Nemesis is a fitting swansong to the PS1 era

Of all the franchises that started during the 5th generation of consoles courtesy of Sony PlayStation, few have had a lasting impact Resident Evil. In addition to being one of the first horror game series to have mainstream crossover success, Resident Evil it helped name the genre it belonged to and coined the term “Survival Horror,” though it wasn't technically the first game to adhere to its principles. But while much attention is usually paid to the first entry and its timeless follow-up, Resident Evil 3: Nemesis tends to get lost when mixed.

Originally released 25 years ago today, Resident Evil 3: Nemesis would foreshadow many elements that players would love about both Resident Evil – CODE: Veronica and Resident Evil 4. Interestingly, the title was developed by a sort of “B Team” within Capcom. At the same time, Resident Evil 2 director (and future Platinum Games founder) Hideki Kamiya worked on what would happen Resident Evil 4with series creator Shinji Mikami overseeing production RE3. It's a bombastic, action-packed thrill ride and the innovations it brings make it one of the most surprising entries in the series, helping it stand the test of time as a fitting cap to the PS1 trilogy.

Resident Evil 3: Nemesis introduced several mainstays of the future series

For all ways Resident Evil 3: Nemesis It feels like a solid conclusion to a trilogy of incredibly similar games, the amount of innovation it brought to it Resident Evil the formula should not be overlooked. While the game still adheres to the classic “tank” controls that continue to be the biggest gripe for players of the original PS1 trilogy, Resident Evil 3: Nemesis is the first game in the series to introduce a “quick 180” turn, forever changing the way future games handle movement and combat.

In addition to smoother movement and more options to deal with multiple threats at once, Resident Evil 3: Nemesis also introduced something that would become a major mechanic in Resident Evil 2 and 3 remakes (as well as Resident Evil 7 and 8): ammunition production. For the first time in the series, players had more than just the standard ammo scavengers to rely on and could collect three different types of gunpowder to store in the game's boxes. In no time, players could craft extra ammo and craft Resident Evil 3: Nemesis feeling like it strikes the perfect balance between the series' traditional difficulty and a more action-packed tone.

Resident Evil 3: Nemesis' 'Fight or Flight' moments are one of the best gimmicks of the series

That inventory and movement mechanics Resident Evil 3: Nemesis Featured are one thing, but the Live Selection segments from the PS1 original (which were sadly cut from the game for the 2020 remake) are what set it apart when compared to its two amazing predecessors. These choice-based segments gave the player a split-second chance to choose to face Nemesis or run away from him, with the choice to fight leading to increased risk but also the opportunity to reap some incredible rewards.

The Resident Evil 3 the remake retains much of the original's more action-packed approach to combat and scenario design, but its cutting of Live Selection moments in favor of fixed Nemesis encounters is one of the things that makes it feel somewhat less than the original. You see the events in the game happen in parallel with the events Resident Evil 2that's understandable Resident Evil 3: Nemesis may be considered by some to be a minor component RE canyon. But to miss out on the great scripts, great gunplay, and impressive innovations of the series is to miss out on an excellent swan song of the era that gave birth to the series.