Resident Evil 3 (2020 Remake): Complete Guide

A complete guide to the 2020 remake of Resident Evil 3: surviving Nemesis, perfect dodges, resource management, a campaign route outline, collectibles, the points shop, and how to clear Nightmare and Inferno.

Researched September 2026 — current as of the post-June 2022 PC build (ray tracing update, with Capcom's DX11 legacy branch still available). Live games change; check the linked sources if something differs.

Series context: Resident Evil Requiem launched on 27 February 2026 and goes back to the Raccoon City incident, so RE2 and RE3 are the recommended catch-up. RE3 still goes on sale regularly (for example the Capcom SGF Sale in June 2026). Resident Evil Veronica, a Code Veronica remake set three months after RE3, is announced for 2027.

Quick Start

• Dodge is your most important skill. Timed right, a dodge becomes a Perfect Dodge: time slows and Jill's aim snaps to the enemy's head for a free, powerful shot. Carlos has a shoulder-charge counter in place of the dodge.
• You don't have to fight Nemesis in the chase sections. Running is usually best. If you do knock him down, he drops a supply case with useful items.
• Shoot legs, not heads, when you're swarmed. Downing zombies at the knees buys time to walk past. Save heavy ammo for the big threats.
• Burn and blow up the environment. Red barrels, generators and electrical boxes kill groups and are great against Nemesis.
• Mix gunpowder, don't hoard it. Crafting turns gunpowder into ammo. Make the ammo type you actually need right now.
• Pick up every Hip Pouch. Each one expands your inventory. Search every corner for them.
• Shoot the Mr. Charlie bobbleheads. There are 20, and destroying them fills out a record for the shop.
• Play Standard first, then unlock the shop. Completing in-game Records earns Points you spend in the shop on unlockables that make Nightmare and Inferno manageable.
• The game is short. A first run takes a few hours. It's built for replays, so do a relaxed first run and a fast, optimised second.

Core Mechanics

Difficulty modes

Mode | Unlock | What changes

Assisted | Default | Auto-aim assist, health regen, more ammo

Standard | Default | The intended experience

Hardcore | Default | Tougher enemies, fewer resources

Nightmare | Clear Hardcore | No autosaves, tougher enemies, rearranged items and changed encounters

Inferno | Clear Nightmare | Nightmare taken further; enemies hit extremely hard

Combat basics

• Jill's Perfect Dodge: dodge just as an attack connects. It works on zombies, Hunters and Nemesis. On higher difficulties you'll live and die by it.
• Carlos's counter: Carlos punches or shoulder-charges at the right moment in place of dodging.
• Stagger: most enemies stagger from a shotgun blast or a knee shot. Walk past a staggered zombie instead of spending three more shells.
• Knife: unbreakable in this remake. Use it on downed zombies, crates and to save ammo. Don't use it against a standing enemy.
• Grenades: hand grenades kill groups; flash grenades stun and can free you from grabs.

Weapons (Jill)

Weapon | Role

G19 Handgun | Main workhorse; upgrade parts improve it

M3 Shotgun | Close range and stagger; attachments improve fire rate and capacity

CQBR Assault Rifle | High damage over time; excellent against Nemesis and Hunters

MGL Grenade Launcher | Explosive, acid and flame rounds. Top-tier against Nemesis

Lightning Hawk | Magnum. Save it for bosses

Unlockables | Infinite Rocket Launcher, RAI-DEN, Infinite MUP Handgun, Infinite CQBR (via the shop)

Ammo and crafting

• Gunpowder types combine into different ammo. The combinations are listed in-game, so check the recipe file you pick up early.
• Explosive-type powders make grenade launcher rounds, the most valuable ammo in the game. Save them for Nemesis and Hunters.
• Healing: Green Herbs, Red Herbs (mix with Green), First Aid Sprays. Mixed herbs are more efficient than single ones.

Campaign Route Outline

These are the major sections, roughly in story order. Jill and Carlos take turns (Carlos also gets short stretches later in the hospital and NEST 2), and the exact handover points are best seen for yourself.

Section | Character | Key moments

Jill's apartment (prologue) | Jill | First Nemesis encounter, escape into the city

Downtown Raccoon City | Jill | Open hub: substation, subway access, safe rooms, first Nemesis chases. Loot as much as you can

Nemesis, first boss | Jill | Rooftop fight. Use the environment and keep moving

Subway and the sewers | Jill | New creature types underground, including Drain Deimos (insects that pin and poison you); keep a Green Herb ready

Raccoon City Police Department | Carlos | Carlos explores a familiar RPD, about a day before Leon and Claire arrive in RE2

The train and the clock tower plaza | Jill | The subway train is derailed; place the jewels in the clock tower monument (Power Stones achievement), then Nemesis's mutated second form. Grenade launcher rounds are your friends

Spencer Memorial Hospital | Carlos | Defend the hospital from Hunters; the vaccine storyline

NEST 2 (Umbrella lab) | Jill | Hunters, security puzzles, final push

Final Nemesis form | Jill | Arena fight that uses a large weapon on-site. Destroy the weak points to make openings

Collectibles and missables

• Mr. Charlie bobbleheads (20): shoot them. They're scattered through every area, including sections you can't revisit, so if you miss them go back via a replay.
• Files: lore plus recipe notes. Some areas lock after story transitions.
• Hip Pouches: permanent inventory upgrades. Missing them makes later sections much tighter.
• Weapon upgrade parts: easy to miss in side rooms and locked lockers. Jill's Lock Pick and Bolt Cutters open many of them.
• Nemesis supply cases: knocking Nemesis down in the chase sections drops a case. Some contain weapon parts.

The Shop and Records

Records are in-game challenges (kills, collectibles, clear times, difficulties). Each completed Record gives Points. The Extras shop sells:

• Infinite weapons: Infinite Rocket Launcher, Infinite MUP Handgun, Infinite CQBR Assault Rifle, RAI-DEN.
• Coins: Iron Defense Coin (less damage taken), Assault Coin (more damage dealt), Recovery Coin (health slowly regenerates). They take inventory slots, so stack them only where it makes sense.
• Other items: the S.T.A.R.S. Field Combat Manual and other support items.
• Concept art and figures.

Suggested unlock order: coins first (they make Nightmare and Inferno bearable), then an infinite weapon for a fun or speedrun replay.

Clearing Nightmare and Inferno

• Nemesis becomes more aggressive and enemy placement changes. Downtown in particular has more dangerous zombies in new spots.
• Autosave is off. Use typewriters deliberately. Save before every boss and before long Downtown loops.
• Carry the Iron Defense Coin and Recovery Coin for survivability, plus the Assault Coin if you have space.
• Practise the Perfect Dodge on Standard until it's instinct. Inferno damage makes one mistake fatal.
• Route your items. On Nightmare, key items and weapons move around, so follow a Nightmare-specific route or you'll waste inventory space.
• Save explosive rounds for the final Nemesis forms. Handgun and shotgun handle everything else.

Achievement Tips

Achievement | Requirement (Steam) | Tip

Sprinter | Complete the game in under 2 hours of play time | Do it on Assisted with an infinite weapon from the shop

Minimalist | Complete the game without opening the item box | Plan a lean route; combine with Sprinter on a later run

I Might Need These Later! | Complete the game using 1 or fewer recovery items | Coins from the shop and Perfect Dodges make this manageable

RE: Master of Unlocking | Unlock all safes, lockers, strongboxes and pickable locks | Keep the Lock Pick and Bolt Cutters in mind every time you pass a locked container

Electric Slide | Gather all the fuses in the warehouse within 5 minutes | Learn the route once, then reload and run it

Kendo's Armory | Collect all weapons in the campaign | Weapons are easy to miss in side rooms; check a map

Power Stones | Place all jewels in the clock tower monument | Jewels come from earlier areas, so grab them as you go

Sensational Work! | Complete the game with an S rank | Fast clear time and few saves; route it after you know the game

Bookworm | Read all story files | Some files lock behind story transitions

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Fighting Nemesis during chase sections on Standard or below. Running costs no ammo.
• Wasting shotgun shells on lone zombies. Knee shots and walking around them usually do the job.
• Ignoring the Drain Deimos. Their infection (poison) builds up quickly. Treat it with herbs.
• Skipping side rooms in Downtown. That's where most Hip Pouches, upgrades and Charlies are.
• Carrying every gun. Inventory space is precious. Store what you don't need in item boxes.
• Hoarding healing until you're in the red. Heal before big fights, not in the middle of them.

Advanced Tips

• Perfect Dodge into a headshot is a free critical in most encounters. Aim for rhythm, not reflexes.
• Chain the environment. Lure groups toward red barrels and generators, then fire once.
• Take Nemesis down for loot once you're comfortable. His supply cases are worth it, especially early in a run.
• Speedrun thinking: skip unnecessary fights, grab key items first, save sparingly. S-rank and fast-clear Records reward efficient routes.
• Rotate the coins. Swap them in the item box depending on the upcoming section (defence for bosses, attack for Hunters).
• DX11 fallback on PC: if the post-2022 ray tracing build runs worse on your hardware or breaks mods, Capcom's DX11 legacy branch is available in Steam's Betas tab.

FAQ

Is RE3 Remake shorter than RE2 Remake? Yes. A first run takes a few hours. Replay value comes from Records, the shop and the higher difficulties.

How many Mr. Charlie bobbleheads are there? 20. Shooting them all counts toward Records and the shop.

How do I unlock Nightmare and Inferno? Clear Hardcore to unlock Nightmare, then clear Nightmare to unlock Inferno.

Does RE3 include Resident Evil Resistance? Yes. The Steam version includes the 1 vs 4 multiplayer game Resident Evil Resistance, which depends on Capcom's online servers. Check its current status before buying for multiplayer.

Which difficulty should I start on? Standard for most players. Assisted if you're new to Resident Evil or want to follow the story.

Why did my mods break after an update? The June 2022 next-gen update changed the PC build. Use the DX11 legacy branch in Steam Betas if your mods need it.

Should I play RE2 first? It's recommended. The two stories overlap, and Carlos's RPD section lands better once you know the station from RE2.

Sources

• Steam store: Resident Evil 3
• Steam news: Resident Evil Requiem out now (27 Feb 2026)
• Steam news: Capcom SGF Sale (June 2026)
• Steam news: Resident Evil Veronica announced for 2027
• Steam achievements list: Resident Evil 3
• Wikipedia: Resident Evil 3 (2020 video game)