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Another one of Capcoms flagship franchises is Resident Evil. The series has recently put out its latest game, Resident Evil Village, to warm reception from fans and critics. The game’s critical acclaim will likely bring another new wave of fans to the franchise, who may be looking to revisit some of the franchise’s older titles as well as new releases. To help give players an idea of what order to revisit the series in, here is every Resident Evil game, listed from oldest release to newest.
Updated on October 20, 2021, by Jack Pursey: Now that Resident Evil Village has been out for a few months and the dust has settled, it’s safe to say that the general perception of the game was very positive, and it has been added to the long, ever-expanding list of critically acclaimed Resident Evil titles.
To give the iconic series some more much-deserved attention, we’ve expanded this list to offer further insight into every Resident Evil game released thus far.
Resident Evil
Original Release Date: March 22, 1996
The original Resident Evil isn’t just iconic for kicking off the iconic horror franchise but also for being a pioneer in the rise of the survival horror genre. Although the game holds a nostalgic value for a lot of people, the 2002 remake and subsequent remaster are the best ways to revisit the classic game.
Resident Evil is particularly memorable for the mansion that the game takes place in. The enormous building looked fantastic for 1996, and its bucket-load of secrets and puzzles hiding around every corner made it a joy to explore, despite the horror lurking within.
Resident Evil 2
Original Release Date: January 21, 1998
Following the enormous critical and commercial success of the first Resident Evil, there were few surprised faces when a sequel was announced shortly after. Resident Evil 2 built upon the excellent foundations that Resident Evil set and consequently received a similar level of acclaim.
The game introduced a handful of key Resident Evil characters, such as Leon S. Kennedy and Ada Wong. The game also included the Tyrant known as Mr. X, whose frightening size and strength terrified players in 1998.
Resident Evil 3: Nemesis
Original Release Date: September 22, 1999
Resident Evil 3: Nemesis was released just under two years after its predecessor and again kept the core gameplay mechanics similar to its predecessors with the trademark puzzle-solving and fixed camera angles. The game ramped up the fear factor from the previous entries, thanks to the introduction of the horrifying Nemesis.
Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, like its two predecessors, received a ton of praise from fans and critics. Consequently, many people at the time believed the Resident Evil franchise to be one of the best gaming trilogies of all time.
Resident Evil Survivor
Original Release Date: January 27, 2000
Capcom is no stranger to spin-offs for their main franchises, so it was no surprise that the company took a detour following the series’ immensely successful original trilogy.
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Resident Evil Survivor is a light gun shooter that was fairly well-received in most parts of the world. However, the North American release was largely dismissed, as the light gun control feature was banned, significantly harming the gameplay.
Resident Evil - Code: Veronica
Original Release Date: February 3, 2000
Resident Evil – Code: Veronica was the first game to launch on a console other than the PlayStation 1. Code Veronica was initially released on the Dreamcast before coming to the PlayStation 2 in 2001, and then GameCube, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 in the years that followed.
Resident Evil - Code: Veronica is best remembered today for its visuals and cinematic cutscenes that raised the bar for not just the Resident Evil series but the gaming industry in general.
Resident Evil Survivor 2 – Code: Veronica
Original Release Date (Console Iteration): November 8, 2001
Resident Evil Survivor 2 – Code: Veronica was originally released in Japanese arcades in June 2001, before releasing on PlayStation 2 2001. The game then came to Europe in 2002 but did not release in North America due to the poor reception of its predecessor.
The game is centered around Claire Redfield, who is searching for her brother Chris in Racoon City. Claire is only one of the playable characters on offer, however, as Steve Burnside can also be selected.
Resident Evil Gaiden
Original Release Date: December 14, 2001
Resident Evil Gaiden was released exclusively on the Game Boy Color. The game differentiates itself from other entries in the series with its top-down perspective and unique combat. When approaching an enemy, players will enter into a first-person perspective and be presented with a timing mini-game to determine the accuracy of their shots.
The game was poorly received by fans and critics, with complaints predominantly being directed towards the game’s underwhelming and unimaginative puzzles.
Resident Evil (Remake)
Original Release Date: March 22, 2002
The remake of the original Resident Evil was released on the GameCube in 2002 before coming to the Nintendo Wii in 2008. The game then received a high-definition remaster, which has released on Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PC, and Nintendo Switch.
The Resident Evil remake wisely didn’t try to fix what wasn’t broken, keeping the best features of the original game intact and instead focusing on simply modernizing the classic game.
Resident Evil Zero
Original Release Date: November 12, 2002
At the time of release, Resident Evil Zero was a very divisive game. The GameCube game provided significant improvements to the visuals and atmosphere from previous entries while keeping the core gameplay very similar, something that a portion of fans loved.
However, there was another portion of fans who were disappointed with the product, as they were expecting sweeping changes and improvements to the pre-existing gameplay formula due to its next-generation release.
Resident Evil: Dead Aim
Original Release Date: February 13, 2003
As the name suggests, Resident Evil: Dead Aim is another light gun shooter. Unlike the previous light gun release in the series, Dead Aim had a North American release. The game was better received by North American critics than Resident Evil Survivor but still struggled to impress, exemplified by its 65 Metascore.
Resident Evil: Dead Aim is best remembered by fans for being one of the few games in the Resident Evil series to let players move while aiming.
Resident Evil Outbreak
Original Release Date: December 11, 2003
Resident Evil Outbreak is a notable entry in the RE franchise as it’s the first game in the series to feature co-op, as well as online multiplayer. The game fulfilled the wishes of many to experience the series’ horrors with a friend, though it struggled to impress critics, exemplified by its 71 Metascore.
Resident Evil Outbreak offered plenty of variety, thanks to its eight playable characters and five separate scenarios to play through.
Resident Evil Outbreak: File #2
Original Release Date: September 9, 2004
Resident Evil Outbreak: File #2 is a standalone expansion for Resident Evil Outbreak. The game made very few changes to the core gameplay of its predecessor and consequently received a heap of criticism from reviewers, scoring just 58 on Metacritic.
Despite the weak critical reception, many players would have had plenty of fun with Outbreak: File #2, as its co-op mode was still just as enjoyable as the base game.
Resident Evil 4
Original Release Date: January 11, 2005
Resident Evil 4 isn’t only considered to be the best Resident Evil game, but it’s also considered one of the best action games of all time, exemplified by its eye-watering Metascore of 96.
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Capcom clearly listened to the criticisms of the previous main series entry, Resident Evil Zero, as it drastically changed the core gameplay mechanics, in particular the implementation of an over-the-shoulder camera perspective.
Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles
Original Release Date: November 13, 2007
Attention on the Resident Evil series was at an all-time high following the release of Resident Evil 4, but Capcom decided not to rush the highly anticipated Resident Evil 5 and released a rail shooter in the meantime.
The Umbrella Chronicles was originally released on the Nintendo Wii and made use of the system’s motion controls to provide an immersive shooter experience. The game is considered by some to be the best rail shooter in the Resident Evil franchise; the game received a solid 75 Metascore and a 7.6 user score on Metacritic.
Resident Evil 5
Original Release Date: March 5, 2009
Nearly five years after its main series predecessor, one of the gaming industry’s most highly anticipated releases of the 2000s was released. Unfortunately, Resident Evil 5 failed to live up to expectations.
However, the game was always likely to fall short of these expectations due to their oversized ambition, and when the dust had settled, and initial disappointment faded, Resident Evil 5 became recognized as a solid shooter.
Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles
Original Release Date: November 17, 2009
Following the positive reception of Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles, the Nintendo Wii received another on-rails shooter. Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles had very similar gameplay mechanics to Umbrella Chronicles but earned players’ attention with its story that tied into Resident Evil 4.
Interestingly, the game received a 75 Metascore, the exact same score as Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles.
Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D
Original Release Date: June 2, 2011
Another game that has a connection to Resident Evil 4 is Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D. As the name suggests, the game implements an expanded version of the Mercenaries mini-game from Resident Evil 4 (as well as Resident Evil 5), which is unlocked once the player beats the main story.
This premise made Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D a fairly niche entry in the franchise, as it offered little intrigue to those who hadn’t already completed Resident Evil 4. However, for fans of the minigame, The Mercenaries 3D was and still is an enticing package.
Resident Evil: Revelations
Original Release Date: January 26, 2012
Resident Evil: Revelations was originally released exclusively on the Nintendo 3DS before coming to a plethora of modern consoles in the years that followed. The game is set between Resident Evil 4 and 5 and keeps the action-heavy combat and over-the-shoulder perspective from the two games.
The game featured both single-player and multiplayer modes. Interestingly, the multiplayer mode offered a different, altered version of the single-player campaign to ensure that it was better-tailored to two-player gaming.
Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City
Original Release Date: March 20, 2012
Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City takes players back in time from the aforementioned Revelations to a time period around Resident Evil 2 and 3. Along with a comprehensive single-player campaign, Operation Raccoon City features a four-player co-op mode and online multiplayer.
Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City performed poorly with critics, and the PC version scored a brutal 48 on Metacritic. Despite this, the game performed very well commercially, selling over 2 million copies in just a few months.
Resident Evil 6
Original Release Date: October 2, 2012
Resident Evil 6 continued the main series’ divisive trend of favoring action over horror. This move had been controversial since the release of Resident Evil 4, but it wasn’t until Resident Evil 6 that the overriding opinion of fans was that it had gone too far in that direction.
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Resident Evil 6 certainly isn’t a bad game, but it lost a lot of what made the RE franchise special, turning many fans away from the series altogether. When removing pre-existing presumptions about the series, however, Resident Evil 6 offers a decent multiplayer experience with friends, which many people overlooked.
Resident Evil: Revelations 2
Original Release Date (full retail version): March 18, 2015
The sequel to Revelations was originally released episodically, with the first episode releasing February 24, 2015, and the fourth and final releasing March 17, 2015. The game is set between Resident Evil 5 and 6 and features Claire Redfield as the main protagonist.
Resident Evil: Revelations 2 was praised for its in-depth story, fleshed-out characters, and cooperative gameplay. However, the game drew criticisms for its cheesy dialog and over-the-top plot twists, two things that the Resident Evil series has become synonymous with over the years.
Umbrella Corps
Original Release Date: June 21, 2016
The one and only game on this list not to have Resident Evil in the title, Umbrella Corps, is a multiplayer tactical shooter.
A competitive multiplayer shooter set in the Resident Evil universe was an idea that perked a lot of ears in the gaming industry, though the execution left a lot to be desired. Umbrella Corps was ridiculed by fans and critics and received a brutal 38 Metascore and 2.4 User Score on PlayStation 4.
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
Original Release Date: January 24, 2017
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard saw the main series RE titles take their biggest shift in style since Resident Evil 4. The game offered players a far more immersive first-person perspective and gave them a minimal amount of weaponry, a survival horror trend that has been growing in prominence since games like Amnesia: The Dark Descent and Outlast.
The bold shift in direction paid off as Biohazard breathed new life into the series.
Resident Evil 2 (Remake)
Original Release Date: January 25, 2019
The remake of Resident Evil 2 was released almost 20 years after the remake of the original Resident Evil. The long wait was worth it, as the 2019 remake surprised many gamers by becoming one of the best releases of the year, exemplified by its Ultimate Game of the Year Award win from the Golden Joystick Awards.
Along with an expected, huge upgrade to the visuals and technical aspects of the game, Resident Evil 2 also overhauled the combat system, offering an entirely new feel to the classic game. Such changes are often divisive in remakes, but there were few complaints from Resident Evil fans with the over-the-shoulder perspective.
Resident Evil 3 (Remake)
Original Release Date: April 3, 2020
Following the critical and commercial success of the Resident Evil 2 remake, a remake for the third game soon began development. Unfortunately, the game didn’t reach the same acclaim as its predecessor, with disappointment centering around the short runtime and underwhelming implementation of the Nemesis.
Now that the dust has settled and the initial disappointment has subsided, the Resident Evil 3 remake is starting to receive more praise. Although the game does indeed fall short of its predecessor, it’s still worth checking out for anyone who enjoyed the Resident Evil 2 remake.
Resident Evil: Resistance
Original Release Date: April 3, 2020
Resident Evil: Resistance is an online multiplayer game that was bundled with the Resident Evil 3 remake.
The game provided an interesting concept, with four players competing against one “mastermind” who tries to kill players with traps and enemies. Unfortunately, the game failed to impress and consequently struggled to amass a player base. Still, those who like the sound of Resident Evil: Resistance should certainly consider giving it a shot with friends, as it can be great fun with the right group.
Resident Evil Village
Original Release Date: May 7, 2021
Resident Evil Village is the most recent entry in the iconic horror series. The game builds upon the new foundations set by Resident Evil 7: Biohazard and gives players a new set of charismatic but frightening villains to contend with for some of the most atmospheric areas in the series’ history.
Resident Evil Village may not reach the heights of some of the franchise’s most beloved entries, but it still offers a fantastic single-player campaign, which is something that is becoming harder and harder to find in mainstream gaming today.
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