Resident Evil 3: Nemesis for Nintendo GameCube

Even though it was a side-story, Resident Evil 3: Nemesis proved to be a commercial and critical hit. It was so successful, Capcom went on to release RE3 to other platforms and in early twenty-o-three the game made its way to the Nintendo GameCube.

As mentioned in my review of the PlayStation version, RE3 was a side-story that was noted for featuring two memorable characters. First was Jill Valentine, the female protagonist in the 1996 game who made a big comeback in this game. The other was Nemesis, the grotesque monster that served as the big scare and suspense factor of RE3. 

As mentioned before, RE3 had pretty much the same gameplay formula as its predecessors but with very notable tweaks that made playing it fun and at the same time jumpy. It had some nice gameplay features that I wished were in the first RE game such as using gunpowder to make new and powerful ammunition (which proves to be helpful in later stages of the game), the 180-degree turn (which makes the ever-clunk tank-like controls more tolerable in tight situations) and most of all making crucial decisions (Live Selection) at key points of the events. Making the decisions leads to different scenarios and can impact the flow of the plot.

Just how does RE3 on the GameCube fare with other versions? Firstly, the game is actually a visually enhanced port of the PlayStation version although not a major improvement. The polygonal models look smoother as a result of anti-aliasing BUT this only exposes how blocky they all look. In the PS version, the lack of anti-aliasing hid the polygonal flaws from viewers’ eyes. As for the resolution, there is a slight change and in some portions of the game the adjustment made polygonal models stand out too differently from the pre-rendered backgrounds (which looked kinda washed out sometimes) which creates a fake look. 

Secondly, the GC version of RE3 lacks certain additions made to other console releases. It does not have the option to let players post their Operation: Mad Jackal scores (PC and Dreamcast versions have this). It also lacks the two extra costumes (which the PC version has) for Jill Valentine which can be disappointing to players who love customizing the look of their protagonist. 

Thirdly, the game has story cutscenes playing at a higher frame rate. Lastly, it took me a while to get used to the GC controls.

More on the essence of RE3, it can be argued that Nemesis is the main star of the story. Aside from the fact that the game’s subtitled is named after him, Nemesis himself changes the tone of the story (and the way you play) by suddenly coming into the scenes and raising the scare factor to a much higher level (combined with striking music). From a gameplay perspective, this makes players more cautious and even tense which by the way adds depth to the survival horror theme. While Nemesis scares the hell out of you, you also end up caring for Jill even more.

RE3 is a unique adventure that smoothly blends suspense, fear and action. While it is indeed scary and action packed, its adventure factor comes at the expense of eeriness that defined the original Resident Evil. Its story (telling events before and after Resident Evil 2) and supporting characters (note: the under-developed presence of Umbrella team members) may not be that memorable (except for diehard fans of Jill Valentine) but the refined gameplay made RE3 a worthy experience.

Lastly, having Nemesis as the main villain is itself a great move on the part of Capcom. While Albert Wesker is a sinister figure who talks too much (obviously influenced by one of the worst clichés of movies – stupid villains), Nemesis goes in for the kill and never gives up. Nemesis reminds me not only of Jason from Friday the 13^th but also the Terminator immortalized by Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1984’s The Terminator.  It would be nice to see more cold villains like Nemesis in future RE games.

Overall, Resident Evil 3: Nemesis is a classic worth going back to.