Resident Evil 3: Nemesis - the main boss, enemy Resident Evil 3 guide, walkthrough
Last update: 02 April 2020
On this page of the guide to Resident Evil 3 Remake, we will tell you who Nemesis is and how to behave during a confrontation with this large monster - fight or run away. This is one of the most important elements of RE3 because Nemesis preys on S.T.A.R.S. members almost throughout the entire game and thus makes it difficult to have normal gameplay.
- Who is Nemesis?
- When does Nemesis appear?
- What attacks and weapons does Nemesis have?
- Fight Nemesis or run?
- How to attack Nemesis?
- Is Nemesis a greater threat than Mr. X?
- Does Nemesis appear in save rooms?
- Can Nemesis go through doors?
- Can you stop Nemesis from appearing?
- Why does Nemesis look different from the original version of RE3?
- Is it possible to kill Nemesis once and for all?
Who is Nemesis?
Nemesis is the main antagonist of Resident Evil 3 Remake. This is a large-sized mutant and one of the Tyrants - super soldiers created by the Umbrella Corporation in order to acquire the Bio Organic Weapon. Nemesis was "programmed" to hunt members of S.T.A.R.S. (Special Tactics And Rescue Service), which includes e.g. Jill Valentine. Umbrella wants to test Nemesis in combat.
When does Nemesis appear?
There are three main types of situations in which a Nemesis may appear:
Variant 1 - Mandatory escape scenes in predetermined plot moments. During these scenes, Jill cannot engage in a direct fight with Nemesis, and the only solution is to follow the route planned by the developers. Depending on the scene, the escape may be fully or only partially interactive (e.g. just running forward without additional dodges).
Variant 2 - Encounters with Nemesis during the exploration of Raccoon City. Nemesis can, for example, suddenly break through the wall of one of the surrounding buildings. In these cases, you always have a choice - you can attack Nemesis or focus on escaping. Nemesis can stop pursuing Jill if you reach one of the safe rooms with the typewriters, or if you reach a place that allows you to advance further in the plot.
Variant 3 - Mandatory battles with Nemesis. This category can be compared to boss battles - you have to defeat Nemesis to advance the plot. There are four mandatory battles and we have described them in the Nemesis - boss fights chapter. It is worth noting that each fight puts you up against Nemesis' new form. Besides a different appearance, he will also gain new attacks.
It is worth noting that Nemesis only appears when playing as Jill. You are not going to see him in chapters where you play as Carlos. The mercenary faces other powerful monsters like Lickers and Hunters.
What attacks and weapons does Nemesis have?
Nemesis is a very versatile opponent and excels in both close and ranged combat.
Nemesis can use melee attacks to inflict massive damage. You can dodge this attacks but this requires perfect timing.
After you move away from Nemesis, he can "shoot" his tentacles. If they catch Jill, she will be pulled towards the monster. In such a situation, prepare for a quick doddge after the heroine gets up.
Nemesis can outrun Jill. The monster's slow walk is deceptive - he is able to accelerate suddenly when needed. The running Nemesis may get in front of Jill. You have to be ready to react quickly to that and dodge backward. Don't try to run past Nemesis - it is very likely that he will attack the heroine.
Nemesis can infect regular zombies - these enemies will have parasites on their heads. This makes zombies much more dangerous - they are also able to attack from a distance with a single tentacle. Additionally, when Jill is caught, the parasite will try to devour her.
When encountering these types of zombies, it is best to avoid them while keeping the distance or attack an exposed parasite. After the zombie falls over, run up to it and kill the parasite to make it detach from the zombie and die.
After making enough progress in the campaign, Nemesis will get a flamethrower. The best solution is to keep a safe distance from the monster. Otherwise, Jill can be set on fire - she will then lose health points and become an easy target for next attacks. You can hide behind big obstacles to avoid flames. Even if they get set on fire, you shouldn't receive any damage.
Another weapon that Nemesis will get later is a rocket launcher. In this case, avoiding damage is much more difficult - the orange laser beam means that the monster is targeting you, and the red beam means ready to fire the missile. In order to avoid rockets, try to escape by running a slalom and, if necessary, perform side dodges before the rockets hit you.
Nemesis will undergo transformations as the campaign progresses. In the second phase, Nemesis becomes a four-legged beast. He doesn't appear in this form during your exploration of Raccoon City. During the mandatory encounters with this form of Nemesis, Jill must either flee or face him in a boss battle.
Mutated Nemesis may e.g. perform upper limb swings, charges or jumps combined with a ground slam. Dodging and being on the move are the best solutions - more detailed information on combat tactics can be found in the Nemesis - boss fights chapter.
Fight Nemesis or run?
This question applies only to situations in which Nemesis is encountered during free exploration. Attacking Nemesis is recommended in only two cases:
1) you want to force Nemesis to kneel - it will happen after he has been sufficiently weakened. The monster will briefly stop pursuing Jill. You can use this to collect nearby supplies or (a better idea) to focus on getting to a location with the mission's current objective.
2) you want nemesis to drop a case - weakened Nemesis may drop a Supply Case after kneeling. Once you have taken it, you can examine its contents in the inventory. The first Supply Case should contain a unique weapon upgrade. Subsequent cases will contain "only " regular supplies (e.g. ammunition).
In all other cases, running away is the best idea. By escaping, you will save ammunition and medical supplies. If you want to achieve a particular rank, skipping optional fights with Nemesis will also help you to finish the game faster.
How to attack Nemesis?
Attack Nemesis with only powerful weapons - mainly a shotgun and grenade launcher (magnum can only be acquired later in the game). However, we don't recommend using a pistol. Also, don't attack Nemesis when he's blocking your shots with arms. Always wait for him to drop the guard.
Shrapnel grenades can also be used to weaken Nemesis. You don't find them in large numbers, so be careful when throwing them.
In some locations where you fight Nemesis, you can also:
- Shoot explosive barrels - the explosion can deal heavy damage to Nemesis
- Shoot generators - Nemesis can be electrocuted
Is Nemesis a greater threat than Mr. X?
Yes, Nemesis is a much stronger monster than Mr. X from Resident Evil 2. This is primarily due to his versatility - Mr. X could "only" use melee attacks and grapples. Nemesis is also a great threat from a distance.
Another important point that makes Nemesis a very dangerous opponent is that it can move much faster than Mr. X. Thus, running away from Nemesis can be a more difficult task.
Does Nemesis appear in save rooms?
No, Nemesis doesn't enter the save rooms with e.g. typewriters used to save the game. Instead, he can "wait" for Jill outside.
Can Nemesis go through doors?
Yes, Nemesis can go through normal-sized doors. However, he needs to bend and squeeze through it - this will take him some time.
Can you stop Nemesis from appearing?
This isn't possible - being chased by Nemesis is an integral part of the game. There is a chance that the PC version may have mods that deactivate certain encounters with Nemesis, but this will contradict the authors' intentions regarding the gameplay. Resident Evil 3 isn't intended to be a type of game in which the player don't have to worry about their hero's life.
Why does Nemesis look different from the original version of RE3?
This is due to the artistic vision of the creators of the remake. The authors of Resident Evil 3 Remake have decided to change the appearance of some important characters to a lesser or greater extent. The changes weren't done only Nemesis' character model, but also e.g. the two main characters of the game - Jill and Carlos.
Is it possible to kill Nemesis once and for all?
Nemesis can be defeated once and for all only in the final battle - we described it in detail in the Nemesis - boss fights chapter along with other mandatory fights.
During the game, all you can do is slow Nemesis down or "force" him to undergo a transformation.