Resident Evil 3: Nemesis

It’s In Your Blood

NA release: 14th January 2003
JP release: 23rd January 2003
EU release: 30th May 2003
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
NGC Magazine: 65%
Mods Used: None

Released on the same day as Resident Evil 2, this is another direct port of a PS1 game, with largely the same complaints as the original. I feel like these versions of the game would have been given a lot more leeway if they were bundled together. Nemesis takes Resident Evil 2 and builds upon it, even taking place in the same city, starting a day before RE2 with Jill Valentine passing out and waking up after the events of RE2.

It doesn’t just expand on the story of Resident Evil 2, but also the gameplay. There’s a dodge and quick turn, as well as the ability to make more ammo, which is more plentiful. You also have better guns. To counter this, the zombies are now unpredictable and there’s a menace chasing you throughout the game: Nemesis. You can’t kill him for most of the game, so will need to find a way to evade him.

These are great additions for fans of the survival horror genre, but to me this doubles down on mechanics I’m personally not fond of. I especially hated navigating the city, with the camera angles making it very easy to be disorientated. Still, I know it is just my preference and this is a great game for others.

Fine

Ultimately, Nemesis is, in out opinion, the superior game to Resident Evil 2. It’s in some ways a lot sillier – Nemesis carries a rocket launcher, which brings to mind Samuel Johnson’s dog walking on its hind legs – but it’s more gripping and much more tense. Of course, the cautions on the previous page still stand, as even though this is a lot of fun, it’s an awfully expensive nostalgia trip. If you’re flush, though, it’s perhaps one worth taking.
Jes Bickham, NGC Magazine #81

Remake or remaster?

There’s a compete remake that changes a lot (although fans were disappointed in it). It would be nice to see properly made (and not bad upscales) remasters of the original. The Japanese-only PC Sourcenext version is still the best version of the game. In terms of mods, there are some terrible looking AI upscales that turns the game into a kids cartoon.

Official Ways to get the game

You can buy Resident Evil 2 on GOG, this is based on an older PC version, not the Sourcenext one.