Resident Evil 3: Nemesis
Encyclopedia
Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, released in Japan as is a survival horror video game and the sequel to Resident Evil 2
, developed and published by Capcom
. The game was released for the PlayStation, and was subsequently ported to the Dreamcast, Microsoft Windows
and Nintendo GameCube
. The game is also available for download on the PlayStation Network for use with both the PlayStation 3
and the PlayStation Portable
.
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
.
in her attempt to escape a ruined and zombie
-infested Raccoon City. On her way to the Raccoon City police station, she runs into Brad Vickers, who is killed by Nemesis
for being part of the STARS, since Umbrella believes that the STARS members know about their operations in the Arklay Mountains, and will reveal Umbrella to the world. Later on, she encounters three surviving members of the Umbrella Biohazard Countermeasure Service (UBCS): Carlos Oliveira, Mikhail Victor and Nicholai Ginovaef. Nicholai is soon presumed dead after an encounter with zombies as Jill gets parts for the cable car. Mikhail sacrifices himself to save Jill and Carlos from the Nemesis
, a bio-organic weapon. The cable car that the three were in bursts into flame and Jill and Carlos are separated.
Jill and Carlos meet up later in a clock tower where Carlos has said a rescue helicopter will arrive. Jill summons the helicopter by ringing the clock tower's bell. Nemesis destroys the helicopter, and infects Jill with a virus. Jill temporarily defeats Nemesis, Carlos finds her in a state of weakness, and she blacks out. During this period, Carlos searches for the vaccine to Jill's infection, as, unknown to either of them, Leon S. Kennedy
and Claire Redfield
(Resident Evil 2
) make their way into Raccoon City.
Carlos goes to Raccoon City Hospital to make the vaccine, and while there, meets Nicholai, who reveals that he is an Umbrella Supervisor who collects information based on the soldiers' ability to fight the BOWs. However, the mercenary that Nicholai shot pulls the pin on a grenade he was holding, and Nicholai jumps out a window to escape the blast. Soon after, Carlos is able to create the vaccine, and as he is leaving to go back to the clock tower, Nicholai sets a time bomb at the base, and blows up the hospital. Carlos returns to Jill with the vaccine, warns her about Nicholai, and leaves. Jill then proceeds through Raccoon Park, where she eventually enters a cabin, finds more about the plans for Raccoon City, and briefly meets up with Nicholai again, who explains the role he played. Leaving, Jill enters the cemetery again, only to face off with a giant worm, and defeat it before proceeding.
Jill meets up with Carlos in an Umbrella facility, who tells her that the US government
planned a cover up and the US military, after hearing of unsuccessful efforts to avert the T-virus infestation, ordered the destruction of Raccoon City by a nuclear missile. Jill and Carlos split up again to find a way out of the facility. Jill turns on the power so that an exit can be unlocked, but on the way to it, she meets up with Nicholai. He tells her about how he killed the other Supervisors, and how there is a bounty on Jill's head, but he is killed soon afterward. At this point in the game, the player has fifteen minutes to escape the city before the missile strikes. While attempting to escape, Jill has to face a mutated Nemesis one final time and kill it with the assistance of a railgun
. Jill then escapes Raccoon City along with Carlos. Depending on the player's choices, a different ending plays. The city's destruction by the missile is shown, and depending on the player's actions, Barry Burton is the pilot who saves Jill and Carlos. Then a news report is heard about Raccoon City's destruction, and how people uninvolved will hear about the disaster.
, an experimental type of Tyrant
programmed by Umbrella to hunt down and kill the remaining STARS members. He can run, use a rocket launcher as a weapon, dodge incoming fire, and is capable of pursuing the player from one area to the next. Nemesis is encountered multiple times throughout the game as a recurring boss. A variety of encounters are possible, with some being mandatory, and some varying in nature and location based on choices made by the player. Even if defeated in combat, Nemesis will inevitably continue pursuit of Jill.
In a departure from series' conventions, the player cannot choose between two playable characters from the beginning. Instead, Jill is the sole selectable character, with another character named Carlos also being controllable for a brief portion of the main game.
Resident Evil 3 incorporates a dodge move that allows the player to quickly avoid enemy attacks. Stair climbing is also streamlined: whereas in previous Resident Evil titles characters were required to press the action button to ascend or descend a staircase, Resident Evil 3 allows the player to use a staircase by walking directly in to it. The "quick 180 degree turn" was introduced in this game, and would become a mainstay of the series.
The game also features an ammunition creation system, in which new ammunition can be created from different varieties of gunpowder
and the use of a cartridge reloading tool, or by combining gunpowder directly with standard grenade rounds to generate different types of rounds for the grenade launcher. For the first time in the series, explosive objects are present in certain areas. Taking the form of oil drums on the ground or bundles of an unspecified explosive material affixed to a wall, firing on these objects causes them to explode, damaging or destroying nearby enemies. The game also incorporates a randomization feature that varies the placement of items and enemies. Puzzles are also either completely randomized, or have their solutions selected from a pre-determined list.
At certain points in the game, the player will enter Live Selection Mode, in which they are prompted to choose between one of two possible actions. The choice of action affects the direction of the game and story, including which ending the player receives. Each selection has a time limit, with the consequence for going over the limit being either Jill taking damage or instant death.
There is an unlockable minigame
titled "The Mercenaries - Operation: Mad Jackal". The player can choose from Carlos, Mikhail, or Nicholai, the three UBCS members that appear in the main game. Each character possesses a different inventory, causing drastically different strategies for survival with each character. The objective of the game is ostensibly to run from the cable car to the warehouse office (two locations in the main game) within a limited amount of time; however, the starting time limit given is insufficient to actually perform this task directly, and the player must continuously receive time bonuses by performing certain actions in order to complete the mission. Eliminating enemies yields a time bonus, with increasing bonuses for multiple kills in a short time span. There are also six hostages to be saved, with each hostage saved rewarding the player with additional ammunition or healing items, as well as a time bonus. Additionally, six "hidden areas" of the map reward the player with an increasing time bonus for each one found.
Upon completing the main game, the player is rewarded with a number of alternate costumes for Jill, with more costumes being awarded for a higher ranked completion of the main game. Also unlockable are eight "Epilogue Files", each detailing the activities of a different character following the events of the game. The Epilogue Files are unlocked individually and sequentially at the end of each successful playthrough of the main game.
later explained as a means of keeping the titles of the first three games on the PlayStation console consistent. Unlike the majority of the early scripts in the series, the scenario of Resident Evil 3 was not created by Flagship employees but by internal Capcom writer Yasuhisa Kawamura. Nevertheless, the story was proofread and sanctioned by Flagship to avoid continuity errors with other installments, an issue that was also given attention in monthly meetings between all directors and producers.
, Dreamcast, and Nintendo GameCube
.
This version also allows the player to choose Jill's outfit in the main game from the start without going to the boutique, and include two additional outfits not present in the PlayStation version. The Mercenaries minigame
is also available right from the start and had the added feature of allowing players to post their top scores online on Capcom's official website (this function has since been discontinued).
available right from the start. Visually, the environment backgrounds are, according to GameSpot, "much more defined" but overall the game looks similar to the original PlayStation version. The Dreamcast version also utilizes the VMU
by displaying the characters' health status.
version was released in early 2003 and is a port of the original PlayStation version with none of the added features of the prior two ports, such as the extra costumes and unlocked content from the start. However, it does feature an increased frame rate
of 60 for FMV movies and enhanced 3D character model graphics. Due to the lack of features from the prior two ports and the absence of any significant improvements, the GameCube version received very harsh reviews, with IGN saying, "The gameplay design is still as brilliant as it ever was on the PSX, but the overall package is not even close to earning its sticker price."
As of March 2008, Resident Evil 3 had sold 3.5 million copies worldwide.
's novelization of the game, was the fifth book in her series of Resident Evil novels.
Resident Evil 2
Resident Evil 2, known as in Japan, is a survival horror video game originally released for the PlayStation in 1998. Developed by Capcom as the second installment in the Resident Evil series, its story takes place two months after the events of the first game, Resident Evil...
, developed and published by Capcom
Capcom
is a Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating multi-million-selling franchises such as Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil. Capcom developed and published Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and Dark Void too, but they are less known. Its...
. The game was released for the PlayStation, and was subsequently ported to the Dreamcast, Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
and Nintendo GameCube
Nintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
. The game is also available for download on the PlayStation Network for use with both the PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
and the PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
.
The first half of the game occurs 24 hours prior to Resident Evil 2
Resident Evil 2
Resident Evil 2, known as in Japan, is a survival horror video game originally released for the PlayStation in 1998. Developed by Capcom as the second installment in the Resident Evil series, its story takes place two months after the events of the first game, Resident Evil...
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
2004 in film
The year 2004 in film involved some significant events. Major releases of sequels took place. It included blockbuster films like Shrek 2, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Passion of the Christ, Meet the Fockers, Blade: Trinity, Spider-Man 2, Alien vs. Predator, Kill Bill Vol...
film Resident Evil: Apocalypse
Resident Evil: Apocalypse
Resident Evil: Apocalypse is a Canadian-British 2004 science fiction action horror film directed by Alexander Witt, from a screenplay written by producer Paul W.S. Anderson...
.
Plot
The game begins on September 28, 1998. The player takes control of former Special Tactics And Rescue Service (STARS) member Jill ValentineJill Valentine
is a fictional character in the Resident Evil survival horror series by Capcom.Jill is one of the two protagonists of the original Resident Evil game, where she was introduced as a member of the Raccoon Police Department's Special Tactics And Rescue Service , trapped in a secret research complex of...
in her attempt to escape a ruined and zombie
Zombie
Zombie is a term used to denote an animated corpse brought back to life by mystical means such as witchcraft. The term is often figuratively applied to describe a hypnotized person bereft of consciousness and self-awareness, yet ambulant and able to respond to surrounding stimuli...
-infested Raccoon City. On her way to the Raccoon City police station, she runs into Brad Vickers, who is killed by Nemesis
Nemesis (Resident Evil)
Nemesis, also called the Pursuer or , is a fictional character in Capcom's Resident Evil franchise. It first appears in Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, before later emerging in other titles and cameo roles. It is also featured on various merchandise and in the 2004 film Resident Evil: Apocalypse...
for being part of the STARS, since Umbrella believes that the STARS members know about their operations in the Arklay Mountains, and will reveal Umbrella to the world. Later on, she encounters three surviving members of the Umbrella Biohazard Countermeasure Service (UBCS): Carlos Oliveira, Mikhail Victor and Nicholai Ginovaef. Nicholai is soon presumed dead after an encounter with zombies as Jill gets parts for the cable car. Mikhail sacrifices himself to save Jill and Carlos from the Nemesis
Nemesis (Resident Evil)
Nemesis, also called the Pursuer or , is a fictional character in Capcom's Resident Evil franchise. It first appears in Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, before later emerging in other titles and cameo roles. It is also featured on various merchandise and in the 2004 film Resident Evil: Apocalypse...
, a bio-organic weapon. The cable car that the three were in bursts into flame and Jill and Carlos are separated.
Jill and Carlos meet up later in a clock tower where Carlos has said a rescue helicopter will arrive. Jill summons the helicopter by ringing the clock tower's bell. Nemesis destroys the helicopter, and infects Jill with a virus. Jill temporarily defeats Nemesis, Carlos finds her in a state of weakness, and she blacks out. During this period, Carlos searches for the vaccine to Jill's infection, as, unknown to either of them, Leon S. Kennedy
Leon S. Kennedy
is a player character appearing in the Resident Evil series of survival horror video games. Leon is a protagonist in Resident Evil 2 and the main protagonist of Resident Evil 4. During the events of RE2, Leon is a new police officer who arrives in Raccoon City late for his first day on the job,...
and Claire Redfield
Claire Redfield
is a player character appearing in the Resident Evil series of survival horror video games.Claire is the younger sister of Chris Redfield, the protagonist of the first Resident Evil game...
(Resident Evil 2
Resident Evil 2
Resident Evil 2, known as in Japan, is a survival horror video game originally released for the PlayStation in 1998. Developed by Capcom as the second installment in the Resident Evil series, its story takes place two months after the events of the first game, Resident Evil...
) make their way into Raccoon City.
Carlos goes to Raccoon City Hospital to make the vaccine, and while there, meets Nicholai, who reveals that he is an Umbrella Supervisor who collects information based on the soldiers' ability to fight the BOWs. However, the mercenary that Nicholai shot pulls the pin on a grenade he was holding, and Nicholai jumps out a window to escape the blast. Soon after, Carlos is able to create the vaccine, and as he is leaving to go back to the clock tower, Nicholai sets a time bomb at the base, and blows up the hospital. Carlos returns to Jill with the vaccine, warns her about Nicholai, and leaves. Jill then proceeds through Raccoon Park, where she eventually enters a cabin, finds more about the plans for Raccoon City, and briefly meets up with Nicholai again, who explains the role he played. Leaving, Jill enters the cemetery again, only to face off with a giant worm, and defeat it before proceeding.
Jill meets up with Carlos in an Umbrella facility, who tells her that the US government
Federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
planned a cover up and the US military, after hearing of unsuccessful efforts to avert the T-virus infestation, ordered the destruction of Raccoon City by a nuclear missile. Jill and Carlos split up again to find a way out of the facility. Jill turns on the power so that an exit can be unlocked, but on the way to it, she meets up with Nicholai. He tells her about how he killed the other Supervisors, and how there is a bounty on Jill's head, but he is killed soon afterward. At this point in the game, the player has fifteen minutes to escape the city before the missile strikes. While attempting to escape, Jill has to face a mutated Nemesis one final time and kill it with the assistance of a railgun
Railgun
A railgun is an entirely electrical gun that accelerates a conductive projectile along a pair of metal rails using the same principles as the homopolar motor. Railguns use two sliding or rolling contacts that permit a large electric current to pass through the projectile. This current interacts...
. Jill then escapes Raccoon City along with Carlos. Depending on the player's choices, a different ending plays. The city's destruction by the missile is shown, and depending on the player's actions, Barry Burton is the pilot who saves Jill and Carlos. Then a news report is heard about Raccoon City's destruction, and how people uninvolved will hear about the disaster.
Gameplay
A new feature to gameplay is the NemesisNemesis (Resident Evil)
Nemesis, also called the Pursuer or , is a fictional character in Capcom's Resident Evil franchise. It first appears in Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, before later emerging in other titles and cameo roles. It is also featured on various merchandise and in the 2004 film Resident Evil: Apocalypse...
, an experimental type of Tyrant
Tyrant (Resident Evil)
The Tyrant is the code name of a series of boss characters in the Resident Evil video game series. Tyrants, biologically engineered supersoldiers created and used by the sinister Umbrella Corporation, make appearances as boss characters in most of Resident Evil games and the desire to create an...
programmed by Umbrella to hunt down and kill the remaining STARS members. He can run, use a rocket launcher as a weapon, dodge incoming fire, and is capable of pursuing the player from one area to the next. Nemesis is encountered multiple times throughout the game as a recurring boss. A variety of encounters are possible, with some being mandatory, and some varying in nature and location based on choices made by the player. Even if defeated in combat, Nemesis will inevitably continue pursuit of Jill.
In a departure from series' conventions, the player cannot choose between two playable characters from the beginning. Instead, Jill is the sole selectable character, with another character named Carlos also being controllable for a brief portion of the main game.
Resident Evil 3 incorporates a dodge move that allows the player to quickly avoid enemy attacks. Stair climbing is also streamlined: whereas in previous Resident Evil titles characters were required to press the action button to ascend or descend a staircase, Resident Evil 3 allows the player to use a staircase by walking directly in to it. The "quick 180 degree turn" was introduced in this game, and would become a mainstay of the series.
The game also features an ammunition creation system, in which new ammunition can be created from different varieties of gunpowder
Gunpowder
Gunpowder, also known since in the late 19th century as black powder, was the first chemical explosive and the only one known until the mid 1800s. It is a mixture of sulfur, charcoal, and potassium nitrate - with the sulfur and charcoal acting as fuels, while the saltpeter works as an oxidizer...
and the use of a cartridge reloading tool, or by combining gunpowder directly with standard grenade rounds to generate different types of rounds for the grenade launcher. For the first time in the series, explosive objects are present in certain areas. Taking the form of oil drums on the ground or bundles of an unspecified explosive material affixed to a wall, firing on these objects causes them to explode, damaging or destroying nearby enemies. The game also incorporates a randomization feature that varies the placement of items and enemies. Puzzles are also either completely randomized, or have their solutions selected from a pre-determined list.
At certain points in the game, the player will enter Live Selection Mode, in which they are prompted to choose between one of two possible actions. The choice of action affects the direction of the game and story, including which ending the player receives. Each selection has a time limit, with the consequence for going over the limit being either Jill taking damage or instant death.
There is an unlockable minigame
Minigame
A minigame is a short video game often contained within another video game. A minigame is always smaller or more simplistic than the game in which it is contained. Minigames are sometimes also offered separately for free to promote the main game...
titled "The Mercenaries - Operation: Mad Jackal". The player can choose from Carlos, Mikhail, or Nicholai, the three UBCS members that appear in the main game. Each character possesses a different inventory, causing drastically different strategies for survival with each character. The objective of the game is ostensibly to run from the cable car to the warehouse office (two locations in the main game) within a limited amount of time; however, the starting time limit given is insufficient to actually perform this task directly, and the player must continuously receive time bonuses by performing certain actions in order to complete the mission. Eliminating enemies yields a time bonus, with increasing bonuses for multiple kills in a short time span. There are also six hostages to be saved, with each hostage saved rewarding the player with additional ammunition or healing items, as well as a time bonus. Additionally, six "hidden areas" of the map reward the player with an increasing time bonus for each one found.
Upon completing the main game, the player is rewarded with a number of alternate costumes for Jill, with more costumes being awarded for a higher ranked completion of the main game. Also unlockable are eight "Epilogue Files", each detailing the activities of a different character following the events of the game. The Epilogue Files are unlocked individually and sequentially at the end of each successful playthrough of the main game.
Development
Resident Evil 3: Nemesis was created by a team of 50 staff members, who would become part of Capcom Production Studio 4 in October 1999. During most of the development time, the game was referred to as Resident Evil 1.9. However, three months before the initial release, the name was changed to Resident Evil 3, which project supervisor Yoshiki OkamotoYoshiki Okamoto
Yoshiki Okamoto , sometimes credited as Kihaji Okamoto, is a video game designer credited with producing many popular titles for Konami, including Gyruss and Time Pilot, and Capcom, including Final Fight and Street Fighter II...
later explained as a means of keeping the titles of the first three games on the PlayStation console consistent. Unlike the majority of the early scripts in the series, the scenario of Resident Evil 3 was not created by Flagship employees but by internal Capcom writer Yasuhisa Kawamura. Nevertheless, the story was proofread and sanctioned by Flagship to avoid continuity errors with other installments, an issue that was also given attention in monthly meetings between all directors and producers.
Rereleases and ports
Resident Evil 3: Nemesis is the last core title in the series to be released for the PlayStation. There have been three ports since the original release listed chronologically below: PCPersonal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
, Dreamcast, and Nintendo GameCube
Nintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
.
Windows PC
A Windows PC version was released first in Japan in June 2000 and later in other regions, which features enhanced 3D character model graphics and higher resolutions. Despite this, reviewers such as GameSpot noted, "The backgrounds are murky, the fonts look awful, and the cinematics...look blotchy and bad."This version also allows the player to choose Jill's outfit in the main game from the start without going to the boutique, and include two additional outfits not present in the PlayStation version. The Mercenaries minigame
Minigame
A minigame is a short video game often contained within another video game. A minigame is always smaller or more simplistic than the game in which it is contained. Minigames are sometimes also offered separately for free to promote the main game...
is also available right from the start and had the added feature of allowing players to post their top scores online on Capcom's official website (this function has since been discontinued).
Dreamcast
A Dreamcast version was released in Winter 2000, which is almost identical to the Windows PC version. Accordingly, it features enhanced 3D character model graphics and the extra outfits and Mercenaries minigameMinigame
A minigame is a short video game often contained within another video game. A minigame is always smaller or more simplistic than the game in which it is contained. Minigames are sometimes also offered separately for free to promote the main game...
available right from the start. Visually, the environment backgrounds are, according to GameSpot, "much more defined" but overall the game looks similar to the original PlayStation version. The Dreamcast version also utilizes the VMU
VMU
The VMU, or Visual Memory Unit is a memory card peripheral for the Dreamcast. Its official name was changed by Sega for each of the three key regions:-* Japan = Visual Memory System * North America = Visual Memory Unit...
by displaying the characters' health status.
GameCube
A Nintendo GameCubeNintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
version was released in early 2003 and is a port of the original PlayStation version with none of the added features of the prior two ports, such as the extra costumes and unlocked content from the start. However, it does feature an increased frame rate
Frame rate
Frame rate is the frequency at which an imaging device produces unique consecutive images called frames. The term applies equally well to computer graphics, video cameras, film cameras, and motion capture systems...
of 60 for FMV movies and enhanced 3D character model graphics. Due to the lack of features from the prior two ports and the absence of any significant improvements, the GameCube version received very harsh reviews, with IGN saying, "The gameplay design is still as brilliant as it ever was on the PSX, but the overall package is not even close to earning its sticker price."
Music
The original 2-disc soundtrack CD for Nemesis was composed by Masami Ueda and Saori Maeda, and was released on September 22, 1999.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 had sold 3.5 million copies worldwide.
Novelization
Resident Evil: Nemesis, S. D. PerryS. D. Perry
Stephani Danelle Perry is a novelist living in Portland, Oregon. She is the daughter of writer Steve Perry.S. D...
's novelization of the game, was the fifth book in her series of Resident Evil novels.
External links
- Resident Evil at Wikia