 was in development for a few years, yes? What sort of relationship was there between this and RE 2? Was there a “style guide” so to speak, or did the teams work fairly independently?
Fabiano: Resident Evil 3 was in development for about 3 years. The teams worked independently for the most part, but there was certainly some knowledge sharing as well as sharing ideas, certain technologies and RE Engine.
In a lot of ways, gameplay elements introduced in the original game shaped how the series continued to develop, even today. It feels like as a result, some of RE 3’s unique appeal has been absorbed by the series writ large. Mr X in the RE 2 remake is a good example. Do you agree with this, and can you speak to some of this project’s main goals?
Fabiano: We did our best to make Nemesis into something special and differentiate him from Tyrant. Our goal with RE 3 was to make something that continued in the vein of the re-imagined RE 2 and also add an online survival horror multiplayer game set in the Resident Evil universe.
The original RE 3’s place in the series in terms of how fans look back on it can be fascinating. What were some of the key points the team started with, with respect to approaching the game as an adaptation?
Fabiano: As we’ve discussed throughout our campaign, we wanted to keep true to the essence of the original but also make the game feel fresh. We knew we wanted to tell Jill Valentine’s story as she escaped Raccoon City and Nemesis. We also wanted to bring out more of the characterizations, especially the growing partnership between Jill and Carlos; so we kept key beats in the story and then took liberties with how it all unfolded.
Jill is often a fan favorite for older fans of the series, while she may not be as well known for folks who didn’t grow up with the older games or stuff like Marvel vs Capcom 2. RE 3 seems to jump right in with assuming the player knows who she is. What was the creative thought process there?
Fabiano: From a narrative perspective, it didn’t matter whether you knew who Jill was from previous games. The story takes place in-medias-res and is complete and comprehensive in its story-telling. We wanted veteran players, newcomers, as well as those who had just gotten into the franchise with 2019’s RE 2 to hop right in and feel at home with the protagonist.
What are the best parts about remaking a game that’s several generations old? What are the biggest challenges or roadblocks?
Fabiano: We had members of the original team working on the game so they were extremely excited to completely rebuild their vision for what Raccoon City should look like, as well as being able to tell a fully fleshed out narrative with today’s technology. We were also pleased to be able to tie the stories of Resident Evil 2 and 3 together more than in the originals. It’s always a challenge to figure out what to include and what to change or adapt but we’re happy that we were able to stay on target and realize our vision.
Is Resident Evil 3 a finished project, or are there any tweaks or updates in the works?
Fabiano: Resident Evil 3 is a finished product.
Capcom’s library is full of long-running series, with many different hands and creative talents involved. How does a series’ identity stay intact through years of changes and fresh faces? Or in other words, what makes Resident Evil… Resident Evil?
Fabiano: As with all major franchises, it’s important to look at the game’s roots, identify its pillars and keep those consistent while at the same time moving the brand forward. You can see with the original trilogy of Resident Evil 1 through Resident Evil 3, the controls and aesthetic were consistent but made iterations on gameplay. With Resident Evil 4 through 6, gameplay made a shift towards action and the camera moved to third person. With Resident Evil 7 we took the game to first person and revisited the claustrophobic feeling of the mansion in Resident Evil 1. Put simply, Resident Evil means a lot of things to many people, but it’s always attempted to continue and reinvent survival horror.
How about closing this out with a message for Resident Evil fans looking forward to what’s next?
Fabiano: Thanks for being fans! We hope to keep creating content that you can enjoy.
A big thanks to Peter for his time, and of course the folks at Capcom for the opportunity to reach out and chat.
Resident Evil 3 is currently available for the PlayStation 4, the Xbox One, and the PC.
