Resident Evil 3 Remake Finds Its Handheld Paradise On Switch 2

Ahead of its release in 1999, Resident Evil 3: Nemesis was initially designed as a spin-off rather than a mainline numbered title, suggesting that Capcom didn't originally have big aspirations for the project. The 2020 Resident Evil 3 Remake was an opportunity for a new team of developers to rethink the way Jill's story is told. It’s out now on Nintendo Switch 2, where Capcom might have found the perfect handheld home for this game.

Set a couple of months after the events of the first game (and roughly the same time as its sequel), Resident Evil 3 Remake focuses on the S.T.A.R.S. officer Jill Valentine, who's dealing with the trauma of having survived the bizarre events at Spencer Mansion. The fear of having been infected by the T-Virus and turning into one of the monsters she headshotted so many times haunts her. But the poor girl can't catch her breath because, days before she's set to leave Raccoon City, it’s overrun by zombies. If having to survive the mindless undead wanting to devour her weren't enough, Jill finds herself pursued by an unstoppable monster called Nemesis.

Resident Evil 3 Remake takes a more action-oriented, cinematic approach to storytelling than the 1999 game. Jill's first encounter with Nemesis in the Remake puts you through a tense sequence that starts with her trying to find the exit of a building and ends with you helping her start a car, which she then uses to hit Nemesis. Being able to experience these moments without any sort of stuttering or lag is crucial — and it's exactly what Capcom has achieved with the Switch 2 port.

From areas filled with fire to situations where multiple enemies were on the screen at once, I haven't seen the frame rate drop during my time with the Switch 2 port. The camera responsiveness is great, only with the usual annoyances that come with aiming with the left and right sticks. However, the Joy-Cons' sensitivity made me tweak the camera speed to be slower while aiming, so I could stop missing so many headshots.

The smooth experience that the Switch 2 offers is great, but with one caveat: Resident Evil 3 Remake is actually better in handheld mode. You see, Resident Evil 3 Remake was made to look good. By using its native high dynamic range (HDR) setting, Capcom brought the streets of Raccoon City to life, making them feel oppressive through the contrast of light and shadow this technology allows. However, this function is not available when you play it docked.

In handheld mode, I walked through dangerously dark rooms and alleys, and was struck by the smoothness of the characters' models under the lighting — even though they look a bit crispy compared to the PlayStation 5 and PC versions of the game. The console's screen does justice to the beauty of the streets of Raccoon City and I felt excited by the compelling atmosphere created by the play of light and shadow. But, as soon as I put it in the dock, the HDR setting becomes unavailable, and all the game's charm fades away. Although Resident Evil 3 Remake is playable without the HDR, the difference is striking. The game is covered by an opaque gray layer that drains the game's life and colors.

The cat-and-mouse story of Jill and Nemesis has found a welcoming, FPS-stable home on Switch 2. The console is more than capable of delivering the experience Capcom aspired to with the remake, and the port feels at home on Nintendo's system — even if only in handheld mode.