Despite being too young for it my brothers and I managed to convince our Mum to pick up a Platinum copy of Resident Evil. The staff of Portsmouth HMV really should have stopped it!
Perched on the edge of the bottom bunk in front of our 14″ CRT, we ventured out of the main hall of the Spencer Mansion and encountered our first zombie. We promptly panicked and turned the PS1 off! Fortunately we persevered, and gained a fascination with a franchise that still amazes and frustrates nearly three decades later.
Wikipedia tells me there are currently thirty Resident Games. I’ve now played nineteen of them. It might not be complete, but it is extensive.
Looking forward to your agreement/outrage!
19 – Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City – PS3, 2012
Playing a game six years after release has its pros and cons. Being cheap is handy, but there’s a chance it hasn’t aged well.
‘ORC’ isn’t just a poor RE game. It’s poor full stop. I’m so pleased I didn’t full price.
Slotting into an already very busy part of the timeline with a ‘what if’ vibe, ORC follows a group of barely sketched out stereotypes that I forgot as soon I turned it off. It’s a lazy Left 4 Dead clone with a terrible cover mechanic and even worse aiming.
Could it have been better if I’d played online with other people? Possibly. But the whole thing is so lacklustre. I can’t bring to mind one thing it does well.
18 – Resident Evil Survivor – PS1, 2000
When I was younger I’d lap up anything from the franchise. They could have sold literal dog shit and I’d have tried to put it in the PS1.
So I happily played Survivor, ignoring the fact the controls were a mess and that I couldn’t use my light gun (a severe misjudgement for what equated to a shooting game). Survivor forced the arcade shooter style onto the style of the original games with little thought given to how they’d combine. The story plodded, and even the enemies looked bored.
Survivor is the antithesis of Resident Evil 7; badly designed and poorly thought through.
17 – Resident Evil 6 – Xbox 360, 2012
The culmination of a trilogy initiated by RE4, RE6 occasionally stumbles into feeling a little like the original games. But most of the time it’s a drab, lifeless world of QTEs, boring music, and clunky controls. With 4 and 5 selling so many copies I understand why it got made, but this is not a good game.
Perhaps my expectations were too high, but the story feels at best like a ten year old’s wish list. Chris and Leon finally meeting should have been awesome but falls flat.
New character Nivens comes off best, whilst new character Jake barely registers. The world of RE is made infinitely smaller by the inclusion main character progeny now fighting BOWs.
At least I got to laugh at it a lot via co-op. NIVEEENNNSSS.
16 – Resident Evil 4 – PS2, 2005
I didn’t understand it back in 2005, and I still don’t.
Initially positioned to reflect the resentment I’ve long held toward it for ‘taking Res away from me’, it now stays down here because I’ve played the HD remaster and I flat out don’t like it! Leon was amusing but it all feels so clunky and brown.
There’s no denying the series needed freshening up post Racoon City, and RE4 did feature many panic inducing situations as I climbed up onto rooftops and fumbled for headshots. It may have lost the pre-rendered backgrounds, but it was a far more modern game in looks and controls.
RE4 is not the best game ever made. It doesn’t deserve the accolades. And it holds no nostalgia for me.
15 – Resident Evil 0 – Gamecube, 2002
I still struggle to understand that the RE remake and RE0 arrived only six years after the original Resident Evil.
The prerendered backgrounds always looked great, but the GC titles, and they’re subsequent HD treatment, are beauties. Animated flourishes and extra detail on the character models add to the atmosphere and really bring you in.
From a gameplay point of view you can’t be too harsh. It’s a classic RE tank control game. The zapping mechanic is novel but no game-changer.
The bigger problem is the story. Resident Evil 0 is so boring, failing to make a compelling story from a situation – the fall of STARS Bravo Team – that really could have been great.
14 – Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles – Wii, 2007
The big caveat here is that I played this on the PS4 through PSNow. So the controls, originally designed for Wii Remote, were awkward at best. But Umbrella Chronicles has something that other entries at this end of the list do not. Charm.
Not tonnes of it mind you, but it’s brisk retelling of the RE0, RE1 and RE3 is reasonable. It’s Wesker who really brings it, with a frankly ridiculous voice.
“Zombeyes”.
His overly elaborate enunciation is comical, but does hark back to the B-movie nature of the original game. I can forgive it a lot for that.
13 – Resident Evil – Code: Veronica – PS2, 2001
Capcom got themselves into a right mess with exclusivity and wanting to finish a trilogy on the PS1.
CV is the result of that; named like a side title but with the size and story implications of a full title as it took the first steps away from the original style. The camera tracking Claire across a space was cool, but the game suffered from two main issues.
Firstly, everything looked as though it was made from plastic. Having neither the cruder pixels of the original games or the realism of later entries left it in an odd spot. Then there’s the story. Claire isn’t a huge draw personally, whilst a reanimated and superpowered Wesker forcing enmity with Chris leaves me with mixed feelings.
Then there’s the ultra annoying Steve Burneside, with whining and stupid gold Lugers.
With remakes of 2, 3, and 4 out there now, I’d welcome a remake of CV, though I think it could do with a hefty rejigging.
12 – Resident Evil – Gamecube – 2002
REmake is a gorgeous game. Both in looks and sound. Six years and a more powerful console allowed the creation of a significantly improved game.
However, in their march to improve the game I think they’ve lost some of the magic. And by magic I mean the crap that made the original the B-Movie marvel I’ve always thought it is. The terrible voice acting and amazing intro perfectly matched the level of storytelling.
Now they’ve buffed out all the blemishes they’ve made it so smooth that it’s a bit boring. It’s never going to be a bad game because of it’s origins and looks. Plus it makes some interesting story additions. But for me it doesn’t have the same magic.
11 – Resident Evil: Revelations – Xbox 360, 2012
Initially released as a 3DS game, I first played Revelations when it made the impressive jump to home consoles.
I was elated to see the return of survival, and that we could finally move and shoot simultaneously! It was meant for tension, but it always seemed odd that highly trained individuals couldn’t shoot whilst moving. Being able to back away slowly and fire off a few rounds was very satisfying. It seemed like the old and new were coming together to make something more.
Chris and Jill together is always great to see so it was on decent ground immediately.
The Queen Zenobia proved an eerie setting in a game that may not have reached the highest echelons of survival horror but was a very positive step in the right direction. Faith partially restored.
10 – Resident Evil: Revelations 2 – PS4, 2015
Unique for its episodic nature, this new way of releasing the game had pros and cons. The pacing wasn’t always great, but it was enjoyable to take on chunks at a time and then look forward to the next part. Before 7 this was the closest the games had got to the original style.
The biggest selling point was finally getting to play as series legend Barry Burton! Capcom didn’t hold back on giving him awful jokes, whilst they further delved into the fatherly instincts that got him into so much trouble in the past.
Higher quality dialogue amidst the shooting and solving stayed with me too; a good balance between natural conversation and the usual nonsense that comes up in these games. Rev 2 isn’t perfect but it’s a solid modern Res game. I wonder how it would feel released as one complete piece now.
9 – Resident Evil 5 – Xbox 360, 2009
I know! RE5 is high up the list. When I started I assumed it would be near the bottom like its sequel.
But there are things two that saved this game. Co-op and Chris Redfield. Did you know that he’s had enough of your bullshit?!
It may not have been a classic Res experience but it was a great two player experience. A lot of fun was had. I’ve since grown to appreciate just how much joy was found in taking down BOW’s as a team. Even when I had to stand in the corner whilst puzzles were dealt with, or when I accidentally took the sniper rifle and proceeded to suck with it, a good time was had.
Or I could have just told you that CHRIS REDFIELD PUNCHES A MOTHERFUCKING BOULDER. That should be enough on its own to justify its placement.
8 – Resident Evil 2 – PS1, 1998
Resident Evil 2 was highly anticipated, and by all accounts lived up to it. Bigger in every way, it expanded the Raccoon City story with branched storytelling and more playable characters.
It’s a great game, with a fantastically eerie atmosphere and great music. I do think it’s a bit long, and whilst Claire and Leon have gone on to be some of the most well-known characters in the series, they’ll never be Chris and Jill for me.
For many people this will be the high point of the original games and possibly even the franchise. I get a lot of stick for calling it “the worst of the original trilogy”!
It’s a fantastic game, there are just aspects of the others that have stayed with me more.
7 – Resident Evil 4 – PS5, 2023
RE4R gave me a new core RE memory. Trapped in a room with three enemies, I used up all my ammo on the first two. This left taking on the strongest of the three with my knife. I swore a hell of a lot, but I got through it and loved it! This is testament to how well the game plays; in terms of movement, attack, and even blocking, this is the best RE has been.
If you’re in the majority and love RE4, you’re in for an absolute treat with this remake. It’s likely going to be one of the best games you’ve ever played, ironing out all sorts of wrinkles as it goes through a big update without leaving behind what made it amazing. Some decent DLC to boot too.
For me, it’s taken something I felt was always massively overrated and finally made me see what everyone else did. That’s a huge win!
6 – Resident Evil 2 – PS4, 2019
Everything that made the original great is there, but the differences are welcome. Raccoon City finally has a sense of scale, befitting of having a hospital and everything else that seemed off for a small Mid-Western Town.
Dispatching enemies has taken a turn, with head shots no longer being your reliable friend. More than ever you need to consider your actions. Can you take on this room? Is it wise to? From the more resilient zombies through to the constant threat of Mr.X, you’ve got a game worthy of Survival Horror despite your improved mobility.
There are some strong set pieces, with a couple really messing with me. It also manages to be genuinely emotional. Who would have thought an RE game would make me legitimately sad.
5 – Resident Evil 7: Biohazard – PS4, 2017
Resident Evil 7 blew apart my expectations, with a major return to Survival Horror.
In the shoes of an Average Joe thrust into a horrendous situation, Biohazard steps back from the action and OTT nature of the previous numbered entries. Instead it is gruesome and tense, especially in the first couple of hours. Things do settle down once you find a rhythm and gain more weapons but you always feel up against it.
Taking the best aspects of the original games and doing what Survivor couldn’t, RE7 uses the first person view to crank up the intensity. I wish it tied into the continuity a bit more, but this is a return to form.
4 – Resident Evil Village – PS5, 2021
I didn’t expect it to be this high if I’m honest with you.
But Village stands on the shoulders of 7, adds in a bit more action, and brings both itself and its predecessor fully into the fold story wise.
It adds layers to the story experience of 7, and I can’t ignore that I get to see more of Chris Redfield. He’s still a beefcake, and he has great clothes, but you can see the toll the years have taken on him.
It’s all about Ethan and his family though really, and he becomes more than just a first person avatar here.
Sure, it goes a little COD in places, and perhaps the villains could have interacted with each other more, but it’s got replayability, and I love the lore wrinkles it adds.
3 – Resident Evil 3: Nemesis – PS1, 1999
For a long long time Nemesis was my #1. With a 180 spin, little backtracking, and a story that kept pushing forward, it felt more refined than it’s predecessors.
‘Nemesis’ didn’t start life as a numbered entry, but the impending release of the PS2 changed Capcom’s plans. It was a big change from RE2, mixing new features with a smaller world – odd to find in a sequel of a big franchise.
The Nemesis chews up and spits out the idea of being ‘saved by the door’, a game and coding mechanic that saved my behind many times previously. He was one scary bastard!
RE3’s bold storytelling, obliterating the game’s world up to the that point, was exciting, and along with its antagonist, left a big mark.
2 – Resident Evil 3 – PS4, 2020
Supremely replayable with a perfectly updated and improved team of Jill and Carlos; the remake of RE3 is the most fun I’ve had with the series. Some will see the short run time as a major negative point. I see it as a strength. RE3 is finally the action film it should have been, providing an entertaining and punchy adventure whilst exorcising my resentment of RE4.
Look at it as part of bigger picture alongside the remake of RE2, and you’ve got a thorough, and thoroughly modern, retelling of a classic story that I feel finally gives us the true downfall of Racoon City.
Replaying it multiple times alongside my brother, culminating in a platinum trophy, bumps it up even higher. I understand people’s issues with it. Nemesis isn’t as scary, and areas such as the clocktower being cut out is a shame. But I’ll take the immesne replayability all day long.
1 – Resident Evil – PS1, 1996
Had to be.
Recent games have ranked pleasingly high, but ultimately the Spencer Mansion is where we find the number one entry and my favourite Resident Evil game.
Replays in 2012 and 2022 have only confirmed that RE1 is the benchmark, but have also shown me why. I realised that the setting, and the relationship you build with it, is its single biggest strength. I mentioned the lack of back tracking as a plus when discussing Nemesis but here returning to old areas with new knowledge and items is what makes the game what it is. The mansion holds many secrets, pushing you forward despite the surroundings becoming more and more familiar. Finally unlocking a door you’ve been walking past for hours is both exhilarating and terrifying.
The replays also brought with them an achievement that had long eluded me – completing it as Chris Redfield. Effectively the game’s hard mode, he could take more damage, but inventory management was key. Completing the game with both characters helped it reach the top spot for sure.
Then there’s the opening movie. Cobbled together in a few days with jobbing actors who only match up to the characters if you squint, it’s an awesome/terrible introduction. Watch Sweet Home for its inspiration.
It’s clunky and it’s cheesy and the voice acting is terrible. But I don’t care. It could be taken as a slight at the rest of the series that they’ve never been able to top it, but it’s also a sign of just how good this game is.
For anyone who likes these sort of things, I’ve also arranged the games in to a tier list!
There you go! I’d love to hear your thoughts. How would you rank Resident Evil?
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