Your trip through Raccoon City during Resident Evil 3 can be a tricky one. With hoards of infected and a mutant S.T.A.R.S.-killing Nemesis to battle, a little help goes a long way. Being thrown into the ruble can be difficult, but here are 12 beginner tricks and tips to help you along the way.
1) Use Your Knife on Downed Zombies
Use the new and improved indestructible knife to get in a few extra slashes.
Resident Evil 3’s frail disposable knives have been pulled off the shelves! Resident Evil 3 Remake gives players the experience of an indestructible defense weapon. Starting off the game, both Jill and Carlos already have the knife in their possession. Despite having different descriptions, the two are the same in terms of strength and effectiveness.
With zombies that fall and play dead, it’s worth taking your time making sure they’re not getting up again. Sometimes shooting them in the head a few times just isn’t enough. Give them a handful of slashes with your trusty knife to knock them back without wasting any ammo.
2) Master Jill’s Dodge Ability
Dodging away from enemies is crucial to your survival.
Well technically, it’s everyone’s dodge ability. A new maneuver in the game play allows Jill or Carlos to duck away from hits, or do a dodge roll to flee. When dealing with heavier enemies or boss fights, achieving the “perfect dodge” is key. Dodging right when an enemy begins its attack will open up a Red Dead Redemption-style slow-motion window for you to strike in.
With all of that said, don’t abuse it. Timing a dodge at the wrong time can open yourself up to be hit directly. With multiple enemies around, be careful not to get backed up into a corner or pushed into a difficult place. Also note that the dodge movement is useless against enemies that can one-shot kill you, such as the Hunter Gammas.
3) Pay Attention To The Red Barrels and Circuit Boxes
Use the environment to your advantage.
Throughout Raccoon City, there will be several red colored barrels and electric generator boxes scattered around. To your advantage, these spots will usually be around zombie hoards or high risk areas. Red barrels will explode when shot at, taking down the nearby enemies almost immediately. Generator boxes will electrocute enemies and stun them long enough for you to run away, or reload your weapons. These boxes also recharge, so you can use them multiple times. Both of these will prove to be extremely useful through the game.
4) Getting Into The Ring With Nemesis
This towering mutant can be a tad intimidating at first.
Probably the most daunting thing about the Resident Evil 3 Remake is the behemoth himself, Nemesis. It can be pretty nerve-wracking when he starts stomping around Raccoon City in search of S.T.A.R.S. Agents, especially when he pulls out his shoulder mounted grenade launcher aimed right at your head. Fear not! There are ways to ensure you put your best foot forward against the big man.
If it’s explosive – it’ll be your friend. Stockpile grenades to toss on the run, focusing on when he’s vulnerable for massive effect. Once you get the grenade launcher, things really kick up a notch. All types of ammo are effective, but you’ll really want to have a surplus during boss fights, where you have nowhere to run.
With a seemingly never-ending threat chasing your back, fleeing instead of fighting seems like the best choice when possible. That being said, when knocked down, Nemesis can drop supply crates with important gear inside. Sometimes the risk is worth the reward.
5) Struggle When Grabbed By Enemies
Act fast when you are grabbed by enemies.
This might be a bit obvious, but when you’ve been grabbed by a zombie—and yes, you will be grabbed multiple times—a prompt will flash onscreen. Spam the right button to struggle away, taking considerably less damage. You will still be bitten, but it’s easier on your health gauge to struggle than to do nothing. Conserve your herbs!
6) New and Improved Classics
Dangerous classics from the original Resident Evil 3.
During your trip through Raccoon City, you will come across several classic Resident Evil 3 monsters revamped for 2020. Hunter Gammas are amphibian-human hybrids that can swallow you whole in one swift move. Found in the sewers, Hunters are directly in Jill’s path, with no way around them. To take them down, focus on their open and exposed mouths with explosive rounds in the grenade launcher, or by using shotgun blasts. Make sure to keep your distance!
Hidden away in the substation, Drain Deimos are parasitic creatures that can impose a slow death upon you via infection. Another creature that’s best dealt with by bringing out the grenade launcher, this time with incendiary rounds. However, when you’re facing multiple creatures at once, a shotgun blast will take each down with a single shot, sparing you from a possibly gross attack.
Speaking of said gross attack, Drain Deimos can launch themselves from the ceiling onto your face, and infect you with parasites. Jill will become extremely sick, and you will need to get the parasite out before you run out of time. Do this by simply eating a plain green herb, queuing Jill to throw up, and be good as new.
7) Explore Your Surroundings While You Can
Take your time to look around a bit.
Even with it’s speeding-bullet pacing, there are still benefits to exploring the entirety of Resident Evil 3. With collectibles and resources around every corner, it’s worth scouring every crevasse and alley. Take note of any locked areas or buildings that can come in handy later. Especially in the earlier areas of the game, where Nemesis isn’t as big of a threat as he can be later on.
8) Keep Track of Your Map
Use the detailed map system for your benefit.
To help you with the tidbit above, make sure to keep your eyes on the map. It will prove to be extremely useful throughout Raccoon City. In fact, knowing your location is far from the only benefit. Rooms that have been cleared and stripped of materials turn blue, while red areas still have some sort of resource within them. It could be something small hidden in the corner, or an item for your objective. Either way, make sure to turn all areas blue (when possible) before continuing, just in case you can’t turn back.
9) Look – And Listen – For Charlie Bobble Heads
Bobble head collectibles!
Just like the Mr. Everywhere’s in Resident Evil 7 and Mr. Raccoon’s in RE2, Resident Evil 3 has a bunch of bobble head collectibles throughout the city. There are 20 of them littered around for you to destroy. More often than not, these dolls are extremely well hidden. A casual glance may not be enough to find them. Areas on the map will turn blue, even if a Charlie is still inside. Make sure to check thoroughly, including widows, doorways, and cluttered corners. Also, listen out for a distinct bobble sound that you can hear whenever one of these dolls is around. Check out our Charlie Doll Location Guide for help locating all of the bobble-collectibles.
10) Manage Your Inventory and Be On The Lookout For Hip Pouches
Tiny inventories and RPD Hip Pouches.
With a minuscule 8 inventory slots to start, Jill might be in a bit of a pinch. Resorting to leaving or discarding items should be avoided if possible. It might take a bit of back and forth, but there is a way to manage your inventory without disregarding important resources. Found in every save room is a big storage box to stockpile any extra materials. If you find yourself with a full inventory, stop by and drop off things you can use later.
Still, getting through the game with just 8 inventory spaces would be incredibly hard. There are a total of 6 hip pouches that each increase your storage by 2 slots. Finding a few of these will take some stress out of managing your resources.
11) Combine Your Items Wisely
Remember what materials make what resource.
Continuing on the subject of conserving inventory space is the topic of crafting. Right after a cutscene in the Subway Train, there will be U.B.C.S manuals that will teach you the art of field crafting. Reading up on gunpowder and herbs will give you the ability to combine items to create ammo and more effective healing items. Be on the lookout for regular and high-grade gunpowder, as well as red and green herbs. (Despite being in the Resident Evil 2 Remake, blue herbs do not make an appearance in the latest game).
12) Jill Valentine: Master Lock Picker
A.k.a. Jill Valentine: Professional Badass.
Raccoon City is notorious for being filled to the brim with unconventional containers for items. Including but not limited to breakable boxes, chained up areas, and safes and lockers sealed shut. In alleyways and in buildings, wooden boxes wrapped in yellow tape are waiting to be broken. With one knife slash, you’ll have gunpowder or usually some ammo. Important areas through the city will be shut up in chains. Make sure to retrace your steps after obtaining the bolt cutters, to unlock all the gates.
Unlike in Resident Evil 2, lock picks are no longer collectible materials. Jill will find a lock pick pretty soon off the bat, and it’ll stay with you until it’s no longer needed. Be on the lookout for yellow padlocked doors, lockers, or chests. These will always have something worth your time. Similarly, there are combination safes and lockers that require a code to get into. Within the Police Station, the codes are the same as they were for Claire and Leon. The safes are a little bit harder to find, but they’re worth the work. For help, here’s our guide on all Resident Evil 3 Remake Locker and Safe Locations and Codes.
Did this guide help you? Let us know in the comments below!
Jayden
This article helped a lot! I’m new to the Resident Evil games and franchise and the mechanics of the game. Following the article it helped me improve my gameplay by a lot!