Resident Evil 3: Nemesis
Resident Evil 3: Nemesis

Endings & Requirements

Understand the Live Selections and canonical ending of Resident Evil 3: Nemesis. Learn how your choices influence immediate events and character paths.

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Endings & Requirements

Unlike many Resident Evil titles, Resident Evil 3: Nemesis features only one canonical ending. However, the game does offer a series of "Live Selections" throughout Jill's harrowing escape from Raccoon City. These choices, presented at critical junctures, influence immediate events, character interactions, and sometimes even the path you take, but they do not alter the ultimate conclusion of the story. The core narrative of Jill Valentine escaping the city before its destruction remains constant.

While there's no "good" or "bad" ending in the traditional sense, understanding these Live Selections can significantly impact your gameplay experience, including resource management, boss encounters, and even which areas you explore. Below, we detail each Live Selection, its immediate consequences, and any long-term implications.

Live Selection 1: Downtown Encounter with Nemesis

This is your very first encounter with Nemesis after escaping the Warehouse. After Brad Vickers is taken down, Nemesis will confront Jill.

  • Location: Alleyway outside the Warehouse.
  • Prompt: "Nemesis is blocking the alleyway. What will you do?"
  • Choices:
    • "Fight the monster."
      • Action: Jill will draw her weapon and engage Nemesis directly.
      • Consequence: You'll need to damage Nemesis until he retreats or you escape. This can expend valuable ammunition and healing items early in the game. Successfully downing Nemesis often rewards you with weapon parts (e.g., Shotgun Parts A or B).
      • Strategy: If you're confident in your combat skills and have some Grenade Launcher rounds, this can be a good way to get an early upgrade. Otherwise, prepare for a tough fight.
    • "Run into the building."
      • Action: Jill will quickly enter the nearby building (the Sales Office).
      • Consequence: You avoid the immediate fight with Nemesis, conserving resources. Nemesis will likely break through the wall of the Sales Office shortly after, initiating a chase sequence within the building.
      • Strategy: This is generally the safer option for new players or those looking to conserve ammo. You'll still have to deal with Nemesis, but in a more confined space.

Live Selection 2: Raccoon City Police Department (RPD) Courtyard

After navigating the streets and reaching the RPD, Nemesis will make another appearance in the courtyard.

  • Location: RPD Courtyard, near the entrance.
  • Prompt: "Nemesis is here! What will you do?"
  • Choices:
    • "Enter the police station."
      • Action: Jill will attempt to enter the main RPD building.
      • Consequence: Nemesis will pursue you inside, leading to a confrontation within the RPD's main hall. This can be a challenging fight in a relatively open area.
      • Strategy: Be prepared for a direct fight. The main hall offers some space to maneuver, but Nemesis is relentless.
    • "Hide in the alley."
      • Action: Jill will duck into a small alleyway adjacent to the RPD.
      • Consequence: You temporarily evade Nemesis, but he will eventually find you, forcing a fight in the more cramped alley. This can be more difficult due to limited space.
      • Strategy: While it seems like a good idea to hide, the confined space makes dodging Nemesis's attacks harder. Consider this if you're low on health and need a moment to heal before engaging.

Live Selection 3: Clock Tower Bell Puzzle

This choice occurs during your efforts to ring the Clock Tower bell to signal the helicopter.

  • Location: Clock Tower Main Hall, after inserting the three "Clock Tower Key" items.
  • Prompt: "The bell mechanism is jammed. What will you do?"
  • Choices:
    • "Try to fix the mechanism."
      • Action: Jill will attempt to manually repair the bell's mechanism.
      • Consequence: This option leads to a mini-game where you must quickly press buttons to fix the gears. Success means the bell rings, and the helicopter arrives without further delay. Failure may result in Nemesis appearing sooner or taking damage.
      • Strategy: If you're quick with button presses, this is the most direct route to progressing.
    • "Look for another way."
      • Action: Jill will search for an alternative method to ring the bell.
      • Consequence: This typically involves a detour to find a specific item or activate a different part of the mechanism, potentially leading to more enemy encounters or a slightly longer path to the helicopter.
      • Strategy: Choose this if you're struggling with the mini-game or want to explore more of the Clock Tower for items.

Live Selection 4: Hospital Rooftop

After the events in the Hospital, you'll find yourself on the rooftop with Carlos.

  • Location: Hospital Rooftop.
  • Prompt: "Nemesis is approaching! What will we do?"
  • Choices:
    • "Push Nemesis off the roof."
      • Action: Jill and Carlos will attempt to push Nemesis off the rooftop.
      • Consequence: This initiates a quick-time event (QTE) where successful button presses will send Nemesis plummeting. This avoids a prolonged fight on the rooftop.
      • Strategy: A good option to conserve resources if you're confident in your QTE skills.
    • "Jump down to the street."
      • Action: Jill and Carlos will jump from the rooftop to the street below.
      • Consequence: You avoid the immediate confrontation with Nemesis on the roof, but you'll likely face him again shortly after landing, possibly in a less advantageous position.
      • Strategy: Choose this if you prefer to fight Nemesis on ground level or if you fail the QTE for the other option.

Live Selection 5: Disposal Facility

This final Live Selection occurs near the end of the game, as you prepare for the ultimate confrontation with Nemesis.

  • Location: Disposal Facility, near the rail cannon.
  • Prompt: "Nemesis is mutating rapidly. What will you do?"
  • Choices:
    • "Use the rail cannon."
      • Action: Jill will attempt to activate the massive rail cannon to destroy Nemesis.
      • Consequence: This is the intended path to defeat the final form of Nemesis. You'll need to power up the cannon and then fire it at the creature. This is a multi-stage boss fight.
      • Strategy: Focus on evading Nemesis's attacks while activating the cannon. Conserve your strongest weapons for when the cannon is ready.
    • "Fight him with weapons."
      • Action: Jill will attempt to defeat the mutated Nemesis using conventional firearms.
      • Consequence: This is an extremely difficult and resource-intensive option. Nemesis's final form is incredibly resilient, and defeating him solely with your inventory weapons is a monumental challenge. While possible, it's not recommended for a standard playthrough.
      • Strategy: Only attempt this if you have an abundance of powerful ammunition (Magnum, Grenade Launcher) and healing items, and are looking for an extreme challenge.

Regardless of your choices in these Live Selections, the game concludes with Jill's escape from Raccoon City, marking the end of her ordeal. The choices primarily serve to add replayability and vary the path to this singular conclusion.