Never one to break with tradition, Capcom has made sure to pack Resident Evil 3‘s remake with a number of weapons for players to wield in the campaign. As you’d expect, every single one of these (with the exception of the handgun) is an optional upgrade that, should those looking for a more challenging survival horror experience so wish, can be ignored.
It is possible, in fact, to complete the entire campaign using nothing but Jill’s trusty knife, though for the sake of your sanity, we’d recommend taking all the extra firepower you can get your hands on in the initial playthrough. The shotgun and grenade launcher can both be acquired relatively early on in the story but you’ll need to be patient in order to get your hands on the game’s most powerful zombie-killing firearm, the magnum.
Beware that spoilers follow from here on out.
In order to get the all-powerful hand cannon, you’ll need to have defeated Nemesis’ second form and moved on to the hospital. Here, Jill will be out of action due to being infected by the monster and the player will be tasked with securing a vaccine as Carlos. Make your way through the hospital – paying particular attention to a crawlspace on the second floor that the well-built mercenary is unable to fit through – and get the T-Virus cure.
Once you’ve regained control of Jill, backtrack to the hospital’s central courtyard and head upstairs to the aforementioned crawlspace. Owing to her more slender frame, she’s able to fit through the narrow gap and will emerge on what appears to be a dead-end on the other side. Instead of going back the way you came, jump through the broken window on the left into the courtyard and do a 180. On the floor will be a supply cache with the magnum inside.
Besides being a useful tool against the upcoming boss fight against Nemesis, the magnum is the only weapon able to permanently kill Resident Evil 3‘s so-called Pale Head zombies, so use the ammo wisely.
