The Resident Evil Games in Order

Published on 23rd May 2023 by Jimmy Bennett

Over 25 years old, the Resident Evil games remain the high watermark in the survival horror genre after 3 decades of dominating. Taking us from spooky mansions infested with zombies and bizarre creatures to infested European villages, the Resident Evil series has a rich history of gripping narratives wrapped around innovative gameplay.

Many gamers like to revisit the Resident Evil series and play through all of the main entries. But with so many games having been released over 3 decades, it can be tricky to work out the correct order to play the games. Well, GAME has your back. Here’s a list of all the major Resident Evil games in chronological order of their release.

1996 - Resident Evil

The one that started it all. Resident Evil came bursting onto the original PlayStation and blew players away. Defining what would become the survival horror genre, the first Resident Evil game lets you play as either Chris Redfield or Jill Valentine, members of an elite police unit called S.T.A.R.S.

You’ll explore the Spencer mansion which you quickly find is infested with zombies and horrible creations. As you start to unravel a major conspiracy involving the pharmaceutical company Umbrella, you’ll uncover startling discoveries and bizarre experiments.

Resident Evil is fondly remembered by players for its gripping mix of puzzles and combat gameplay that set the precedent for later titles.

Although it had some very questionable music and voice acting, the game started what would become one of Capcom’s, and gaming as a whole, biggest franchises.

1998 - Resident Evil 2

2 years after the original game, Resident Evil returned, bigger and better than before. Putting you in a police station at the heart of Racoon City, this time players could choose between student Claire Redfield (Chris’ younger sister) and rookie cop Leon S. Kennedy on what could be considered the worst 1st day on the job ever.

Resident Evil 2 took a lot of the foundation of the first game and expanded upon it significantly. New enemies, such as Lickers, provided a new challenge for gamers and helped create an even more intense atmosphere. Even the controls, while clunky now, were considered an improvement over the original.

Resident Evil 2 has a reputation as one of the greatest games of all time, particularly when it comes to horror. It was a crowning achievement for Capcom that showed they could replicate the success of the first game.

1999 - Resident Evil 3: Nemesis

The next Resident Evil game in order, Resident Evil 3: Nemesis follows Jill Valentine’s escape from Racoon City at the same time as the events of Resident Evil 2. What makes this game unique however is the Nemesis himself, a hulking creature that pursues Jill throughout the game. How you choose to deal with Nemesis is up to the player, with choices to fight or evade the tyrant.

Resident Evil 3: Nemesis is somewhat of a black sheep in the series. The last PS1 game in the series, originally it was meant to be a spin-off game rather than a main entry. However, once the PS2 was announced, projects got moved and it became the next entry. As a result, it’s a lot shorter than other entries, but still favourably looked upon as a solid game.

2000 - Resident Evil – Code: Veronica

The Resident Evil game that took the series onto the PS2, as well as the Dreamcast, many consider Code Veronica the true next entry in the series after RE2. It was a massive technical upgrade for the games, featuring fully 3D rendered backgrounds for the first time as well as a dynamic, tracking camera rather than static angles.

Shortly after the events of RE2, Chris and Claire Redfield find themselves investigating a prison and research facility in Antarctica. Once again, there’s a zombie outbreak and it's up to Claire and Chris to uncover the truth.

Resident Evil Code Veronica is considered one of the best in the series, changing the technical direction that the games would follow from then on. However, the Dreamcast console’s poor sales meant the game suffered until an expanded version was brought to the PS2 a year later.

2002 - Resident Evil (remake) & Resident Evil Zero

In 2002, Capcom took a different direction with the series. Original director Shinji Mikami decided it was time to remake the original game which was already ageing poorly compared to the new technology. Retaining the static camera angles and pre-rendered backgrounds, the Resident Evil remake massively upgraded the visuals, showing the power of the Nintendo GameCube. At the same time, the game received much-needed updated voice acting, refined mechanics and new puzzles to make the game fresh.

It was a huge critical success, being seen as a huge upgrade on the original and is regarded as one of the scariest and most atmospheric entries. However, sales were not as strong as predicted. This would have a knock-on effect for the series, pushing Capcom to head into more action-oriented games.

Resident Evil 0 is a direct prequel to the 1st game, following Rebecca Chambers before she arrived at the Spencer mansion. She teams up with wanted murderer Billy Coen, a marine looking to clear his name. The entry was generally praised for much the same reasons as the RE Remake, despite a lack of innovation.

2005 - Resident Evil 4

After the last 2 games, the series was silent for a few years as Resident Evil 4 went through numerous production issues. Having been in production since 1999, RE4 went through a number of revisions. At one point, it was even slated to feature ghosts and demons, taking the series in a more supernatural route. However, it was eventually decided this didn't fit with the series, and this version of the game became Devil May Cry instead.

Resident Evil 4 put players in the shoes of Leon S. Kennedy once more, but this time as a special agent rather than a rookie cop. He’s sent to rural Europe to rescue the President’s daughter, Ashley, where he encounters the townsfolk who have been transformed by a parasite called Las Plagas.

Resident Evil 4 is a landmark moment in the Resident Evil series. Giving an action focus to the franchise and moving to an over-the-shoulder camera, the horror atmosphere was largely traded for big set pieces and action gameplay. Countless gameplay elements were introduced, from different effects depending on where you shoot to context-sensitive controls.

Cited as one of the greatest games of all time, RE4 was a technical achievement that changed the shape of gaming, particularly with the use of the over-the-shoulder camera.

2009 - Resident Evil 5

Following the success of Resident Evil 4 would be a tricky task. Capcom followed up the entry with Resident Evil 5 which dialled the action up to 11 while scaling back on any remaining survival horror elements.

Chris Redfield travels to Africa to investigate a new bio-weapon, joined by new partner Sheva. They uncover a new outbreak orchestrated by Wesker from the original game who they attempt to stop. They also encounter a brainwashed Jill Valentine who they must subdue to learn more about Wesker's plot.

RE5 was another huge step graphically, releasing on the PS3 and Xbox 360 and delivering some of the best visuals in gaming at the time. However, the control scheme, which is largely the same as RE4, was considered clunky and outdated by modern standards making Resident Evil 5 a mixed bag for the franchise.

2012 - Resident Evil 6

Resident Evil 6 attempted something new for the franchise. Featuring 4 different scenarios, players could choose to play as returning favourites Leon S. Kennedy and Chris Redfield, for the first time Ada Wong, or new character Jake Muller. Each scenario featured a different style, in terms of gameplay and narrative, letting players experience something new with each one.

Capcom showed they knew how to innovate once again, with the game being another upgrade in terms of gameplay and controls over predecessors. The visuals and A.I. of the infected were also noted as being a big upgrade for the series. There were, however, mixed reactions to the new campaigns and the general narrative of the game.

Sales were not as strong as Capcom had predicted, however, the game has still managed to ship over 10 million copies in its lifetime.

2017 - Resident Evil 7: Biohazard

It would be a full 5 years before the next Resident Evil game arrived, and when it did it was a bit of a shock to fans of the franchise. Resident Evil 7 brought back the survival horror atmosphere and gameplay to the series, however, it did away with the 3rd person camera, switching instead to a 1st person view that was new for the series.

RE7 returns the series to its roots, as new protagonist Ethan Winters, an everyman, finds himself trapped in a Louisiana estate with a family that has become infected with a bioweapon. He has to fight them to save himself and also rescue his wife Mia.

The game was largely well received, particularly for its atmosphere, controls, gunplay and return to the series routes after some more action-oriented games. Its success led to the development of a direct sequel continuing Ethan and Mia’s story.

2019 - Resident Evil 2 (remake)

As far back as 2002, Capcom had considered making a Resident Evil 2 remake. More than 15 years later this finally became a reality as the game was remade with the new RE Engine which had been used for RE7 too.

The RE Engine allowed Capcom to overhaul the game’s controls and look, aiming for a more modern and more realistic presentation. Graphically, it was the series’ new benchmark, pushing the limits of what could be achieved. It overhauled the original static camera angles in place of a new over-the-shoulder camera to get players closer to the horror.

The Resident Evil 2 remake was considered a triumph, capturing the spirit of the original while bringing amazing quality of life, visual and audio upgrades. Sales were also incredibly strong, making the game a massive success for Capcom.

2020 - Resident Evil 3 (remake)

While they were developing the RE2 remake, production was also being undertaken on a new version of Resident Evil 3. Released a year after, the Resident Evil 3 remake attempted to update the more action-orientated original game featuring fan favourite Jill Valentine.

Like the RE2 remake, the visuals, controls and characters received an overhaul to bring them in line with modern standards. The team also made the character movement faster and added a dodge to complement the action style of the game.

Generally, the game was well-liked, with the atmosphere, controls, visuals and narrative being lauded. However, some noted the game’s short length. The game also changed or removed some elements and areas of the original, which received a mixed response from fans.

2021 - Resident Evil Village

Resident Evil Village or Resident Evil 8 continues the story of Ethan Winters and the 1st person style of the last game. This time, having relocated to Europe and under the protection of Chris Redfield, Ethan must work to rescue his daughter after she is kidnapped by a mysterious figure.

Compared to the more confined setting of RE7, RE Village opened up the world with larger, more expansive environments and many more enemies and types. As a result, combat is much more emphasised than before with a wider array of weapons for Ethan to use.

It was another success for the series, despite some mixed reactions to a more action-orientated game, with praise for the visuals, narrative, gameplay and variety.

There's also the Resident Evil Village Gold Edition which comes with all of the dlc released for the game. This version is also compatible with the PS VR2, creating perhaps the ultimate horror adventure.

2023 - Resident Evil 4 (remake)

Nearly 20 years after the original, Capcom decided to remake one of the most popular entries in the franchise, giving it the same treatment it had Resident Evil 2 and 3. The result was another massive success for the franchise.

The Resident Evil 4 remake successfully took all of the elements that worked so well with the original, from narrative beats to gameplay elements, and repackaged it for the next generation of consoles. Providing some of the best visuals this generation of consoles has seen, as well as gripping action gameplay, the RE4 remake launched to great critical acclaim.

The entry shows that the franchise is just as strong as it ever has been.

So there are the Resident Evil games in order. As you can see, even after more than 25 years of games, the Resident Evil franchise continues to produce innovative, and high-quality games that have fans of the survival horror genre absolutely hooked. We hope that the franchise continues to produce the high-quality output we have seen up to this point well into the future! Which one do you think is the best?