POP! Games: Nemesis (Resident Evil)

The Resident Evil series is a huge name in horror, both in and out of gaming circles. It helped push zombies back into the horror mainstream and (initially at least) was a great twist on puzzle-based and action/adventure games.

The movies, though? Well, I liked Apocalypse...

Nonetheless, Nemesis here is one of the big bads in the series, making his debut in 1999’s Resident Evil 3 – which I’ve never actually played, but I’m assured it’s a rad game. Looking impressively disgusting with a Cenobite-meets-paramilitary design, he was an instant hit with fans. Since his debut, he’s been featured in a number of other Capcom games in cameo roles, and also spawned a variety of merchandise. He also appeared in the aforementioned Resident Evil: Apocalypse, though more as a tragic figure than an outright villain.

The sculpting on this figure is excellent. Nemesis’ body is relatively plain, as (in this form at least) he’s pretty much wearing an overcoat, and the only details that are really undersold are the parasite vein things around his neck. They’re still present, but due to the format they’re nowhere near as big as they are on the real character model. His face though – disgusting. I remember his look creeping me out a lot as a teenager, and it’s lost virtually none of its power in the ensuing years. Well done to the sculptor for making him cutesy and totally repellent at the same time. If my wife didn’t like Rat Fink, she’s going to hate Nemesis. Actually, he'd probably be a good base to make a custom Chatterer from Hellraiser, too. 

My main gripe is (perhaps unsurprisingly) to do with the paint. The application is reasonably neat, but I feel like his skintone, teeth and exposed muscle all look a little too light in colour and a little too flat. This could be fixed in any number of ways, but personally I’d go for a wash over the flesh, repainting the exposed muscle a darker red and then adding some gloss to it. Of course, like every other Funko POP I’ve ever dreamed of touching up or repainting, I’m very unlikely to ever do it.

(Also, when purchasing be sure to inspect the bazooka. It’s cast in a much softer plastic, and so it can be a little prone to bending.)

Nemesis is great for fans of the Resident Evil series and for wider horror fans alike. The whole series seems to have been selling quite well in Australia, which bodes well for more Resident Evil POPs in the future – and here’s to hoping we’ll finally get Silent Hill ones soon too.