for Sony Playstation

Distributed by
Eidos Interactive

Price: £39.99

Players: 1

Resident Evil 3 is the third in the popular survival-horror series but, unconventionally, does not follow the chronological order of most sequels as it takes place a month-and-a-half after the first game and just 24 hours before the second.

In the first game, the S.T.A.R.S. members Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine battled to find out what lurked behind the cause of the zombie-infested town of Raccoon City. It seemed the task was complete when they eradicated the deadly T-Virus.

In the second, they realised things couldn't be further from the truth as the Umbrella Corporation manufactured the G-Virus and those caught up in the diseased city that time were Chris' sister Claire and Leon, a cop on his first day in the job patrolling the town.

For game 3, the T-Virus is back and this time it's mutated into the deadly Nemesis. As you go about your business, solving puzzles, finding keys, combinations and special weapons, not to mention trying to stay alive as fear lurks around every corner, your heart will jump into your mouth when the big guy makes an appearance!

There are a few nice additions to this third installment. Firstly it's very cool to kill zombies by firing nonchalantly at an oil drum, watching it explode in their faces! Also, by pressing the required buttons when faced with danger you can escape from or dodge the enemy. Top of the pile though, comes the 180^o turnaround move which provides the quickest escape from anything.

Not everything is the same every time in this game though this time round, since further playing will result in zombies, objects and herbs, etc. appearing in different places.

There's also the Live Selection mode. A few times during the game you'll come across a life-threatening situation. You have to make a choice quickly otherwise you'll be placed in a more dangerous situation. However, the first one, fight Nemesis or enter Police Station, makes no difference whether you stick around and steal soon-to-be-dead Brad's S.T.A.R.S. card after the big man makes mincemeat of him, or run inside because your own is lying around somewhere. That said, I haven't got a chance in hell of killing Nemesis off. If you're unsure who he is, he's the ugly spud at the top of this review and shouts "S.T.A.R.S." a lot.

It's also possible to go Mixing Ammo, creating extra handgun bullets, shotgun bullets and even Grenade Bullets and as if that wasn't enough the concept of Partner Characters allows you to swap bodies and play as the other, but if the partner dies in this scenario the game will end.

If you're worried about how much ammo you get initially, it is limited if you choose a hard game - and you only get a handgun - but the easy game provides you with an Assault Rifle with stacks of ammo and infinite ink ribbons (woohoo!)

Don't forget to check any dead bodies you find lying around as they may contain a surprise or two. It's also fun to use the tried and tested technique of using your shotgun to take out more than one at a time in close range by lining them up - and aiming up - to blow their heads off with a single shot. For added entertainment, watch their bodies twitch when they're dead!

There are two main characters you'll meet in this game :

Jill Valentine

Jill is a member of S.T.A.R.S. (Special Tactics and Rescue Service) a special taskforce in the Raccoon City Police Dept. She is a specialist in disarming explosive traps. With her experience training in the U.S. Delta Force, she is one of the survivors of the original incident that occured in the Arclay Mountains.

Cheerful and independent, Jill has a strong sense of justice. Though she has a healthy emotional side, she is a talented woman with strong will and excellent judgement.

Carlos Oliveira

Carlos is from South America. His exact nationality is unknown but he carries Indian blood. He is a U.B.C.S. (Umbrella Biohazard Countermeasure Service) soldier, in charge of heavy firearms, security and mission back-up. He is also responsible for weapons maintenance. At first sight he may appear inexperienced and immature. He is actually warm-hearted with a strong sense of right and wrong.

Graphics, Sound and Playability