The Resident Evil series has admittedly had its ups and downs throughout its renowned history. With a whopping number of over 25 games (and counting), fans have watched as it was molded and mutated into a variety of different outcomes. With the Resident Evil 7 “Not a Hero” DLC around the corner, and the Resident Evil: Revelations remaster recently hitting PS4, I wanted to discuss the gems of this franchise — the games that I believe are the bloody best of the entire series.
10. Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles
The Darkside Chronicles isn’t considered the main game of the series’ canon; it’s an on-rails shooter that takes you back through the dark and creepy Resident Evil 2 and Code Veronica, hitting you hard with a nostalgia trip. What The Darkside Chronicles did, to many gamers’ surprise, was bring back Jack Krauser with fan-favorite Leon Kennedy. They blast their way through a thrilling, never-before-seen mission called “Operation Javier.” The game was packed with content that any Resident Evil fan could easily enjoy.
9. Resident Evil 5
Despite what many critics said about Resident Evil 5, there is still plenty to love about this particular game. Capcom must have been pretty damn nervous after the major success of Resident Evil 4 and all the greatness that it bestowed upon gamers. It’s hard to follow up a damn near perfect game. Capcom made a bold decision to try and bring the franchise to the action genre. While the scare factor was nearly gone, the gunplay had never been this intense.
8. Resident Evil: Zero
Resident Evil: Zero was released exclusively on the GameCube in 2002 and stayed true to the survival horror genre. I’ll never forget the beginning of the game that took place on a train, making me feel dangerously claustrophobic and uneasy about my every move; you never knew what was lurking around each corridor. Classic Resident Evil games give such an eerie feeling that other games in the horror genre aren’t able to match. Whether it was the zombies trying to eat you or the iconic fixed camera trying to kill you, the game always had you on your toes.
7. Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
A quote from our sister site, Destructoid: “Production-wise, this (Resident Evil 7) is the best Capcom’s ever done, with believable performances (wait ’til you see the Baker’s son. Something about him is so freakishly real to me) and wonderfully creepy audio design. With or without VR, Capcom nailed the pulse-pounding atmosphere and I am finally legitimately excited to see what it’s going to do next.”
6. Resident Evil 3: Nemesis
Resident Evil 3: Nemesis brought you back to Raccoon City, the setting in which Resident Evil 2 occurred. This time around, you played as Jill Valentine during her fight to escape the city that is on the brink of a nuclear attack. Nemesis, the primary antagonist of the story, terrorized Jill the entire way until she reached a safe haven. When the frightening music began to play, the player knew it was time to run. The spine-shivering feeling when Nemesis arrives is something developers still attempt to recreate today.
5. Resident Evil: Code Veronica X
Resident Evil: Code Veronica was originally released on the Sega Dreamcast. Eighteen months after its release, Capcom decided to bring a slightly enhanced version titled Code Veronica X to the PlayStation 2. Although it was not a numeral titled game, the game was nothing short of a full-fledged Resident Evil title. Its environments were larger and more diverse than any Resident Evil game preceding it. The game also featured beautifully rendered cut scenes that were truly a cinematic experience. The graphics and presentation were remarkable for a game that released in 2001.
4. Resident Evil: Revelations
In a sense, Resident Evil: Revelations was the Resident Evil 6 that fans were hoping for. It’s completely fascinating that Capcom was able to get a game of this caliber on a handheld. Lucky for console gamers, a little over a year after it released on Nintendo 3DS, Capcom brought Revelations to the PS3. And now, the title is launching on PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch at the end of this month. Resident Evil: Revelations meshed together the perfect combination of terror, action, and puzzles — and is hands down one of the best Resident Evil games. If I had to recommend a Resident Evil game for someone who has never played any of them, it would be this one.
3. Resident Evil 2
Resident Evil 2 took what was so great from the original and opened things up on a much grander scale. Goodbye, spooky mansion; hello, zombie-infested city. You played as Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield while they fight their way through hoards of zombies, and solving puzzles along the way. Entering the gritty Raccoon City after the destructive outbreak while being accompanied by a haunting musical score is something that many gamers will never forget.
2. Resident Evil
I’ll admit that the original Resident Evil probably wouldn’t have made it to the number two spot on my list if it weren’t for the remarkable remastered version that originally released on the GameCube in 2002, then later to PlayStation 3. Let’s face it: this game was bad-ass! It took everything from the original and completely revamped it. Not only was the remake the scariest version of the original Resident Evil, but arguably the scariest game in the franchise’s entire history.
1. Resident Evil 4
Resident Evil 4 was the biggest turning point in the franchise. While some gamers say it is where the series started to lose its sense of horror, many thought the new perspective of the camera and the overall scope was something masterful. The enemies varied from creepy to “Holy crap, what the hell is that thing!?” and the bosses were vicious enough to make you buy a night light. You are completely engrossed from beginning to end, from upgrading all your weapons to following the somewhat cheesy storyline. Everything felt great and had a sense of nuance to it. I can babble on about how incredible this game is, but that’s pointless because you already know! And if you don’t, go play it!
There you have it! PC Gaming Enthusiast’s top 10 Resident Evil games! What do you think? Would your list look like this? Would it be wildly different? Let us know in the comments section below!
