Nemesis is absolutely horrifying, but he’s not the only threat looming in Resident Evil 3.

As we said before, if you thought Mr X was bad ass, you’ve seen nothing yet. This absolute beast will walk through fire, charge at you with reckless abandon, pound you with a rocket launcher, and crush your skull with its bare hands.

But here’s the thing about Resident Evil 3, Nemesis isn’t all you’ve got to worry about. There’s these repulsive Parasites which stick a tube down your throat and infect you with spiders. Delightful.

Then there’s the Lickers, the Hunters, and other abominations that block your path and stamp you into the ground.

Perhaps worst of all, the zombies. They just keep coming and they’re more resilient than they’ve ever been. You’ll think you’ve killed one after shooting it in the head multiple times, then it ends up grabbing your foot and gnawing at your ankle. Or they’ll creep up behind you when you least expect and take a chunk out of your neck.

Resident Evil 3 is fast paced, action packed, and utterly intense from the word go. This feels like a much different game from last years’ Resident Evil 2 Remake, a more gradual exploration of the Police Station, filled with some jump scares and more puzzle-solving.

Resident Evil 3 just keeps dropping zombies everywhere, forcing Jill around tight corners, delighting in scaring the crap out of you. And much of that stems from the ominous feeling there’s a tall, foreboding and intelligent creature sprinting around the city on the hunt for S.T.A.R.S.

There is a spark and ferocity in Resident Evil 3 that I’ve not felt from the other remakes. This is dynamic, it’s brutal, often unrelenting, And I really appreciate Resident Evil 3 for that. It provides the alternative perspective the franchise has needed for the past few years.

Because of that, I can see why it’s divided opinion a little bit. It can be a tough game and you often don’t have the ammo or resources to make it out of some situations without death after death. Well, unless you enter Assist Mode, which basically does most of the hard work for you.

On Standard, though, I probably saved more than I’ve done in most other Res games or any other game for that matter. Nemesis, as you’d expect, is OP as hell.

While I like that aspect of the game, I actually found myself a little ancy at times as many of the epic sequences with Nemesis are actually cut-scenes. A few times I wanted to be the one interacting when the environment is falling apart around me, but alas.

Don’t get me wrong, Resident Evil 3 gives you plenty to do. The Nemesis confrontations are the highlight of the game and bringing that asshole down to one knee, both out in wild action and during the one on one confrontations is extremely satisfying.

And it’s weirdly thrilling being chased, knowing the beast is right on your tail as you try to use your dodge at the right time to avoid a clubbing blow or being spear tackled to the floor. There was a point I was one hit away from death and I thought I’d be stuck in a death loop as I just couldn’t outrun Nemesis. I both loved and hated that.

Surprisingly, that’s where this Resident Evil is at its strongest. It’s not in finding yet another key card or deactivating a security defense system, but when it’s being atmospheric in these horrifying moments. In the Sewers. In the midst of a spider nest. Fighting through overrun labs, knowing you’re about to get pounced or cornered.

This is horror. The detail that’s gone into the character models, the never-say-die attitude of your enemies. The run-down city and everything being burned to pieces all around you. But where Capcom have truly excelled with this remake is in giving it context, story, and purpose.

The original was just a straight cat and mouse, two hours of running, dodging and shooting. But now you’ll feel much closer to Jill Valentine, you’ll understand Carlos and his crew as never before, and it’ll open up your eyes to new possibilities in the Resident Evil universe.

Best of all, Capcom have excellently woven the narratives of Resident Evil 2 and 3 together, shedding light on key scenes and the relevance they have on both games. It’s as close to crossing over with Leon and Claire’s journey as possible without ever seeing the pair of them.

Despite the malicious and terrifying Nemesis, I don’t think RE3 quite reaches the lofty heights set by RE2, even if comparing the games feels unfair. Each approaches horror in its own unique way, feeling like very different games.

I loved every inch of Resident Evil 3, from start to finish, and couldn’t put my pad down. While Resident Evil 2 bests it for ambiance, atmosphere, and gradually building a story, Resident Evil 3 is far superior for action, for epic boss battle sequences and heart-pounding cut-scenes. From the nifty quick step, to the arsenal of epic weaponry and Jill’s utter desire to keep fighting and staying alive, Capcom have surpassed the sometimes empty feeling original and given it an exciting lease of life.

Resident Evil 3 is the ultimate game of cat and mouse as Jill does everything possible to escape the clutches of a terrifying foe, and just like RE2 before it, you’ll be just as eager to revisit as you were to step foot into Raccoon City in the first place. RE3 is excitingly intense.

---

Resident Evil 3 is now available on PC, PS4 and Xbox One

Reviewed on PS4

Review Code Provided by Capcom