Part 13

Learn about Small Spiders, Hunter Beta (82-130 HP), and Hunter Gamma in Resident Evil 3: Nemesis. Includes preferred weapons and threat levels.

Small Spiders

Relatively small versions of the Giant Spiders that are most frequently found attached to their parents, ready to jump off and retaliate when attacked. Small Spider attacks do very little damage but can stun your character, potentially setting you up for a follow-up attack from something else (like another Giant Spider).

Small Spiders aren't worth wasting ammo to kill, especially when you can simply walk or run over them to crush them beneath your feet with a sickening (but strangely satisfying) crunch.

Hunter Beta

Threat: High

Health: 82 - 130 HP

Preferred Weapons: Shotgun, Grenade Launcher, Magnum

The next generation of killer human-animal hybrids from the fine folks at Umbrella, the Beta version of the Hunter retains its predecessors' frightening speed and razor-sharp claws, as well as an impressive leap. Hunter Betas have fast swiping attacks and are capable of dodging outside of your line of fire; they can even decapitate characters at Caution health condition or lower for an instant kill, making them a serious threat whenever they appear.

Eliminate Hunters as quickly as possible using strong weapons. The Shotgun and Grenade Launcher can be used, although both of these have the disadvantage of a slower rate of fire, so you may take damage while reloading if the first shot doesn't result in a kill (or at least a knock-down). In contrast, the Magnum is highly effective against Hunters at any range, with a single Magnum round packing enough stopping power to guarantee a clean kill.

Hunter Gamma

Threat: High

Health: 82 - 130 HP

Preferred Weapons: Shotgun, Grenade Launcher, Magnum

Yet another Hunter variant, the frog-like Gammas are a bit weaker than their Beta counterparts, but they make up for this with an even further enhanced jumping ability. Instead of a decapitation attack, the Hunter Gamma can devour characters whole who are at low health. Don't underestimate these creatures and use your bigger guns to kill them quickly.

Nemesis

Threat: Extreme

Health: Varies by encounter

Preferred Weapons: Shotgun, Grenade Launcher, Magnum

By far the game's most persistent foe, Nemesis takes a few different forms as he stalks Jill over the course of the campaign. In his initial state, he appears to be simply another variant of the Tyrant bio-organic weapon (albeit one equipped with a rocket launcher), but he eventually sheds some of his gear and grows several more tentacles after receiving enough damage. His ability to follow the player between rooms at certain points makes Nemesis particularly terrifying and difficult to elude.

In addition to three mandatory boss fights, you can encounter Nemesis several times during the campaign while exploring Raccoon City, giving players the choice of battling or escaping from the monster. Defeating Nemesis during his non-boss encounters can yield some very nice rewards, but keep in mind that he is also a huge damage sponge, so definitely bring your best weapons along.

See section [5.6] for more detailed Nemesis strategies.

Survival Guide

While the Resident Evil series has strayed somewhat from its original "horror" roots with more action-focused titles, RE3 still places a great deal of emphasis on the "survival" component of gameplay. You need to know how to manage not just combat situations, but also limited health and ammo resources. On top of that, there's a relentless B.O.W. (Bio-Organic Weapon) named Nemesis on the loose, and he'll stop at nothing to eliminate all traces of the former S.T.A.R.S. team.

Consumable items aren't quite as scarce as they were in the original RE, but using them sparingly can still greatly improve your odds for surviving the game's tougher encounters. So how do you avoid blowing through your entire stock of ammo, Herbs and First Aid Sprays in the first hour of the campaign?

Avoiding Enemies

It seems obvious, but the most straightforward strategy for supporting item conservation is to simply avoid enemies whenever possible. Enemies in Resident Evil 3 generally can only hurt you if they can touch you (with the notable exception of certain attacks from Nemesis), so just stay away from the hostiles and you won't take damage or waste valuable ammo.

And again, obviously that's easier said than done; you'll often find yourself in situations with little room to maneuver, or too many enemies to avoid. Some enemies also move much faster than others, giving you little time to react. The key here is recognizing the enemy set-ups which merit the use of weapons, versus the set-ups you can just jog through while still avoiding damage.

In wide-open areas, avoiding slow-moving zombies isn't too difficult; however, RE3's world is primarily composed of confined spaces with multiple enemies per room. For example, the campaign's very first playable section consists of a narrow path leading away from Jill's apartment building, which is blocked ahead by a lone zombie.

This is where the "juke" technique comes in:

How to Juke Enemies

1. Approach the lone zombie until it starts moving toward Jill.