Resident Evil Games Ranked From Worst to Best

Capcom’s Resident Evil series has travelled from fixed-camera survival horror to cinematic action, first-person terror and back again. With mainline games, remakes and spin-offs covering several eras, choosing where to begin can be surprisingly difficult.

This ranking focuses on the core story and treats each game alongside its remake where appropriate. It includes Resident Evil Requiem, while judging each entry by its atmosphere, characters, design and lasting contribution to the series.

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11. Resident Evil 5

Resident Evil 5 remains divisive. Its co-operative structure has genuine appeal, and some players find more nuance in its story than its reputation suggests. However, its awkward third-person shooting, clumsy movement and dated feel make it one of the weakest mainline entries today.

10. Resident Evil 6

Resident Evil 6 is messy, but its exaggerated B-movie spirit has a certain charm. The game’s mechanics are cumbersome and several campaigns disappoint, yet Leon’s storyline captures the series’ most absurd side with surprising confidence. It is flawed, overstuffed and occasionally entertaining.

9. Resident Evil 0

The train opening gives Resident Evil 0 an excellent premise, extending the series’ puzzle-box approach into a memorable new setting. Unfortunately, the rest of the prequel struggles to match that opening. It works best as a companion piece to the excellent GameCube remake of Resident Evil.

8. Resident Evil Code: Veronica

Code: Veronica was once regarded as a high point for the franchise, and Claire Redfield’s story still deserves attention. Its awkward controls make returning difficult, but the game’s importance and ambition remain clear. A future remake could provide the critical reassessment this adventure deserves.

7. Resident Evil Village

Resident Evil Village is deliberately uneven. Its dollhouse section is among the strongest stretches in the series, while the factory loses some of that tension. The result feels like a horror-themed amusement park: inconsistent, eclectic and packed with at least one sequence most players will remember fondly.

6. Resident Evil 3

The 2020 remake did not elevate its source in quite the same way as the 2019 remake of Resident Evil 2, but Resident Evil 3: Nemesis remains important. Nemesis provides a relentless threat, while Jill Valentine finally receives the spotlight she deserves in both versions.

5. Resident Evil Requiem

It may take more time to determine Resident Evil Requiem’s final place in the series, but it already belongs among the stronger entries. Its dual-hero structure follows Grace Ashcroft through a personal nightmare while Leon S. Kennedy confronts the wider trauma surrounding Raccoon City.

The campaign moves smoothly between those perspectives and between survival horror and action. As an arc capstone, that balance gives the game considerable scope without abandoning the series’ central tension.

4. Resident Evil 7

After the series leaned heavily into action, Resident Evil 7 restored genuine survival horror. Its first-person perspective, oppressive setting and frightening encounters delivered a much-needed creative reset. Ethan Winters’ story and its mould-based mythology are less compelling than the Raccoon City saga, but the game proved the series still had new territory to explore.

3. Resident Evil

Whether played in its original PlayStation form or through the GameCube remake, the first Resident Evil remains essential. Spencer Mansion is a tightly constructed puzzle box filled with atmosphere, memorable bosses and effective scares. It also established the gameplay language, setting and ensemble that shaped everything that followed.

2. Resident Evil 2

The original Resident Evil 2 was already a standout, but the 2019 remake made a powerful case for revisiting its story. Leon and Claire’s escape through the Raccoon City Police Department expands the world while preserving an intimate sense of danger.

Leon’s introduction is particularly effective: a rookie police officer thrown into an impossible crisis. His arrival helped define the broader series, and the game remains one of its most accessible and complete horror experiences.

1. The best place to start

Although the supplied ranking places Resident Evil 2 second, the series’ top tier is close. For newcomers, the original game or its remake provides the clearest foundation, while Resident Evil 2 offers the most polished entry point into the wider story. Players choosing a physical arcade setup can also explore RETROCADE’s arcade machines and arcade parts for a dedicated home gaming space.