The remake of Resident Evil 3: Nemesis is finally here at long last, and it delivers on the punchy action-packed survival horror that the franchise is renowned for in true style, and brings Nemesis to the modern-day in a way that the films failed to.
The beefcake supervillain who yells S.T.A.R.S. more than Simply Red has been overhauled to fit into the triple-A scene, with a trenchcoat so stylish that Mr. X might just turn sides. With that in mind, here are ten things that you may not have known about Jill Valentine’s biggest stalker.
10 He Can’t Break Into Safe Rooms
Contrary to early reports, Nemesis cannot break into safe rooms. The confusion stemmed from the fact that gaming journalists found themselves at the behest of the behemoth in a save room, but not every single save room is a safe one.
There’s distinct music that plays when you’re truly at ease from danger in every Resident Evil, and a few typewriter-locations lack this, which indicates that big-boy Nemesis can crash down the door and give you a tickle: think about how Mr. X can stumble into the main hall of the police station even though you can save there.
9 Like Mr. X, Nemesis Is A Tyrant
The similarities between these two enemies don’t stop at their chase-you-down shenanigans, as the two are of the same species. They are Tyrants, but Nemesis is much stronger because he was infected with a parasite. A problem that Umbrella had with selling the Tyrants to the US military was their lack of intelligence which made them difficult to use on the battlefield.
However, they found that when splicing one of these beefcakes with a parasite that the problem was alleviated somewhat, which is evident by the fact that Nemesis is used as an assassin who can manage to utilize a handy RPG and flamethrower.
8 Nemesis Was Created In Umbrella’s Paris Labs
Jill Valentine might find herself being chased down in the apocalyptic Raccoon City, which is located in America, by Nemesis, but this parasite-infected Tyrant wasn’t conceived in the US of A.
He was actually a product of a branch of Umbrella located in Paris, Europe, who were researching ways to make the Tyrant more viable as a militaristic unit, attempting to overcome the hurdle of degenerative intelligence. They succeeded, and S.T.A.R.S. found themselves at the mercy of a French madman.
7 He Made His Fighting Game Debut In Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3
Whilst Nemesis would fit in with the likes of Mortal Kombat’s denizens more than the happy-go-lucky, bright and colorful world of Marvel, he still ended up as a member of the roster in Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3, despite early reports that he would not be debuting as he was “too gruesome,” but Capcom worked hard to fit him into the rating.
This is because Resident Evil is developed by Capcom, and so it’s only natural that they’d splice a bit of their iconic work into this crossover. He appears in his 1st form with a rocket launcher, and his DLC costume unlocks his 2nd form. He would also appear in the much less acclaimed Marvel Vs. Capcom: Infinite.
6 As Nemesis Mutates, He Loses Intelligence
The Parisian branch of Umbrella may have discovered a means to make the Tyrant more intelligent, even if that intelligence is still less than average for a normal human, but as Nemesis evolves with each attack, they begin to degenerate into a mindless animal.
Nemesis might not die, but each close encounter pushes them to mutate and evolve, whether that’s growing tentacles, enlarging or adapting to acid, which is all thanks to the T-Virus exaggerating the power of the parasite as well as the Tyrant. However, this process deteriorates their mental capabilities.
5 Nemesis Is Named After The Greek Goddess Rhamnousia
There’s an ancient Greek goddess called Rhamnousia or Rhamnusia, the goddess of Rhamnous, which translates to Nemesis - this is where Capcom got the name for their Tyrant.
In Greek mythology, Rhamnous is the goddess of vengeance and retribution, with her name meaning ’enemy’ and so the name Nemesis is both an allusion to this ancient god as well as a pretty on-the-nose indication that they’re the main antagonist.
4 His Design Is A Rejected Concept For Mr. X
What would become Nemesis in the original Resident Evil 3 was actually a rejected concept for Mr. X, the Tyrant you run from in Resident Evil 2. It’s understandable as to why they didn’t run with the design in the prior title, given that Mr. X’s whole shtick is his slow and menacing demeanor that plays more on anxiety than fear of body horror.
In the remake, Mr. X was updated with a new design for his face, but Capcom kept the signature green trenchcoat and hat, which can be shot off for a neat little achievement. Why the Tyrant’s need trenchcoats is another story entirely - is it a fashion statement from Umbrella? Maybe.
3 In The Movies, Nemesis’ Origin Was Changed
Nemesis isn’t a human-turned-monster, at least not in the games. Fans were worried that this would change in the remake, but they kept true to his origins from the original, but the films tried to make him more sympathetic.
Rather than being a mindless monster created by Umbrella with a singular task - hunt down the remnants of S.T.A.R.S. - Nemesis was a human that had been transformed into a beast against their will. They retained the design from the games, but they were given an entirely new backstory.
2 Nemesis Can Be Heard Yelling S.T.A.R.S. In Resident Evil 2: Remake
Both Resident Evil remakes were developed at the same time, and so it’s only fitting that Capcom went back and added some little details to 2 that connected it more to 3. You revisit the prison in 3, arriving before Leon and Claire, and even pop into the gun store, but in 2, you can hear Nemesis’ signature cry.
On top of this, Capcom added a note from Jill in the gun store, making it evident that things were taking place around the same time, in the same area. It was nice to know that we’d be revisiting some familiar places in 3.
1 In The Original Resident Evil 3, Nemesis Kills Brad Vickers
Spoilers ahead for the Resident Evil 3 remake. In the original title, Brad Vickers is killed by Nemesis, or at least that’s one possibility. However, in the remake, this was altered, as Brad found himself bitten during the outbreak in Raccoon City.
He can later be found outside of the prison which is where Carlos can nab a S.T.A.R.S. security card in order to acquire some goodies. Unfortunately, to get this card, you have to put down a zombie Brad - sorry Vickers.
NEXT: 10 Hardest Resident Evil Bosses, Ranked By Difficulty
