Since its beginning in 1996, Resident Evil has strived to maintain its position as the undisputed king of the zombie shooting genre. To put it simply, Resident Evil has not remained a keen, constant ruler over the genre, instead veering further off into strange, confusing mythology dumps and Matrix-worthy action sequences as the series grew in scale and ambition. Resident Evil games have evolved into interesting curiosities despite their mixed quality as a whole. To this day, we still can’t let go of Resident Evil, and it’s all thanks to the series’ groundbreaking experimentation, which redefined the horror genre and prompted a response from the entire video game industry (hell, Dead Space was originally conceived as System Shock 3) when the fourth installment was released.

Most of the Resident Evil main series games (with the exception of Code Veronica) have been accessible on the PC at some point, though they may have arrived groaning and demanding anti-aliasing. So, we’ve considered the best and worst in the series and come up with a definitive, debatable order for the one that won’t die, both for new and veteran gamers.

The best Resident Evil games are listed first, followed by the average, and so on:

Resident Evil 4

Resident Evil 4 has had an enormous effect on the gaming industry, the magnitude of which is difficult to put into words. Resident Evil 4 was first released in 2005 for the GameCube and has since been ported to a plethora of other gaming consoles. Resident Evil 4 can be played on a wide variety of platforms, from standard consoles to high-end PC gaming rigs. And with good cause. Resident Evil 3 was a graphical powerhouse, but it was too demanding for the PlayStation 1 back in 1999. 

Because of improvements in hardware, Resident Evil 4 opted for an over-the-shoulder view instead of the static one used in the previous games in the series. More intense action sequences were a huge success in 2005, but in Resident Evil 5 and 6, Capcom went too far. Resident Evil 4 is a daring title that refines the formula Capcom has been working on since the series’ inception.

Resident Evil 2

The plot of 1998 original and the remake of Resident Evil 2 are identical. The 1998 original’s claustrophobic atmosphere is perfectly captured in Resident Evil 2’s reimagining, which was built from the ground up as a reimagining of the original game. It’s an overhead shooter like Resident Evil 4, though it’s less action-oriented than that game and its sequels. Due to the shift in viewpoint, the game takes on a completely different feel, limiting the player’s field of view in ways that the original game didn’t.

Plus, there have been a lot of visual enhancements. It stands to reason that a game that benefits from 20 years of graphical refinement will look better. However, improvements in smoke simulation and lighting were implemented in RE 2 thanks to its use of the RE engine, adding to the unsettling atmosphere of the original game. A character like a Tyrant is the stuff of nightmares.

Resident Evil 7 Biohazard

With its first-person perspective and pared-down tale, Resident Evil 7 isn’t like previous entries in the series. In any case, it’s a fantastic scary game. Resident Evil 7 is a return to the series’ horror origins after the lighthearted tone of the previous installment. You don’t take control of a STARS agent like in most games; instead, you play as Ethan Winters, whose missing wife writes him a letter. He follows her clues to an estate in Louisiana that has been abandoned for years, where he learns some shocking secrets about his wife and himself. 

The story and visual style of Resident Evil 7 is new to the franchise. It’s refreshing to see Resident Evil shift its attention to a smaller story within the broader franchise, and the game’s new mechanics reflect that shift well.

Resident Evil Village

Resident Evil Village is to Resident Evil 4 as Resident Evil 7 was to one of the first three Resident Evil games: what it could look like if the perspective were changed to first person. That alone can make it a hit with Return of the Living Dead fans or a miss, depending on how much you enjoy scary moments in comparison to the action. 

The game’s most uninteresting character, Ethan Winters, returns as well. Fortunately, Lady D and the other lords you meet provide more than enough compelling characters to keep you engaged. Even by Resident Evil standards, this is a rather brief adventure, but it demonstrates that the series’ move to first-person can be successful in its most action-oriented installment yet. This game might be switched with number 7 depending on how much weight you give to true fear against enjoyable gunplay, exploration, and improvements.

Resident Evil

Resident Evil, the pioneering survival horror game from 1996, defined the genre. More than two decades later, however, its impact has diminished. While the story and atmosphere are both strong, the gameplay mechanics feel less developed than in subsequent titles. Fans will enjoy Resident Evil since it is consistent with the series’ past games in terms of its fixed camera, limited supplies, and secluded setting. Still, if you’re new to the Resident Evil series, this isn’t the one to jump into. The sequel vastly improves upon its predecessor, and the game’s gameplay is completely revamped in the fourth installment.

Resident Evil 3: Nemesis

Resident Evil 3 picks up where the second game left off, with Jill Valentine still trying to flee Raccoon City. The events of Resident Evil 2 take place a day before the story begins. Jill runs into the genetically modified creature created to hunt down surviving STARS members on her way to the police department, which has its own horrors going on inside. 

While the name may be a bit obvious, even by 1999’s standards, Nemesis is a terrifying presence in the game and will follow the player until the credits roll, much like Tyrant did in Resident Evil 2. As with Resident Evil 7, Nemesis puts a new spin on a familiar story while expanding on the terrifying events that have befallen Raccoon City.

Resident Evil CODE: Veronica

The first “must-play” installment in the Resident Evil series is Code: Veronica X. The game continues with Claire Redfield after the events of Resident Evil 2 and Nemesis and was first released in 2000 for the Dreamcast. It’s the first game in the series to use real-time 3D environments, which opens up new possibilities for camera control. 

However, when Code: Veronica was released for the Dreamcast, the console’s poor sales reflected poorly on the game. Even though it was ported to the PlayStation 2 and the Nintendo GameCube, the Dreamcast version’s visuals looked old. Code: Veronica is still a fantastic Resident Evil game and a must-have for any Dreamcast owner.

Resident Evil 5

Similarly to Resident Evil 6, Resident Evil 5 focuses far too much on the action aspect of the game. However, it did not feel as dated upon its initial release as its sequel did. Capcom ditched the scares in favor of fast-paced action instead of returning to the slow survival horror that made Resident Evil 4 so popular. 

The main focus of Resident Evil 5 is on combat, though managing ammo and items are still important. Resident Evil 5 is a respectable video game because of this. Although there are some problems with the cover system and the A.I. of your teammates, the shooting is enjoyable, the visuals are stunning, and the story is interesting.

Resident Evil Zero

In spite of this, Resident Evil Zero is not a terrible experience by any means. Resident Evil Zero is a prequel to the first game in the series, despite being the fifth main installment. Fans of the Resident Evil series will find a lot to enjoy in the game’s story, graphics, and audio. Though it uses the Resident Evil formula, it alters it in a number of ways. 

Although multiple viewpoints have always been a staple of the Resident Evil series, the implementation in Zero leaves much to be desired. In addition, the classic item boxes from Resident Evil are absent from Zero, forcing players to stash away extra supplies and hunt them down later.

Resident Evil 6

Although Resident Evil 6 has a strong following among fans, it was met with criticism upon its initial release for veering too far from the survival horror genre and instead playing more like an action game. Others feel it’s too dispersed because it goes from two campaigns to four. 

Developers promised a lot with Resident Evil 6, including split campaigns, but players were disappointed. There are a lot of loose ends and not much of a storyline to speak of in this action-packed game. Despite its flaws, Resident Evil 6 is an excellent action game with stunning visuals and a compelling story.