Capcom’s Resident Evil series is synonymous with the Halloween season, and there’s no shortage of games to choose from. Counting spinoffs, there are over 20 entries that span over two decades, with plenty of fantastic titles across the board. In recent years, the series has enjoyed a renascence, reinvigorating the survival-horror genre at large.
To celebrate the spooky season, we put together a definitive ranking of the 10 best Resident Evil games, mostly comprised of the mainline entries. Since some of the numbered installments received remakes over the years, we’ll include those rather than their original counterparts.
These are the top 10 best Resident Evil games, ranked.
Resident Evil 5
Resident Evil 5 is by no means a bad game, but it’s the least memorable of the entire series. It focuses way too much on action rather than survival horror, has a monotone color palette, and is missing a lot of the magic that makes the series so great. It’s fun to run through alongside a friend, but beyond that, it’s not a good Resident Evil game.
Resident Evil 6
Although Resident Evil 6 isn’t great, we at least applaud it for being one of the wackiest entries in the series. It has some absurd narrative segments, with multiple diverse campaigns to choose from. It’s still an absolute mess of a game, but it leans into ridiculousness a tad more than its predecessor, making it slightly more fun.
Resident Evil: Code Veronica
This game would rank much higher on this list if it weren’t so outdated, but sadly time hasn’t been kind to Resident Evil: Code Veronica. Still, this is a worthwhile entry due to its relevance to the story of Resident Evil 2 and 3, taking place after Raccoon City’s destruction. It fleshes out Claire Redfield’s story, giving her a much more important role this time around. We’ve got our fingers crossed for a remake of this game, for sure.
Resident Evil Zero
Serving as a prequel to the very first game in the series, Resident Evil Zero is fascinating on premise alone. Getting to see what caused the events of the outbreak offers a lot more context, making this game essential to the overall story. It also features an interesting gameplay mechanic wherein you can swap between its two playable protagonists, Rebecca Chambers and Billy Coen.
Resident Evil 3 (remake)
We’d love to rank Resident Evil 3 remake higher, but even its impressive visuals and tight controls can’t save it from its rushed story and overly linear design. It certainly has its moments, but it strips down and even skips over many of the best aspects of the original Nemesis. Still, it’s worth playing since it offers a cinematic take on this beloved story, but don’t expect it to come close to the quality of Resident Evil 2 remake.
Resident Evil (remake)
Much like some of the older installments, Resident Evil remake (2002) feels a tad outdated, but it actually holds up better than you might expect. This remake of the first game launched for the GameCube in 2002, with improved visuals, revamped controls, updated puzzles, and even extra story content. This is the definitive way to play the first game, offering plenty of scares throughout both of its main campaigns.
Resident Evil Village
Resident Evil Village has a lot going for it, from its wild cast of characters (including the beloved Lady Dimitrescu), to its satisfying upgrade system. It doesn’t quite reach the highs of its predecessor, but Village has lots of standout moments — including its over-the-top ending — that will surely sink its hooks in you. It’s far less claustrophobic than other installments but Village more than makes up for this in other ways, particularly with its horrifying enemy design.
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
In many ways, Resident Evil 7: Biohazard is one of the most important games in the series, serving as a much-needed return to form. It also completely flipped the script with its first-person presentation, proving that the Resident Evil formula can work outside of a third-person perspective. It was scary, and leaned away from action, with a greater emphasis on survival-horror, making it a standout entry.
Resident Evil 4
The hard-hitting action and absurdities of Resident Evil 4 are its strengths, striking that sweet spot between fun and scary. Sure, this game doesn’t focus as much on the survival aspects as previous entries, but it does enough to still appease longtime fans, while roping in newcomers. The world is atmospheric and creepy, the characters are silly and weird, and the over-the-shoulder gameplay is iconic — revolutionizing the horror genre in one fell swoop. Capcom is currently working on a remake of this game, which will no doubt look and play even better than the original.
Resident Evil 2 (remake)
Capcom nailed everything about the Resident Evil 2 remake. Its visuals are stunning, the controls are top-notch, and the game’s intuitive map made it much easier to collect everything inside the creepy police department. Its story is told from the perspectives of protagonists Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield, with intersecting narratives that are fun to piece together. Beyond that, one of the series’ coolest villains, Mr. X, has such a foreboding presence, he’ll surely terrify you beyond belief.
