By its (near-)constant excellence, innovation, and longevity, Resident Evil video games have earned their crown as the king of survival horror. Capcom debuted its world of mutants and mercenaries in 1996 and has since grown Resident Evil right into a multimedia franchise that spans over two dozen console video games, six movies, two current Netflix collection, novels, comics, and even stage performs.
It may be an thrilling franchise to discover given the quantity of content material it homes, although for the similar purpose, it may be an equally daunting collection to strategy in 2024. This text focuses completely on video video games and cuts out the convolution by presenting two methods to play solely the most narratively vital and accessible Resident Evil video games in order.
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How Many Resident Evil Games Are There?
There are 10 core Resident Evil video games: RE 0-7, Village, and Code: Veronica. Nonetheless, the whole variety of Resident Evil console video games — together with spinoffs and remakes — sits round 30. That quantity rises close to 60 when accounting for cell and pachinko video games.
How to Play the Resident Evil Games in Chronological Order
For this listing, we’re specializing in 12 Resident Evil video games: all 10 core entries and the two Revelations spinoffs. Whereas many others are thought-about canon, this isn’t an exhaustive chronology, however quite an approachable information to coming into and having fun with the world of Resident Evil video video games.
Lacking from this listing are cell and pachinko video games, gentle gun and Wii shooters (Resident Evil Survivor, Survivor 2, Useless Goal, Umbrella Chronicles, Darkside Chronicles), and non-canonical/non-consequential/troublesome to entry spinoffs (Resident Evil Gaiden, Outbreak, Outbreak: File #2, Mercenaries 3D, Operation Raccoon Metropolis, Resistance, Umbrella Corps, Re:Verse)
With collection newcomers in thoughts, the temporary plot synopses under include solely delicate spoilers corresponding to broad plot factors and character introductions.
1. Resident Evil 0
Resident Evil 0 is the fifth sport launched in the collection however the first chronologically. It takes place simply earlier than the occasions of Resident Evil, with Particular Ways and Rescue Service (S.T.A.R.S.) medic Rebecca Chambers and former marine Billy Coen discovering a practice filled with zombies in the Arklay Mountains (residence to the Spencer Mansion). Billy and Rebecca uncover precious info associated to collection villains Albert Wesker and William Birkin. We additionally study extra about the origins of the sinister Umbrella Company and its lethal T-Virus. The sport wraps with Rebecca headed towards the mansion, the place she’d function a supporting character in RE 1.
2. Resident Evil
The primary Resident Evil got here to PlayStation in 1996, although for these coming to the franchise in 2022, you’ll need to play the 2002 remake (or its newer HD remaster), because it improves gameplay and expands on the story.
RE 1 picks up proper after RE 0. You play as certainly one of two S.T.A.R.S. brokers — Chris Redfield or Jill Valentine — who come to the Spencer Mansion whereas investigating a collection of murders in the woodlands exterior of Raccoon Metropolis. Chris/Jill encounters the murderous, mutated victims of the T-Virus and uncovers key details about Umbrella and its organic experimentation.
3. Resident Evil 2
Happening two months after RE 0 and 1, Resident Evil 2 introduces two new protagonists — rookie cop Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield (Chris’s sister) — every with their very own linked but distinct marketing campaign. RE 2 additionally introduces the recurring character Ada Wong and the iconic Tyrant enemy.
We study extra about William Birkin and his work on an much more threatening virus referred to as the G-virus. Leon/Claire uncover extra disturbing particulars about the clandestine work of Umbrella, in addition to its ties to the Raccoon Police Division.
Resident Evil 2 is at the moment out there to play at no cost with an Xbox Sport Move subscription.
4. Resident Evil 3
The chronology will get dicey with Resident Evil 3, however for the sake of simplicity, we suggest taking part in it after 2. The primary a part of RE 3 takes place earlier than the occasions of RE 2; the second half takes place after. You may play midway by means of 3, pause, play by means of 2, then return for the second half of three. Nonetheless, taking part in RE 3 after 2 gained’t detract from the expertise or your understanding of the story. We selected to place it fourth on this listing seeing as its conclusion progresses the general narrative past RE 2.
You start RE 3 as Jill Valentine, nonetheless coping along with her expertise from RE 1, making an attempt to escape from an overrun Raccoon Metropolis. For a part of the sport, whereas Jill is indisposed, management shifts to her mercenary ally Carlos Oliviera. RE 3 additionally introduces Nemesis and divulges the destiny of Raccoon Metropolis.
5. Resident Evil: Code – Veronica
Resident Evil: Code – Veronica advances the timeline by a few months and sees Claire Redfield proceed the seek for her brother Chris that started in RE 2. This time Claire’s search takes her to an Umbrella facility in France, the place she escapes captivity and follows the path to the southmost area of Earth.
Chris Redfield, certainly one of the protagonists from the authentic sport, returns as a second playable character in Code Veronica. Chris, like Claire, is on the lookout for his sibling, and the search outcomes in a gathering with collection antagonist Albert Wesker.
6. Resident Evil 4
Resident Evil 4, arguably the collection’ most beloved entry, places gamers again in the footwear of Leon Kennedy six years after his time in Racoon Metropolis throughout RE 2. Leon travels to a rural village in Spain on a mission to rescue the U.S. president’s daughter.
There, Leon encounters a cult and explores its ties to a mind-controlling parasite. The story that unfolds weaves collectively the narratives of two characters from Resident Evil’s previous: Albery Wesker and Ada Wong.
Learn our Resident Evil 4 Remake evaluate to see the enhancements that had been made since the authentic.
7. Resident Evil Revelations
Resident Evil Revelations is about between the occasions of RE 4 and 5. It explores one other consequence of Umbrella’s bioweapon improvement and introduces gamers to the Bioterrorism Safety Evaluation Alliance (BSAA).
Jill Valentine and Chris Redfield at the moment are BSAA brokers, with Jill serving as the sport’s main protagonist. The duo head to the Mediterranean to fight the use of T-Abyss, a brand new variant of the T-Virus.
8. Resident Evil 5
Resident Evil 5 is about 5 years after RE 4. Chris Redfield, as a part of the BSAA, flies to Africa along with his accomplice Sheva Alomar to stop the black market sale of a bioweapon. The individuals of Kijuju, nevertheless, have already been contaminated with an enhanced model of the mind-controlling parasite seen in RE 4.
It’s a larger-scale story than previous Resident Evils, although Chris additionally embarks on the extra private mission of discovering his long-lost accomplice, Jill Valentine. We additionally study of Albert Wesker’s newest nefarious plot.
Not like previous video games in the collection, RE 5 may be performed cooperatively; the second participant controls Sheva.
9. Resident Evil Revelations 2
Resident Evil Revelations 2 is about between RE 5 and 6. It brings Claire Redfield again into the highlight for the first time since Code Veronica. The sport is break up into 4 episodes, with every episode divided into two components: a previous sequence with Clarie and Moira Burton and a gift sequence with Barry Burton (Moira’s father) making an attempt to find them. The story introduces one other antagonistic Wesker.
10. Resident Evil 6
Resident Evil 6 is an action-heavy journey that tells an much more sprawling (and convoluted) story than that of RE 5. It weaves collectively 4 campaigns starring Leon Kennedy, Chris Redfield, Ada Wong, and a mercenary named Jake Muller.
The BSAA launched in Revelations performs an essential function in 6, as the quartet of protagonists work to squash the bioterrorist group Neo-Umbrella and stop the unfold of one more mutant-creating virus (the C-Virus).
11. Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
With Resident Evil 7: Biohazard Capcom reinvented the franchise in a number of methods: It’s RE’s return to mass acclaim and fandom following the largely disappointing fifth and sixth entries, it introduces a brand new protagonist in Ethan Winters, and most notably it switches the collection’ longrunning perspective from third-person to first-person.
Regardless of all these modifications, RE 7 nonetheless exists on the collection canonical timeline, presumably going down in the modern-day someday after RE 6. The sport is about in rural Louisiana, with the first half going down in the residence of the splendidly insane Baker household. Its ties to previous RE video games are quite free, although a lot of the collection staples are right here: clandestine human experimentation, bioweapons, and towards the finish, a well-known face.
12. Resident Evil Village
Resident Evil Village is a continuation (and the conclusion) of Ethan Winters’s story, set three years after the occasions of RE 7. Biohazard and Village stand on their very own as a duology of video games. Although Village features a few extra ties to the collection’ previous, together with a extra outstanding function for the aforementioned “acquainted face” and additional details about the origins of Umbrella.
A post-credits scene extends the timeline even additional. We’ll save the particulars, however these curious can learn on to the subsequent part for a bit extra context.
Bonus: Shadows of Rose DLC
Choosing up shortly after Village’s post-credits scene (16 years after the important story of Village), Shadows of Rose progresses the Resident Evil timeline additional than any sport earlier than it. Assuming the occasions of Village happen in 2021, Shadows of Rose brings the franchise into the close to way forward for 2037.
The three-4 hour DLC stars Ethan’s daughter Rose, who makes an attempt to rid herself of the undesirable powers inherited from her father.
How to Play the Resident Evil Games by Launch Date
- Resident Evil (1996)*
- Resident Evil 2 (1998)*
- Resident Evil 3: Nemesis (1999)*
- Resident Evil: Code – Veronica (2000)*
- Resident Evil 0 (2002)*
- Residet Evil 4 (2005)*
- Resident Evil 5 (2009)*
- Resident Evil: Revelations (2012)
- Resident Evil 6 (2012)*
- Resident Evil: Revelations 2 (2015)
- Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (2017)*
- Resident Evil Village/Shadow of Rose (2021/2022)*
*Mainline Resident Evil video games
The Way forward for Resident Evil Games
There’s lots to look ahead to from this iconic horror collection. In late 2023, Capcom confirmed they’re engaged on extra RE remakes, and a few studies recommend Resident Evil Zero and Code Veronica are up subsequent. Earlier this month, Resident Evil 7 turned the most up-to-date RE sport out there to play on Apple units. It is also trying fairly doubtless that the authentic Resident Evil sport will likely be coming to PC in the close to future.
Capcom is not simply trying to earlier video games, nevertheless. The studio not too long ago confirmed that Resident Evil 9 is in improvement. Helmed by Resident Evil 7’s director Koshi Nakanishi, it stays to be seen whether or not RE9 will deliver again an present character or introduce a brand new protagonist to take the place of Ethan Winters.
Jordan covers video games, exhibits, and flicks as a contract author for IGN.