A new ending for Resident Evil 3 is now available to download for PC players. The Lord of the Necropolis, an expansive mod created by ModDB user Komizo, completely changes the classic survival horror title's closing moments and throws in a bunch of new and altered content for good measure.
Having been in development for some time, Komizo's latest mod is a free-to-download modification of Capcom's original 1999 game and above and beyond what users would think possible of a fan-made project. As it was created using Resident Evil 3's source code, Komizo has been able to wholesale introduce bespoke gameplay mechanics and visual assets, the result being a markedly different experience to the official campaign released more than two decades ago.
As former S.T.A.R.S. member Jill Valentine, players will have access to two new actions in addition to the usual quick-turn and dodge. Step back and side throw maneuvers give Jill considerably more close-quarters options with which to approach combat situations, including against Umbrella's ultimate bioweapon. The monstrous Nemesis has received a few weapon and behavior upgrades of his own, but those are better left unexplained for the element of surprise.
Far and away intended to be the key feature of this unofficial expansion, however, is the inclusion of an aforementioned alternate ending. This conclusion to Jill's escape from Raccoon City plays out in a vastly different manner to what fans will remember and the nightmare won't stop once you've seen the credits roll, either. A New Game+ mode unlocked after the first completion adds replayability via randomized item locations and key progression routes.
While Komizo's creation may be a treat classic Resident Evil 3 fans but it's worth noting that The Lord of the Necropolis is a strictly non-canon affair. That being the case, the outcome of Jill's reimagined campaign should be considered a 'what if?' scenario not required to follow standard game design procedure or chronological conventions.
The continued popularity of third-party mods made for landmark titles such as Resident Evil 3 certainly begs the question of why Capcom has never capitalized on the market with official single-player expansions, especially for last year's remake, which garnered criticism for cutting various portions of the original, most notably the entire clocktower sequence. Conversely, next month's continuation of the mainline series, Resident Evil Village, looks absolutely packed with content with even more likely coming post-launch.
The next chapter in Ethan Winters' story arrives next month, May 7th, with a number of demos scheduled to take place prior to that date. Two of these are exclusive to PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, while the third will be additionally accessible by Xbox One, Series X|S and PC owners.
Resident Evil 3 released for the original PlayStation in 1999.
Source: Komizo/ModDB