Why the List of Resident Evil Video Games is Actually a Total Nightmare to Track

So, you want to look at the list of resident evil video games and actually make sense of it? Good luck. Honestly, Capcom has spent the last thirty years making that as difficult as possible. We aren't just talking about a linear progression from one to eight. No, we're talking about remakes that overwrite originals, "Revelations" side-stories that actually matter to the plot, and weird light-gun shooters that everyone pretends didn't happen until they suddenly realize they contain vital lore about the fall of Umbrella.

It's a mess. A beautiful, terrifying, herb-combining mess.

Since 1996, this franchise has basically defined what we call "survival horror," though it’s flirted with being a Michael Bay action movie and a first-person psychological thriller along the way. If you’re trying to play them all, you’re looking at dozens of entries across every console imaginable, from the original PlayStation to the PS5 and even the ill-fated Zeebo.

The Core Numbered Games (Which Aren't Actually Simple)

The backbone of any list of resident evil video games is the numbered series. But even here, things get weird.

The original Resident Evil (1996) trapped us in the Spencer Mansion. Then Resident Evil 2 and 3 expanded that to the entirety of Raccoon City. But did you know Resident Evil 3: Nemesis was originally supposed to be a spin-off, while the game that became Code: Veronica was intended to be the "real" third entry? It’s true. Shinji Mikami and the team at Capcom had to juggle console exclusivity deals with Sony and Sega, which fundamentally altered how the games were titled.

• Resident Evil (1996): The one that started it all. Jill Valentine, Chris Redfield, and a lot of bad voice acting. "You almost became a Jill sandwich!" is a line that will live forever, for better or worse.
• Resident Evil 2 (1998): Leon S. Kennedy’s worst first day at work ever. This introduced the "Zapping" system, where your actions in one character's playthrough affected the other.
• Resident Evil 3: Nemesis (1999): Basically a high-stakes game of tag with a rocket-launcher-wielding mutant.
• Resident Evil 4 (2005): This changed everything. It moved the camera to an over-the-shoulder perspective and basically invented the modern third-person shooter. It's also why we spent the next decade kicking crates and suplexing monks.

Then we hit the "Action Era." Resident Evil 5 brought in co-op, which was fun but definitely not scary. Resident Evil 6 was... ambitious. It had four separate campaigns and tried to be everything to everyone, resulting in a game where you literally outrun a lava flow in a tank. It’s a lot.

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The First-Person Pivot and Modern Remakes

By 2017, the series was having an identity crisis. So, Capcom stripped it back. Resident Evil 7: Biohazard went first-person and took us to a disgusting swamp in Louisiana. It felt like The Texas Chain Saw Massacre met Evil Dead. It was a massive gamble that paid off.

Then came Resident Evil Village (the eighth main game), which gave us Lady Dimitrescu—a nine-foot-tall vampire lady who the internet became strangely obsessed with—and a weirdly emotional ending for Ethan Winters.

But we can't talk about the list of resident evil video games without mentioning the "REngine" remakes. Starting in 2019, Capcom began rebuilding the classics from the ground up. The Resident Evil 2 remake is widely considered a masterpiece of game design. The Resident Evil 4 remake (2023) managed to do the impossible by making a perfect game even better, adding parry mechanics and a darker tone.

The Side Games That Actually Matter

If you only stick to the numbers, you're going to be very confused.

Take Resident Evil: Code: Veronica. It’s not numbered, but it’s the direct sequel to Resident Evil 2 and features the return of Chris Redfield and Albert Wesker. If you skip it, Wesker’s sudden god-like powers in RE5 make zero sense.

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Then there are the Revelations games. These were designed to bridge the gap between the horror of the old games and the action of the new ones. Revelations 1 takes place on a ghost ship, while Revelations 2 is an episodic prison break story featuring Claire Redfield and Barry Burton. They are surprisingly high quality for "spin-offs."

The "We Don't Talk About These" Entries

Every long-running franchise has skeletons in the closet. For Resident Evil, those skeletons are often multiplayer-focused. Umbrella Corps is a tactical shooter that almost nobody liked. Resident Evil: Resistance and Re:Verse were bundled with the remakes but failed to capture a long-term audience.

And let’s not forget the "Survivor" series. These were first-person light-gun games. While Resident Evil Survivor on the PS1 is pretty rough, the Chronicles series on the Wii (Umbrella Chronicles and Darkside Chronicles) is actually a great way to catch up on the lore if you don't want to play through the old, clunky tank-control games.

How to Actually Play Them Today

If you’re looking at this list of resident evil video games and feeling overwhelmed, don't panic. You don't need a Sega Saturn or a GameCube to experience the story.

Most of the series is now available on modern platforms. The best way to start is actually with the Resident Evil 1 Remaster (the 2002 version of the 1996 game). It preserves the tension and the puzzles but looks beautiful. From there, you can jump into the modern remakes of 2, 3, and 4.

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However, there is a divide in the fanbase. Some purists argue that the original 1998 Resident Evil 2 is superior to the remake because of its "B-Scenario" structure and specific enemy placements. They might be right. But for a newcomer, the modern controls of the remakes are a godsend.

The Chronological Order (For the Brave)

1. Resident Evil 0 (The prequel that explains the train wreck)
2. Resident Evil (The Mansion Incident)
3. Resident Evil 3 (First half, before Jill gets knocked out)
4. Resident Evil 2 (The Raccoon City outbreak)
5. Resident Evil 3 (Second half, the escape)
6. Resident Evil: Code: Veronica (Rockfort Island)
7. Resident Evil 4 (The Kennedy rescue mission)
8. Resident Evil: Revelations (The Queen Zenobia ship)
9. Resident Evil 5 (The end of Umbrella's legacy in Africa)
10. Resident Evil: Revelations 2 (The island prison)
11. Resident Evil 6 (The global C-Virus crisis)
12. Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (The Baker house)
13. Resident Evil Village (The snowy village in Romania)

Why This Series Persists

Why do we keep coming back to a list of resident evil video games that is so convoluted?

Because Capcom understands "the loop." Entering a safe room, hearing that soothing music, and managing your limited inventory is a dopamine hit like no other. It’s a series about feeling vulnerable and then, through grit and puzzle-solving, becoming powerful enough to kill a biological god.

It’s also surprisingly flexible. It can be a slow-burn mystery, a high-octane shooter, or a terrifying VR experience. Not many franchises can survive that many identity shifts and still feel like "Resident Evil."

Actionable Steps for New Players

If you're ready to dive in, don't just buy the first thing you see.

• Check for Bundles: Capcom frequently puts the "Raccoon City Edition" (RE2 and RE3 remakes) on sale for massive discounts.
• Don't Sleep on RE7 in VR: If you have a headset, Resident Evil 7 is genuinely one of the scariest experiences in any medium. Just have a bucket nearby.
• Play RE4 Remake Last: It is so polished and mechanically satisfying that going back to the older games might feel frustrating if you start here.
• Watch the Lore Summaries: If you find the older games too clunky to play, YouTube channels like Gaming University or Residence of Evil offer deep dives into the lore that are often more coherent than the games themselves.

Start with the Resident Evil 2 remake. It represents the perfect middle ground between the series' horror roots and modern gameplay standards. Once you've survived Mr. X chasing you through the RPD, you'll know if you're ready to tackle the rest of this massive, blood-soaked history.