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Resident Evil 3: Hands-On

Add the Dreamcast version of Resident Evil 3: Nemesis to the list of flash-in-the-pan ports, as the Dreamcast version delivers no real enhancements over the original PlayStation game.

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While most of its marquee products have either arrived early to make the PS2 launch or have been pushed back past the holiday season, Capcom plans on filling store shelves with plenty of PlayStation-to-Dreamcast ports of its older games this holiday season. We spent some time with the Dreamcast port of Resident Evil 3: Nemesis and found that while the game certainly has its merits, it pales in comparison to Code Veronica.

The gameplay is exactly the same as that of the PlayStation version of the game, even down to not supporting the analog control stick. The storyline is exactly the same, and the events unfold precisely as they did in the PlayStation version. All the items, weapons, zombies, and other characters are in exactly the same places, and Jill behaves and controls exactly like she did when she was on the PlayStation. There are a few new bonuses, though. For example, the Mercenaries subgame is now selectable at the very beginning of the game, and you can now choose one of eight new costumes for Jill, including one that makes her look amazingly like Regina from Dino Crisis.

The graphics haven't been enhanced much. The prerendered backgrounds look pretty, but the pixelation of the characters and objects in the foreground is even more apparent, thanks to the Dreamcast's high resolution. The animation and frame rate are smooth, but nowhere near as nice as Code Veronica's. From the in-game cinematic sequences to the blocky characters, every aspect of the game's graphics falls short of the Dreamcast's standards. The sound hasn't changed at all, but it's easily one of the better elements of the port.

Actually controlling Jill is somewhat of a chore. The controls aren't as responsive as those in Code Veronica, and some of the objects and doors are difficult to use. After being exposed to the gameplay innovations in games like Code Veronica and Dino Crisis 2, it's somewhat difficult to go back and play a game that's a year old.

Still, the game is being released on the Dreamcast with a discounted price tag, and it would certainly round out a Resident Evil freak's collection nicely. Those who don't own PlayStations and haven't played Nemesis should definitely check it out, but those looking for Code Veronica-quality graphics and tons of hidden goodies might want to skip this one.

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