Resident Evil 3: Nemisis

Plot

Jill Valentine, the amazing heroine and survivor of the notorious disaster at the mansion in Resident Evil 2, has returned. After resigning from S.T.A.R.S., Jill now prepares to head out of Raccoon City. Caught in a town crawling with flesh eating zombies, now, more than ever, she must rely on brute force and cunning to find a way to escape alive. This unique adventure intricately reveals more of Umbrella Corporation's nightmarish plot, and picks up just hours before the events from Resident Evil 2.

So now you know the story, or do you? As a long time Resident Evil fan, I am at times still wondering: how did a series get so disorganized while trying to corner the market on multiple platforms? To fully understand the story behind Resident Evil, you have to play the game over four titles and on two platforms, creating a gap in the timeline for those without the second platform.

Resident Evil 3 (RE3) starts off as the familiar Resident Evil series always does, with top quality sound to scare you out of your pants, but goes further than all previous titles with an increase in the game’s AI. This time around, enemies can, at times, attack you in groups of not one or two, but as many as six or seven. This increase in AI gives the player a more hair-raising experience with each corner you round or each small alley you creep down into.

Firepower in RE3 is somewhat unbalanced compared to previous series titles, by starting your character off with high-firing ultra-powerful weapons, such as the machine gun and grenade launcher, early in the beginning of the game. This increase in firepower severely limits the challenge of the game. During my first push through the game, I was able to use 80% of my heavy weapons from the beginning, and basically blew away anything that moaned, hissed or clung to a wall, with ease. No more will you have to worry about saving that ammo and taking on a zombie in hand-to-hand combat using your knife or pistol. Hell, why bother with a knife, when you have a minimum of 5 zombies attacking you in most combat situations?

Ammunition for RE3 is very different from previous titles: instead of finding bullets, you now find gunpowder, and have the ability to reload your own ammunition. By combining different types and amounts of gunpowder, you are able to create a variety of ammunition.

The Twist

RE3 does have one decidedly frightening feature about it, in that this is not the standard “blow up everything” type game. Your choices in the game during key times can determine the outcome you will get at the end. Major events happen at several times in the game, allowing you to decide one of two paths to choose. Some paths will take you to where you want to be without delay or injury, while others will delay your travels, or worse yet, place you in a position of easily acquiring the title "Wrong Place at the Wrong Time".

Remember that hideous beast from RE2, Nemesis? If you dreaded him in part 2, fear him now. Nemesis, the co-star of RE3, is back, and this time he wants S.T.A.R.S.’ blood by destroying the entire unit. As a S.T.A.R.S. member yourself, you become the prime target for his vicious attacks. Nemesis will do things beyond all other RE titles, in that he can now track you, follow you, and yes, he will come into the new sections with you by opening doors. Armed for bear at times with a large bazooka, he is the formidable opponent, as always, but with careful planning, you can defeat him and acquire new items to create even bigger guns.

Let's Get Technical

Sound quality and sound design are, as always, that famous airy quality you learned to hate in Resident Evil. Sound plays important roles in RE3 by warning you of events that are about to happen. Stay sharp and listen close, and you may pull out alive.

Graphics have also been improved in RE3, with increased gore factor and shadow effects for unknown eyes that watch you. The town’s graphics are about as real as you can get on the Playstation, as every item you should see on a city block, from neon signs to road signs, are all visible in the city. The war-torn town is a pile of discarded dead, trash and wrecked vehicles, all possibly hiding even more terrifying events and creatures to hinder your journey out of this nightmarish hell.

In Conclusion

Despite the unorthodox multi-platform time line, despite the overly powerful weapons characters use in the game, and despite the lack of a true storyline, RE3 is worth a look for those hard core Resident Evil fans out there. For those newbies who want to see what RE3 is like, I strongly suggest you leave the lights on, or you may find yourself with the RE Disease -- symptoms include cold shivers, neck hair standing on end, sweaty palms and, of course, wet pants.

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