Resident Evil 3: Nemesis Review

This time I am taking a look at the best of the traditional Resident Evil games, Resident Evil 3:Nemesis. The extra subtitle is there because this special creature is so damn awesome, he deserves it. Originally known as the "Chaser", Nemesis will pursue you throughout the game, even from room to room! Better move fast lest you don't have the necessary ammo to take him down... temporarily that is...

RE 3 was released on the Playstation in November of 1999. I remember playing the demo, first bundled with Dino Crisis, like 10 times in anticipation for this game. The demo was lengthy and exciting, especially the new systems implemented within. I think that despite my interest in Dino Crisis, I really bought the game for the demo of RE3, no Xbox Live demos available back then! Damn, I suddenly feel so old!

Resident Evil 3's storyline is an interesting piece of plot. It begins on September 27th, 24 hours before Resident Evil 2, and will eventually continue to Oct 1, two days later, for the game's conclusion. A breath of familiarity is present in locations, as you will find yourself visiting old RE2 stomping grounds early on. Great for plot, and remembering what is located where.

RE 3's graphics are simple improvements with increased polygon counts. Just compare RE's Jill to RE 3's Jill. You'll definitely notice some graphical differences, especially when it comes to details. And Nemesis definitely wants the player to notice certain details of Jill, having her make her "last escape" in a bluish tube top with a skirt and knee high boots. Some view this as a poor attempt to capture some of those fans who salivated over Lara Croft's pixelated goodness, while others are merely happy for the visual aids. I fit in with the latter.

You can't mention graphics without talking about the new interactive backgrounds. Barrels of oil and explosives strapped to walls can be used to strategically eliminate a bunch of enemies at a time. Early previews said that dropping chandeliers would be an option, but that never happened. This feature is helpful in key areas, especially after live selection events. More on that later.

Lastly, Nemesis itself deserves more than a mention. While he is described as a Tyrant with brains, he is much more than that visually. Wearing a huge trench coat necessary to cover his 8-foot+ height, he is an imposing sight. His face looks like that of a 3rd degree burn victim, if that's appropriate. I also like how part of his shoulder bone is exposed, like it is rotting away, reminding players of his original form before he was even a Tyrant.

Nemesis is swift, and can catch Jill pretty easy. Along with a rocket launcher for long range, he is a graphical wonder that animates fluidly with little to no slowdown noticeable. He looks just great (and not just for 1999, but today as well!)

Music is once again the work of Masami Ueda, who has worked on more RE games than any of the series' 16 composers. She is joined by Saori Maeda for Nemesis, and given the action-based nature of the story and gameplay, Ueda would have to elevate Resident Evil's music from ominous and creepy to that as well as action-packed and exciting. I'm happy to report that she succeeds admirably. Beginning with the best opening FMV in Resident Evil (unlikely to ever be surpassed) to the melodic and pleasant closing theme, Nemesis has tons of range in its music.

The opening theme deserves special mention, as it is balls to the wall right from its first note. Given what is going on in the FMV as it plays, it is definitely appropriate for the action. I especially like the cue right around "All units proceed to Richmond and Victoria!" Greatness.

The rest of the score's highlights include Nemesis' Theme, which could not be better suited for expressing the feeling of tense the player gets when he is encountered. For more ambient or somber pieces, the Clock Tower is low and ominous. Lastly, there are many variations on a certain boss theme that all hit the mark. I'll leave it to you to see whom I am talking about.

Sound effects are pretty much the same as RE2, but again Nemesis (the character) brings something special to the mix. His growls really make him sound pissed off, and his mutterings of "STARS" is the icing on the cake. I also like how fat zombies (added in this game) has slower and more guttural groans. Amusing.

3's gameplay takes the traditional Resident Evil gameplay and adds a bunch of little things, which all come together to complement its increased emphasis on action. The 180 turn, which allows quick movement and turning to face enemies behind you, is a valuable addition for increased mobility in combat. Many subsequent Resident Evil games would feature quick turning. Dodging has also been added, but its activation can be a little fussy. It is activated by pressing one of a few different button choices right before an enemy attacks. I would have preferred a different button solely used for dodging. No matter, the mechanic works well, if you take the time to practice. It is especially fun to use against Nemesis.

The first time I played the game I relied on heavy weapons and healing to defeat him. With practice, you can use the handgun without getting hit. Or if you're crazy like Vincent Merken (an extremely skilled RE weapon runner from Gamefaqs) you can kill Nemesis with a knife. A crazy and interesting challenge.

The last big changes are the ammo creation system, which makes use of gunpowder to create most kinds of weapon ammo in the game. If you are skilled at it (or just lucky) you can find yourself with some pretty powerful ammo, even before the end of the police station. Lastly there are the new "Live Selection" events. These choices allow you to alter the way certain events play out. Most only change order of things slightly, but in some cases, a certain choice changes quite a bit in the game.

Nemesis' challenge is also a new thing for Resident Evil. Not since the original has a difficulty mode been selectable from the start. Easy is a great choice for a new player to the game because the game is not actually much easier, but you start the game with most of the powerful weapons in your chest from the beginning. Ammo pickups are also doubled. I played the game for this review on easy mode, and it really helped me to hone my dodging skills.

Of course, you are going to want to play this game on normal mode, due to the many weapons that can only be obtained by playing this mode. Plus with a little practice with dodging, you will find yourself not needing those advanced weapons right off the bat.

Replay value is the largest in the Resident Evil series, yes it even exceeds Resident Evil 4 (if that's possible). This is due to one of the game's secrets requiring you to beat the game each time to unlock one of 8 parts of it. And with all the weapon variety, you'll find yourself doing single weapon runs, just like I did.

The bonuses are neat as well. The Mercenaries: Operation Mad Jackal is the precursor to the similar mode in RE4. This mode is a great extra in which you must transverse an opposite path to the beginning of the game. There is a timer constantly counting down, and you can increase it by killing enemies, earning combos, and saving civilians (which also grants you more ammo). Each mercenary has a different arsenal, and it is fun to try out each one. The better you do, the more money you earn. This money can be used to purchase infinite ammo weapons for the main game.

There are also lots of unlockable costumes for Jill, perhaps a side effect of Nemesis' having only one playable character? All of them look quite different, and one is actually a character skin from another Capcom game. A neat surprise.

Resident Evil 3:Nemesis was also released on the PC, Dreamcast, and Gamecube in subsequent years, but very little changed. In fact, I dislike what changes were made. They directly impact the challenge because Mercenaries Mode does not need to be unlocked. I'm sure you can see how this can potentially decrease the game's challenge.

The DC version does feature two new costumes, but certainly not a reason for PSX owners to buy that version. None of these ports have any real new content, just previously locked content available from the start. A wasted opportunity, and this comes from someone who bought RE4 3 times on each console...

In summation, Resident Evil 3 Nemesis is the best traditional Resident Evil by quite a large margin. Its gameplay is fast-paced and exciting, and still just as fun today as it was back in 1999. I love the innovations of this game and Nemesis is one of the best villains ever, if only because of his relentlessness. Check this game out for pure Resident Evil action, especially if you have only played Resident Evil 4!

- Ugly Bob

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