Resident Evil has grown to be one of Capcom's top series since the first game was released in 1996. Over its nearly 30-year run, the survival horror series has shocked and delighted its fan base despite lulls in Mega Man, Street Fighter, Dead Rising, and similar titles.
From the original series' still shots to Resident Evil 4-6's more action-packed style to Resident Evil 7: Biohazard's first-person horror, the gameplay of the series has changed over time. Its zombies, BOWs, mutants, and other horrors put players' nerves to the test, and its puzzles put their brains to the test. However, some of their games have been superior to others, and these are the 5 best games of this long-hailed franchise you should play in 2025:
5. Resident Evil 2 Remake
A glimpse into a different past is provided by playing the Resident Evil 2 Remake. It demonstrates where the series could (and should) have gone when Capcom altered the style of play in 2005 by successfully fusing the tight, over-the-shoulder third-person fighting made popular by Resident Evil 4 with the methodical challenge of the original Resident Evil titles.
It is a bold attempt to make the past feel new for the present and is a beautiful ode to Resident Evil 2's legacy. One of the greatest survival horror games of the current day, Resident Evil 2 Remake is an amazing remake of a classic game.
4. Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
The series' future seems dubious after Resident Evil 6's disappointing release. Time and expectations had swollen the series, making it too complicated and disorganized for its own benefit. This setting gave rise to Resident Evil 7, a complete remake that marked the beginning of a new chapter in the Resident Evil series.
One of the greatest horror games of the modern era, Resident Evil 7 is framed around a core cast of monstrous characters, is set in an intricately designed single-set location, and returns to the survival horror foundations upon which the series was initially built. It is also cast in the first person.
3. Resident Evil 4 Remake
Fans questioned whether the original RE4 truly required a remake, given that it had been ported to almost every system generation since the GameCube. Playing it was remained enjoyable, and it never went away. It seems futile to recreate RE4 in comparison to underappreciated entries such as REC:V. Nevertheless, both critics and fans—including some of the more dubious ones—were impressed by the Resident Evil 4 Remake.
Its failure to recreate RE4’s carbon copy was beneficial. In order to support its new plot, it changed every aspect of the game instead. Ada Wong's 'Separate Ways' campaign features new levels and unique bosses replacing the asset-cobbling of the original, the Salazar boss fight has been fully redesigned, and Leon's past with Krauser now has greater narrative substance. When it comes to survival horror, RE4R is a stand-alone enjoyable experience.
2. Resident Evil Remake
When Resident Evil Remake first came out on the GameCube in 2002, it was really amazing, and it hasn't lost any of its impact over the years. With enhanced fighting mechanics, better resource management, and new horrifying threats in the form of Crimson Head zombies, this painstakingly made remake takes the foundations of the 1996 original and makes it seem brand-new.
The Resident Evil Remake is also incredibly evocative, with a completely redesigned visual aesthetic that still leaves viewers speechless years later. Resident Evil Remake ensured that one of the most influential survival horror games would be as enjoyable to play now as it was when it was originally released, taking an amazing game that had withstood the test of time and preserving it in amber.
1. Resident Evil 4
The Resident Evil series was pretty stale prior to the release of Resident Evil 4. The conventional fixed-camera approach was becoming outdated after eight years. Not helping was the troubled development of RE4, which underwent so many changes that two of its games—Devil May Cry and Haunting Ground—became entirely different. Shinji Mikami ultimately prevailed with a fresh concept and a straightforward plot: Leon attempts to protect Ashley Graham, the president's daughter, from malevolent parasite-infected cultists in Spain.
With its over-the-shoulder shooting, context-sensitive hits, and more intelligent enemies, its action-packed gameplay was too thrilling to be limited by its GameCube exclusivity. Even though RE4 focused more on survival than horror, it would go on to become one of the most ported games ever, and only the original game could match its effect. Without it, the appearance of games like Gears of War, Metal Gear Solid 4, Dead Space, Mass Effect, and even lesser-known titles like Bioshock and Batman: Arkham Asylum would have been different.
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