Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, released in Japan as is a survival horror video game and the third installment in the Resident Evil series developed and published by Capcom. The game was released for the Sony PlayStation, and was subsequently ported to the Sega Dreamcast, PC and Nintendo GameCube. Resident Evil 3 was the last core title in the series to be released for the Playstation.

The first half of the game occurs 24 hours prior to Resident Evil 2 and the second half takes place two days after. The storyline expands upon the settings and events of the T-Virus outbreak in Raccoon City, and concludes with the fate of the city and its infected population.

The game's storyline was later used as the basis for the 2004 film Resident Evil: Apocalypse.

Plot

The player takes control of former STARS member Jill Valentine in her attempt to escape a ruined and zombie-infested Raccoon City. During her escape, she encounters three surviving members of the Umbrella Biohazard Countermeasure Service, Carlos Oliveira, Mikhail Victor and Nicholai Ginovaef. Mikhail sacrifices himself to save Jill from the Nemesis, a bio-organic weapon, and Jill escapes with Carlos.

The city's fate is resolved in the game's finale. The US government, after hearing of unsuccessful efforts to avert the T-Virus infestation, orders the destruction of Raccoon City. At this point in the game, the player has exactly fifteen minutes to escape the city before the missile strikes.

Gameplay

A new feature is a boss-like enemy: the Nemesis, an experimental Tyrant model programmed by Umbrella to hunt down and kill STARS members. Nemesis is very different from most enemies. He can run, use weapons, and has a dodge move, and is the first monster capable of pursuing the player from one area to the next. Nemesis is encountered throughout the game, in set-pieces, boss fights, and the occasional random encounter as the player explores the city. Even if defeated in combat, Nemesis will eventually get back up and continue the pursuit.

In a departure from the game's predecessors, the player cannot choose between two playable characters from the beginning. Instead, the game is played almost entirely as Jill, although there is a short section in which the player controls Carlos.

Resident Evil 3 incorporates a dodge move that allows the player to avoid or repel enemy attacks. The player can also use a new quick turn ability, spinning 180 degrees, allowing the player to escape or turn to face an enemy very quickly. Enemies can now follow the player up or down stairs.

The game also features an ammunition creation system in which new ammunition can be created from gunpowder through the cartridge reloading tool, or by combining gunpowder with ammunition. Players can also shoot oil drums or pipes located in certain areas resulting in an explosion or a spray of steam that can kill nearby enemies. The game also incorporates a randomization feature in which item and enemy placement, as well as puzzle solutions and cutscenes, change during gameplay.

At certain points in the game, the screen will turn white and the player will enter Live Selection mode, in which they're prompted to choose between one of two possible actions (not choosing either is also a third choice), affecting the direction the story takes. There is only a limited amount of time to choose.

There is an unlockable minigame titled The Mercenaries - Operation: Mad Jackal. The player can choose from three UBCS members that appear in the main game, with each character having a different set of items and weapons. The objective is to reach the warehouse from the station cable car in a limited amount of time. The player can extend their remaining time by killing monsters in quick succession, and gain additional items and ammunition by saving civilians. The player can use their winnings from the minigame to purchase unlockable weapons for the main game.

There are also eight different character-specific epilogues that are unlocked sequentially after the player clears the game several times. Each epilogue reveals the fate of a major character from the first two games following the destruction of Raccoon City

Development

Nemesis was originally planned to be a side story of the series under the title of Biohazard 1.9 (although early storyboards of the game also used the alternate title Biohazard 2.1). The game was developed using the same game engine as Resident Evil 2. As development was approaching completion, the developers considered the title to feature enough improvements over previous titles to market the game as a sequel.

Ports to other platforms

There have been three ports of Nemesis since the initial PlayStation version for the following platforms: Sega Dreamcast, PC and Nintendo GameCube. The PC version allows the player to choose Jill's outfit in the main game right from the start without going to the boutique. There are two additional outfits not in the PlayStation version. The "Operation: Mad Jackal" minigame is also available right from the start, with the added function of posting scores online on Capcom's official website (this feature has since been discontinued). The Dreamcast version included outfits choosable from the start with new additions, also featuring the added benefit of allowing players to view their character's current health via a VMU. The GameCube version is a direct port of the PlayStation version with no added features other than an increased framerate for FMV scenes and smoother-looking character models.

Reception

While not as commercially successful as its predecessor, Resident Evil 3 received rave reviews. GameSpot said: "Unlike other series that offer incremental 'improvements', the RE lineup continues to refine an already excellent premise". IGN critic Doug Perry praised the game, saying: "The story still wonderfully unfolds in an intensely slow, intriguing way, and the combination of the great story telling and precise style of gameplay is still perfectly blended". Dale Weir from Game Critics called it "the best Resident Evil game in the entire series". As of March 2008, Resident Evil 3 has sold 3.5 million copies worldwide.

Music

The original 2-disc soundtrack CD for Nemesis was composed by Masami Ueda & Saori Maeda, and was released on September 22, 1999.

Novelization

Resident Evil: Nemesis, S. D. Perry's novelization of the game, was the fifth book in her series of Resident Evil novels.

References

External links

• Resident Evil at Wikia