I absolutely loved the first Resident Evil. The designers had clearly put a tremendous amount of effort into the story, the artwork, the creepy sound and music scheme, and the gameplay. It was scary, exciting, and lots of fun. The only drawback was the silly and arbitrary puzzles that got in the way of fighting monsters.

The second game was a real disappointment. It was just more of the same. The art and sound were still first rate, but the puzzles were even sillier and more arbitrary.

My problems with the second game left me wary about the third. I am very pleased to say, however, that Resident Evil 3 Nemesis is even better than the first one, and is by far the best of the series. The maps are huge, the monsters are tough, there are fewer of the silly puzzles, and the game play has been subtly improved. You finally get out of the buildings and can explore some of the city. The game still directs you to where you need to be, but it gives the impression that you have much greater freedom of movement.

If you've played any of these games then you know exactly what to expect here, but they've improved the good parts and made the annoying parts less annoying. The changes are evolutionary rather than revolutionary, but they all serve to make a good thing better.

If $50 is too pricey for your budget, pick up a copy of the original Resident Evil. You can get it for about $10 and it's still a fantastic game. If you haven't played the second version, don't bother.

NOTE: THIS GAME IS NOT FOR KIDS. It's gory, violent, and pretty scary. Adults will enjoy it don't even consider it for anyone under 16.



Recommended: Yes