Capcom seems to be heading towards another great year in 2020 with theResident Evil 3remake set to release in April, starring Jill Valentine. Honoring her latest return,Jill has received an updated appearance, rounding out the protagonists who have evolved in design through different generations much like the monsters and viruses fought over the years.
In the firstResident Evilgames, character design was limited by the technology of the time. Because of this, protagonist models were distinguished through smaller details such as shoulder pads and their signature colors to contrast with the low-resolution models of zombies. Moving forward, the next two generations would drastically improve upon character appearance and create high definition versions of their first models. As a result, the designs of Leon, Ada, Jill, Claire, and Chris were upgraded to fit the survival horror tone of the series, creating the iconic wardrobes that fans of the franchise have come to know and love.
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With the newest entries however, the RE Engine is used instead of previous framework. As a result, games sinceResident Evil 7have seen another upgrade to the character models, evolving their designs into a more modern interpretation of what different people would wearin the wake of a zombie outbreak. Most notably, this includes the addition of actual pants to Jill and Claire’s models instead of a skirt and short shorts respectively. Additionally, all the main characters have received more realistic facial expressions and movements for cutscenes and gameplay. In short, the protagonists look more and more like someone straight out of a Hollywood blockbuster.
At the same time, Capcom has also managed to improve other elements of their character design. Since the original generation, the vibrant colors used for character models were gradually darkened or washed out over the years. This choice was made because zombies, monsters, and other horrors could finally be differentiated from the player character through improved graphics. However, with the newest engine inResident Evil 3, it seems that Jill and the other main characters have regained some of their trademark colors that made them stand out years ago.
As a whole,Resident Evil 3’sremake is shaping up to be the best looking entry to date. NPCs from survivors, to zombies, and eventhe big bad Nemesis have been upgraded to today’s standards. Furthermore, the environments have been beautifully crafted and torn down, making players truly feel the madness that has descended upon Raccoon City just from trailers.
In the end, some fans might still be hesitant to embrace Jill’s new model, but the evolved design is sure to be remembered in-game when released next Spring. And if that’s not enough, keep in mind a younger Chris Redfield has yet to make his appearance in the current generation.
Resident Evil 3launches on August 01, 2025 for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
