Best Resident Evil 5 Mods You Need To Install

It's easy to forget now, but Resident Evil 5 was one of the most highly anticipated releases of its generation during the buildup to its 2009 release. The game had the unfortunate job of following the beloved Resident Evil 4 and consequently was under a ton of scrutiny before the game had even been released. Resident Evil 5 fell short of its predecessor's quality and was therefore seen as a disappointment upon release, but once the dust settled, many people began to appreciate the third-person shooter when judging it as its own entity.

Over ten years after the game's release, there are many people who have replayed the game so many times that they know it like the back of their hand. Thankfully, there's a selection of great mods available for the game that can mix up the experience.

Updated August 3, 2022 by Patrick Armstrong: It's not really fair to compare the enthusiasm of various fandoms, but it's hard not to admit that Resident Evil has some of the most devoted fans around. Whether they've played every game in the series or run through their favorite installment a dozen times, people keep coming back for more zombie-killing action. Though the games are great on their own, mods are there to help keep fans engaged no matter how many times they've played them, as evidenced by the many great mods that continue to come out for Resident Evil 5 even years after its release.

14 Laughing Octopus For Mercenaries

Resident Evil 5 - Laughing Octopus Skin Mod

Henry08's Laughing Octopus for Mercenaries mod replaces the Jill Battlesuit skin with Laughing Octopus from Metal Gear Solid 4. Laughing Octopus, aka the Devil's Child, is a stealth specialist and member of the Beauty and the Beast Unit prone to manic laughter even when killing her targets.

In some ways, Laughing Octopus actually makes sense as an addition to the Resident Evil universe, given both series' propensity for convoluted lore and pseudo-military operations. If someone's going to help take down a biological weapon, it might as well be Laughing Octopus. Whether it belongs or not, the Laughing Octopus for Mercenaries skin looks great and is a welcome addition.

13 HUNK - RE2 Remake

KEVIN465MORAN's HUNK - RE2 Remake mod is a celebration of the emotionless leader of Umbrella's Alpha Team. Unlike other skins, HUNK is actually a core part of Resident Evil canon, so adding him as a playable skin isn't quite the mind-bender that some other optional skins are.

HUNK has made numerous appearances throughout the series, but this mod bases its design on the character's appearance in the Resident Evil 2 remake rather than the original. This is a great decision, given the quality of that look, and HUNK fits right in here blasting zombies to pieces.

12 REalistic Weapon Names Mod 5

Video game storylines are all over the place in terms of realism. Some might include dragons or FTL travel through space, while another might be about young adults struggling to pay rent in modern Tokyo. There's nothing wrong with stories on either side of the spectrum, but for players seeking an added dose of realism, there are mods like this one.

Alkimical's REalistic Weapon Names Mod 5 is extremely simple: it replaces the names of Resident Evil's fictional weapons with the names of real ones. Given that the game's weapons are modeled on real weapons anyway, it makes sense to go the rest of the way and brand them accordingly. It may be a small change, but for fans that just want to punch up the authenticity a bit, this mod lets them do it. Resident Evil has some great weapons, some it's nice to see them given some attention.

11 Resident Evil 5 GE Ultimate Trainer

The Resident Evil 5 GE Ultimate Trainer Mod by Rasierer has the word "Ultimate" in it for a reason. This mod updates numerous aspects of the game, fixing glitches, improving menus, allowing easier character swapping, allowing the player to enable invulnerability and other cheats, providing a ton of quality-of-life improvements, and otherwise just making the game better.

The number of changes included in this mod is pages long. Suffice to say that if players want more control over their Resident Evil 5 experience but don't want the game to feel like something else entirely, Ultimate Trainer may be the mod for them. This mod lets players play their own way, which ultimately is what modding is all about.

10 Sonic And Tails

There are some mods that do an incredible job of rejuvenating and modernizing an old game's visuals, there are some that reinvent a game's level design to make it feel like an entirely different experience, and then there are some that throw Sonic and Tails into a horror game.

NoeMan2000's Nexus Mod puts the mascot platformers in place of Chris Redfield and Sheva Alomar in both the story and Mercenaries mode, leading to some hilarious moments.

9 RE4 Leon (w. Jacket)

For players who find themselves wanting to make Resident Evil 5 feel a bit closer to the game's predecessor, KEVIN465M0RAN's mod RE4 Leon (w. Jacket) offers a great solution. As the name suggests, the mod puts Resident Evil 4's protagonist into its sequel.

Leon Scott Kennedy made his first gaming appearance in 1998's Resident Evil 2 and has since been a recurring character, with other playable appearances including Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City and Resident Evil 6.

8 Doom Marine Style Heavy Metal

One of the features about Resident Evil 5 that divides fans is the game's heavy emphasis on action. Much of the horror is stripped away in the 2009 game, with over-the-top action sequences coming in to replace it, much to the dismay of some fans.

Those who love the game's explosive action, however, can embrace it with KEVIN465M0RAN's Doom Marine Style Heavy Metal mod, which puts Chris Redfield in the gear worn by Doomguy from the iconic DOOM series.

7 Chapter 1-2 Enchanted Garden

On the other side of the coin to the action-influenced Doom Marine Style Heavy Metal mod is Chapter 1-2 Enchanted Garden. The mod changes the visuals of Chapter 1-2, turning the once-rundown village into one that is bursting with color.

Walking through the modded area feels like taking a deep dive into a book of art, with everything from the ground to the sky being given a new artistic appearance.

6 Ada Wong (Mercenaries Attire)

If the aforementioned RE4 Leon (w. Jacket) mod didn't quite scratch players' Resident Evil 4 itch enough, then perhaps the Nexus mod Ada Wong (Mercenaries Attire) will do the trick.

The mod is another on this list that was uploaded by KEVIN465M0RAN and puts Ada Wong in place of Sheva. Like Leon, Ada made her first appearance in Resident Evil 2 and has been a recurring character ever since, with playable appearances in Resident Evil The Umbrella Chronicles, Resident Evil 6, and Resident Evil 4, among others.

5 Ultimate Jill over Sheva Mod

Jill Valentine with details about her mod

Ultimate Jill over Sheva Mod from moddb.com does exactly what it says on the tin and is the last character change on this list.

Rankings of the Resident Evil characters always cause a ton of debate, but for those who favor Jill Valentine over Sheva Alomar or the aforementioned Ada Wong, then they're in luck as VOTC's mod implements her in place of Sheva in both the story and Mercenaries mode. Jill is a fan-favorite who was a playable character in the very first Resident Evil game and has made a handful of other playable appearances in games such as Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles and Resident Evil 3: Nemesis.

4 Evolution - SOLO VERSION

From one VOTC creation to another, Evolution - SOLO VERSION is an excellent mod that changes Resident Evil 5's level design. Changes include where the player starts a stage from and where enemies are spawned, along with a change to the music and even the removal of an A.I. companion.

Mods such as Evolution - SOLO VERSION are fantastic for people who want to revisit their favorite games, but in a way that feels fresh, unique, and unexpected like the first time they played.

3 Public Assembly Hardcore Edition

Jill Valentine facing three enemies while one fires a rocket

Public Assembly is a Resident Evil 5 location that first appears near the very start of the game in Chapter 1-1. The area is one of the game's most memorable locations, as it's where the first large-scaled fight takes place. Public Assembly throws players into the deep end and forces them to hastily learn Resident Evil 5's gameplay mechanics if they want to stay alive, much like the village near the start of Resident Evil 4.

Public Assembly Hardcore Edition ramps the area's difficulty up a notch by adding a wide range of enemies into the mix. The mod is very tough but nonetheless enjoyable and provides a challenge that die-hard fans will relish.

2 Public Assembly Mixed Bosses

Public Assembly Hardcore Edition isn't the only mod that affects the Public Assembly area, as Public Assembly Mixed Bosses has the same idea. Rather than adding a variety of enemy types, the mod implements four different bosses, including Chainsaw Majini and the Gatling gun wielder J.J.

Unsurprisingly, the mod significantly ramps up the area's difficulty, so it should only be taken on by those ready to see the "You Are Dead" game over screen pop up a frustrating amount of times.

1 Resident Evil 5 Save Editor v2.71

protagonists standing together in Resident Evil 5

Whereas most of the mods on this list make just one or two specific changes, Resident Evil 5 Save Editor v2.71 implements an incredible range of features to Capcom's game. The range of changes speak for themselves, so here are all the listed features as detailed in the mod's description: