Resident Evil 3: Nemesis

"See that guy on the cover? He WILL kill you."

Even though Resident Evil 3: Nemesis came out years ago, I just got around to beating it a couple weeks ago. Sad, I know. But with the wait time, I got to play it on the Gamecube instead of the original playstation (the platform it was first released on). This review will only cover my thoughts on the Gamecube version of Resident Evil 3, but if you want to know what the various version differences are I would recommend taking a look at the FAQ section here on gamefaqs.

Story: 8/10

The story continues to expand on the aftermath of what happened in the first Resident Evil. Basically, after the mansion incident, Racoon City finds itself exposed to the virus that turns people into zombies and can infect other creatures as well. You must control Jill Valentine as she "makes her last escape" from the doomed city, solving various puzzles and traps in order to stay alive. Along the way you will meet several supporting characters who will either help you or oppose you. Resident Evil 3 differs from the first two in that you can't select who you want to play as in the beginning, you must play as Jill, though you will have a short section in which you will play as another character when Jill isn't available.

I've always been interested in the entire Resident Evil storyline, as it is very unique and most of the characters are fleshed out well. As far as Resident Evil 3 goes, the first half of it takes place after the original and before Resident Evil 2 starts. The second half takes place after the events of Resident Evil 2.

Another interesting note is the whole nemesis concept. Basically that guy on the cover is going to be after you for the entire game. And he will probably kill you multiple times. Now, in the previous Resident Evil games, if you were getting your butt kicked you could always run away from the room and the monsters really couldn't follow you. Nemesis will follow you and confront you again, and again. If you stay and fight, and manage to "kill" him, you better leave fast because he will get up and fight some more.

Gameplay: 8/10

The main flow of the game is rather similar to all of the previous Resident Evil games. You will travel through zombie infested areas trying to find key items to solve a puzzle which blocks your progress through the game. Along the way you will have to keep a supply of weapons and healing items to survive the various monsters out to kill you. There's really no huge changes here that you haven't experienced in the first two Resident Evil's but you're still in for a fun time.

The character control has been somewhat improved on from the previous Resident Evil's, in my opinion. Your character still moves like a tank, but at least Jill has learned a few new moves. For example, you can press the "R" button as you're getting attacked to dodge away from the enemy (which saved my life countless times). You can also do a quick turn with the camera stick, which makes it a tad easier. Another difference is that you will find a lot of gunpowder items which Jill can make into bullets with a special bullet-making tool. You can also mix different types of gunpowder to make different types of bullets. And let's not forget the herb mixing abilities Jill has.

Graphics: 7/10

The graphics look very good throughout the game. Capcom really did a good job in providing a "destroyed city" look. I think one of the most common complaints is that some of the camera angles aren't very well placed, though I think that most of them are that way on purpose in order to provide a scarier mood. The character models are also well done, though the sweater Jill has tied around her waist was unnecessary I think. The graphics aren't quite up there with Resident Evil 4, but they won't take away from your gameplay experience.

Music/Sound effects: 7/10

I liked the music in Resident Evil 3, though I wouldn't call it memorable. It's pretty standard fare for what you would expect in a Horror/Survival series with the dramatic sounds for most of your journey and the relaxing music in the save rooms. There was a part in the clock tower where you had to figure out a music box puzzle that I thought sounded really good.

The voice acting is fairly good as well. The voices fit the characters well, though one character, Carlos, who was supposed to have an accent, seems to forget he has one in some cut-scenes. Nothing in this category will detract from the game, though.

Re-playability/Extras: 8/10

As you play through the game, you'll come upon several instances where you will have to decide what to do next in what Capcom called "Live decision". Depending on what you do will effect the next area your in, what items you can acquire or even the ending you will receive. At the end of the game you are also scored which can net you a couple of new items for another play-through. There is also a minigame after the main scenario that you can play in called "operation mad jackal".

The only thing I didn't like was the lack of a normal difficulty mode. You could only choose between easy (which was way too easy) or hard. That was a bad move on Capcom's part.

Overall: 8/10

Another solid Resident Evil title. If you're a fan of the genre, I'm sure you will enjoy Resident Evil 3: Nemesis no matter which platform you play it on. I believe the Gamecube version is rather hard to come by, and therefore a bit expensive, so you may want to try to borrow this from a friend if you can. Have fun and keep playing!

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 10/18/07

Game Release: Resident Evil 3: Nemesis (US, 01/15/03)