Resident Evil 3: Nemesis

Resident Evil 3: Nemesis (1999)

Resident Evil 3: Nemesis is the third entry in the survival horror video game series Resident Evil, and the sequel to Resident Evil 2. The game was released for the PlayStation in 1999, and was also ported to Windows, Dreamcast, and GameCube. Set just 24 hours prior to the events of Resident Evil 2, the story follows STARS member Jill Valentine as she tries to survive and escape from Raccoon City in the midst of its zombie outbreak. The titular main villain of the game is the Nemesis-T Type, a powerful and intelligent monster derived from the T-103 Tyrant from the first game, sent by the Umbrella Corporation to hunt down any remaining STARS team members in the city before they can escape and potentially further expose Umbrella's involvement with the outbreak.

Other major characters of Resident Evil 3 include soldiers from the Umbrella Biohazard Countermeasure Service, a private army working under Umbrella, made up of mercenaries contracted from around the world. Originally sent to assist the RPD and evacuate civilians, most of the UBCS team sent into the city were obliterated. Notable surviving members include: Carlos Olivera, Nicholai Ginovaef (whose name is a mistranslated form of Nikolai Zinoviev), and Mikhail Victor, aswell as some other minor survivors, most of which do not last too long.

A remake of Resident Evil 3, in the same vein as the 2019 Resident Evil 2 remake, was released in 2020.

The following weapons appear in the video game Resident Evil 3: Nemesis:

Pistols

Beretta 92FS "Samurai Edge"

Jill's main weapon is a custom Beretta 92FS Brigadier made especially for S.T.A.R.S. members, which she has retained even after she resigned from the RPD. The gun features custom grips with the S.T.A.R.S. emblem, a marked slide, a stainless steel barrel, and some other minor modifications. The game refers to the gun as the "M92F Custom". This is the first time the Samurai Edge was introduced into the franchise, and it would later become an icon associated with S.T.A.R.S., Resident Evil in general, and throughout video game culture.

The in-game document "Fax From Kendo Gun Shop", found on the fax machine in the S.T.A.R.S. office in the Raccoon Police Station, provides background information on the weapon. Designed by Joe Kendo, brother of Kendo Gun Shop owner Robert Kendo (a character in Resident Evil 2), these custom Berettas are known as the "M92F S.T.A.R.S. Special", with the nickname "Samurai Edge."

Apart from standard 9x19mm rounds, the gun can also fire enhanced handgun rounds that do more damage and will always stagger enemies on hit (which is particularly useful for tough, fast-moving enemies like the Nemesis and Hunters), although at the cost of rate of fire as the greater recoil causes Jill to fire the weapon slower.

Tokyo Marui airsoft replica of Jill Valentine's Beretta 92FS "Samurai Edge" from Resident Evil 3: Nemesis.

92FS, Samurai Edge Kendo Custom as seen in RE3.

Jill fires the Beretta at a zombie behind Bar Black Jack.

STI Edge

The STI Edge is exclusive to Hard mode and is called the "STI Eagle 6.0". It can be obtained by disabling the Nemesis twice, where he'll drop two separate sets of parts to complete the handgun. The weapon uses 9x19mm rounds, has purple checkered grips, and a pistol scope affixed using a frame-mounted rail, with the gun being mentioned as being specifically modified for competition shooting.

Carlos Olivera also starts with the gun as his sidearm in the Mercenaries minigame. The weapon fires and reloads twice as fast as the standard handgun and the scope allows the weapon to randomly inflict critical damage, which will either instantly kill zombified humans and dogs (by decapitating them) or deal increased damage against tougher enemies. However, it cannot use enhanced ammunition.

Interestingly, STI did release a model named Eagle in 2012, although with a 5-inch barrel instead of the game's 6-inch.

STI Edge - .40 S&W

STI Edge as seen in RE3. Note the purple grip and pistol scope.

Jill enters the trolley, STI in hand, to find Mikhail on the floor.

SIG Pro SP 2009

The SIG Pro SP 2009 is used by Nicholai Ginovaef in both the main and Mercenaries mini-game, by Carlos in his segment of the main game, and also used by UBCS Supervisor Tyrell Patrick in the hospital after mistaking Carlos for an enemy, implying its status as the UBCS' standard sidearm. It is called the "Merc's Handgun" in game.

It is functionally identical to Jill's 92FS Samurai Edge pistol with a slightly different firing sound, and can use both standard and enhanced handgun ammo (atleast in Nicholai's case in the minigame). Brad Vickers, the S.T.A.R.S. team's pilot, is also curiously armed with an SP 2009 instead of a Samurai Edge when he is encountered in the bar, as referenced by the dull-grey finish of his sidearm instead of the two-tone black and white finish of the custom handgun. As Jill encounters numerous dead UBCS mercenaries, it's plausible Brad took the one he's using from one of these corpses after losing his own Beretta.

The weapon is anachronistic as the SIG Pro series was introduced in 1999, while the game takes place in September 1998. The gun was however, designed in 1998 and it wouldn't be too far-fetched for Umbrella to make a deal with SIG-Sauer to gain access to their to-be-released lineup in advance. Interestingly enough, there is an unused icon for an alternate handgun that can be found in the game's files, which resembles a SIG-Sauer P228, which implies that Capcom was originally going to give the UBCS more setting-appropriate sidearms before going with the newer SP 2009.

SIG Pro SP 2009 - 9x19mm

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The SIG Pro SP 2009 as seen in RE3.

Tyrell aims his SIG Pro at Carlos in the hospital.

Smith & Wesson Model 629 Classic

A Smith & Wesson Model 629 Classic can be found either in the S.T.A.R.S. Office weapons locker or the locker in the Power Station. The in-game description says the weapon is fitted with weights to reduce recoil, yet the weapon has a heavy recoil anyway. This is Mikhail's primary sidearm in the Mercenaries bonus game.

As the magnum-type handgun in the game, its the most powerful non-explosive weapon available, capable of killing non-boss enemies with a single direct hit and is also capable of dismemberment. Ammunition for it, however, is exceedingly limited (there are only two ammo pickups in the entire game, one from the corpse of a dead mercenary in the park and the last one is at the final phase of the dead factory) and hard to make (it requires a C+C+C gunpowder mixture). While its slightly weaker than the grenade launcher using flame or freeze rounds, the magnum has the benefit of being a powerful hitscan weapon, which makes it very difficult for the Nemesis to dodge frontal shots.

Smith & Wesson Model 629 Classic with wood grips - .44 Magnum

S&W 629 Classic as seen in RE3.

You want STARS? I'll give you STARS!
The 629 in all of its pixelated glory.

Browning Hi-Power

The Browning Hi-Power is still depicted as the main duty sidearm of the RPD, as seen during the RPD's last stand in the opening cutscene; this is a continuity nod to Resident Evil 2, which confusingly takes place after the events of the first part of the game. As Jill is a member of the elite STARS unit, she is equipped with her custom Beretta 92FS instead, so the Hi Power is not usable in-game.

Browning Hi-Power Mark III - 9x19mm

An RPD patrol officer takes aim with his Browning Hi Power at an approaching horde of zombies, while his partner readies their car's shotgun.

Shotguns

Remington 870

Two variants of the Remington 870 are seen in the opening FMV cutscene, the police folder and the synthetic full-stocked variant with a Surefire dedicated forend weapon light. All patrol cars seem to have the folding stock variant equipped, while RPD SWAT (the successor to the devastated STARS, which had been dissolved by Chief Irons following the mansion incident) carries the fixed stock version. In reality, this seems backward, as the folding stock would be much more useful to the close-quarters riot police normally encounter, while the fixed stock would be more practical for armed standoffs.

Remington 870 Police Magnum with stock folded and extended magazine tube - 12 gauge

Remington 870 with Surefire dedicated forend weaponlight - 12 gauge

An RPD patrol officer fires his police-folding Remington 870 with the stock folded; this appears to be accepted doctrine for the RPD as none are ever shown the stock unfolded.

A SWAT officer fires the fixed-stock 870 alongside another patrol cop. He seems to be having a hard time opening fire on what appear to be unarmed civilians, as evidenced by his averted eyes.

Benelli M3 Super 90

A Benelli M3 Super 90 shotgun with a wooden pistol grip and pump can be found inside the zombie-ridden basement in the uptown alleyway, early in the game. Its also one of the weapons of Mikhail during the Mercenaries minigame. The weapon is reasonably powerful at close range due to it's high damage and wide spread, plus is able to reliably stagger or knockdown non-boss enemies to allow some breathing room.

It can fire modified shells for increased firepower. The modified shells are so powerful, however, that Jill is slightly pushed back a bit after firing a shot.

Benelli M3 Super 90 with pistol grip stock combination - 12 gauge

M3 Super 90 as seen in RE3.

Winchester 1892 "Mare's Leg"

The Winchester 1892 "Mare's Leg" is exclusive to Hard Mode and is incorrectly called the "M37 Western Custom". The weapon can be obtained after disabling the Nemesis 5 times, where he'll drop two sets of parts to complete the weapon. Its incorrectly depicted as being a 12 gauge shotgun like a Winchester Model 1887. It cannot use the modified shells, does slightly less damage and has one shell less than the Super 90. But has a faster rate of fire, quicker reload time, and wider shot-spread due to the shorter barrel, making it more effective at clearing rooms of non-boss enemies.

Jill "flip-cocks" the lever mechanism with one hand; unlike most videogames, the lever loop at least appears to have been widened on the inventory icon to accommodate this.

Winchester 1892 "Mare's Leg" w/ D lever loop and rounded barrel - .44-40.

"Western Custom M37" as seen in RE3.

Submachine Guns

Heckler & Koch MP5A3

The MP5A3 with a Navy trigger group is depicted as the main duty weapon of the RPD SWAT. Although the models are somewhat low detailed, they have Navy fire-selector levers but lack the pictogram markings. Several weapons are seen during the RPD's last stand, although none are available in-game.

Heckler & Koch MP5A3 with Navy trigger group - 9x19mm

A mismatched line of RPD forces, apparently the only surviving police in the city, attempt to hold the line against a horde of undead in the game's first cutscene. A Browning Hi-Power and Remington 870 are seen in the hands of the two patrol officers taking cover nearby.

A SWAT officer fires his MP5 on full auto into an approaching crowd of infected.

Another shot of the first screen shot.

Assault Rifles

Colt M4A1 Carbine

Jill starts with a customized M4A1 Carbine in her inventory on easy mode. In hard mode, it can only be obtained after 7 consecutive item drops by the Nemesis (this means that the Nemesis must have dropped every supply case up until the Dead Factory chapter.), if the main game hasn't been completed yet. Alternatively, an M4A1 with infinite ammo can be obtained by buying it using cash accumulated from completing the Mercenaries minigame. In-game it is equipped with a vertical grip, a bipod, a rear backup sight, and an early model red dot sight that appears to be based on the early long tube red dot sights. It's ammo is called "Assault Rifle bullets". Extra ammo is only available for it on Easy Mode, though.

It is erroneously depicted with both a three-round burst and a fully automatic option; M4A1s only have Safe-Semi-Full Auto trigger groups, although a possible explanation for this is that the shooter is firing "manually" in short bursts instead. The gun is fired from the hip if set to auto-mode and fired from the shoulder if set to the "manual" 3-round burst mode. Much like the MAC-11 from the previous game, its ammunition is listed in percentage and each percent is equal to 3 rounds, so a full 100% magazine is 300 rounds, a tad bit more than the 30 it can hold.

Carlos is armed with an M4A1 in both his playable sequences in the main game and the Mercenaries minigame. Mikhail is also equipped with an M4A1 carbine in the main game and depending on events he uses it to kill off both zombies and distract the Nemesis. It is also used by the majority of U.B.C.S. members, none of whom have any aftermarket attachments or any idea what the weapon's sights are for, since literally not one of them decides to fire the gun from the shoulder while shooting.

A curious note about the M4 is that despite it using a rifle cartridge, one which would be comparable in power to the .44 Magnum, the M4 is quite weak, requiring around 8 rounds to dispatch a normal zombie while the 92FS only requires around 4-5 shots and the magnum is capable of taking out everything but boss-type enemies in a single shot. This is likely a balancing measure in response to the percentage-based ammo system automatic weapons used in Resident Evil games before 4, as these weapons are primarily designed to deal sustained damage against groups of enemies.

Interesting to note, all M4s in CGI cutscenes equipped by U.B.C.S. are seen with the older thinner ribbed handguards (rather than the M4's double heatshield handguards) and no modifications, most notably reflected when Mikhail Victor fires it at Nemesis on the trolley; the two M4A1s in in-game scene and CGI scene are quite different, even though they must be the same one. The vertical foregrip and bipod seem to be attached via a rail bolted to the lower handguard as the rest of it resembles the standard ribbed handguard and not the KAC RIS handguard.

Colt M4A1 Carbine - 5.56x45mm

Two UBCS Mercenaries attempt to clear the apparently deserted hospital in the game's opening cinematic. This scene also occurs in Operation Raccoon City, where it is revealed they belonged to Nicholai's squad and were abandoned by their NCO to their deaths.

Another pair of mercenaries explores an alleyway, only to have a hastily constructed barricade give way to more zombies.

Both mercenaries are forced out of frame...

... and only manage to fire their rifles into the air at nothing.

A solitary mercenary near the end of the extended opening cutscene is cornered by more zombies, and makes the agonizing mistake of not saving his last bullet for himself, or at the very least aiming down his sights to give him a better chance of breaking out of his situation.

Jill aiming the M4A1 from the shoulder in "Manual" mode, as she's menaced by a door.

Not feeling secure enough, she switches to "Auto" mode and aims from the hip.

Mikhail brandishing his M4A1 in the trolley car.

Mikhail looks down at his M4 after it runs dry. Note the excessively slim handguards that appear to be based on those used on older Colt Carbines such as the XM177 and Model 723 rather than the larger double heat shield ones unique to the M4A1.

Colt Law Enforcement Carbine

A Colt Law Enforcement Carbine serves as the inventory icon for the above M4A1.

Colt Law Enforcement Carbine LE6920 - 5.56x45mm

The Colt Law Enforcement Carbine as seen in RE3.

Enlarged image of the Law Enforcement Carbine with its 16" barrel better discernible.

Sniper Rifles

Accuracy International Arctic Warfare

A low-detail Accuracy International Arctic Warfare-type sniper rifle can be seen standing up against machinery in the Incinerator Room, apparently left behind by the deceased Delta Force team Jill finds scattered about the Dead Factory. It is technically the first sniper rifle in the series, though is unusable to the player.

Accuracy International Arctic Warfare - 7.62x51mm NATO

Jill finds an orphaned and frightened Arctic Warfare in the Dead Factory, but is forced to leave it behind as Resident Evil 3 has pre-rendered backgrounds and is, therefore, not sufficiently advanced enough to let her use a sniper rifle. Then again nothing is stopping her from just firing it without bothering to aim with the sight since her next opponent is roughly the size of a tank.

Machine Guns

Minigun

The same three-barreled Gatling Gun from RE2 returns as an unlockable weapon. It can only be obtained by playing the Mercenaries minigame and buying it for $3,000, where it'll be available in the main game with infinite ammo. Its essentially a slightly more powerful and faster M4A1 with a spread effect. The weapon is effective against non-boss enemies due to it's punishing rate of fire and unlimited ammunition, but requires a second to spool up and turning speed when this weapon is readied is heavily reduced.

Minigun as seen in RE3.

Launchers

"Hk-p" (Fictional Grenade Launcher)

A grenade launcher called the "Hk-p" in-game seems to be based on an DefTech 1315 37mm gas gun with the addition of a horizontal foregrip, OD furniture, and the tube and folding grenade sight from M79 grenade launcher. The "Hk-p" is found randomly inside either the locker inside the S.T.A.R.S office or inside a locker in the power plant. Like in most Resident Evil games, it can use many different (and usually fictional) grenades rounds which include: standard (explosive), acid, flame, and nitrogen. According to some sources, the "Hk-p" name refers to its having apparently been developed jointly by Heckler & Koch and Penn Arms, the latter of which is now part of Combined Systems.

DefTech 1315 - 37mm

M79 grenade launcher - 40x46mm

The "Hk-p" in the inventory screen.

Jill blasts a zombie who refuses to practice social distancing.

M202 FLASH

The most powerful single-shot weapon in the game. The M202 FLASH, incorrectly identified as the "M66 Rocket Launcher" (a name seemingly alluding to its 66mm bore) is capable of firing powerful rockets that will kill all non-boss enemies with a single shot, and the Nemesis can be taken down with only two. As is the norm in video games, these are high-explosive rockets, rather than the incendiary rockets that the FLASH actually used. The weapon only has 4 rockets with no spare ammo available, however it is found at a point where there is only one other enemy that merits the use of the rocket launcher, and they are assisted by an even heavier weapon during that fight. The launcher has no elevation animation so it can only be aimed vertically, although through the power of video game magic, the rockets will usually still hit knee-high targets, despite them being too low for the shot to realistically score a hit. The weapon also has a slightly longer draw speed due to it's weight and heavily reduces turning speed (which can be slightly mitigated by using auto-aim, which causes the player to pivot to the next enemy instantly).

A regular non-unlimited rocket launcher can be found in the near the end of the game or an unlimited ammo version can be bought in the Mercenaries bonus game. Mikhail has the same rocket launcher in the Bonus game but this holds 8 rounds as opposed to 4. An unobtainable M202 can also be seen in the Incinerator plant, sitting next to the body of a dead Delta Force operator.

The launcher in the game appears to have been referenced from the prop M202 seen in Commando rather than a real weapon, and has a front pistol grip and MP5-like rear grip. This same design would later be used in the Resident Evil remake.

M202 FLASH - 66mm

Fake M202 FLASH from Commando: note the large rectangular sling loops, less curved corners, and thick rims at the front and rear of the launcher.

M202 FLASH as seen in RE3

A dead US Special Forces operator with an M202 next to him. It cannot be obtained or inspected, probably meaning all rockets for it has been expended, which would probably be a better explanation for all the dead Tyrants nearby.

FIM-92 Stinger

The Nemesis is armed with a rocket launcher based on the FIM-92 Stinger that he uses during certain encounters, which gives him dangerous ranged capabilities as it allows him to snipe at the player at great ranges, though its projectiles can be dodged with either the game's finicky dodge mechanic, shooting him just before he fires a rocket (which causes him to flinch and miss), or ducking to a nearby wall. It is very powerful however and it typically only takes two direct hits to kill even while your status is still Fine. It doesn't help that the Nemesis can launch rockets in quick succession, so he can launch a follow-up shot while you're dazed from the first hit.

The weapon has a limited ammunition count of 6 rockets, which the Nemesis cycles through by "pumping" the weapon over his shoulder after every shot; despite this, there's no clear indication whatsoever as to where the extra rockets he cycles through are stored. After all the rockets are expended, he'll discard it (which also destroys it in the process) and resort to close combat.

As with the FIM-92 Stinger in Resident Evil 2, it is erroneously depicted as simply being a direct fire rocket launcher and lacks the top-mounted tracking antenna. The missiles it launches are smaller than the launcher's length, being roughly similar in size to 83mm rockets. The launcher is also much, much longer than the real-life FIM-92, with a length of over 7 feet, almost as tall as Nemesis. Overall, it appears to be a custom launcher made by Umbrella specifically for his use, as shown in Operation Raccoon City, where he gains access to it via weapon crates.

He loses this weapon after the clock tower encounter, due to sustaining heavy damage.

FIM-92 Stinger with IFF interrogator - 70mm

The Nemesis and his rocket launcher during a cutscene.

The Nemesis in-game with his rocket launcher and angry murder grin on-hand. Note that the launcher is splattered with blood, likely from bashing anyone or anything that got in its way.

Annoyed with Carlos' pinpricks from his M4A1 carbine, the Nemesis decides to swat him away with rocket-propelled force. Here, you see the weapon's projectile mid-flight, which is smaller than what the weapon's size would suggest.

Explosives

AN/M14 Incendiary Grenade

Mikhail uses an AN/M14 incendiary grenade against Nemesis on the trolley.

AN/M14 incendiary grenade. This is a pre-1987 example with the old color scheme (gray body with purple markings), modern examples have a red body with black markings.

Mikhail pulls the pin.

Grenade

In one version of Tyrell Patrick's death, he's seen detonating a grenade in an attempt to kill Nicholai.

Mikhail will also use the same grenade type in a cutscene if the player comes back to the cable car area before getting all the repair components for it, and destroys the explosive barrel in the area. Here, he'll storm out of the car and kill a group of zombies attempting to breach the perimeter, after a second wave appears; he'll throw a grenade their way and kill the rest of them.

Tyrell pulls out the grenade while Nicholai is distracted. While it fails to kill Nicholai (who survived a 40-foot drop somehow after jumping out of a window to escape) it inadvertently saves Carlos' life.

Bomb

In the other version of Tyrell's death, Tyrell opens a booby-trapped safe inside the Raccoon City hospital and gets blown up by what appears to be a brick of C4 attached to an electronic detonator. The same explosives can be seen during Carlos' exit from the hospital, where Nicholai rigged the building with them on a timed detonator to demolish the hospital and bury any potential evidence or survivors located in the building.

Tyrell opens the wrong safe. Surprisingly despite an explosive charge detonating right in front of his face, his body is still more-or-less intact.

Fictional Weapons

"Mine Thrower"

The Mine Thrower is an fictional break-action, cylinder-fed weapon created by Umbrella that is designed to fire Anti-Personnel SMART mines darts which explode after a short delay or when a creatures comes close to them (or embedded into the creature itself). The explosion however, damages everyone in range, including the shooter. The weapon can be found in the clock tower lobby next to the body of a dead UBCS merc.

If the weapon is given infinite ammo by either the mercenaries minigame or Nemesis' last item drop; the mines will stop acting like mines and instead be miniature seeker missiles that home into enemies and also penetrate through multiple ones, whilst retaining their damage even without detonating. Of note, the Mine Thrower is the only weapon that has no reload animation, despite having spare ammo for it. Even if one has extra mine thrower darts in their inventory, Jill will not automatically reload an empty mine thrower. It must be manually reloaded using the inventory to fire again. However this is likely due to the standard minethrower's feature where reloading will cause all active mines to be deactivated.

Mine Thrower

Rail cannon

An experimental rail cannon, codenamed "The Demon Sword of Paracelsus", was used by a US Special Forces team deployed into Raccoon City, for use against any giant BOWs they might encounter in the Incinerator Plant. The weapon is about the size of an APC , and is fed by generators located inside the plant. How exactly they used it against mobile BOWs in an indoor environment is a mystery, but apparently they somehow managed given the amount of T-103 Tyrant corpses in the room (even managing to kill a heavily-mutated Tyrant with his power limiter coat removed).

The weapon is used in the final battle against the Nemesis, who's mutations have turned him into a tank-sized Lovecraftian monstrosity who has grown heavily resistant to small-arms fire. Jill must power up the gun by installing batteries inside the generators, then baiting the Nemesis into getting into the rail cannon's line of fire. Three direct hits from the cannon will kill him, but shooting at the Nemesis helps in lowering the amount of shots needed to kill him, to a minimum of one.

The rail cannon charging up to fire a shot. There is a corpse of a T-103 Tyrant below it, which makes us wonder if someone just got fed up and dropped the weapon on top of it.