Highlights

• Resident Evil is the iconic horror gaming franchise, but there are other great horror games like Alien: Isolation and Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare.
• Devil May Cry was born out of Resident Evil and offers fast-paced action with puzzles and a dark setting.
• Dino Crisis is basically Resident Evil with dinosaurs, while Extermination takes inspiration from Resident Evil with a more action-oriented approach. Parasite Eve combines RPG elements with survival horror for a unique experience.

The gaming landscape is blessed with quality offerings, with the horror category also having a wide range for players to choose from. Resident Evil has perfected almost every facet of this genre, with the original games being a blend of horror and action. Resident Evil 4, 5, and 6 veered primarily toward action with the occasional scary moment, while Resident Evil 7: BioHazard returned to horror but as a first-person serving. Village aimed to find a middle ground between the two, largely succeeding in the process.

Resident Evil is undoubtedly the most famous horror gaming franchise of all time, to the point there might be fans of Capcom's series that have largely neglected most of the genre's other offerings. Consequently, they are missing out on some of the best horror games like Resident Evil.

Updated December 24, 2023 by Mark Sammut: The specifications have been added for every game similar to Resident Evil mentioned in this discussion.

20 Alien: Isolation

Intense Sci-Fi Horror Game

A contender for the best Alien game of all time, Alien: Isolation is a survival horror masterpiece. While not completely devoid of weapons, players spend large chunks of the game trying to avoid the Xenomorph. Alien: Isolation takes one of horror's most iconic villains and revitalizes them, re-establishing this intimidating creature as a force to be reckoned with. This is the Xenomorph from Alien, not Alien vs. Predator.

Although not all that comparable to the third-person Resident Evil games, Alien: Isolation should strike a chord with fans of Biohazard and, to a lesser extent, Village.

19 Shadows Of The Damned

More Comedy, Less Horror

Produced by Shinji Mikami and Grasshopper Manufacture, Shadows of the Damned went through a tough development cycle that saw it practically transform into a different game by the end. The finished product plays like a comedic version of the action-focused Resident Evil titles, as players guide a demon hunter through the underworld to save his girlfriend.

Putting aside some mini-games that do not deliver, Shadows of the Damned plays fine for a third-person shooter. The game’s stunning environments and creative monster designs are the true stars, although the characters are pretty fun too.

18 Devil May Cry

Born Out Of Resident Evil's Ashes

As fans of both franchises surely know, Devil May Cry originally started as Resident Evil 4. Ultimately, Hideki Kamiya’s team took the project in too different of a direction to pass as another entry in the horror series, leading to the creation of 2001’s Devil May Cry.

Split into missions and pushing action to the forefront, Devil May Cry moves at a blistering pace as players seek to stylishly take out all sorts of enemies by mastering Dante’s various weapons and moves. Similar to Resident Evil, Devil May Cry features plenty of puzzles and a ghoulish setting. The series would expand on the combat in later entries, but the original Devil May Cry is the closest to Resident Evil.

17 Alone In The Dark: The New Nightmare

Adopting Resident Evil's Blueprint

1992's Alone in the Dark was a landmark release in video game horror, and it almost certainly influenced later projects like Resident Evil and Silent Hill. However, the franchise lost steam quickly, and by 1994 and its third numbered entry, Alone in the Dark's core concept felt tired. The IP would not return until 2001, and The New Nightmare debuted in a very different climate than its predecessors. Unsurprisingly, the game took some ideas from the popular PS1 survival horror games that redefined the genre, all the while still respectfully retaining the sense of atmosphere that characterized the original Alone in the Dark.

In a franchise that largely consists of great but hard-to-revisit (1992's Alone in the Dark) or terrible releases (Illumination), The New Nightmare might just be the best Alone in the Dark game, or at least the one that modern players might struggle the least to enjoy. Featuring two playable characters and an island setting, the 2001 game is visually impressive for its era, particularly its lighting effects.

16 Dino Crisis Series

Resident Evil With Dinos (& By Capcom)

Basically Resident Evil but with dinosaurs, Dino Crisis retains many elements that helped make Capcom’s zombie franchise so beloved. Puzzles, limited inventory, tank controls, and tight spaces are present and accounted for in the original Dino Crisis, and the dinosaurs produce plenty of memorable encounters even if they are not especially terrifying.

Dino Crisis 2 is more of a straight-up action game, and it is perhaps the best in the series. While the franchise would go on to produce one more main entry and a spin-off, they are not great.

15 Extermination

Inspired By Resident Evil

Deep Space's Extermination was ahead of its time in some areas. The game takes a lot of inspiration from Resident Evil, but it opts for a slightly more action-oriented approach compared to Capcom's franchise at the time. This direction manifests in a few ways. Firstly, when aiming, the player's perspective shifts to a first-person angle to improve accuracy; that said, players can still fire their weapons while in third-person. Certain enemies also have weak spots that require the first-person angle to target.

Another interesting addition is that the protagonist can become infected, necessitating the use of a vaccine. Narratively, Extermination takes place in an Antarctic research facility that has fallen prey to a virus, sort of similar to The Thing​​​​​​.

14 Parasite Eve Series

Square's Horror RPG Franchise

Developed by Square, Parasite Eve blends RPG elements with survival horror to create a surprisingly effective mix. Set in New York City, the game follows an NYPD officer, Aya Brea, as she tries to track down a woman who has become something far more dangerous than an average human.

The story is paced well and features a roster of memorable characters; in fact, Parasite Eve is worth playing for its narrative alone. The combat offers an interesting but somewhat clunky mix of RPG and survival horror elements, while the upgrade system adds a degree of strategy to battles. Parasite Eve and its sequel are both fantastic, while 2010's The 3rd Birthday is polarizing.

13 Deep Fear

Saturn Horror Game That Has Aged Pretty Well

While the Sega Saturn tends to get overlooked as a console, it did produce a couple of noteworthy (and underappreciated) titles. Debuting the same year as Resident Evil 2 and cut from the same cloth, Sega’s Deep Fear did just enough to stand out on its own.

Set in a claustrophobic submarine and featuring many impressive monster designs that take inspiration from horror and sci-fi concepts, Deep Fear offers more engaging gameplay than its contemporaries, allowing it to age better than most late ‘90s titles. Fans of 1996’s Resident Evil should check this classic out.

12 ObsCure

Neat Premise

Getting a mixed reception upon release, ObsCure (and its sequel) is worth a playthrough by anyone fond of old-school survival horror games. Set in a school filled with twisted students and teachers affected by plant spores, ObsCure follows a group of teenagers as they figure out the reason behind these transformations while also trying to save a friend.

While not all that original of a concept in the wider horror world, the plot's average protagonists set it apart from many other video game releases of this period. With a splashing of lightheartedness and a slew of creative enemy designs, ObsCure is a fun time that also has a few novel ideas. The sixth console generation certainly produced better overall horror games, but this release has more than enough positives to justify its existence.

11 Carrier

Expansion Of Early Resident Evil Gameplay

Like so many Dreamcast-exclusive games, Carrier has been somewhat forgotten over time. While by no means a classic, Jaleco's survival horror game was a competent entry in a genre that was starting to expand away from Resident Evil and Silent Hill. In this case, the project leans closer to the former's method of doing things than the latter, resulting in a fun experience that blends horror and action quite well.

Featuring two protagonists, Carrier tasks players with investigating a military plane that has cut contact. Naturally, the aircraft was carrying a dangerous substance that could spell doom for humanity. Compared to the first few Resident Evil games, Carrier gives players more control over movement and combat.

10 Silent Hill 1-3

Konami's Psychological Horror Masterpiece

At the peak of its success, the Silent Hill series was considered the definitive alternative to the Resident Evil games; it was the eerier counterpart to the latter’s more action-oriented approach.

Silent Hill games were for those people who didn’t want to feel in control of the action but wanted to feel as if they really were trapped in a horror-filled world. As Resident Evil descended further into action, fans were glad the Silent Hill games were there to carry the torch for the horror genre – it reminded them of the original Resident Evil installments, which favored the scares over the fights. While later entries have their positives, the first three Silent Hill games are considered the best.

9 Days Gone

Massive Zombie Hordes

This one is for those who happened to enjoy Resident Evil 6, the entry in the series that was the most action-packed. Days Gone does feature its fair share of thrills, and it’s not the prettiest sight when bolting away from a horde of ravenous zombies.

Those players who felt Resident Evil 6’s large-scale action was minimized in quantity due to the separation of story modes will feel as if they’re getting their full experience with Days Gone, as the open-world ensures players get zombie fights aplenty.

8 Galerians

A Unique Take On The Resident Evil Formula

Blending survival horror and sci-fi, Galerians succeeds in adopting various Resident Evil mechanics and concepts while still crafting a unique identity. This achievement can partially be credited to its story, which follows a boy who awakens in a lab facility with psychic powers. Suffering from amnesia, he is left with no choice but to explore the terrifying building, and he will have to deal with more than just angry scientists. Galerians' narrative is probably its strongest element, although the overall setting is great in its own right.

The combat system revolves around psychic attacks that come in a few forms, some of which lean into puzzle-solving. While fairly difficult, the gameplay itself is not complicated or obtuse, even if it can be a bit polarizing. Galerians is a PS1 gem that went on to produce a much worse PS2 sequel.

7 Cold Fear

Overshadowed By Resident Evil 4, But Still Fun

Nowadays, Resident Evil 4 seems to be available on every console imaginable, but that was not the case during most of 2005. Capcom's game launched exclusively on the GameCube and remained that way for roughly a year; in the meantime, Ubisoft published Cold Fear on Xbox and PS2.

Even though it could not hope to be a replacement for Resident Evil 4, Cold Fear worked pretty well as not only a stop-gap but also a solid action-horror game in its own right. The title splits its campaign across two locations: a boat and an oil rig. Both environments are decent, but the former is especially memorable since it feels more alive than its successor.

6 Tormented Souls

A Love Letter To PS1-Era Horror Games

Late-'90s horror nostalgia has inspired a few projects in recent years, and Tormented Souls is one of the stronger examples of this movement. This release is drenched in PS1 goodness, including fixed camera angles and optional tank controls. Players assume the role of Caroline, who decides to investigate an abandoned hospital after receiving a tip regarding a missing twins case. Naturally, she finds herself dragged into a horrifying world filled with creative creatures fit to star in any nightmare.

Tormented Souls will not hold too much value for people who are not fond of classic survival horror games, especially since the gameplay can be clunky at times. However, players searching for a throwback to the days of 1996's Resident Evil are likely to love this 2021 project. The Switch version has some issues, so try to prioritize the other releases.

5 Alan Wake Remastered

Great Story & Clever Use Of Light

Remedy Entertainment's Alan Wake is a third-person shooter that elevates a flashlight to its main weapon. The eponymous writer makes his way to a mysterious village in search of his wife, a decision that steeps him into darkness. The latter is not just used as a scare tactic but is integrated into the narrative. Alan Wake's monsters fear the light and live in the dark, creating a tense atmosphere that promotes a constant state of dread and anxiety.

Alan Wake Remastered does not bring too many changes to the base game, except for a pretty good graphical upgrade. The game already looked great on the Xbox 360, and the remaster does not feel out of place on modern consoles. Fans of the game should also check out Alan Wake's American Nightmare and Alan Wake 2, the latter of which is generally regarded to be the IP's peak. Nevertheless, newcomers should start with the original title.

4 The Evil Within

Shinji Mikami's Modern Horror Franchise

Hailing from one of the minds behind Resident Evil, Tango Gameworks' The Evil Within instantly garnered attention as an IP that could carry the survival horror genre into the future, especially since it debuted during a low point for Capcom's franchise. While perhaps falling short of expectations to an extent, Shinji Mikami's third-person shooter is still an impressive experience by most metrics, and it is genuinely terrifying in a way that very few horror games are.

In 2017, The Evil Within 2 was released, which many players might argue improves upon its predecessor in most areas. Compared to The Evil Within's linear chapter-based presentation, the sequel has a more open-ended structure since it takes place in a large town. Both games are great.

3 Left 4 Dead

High-Octane Co-Op Zombie Shooter

While it might not have many similarities with Resident Evil in terms of gameplay and presentation, Left 4 Dead is definitely a game for zombie horror enthusiasts. Think of it as a shooter version of Resident Evil 7: BioHazard, but the game is worth checking out regardless.

Here, the purpose is to take the fight to the zombies and come out on top by engaging them using a four-person team. The replay value is bolstered by the presence of co-op mode, where up to four players can take part.

2 Dead Space

Resident Evil 4 In Space, With More Horror & Less Action

This game displays the impact of Resident Evil 4, where the over-the-shoulder revolutionary feature enabled many future-quality games to see the light of day. Dead Space is like Resident Evil in space, and its “zombies” offer a curiously scary insight into the creativity that can come out from this genre in gaming.

The story is simple enough in that the protagonist has to escape the reanimated bodies of his former crew in space as they seek to devour him. Every foe has a different method of approaching, which makes Dead Space both haunting and impossible to get bored with.

The 2023 remake is also fantastic and an easy recommendation for fans of Resident Evil.

1 The Last Of Us

Post-Apocalyptic Horror Masterpiece With Third-Person Shooter Gameplay

There are zombies, bloody sequences, and gruesome deaths; all in all, this is Resident Evil 4 told in a tragic sense. The Last of Us would be a world where Leon, Chris, and company were unable to stop the virus from spreading, and we’re left with humanity out to fend for themselves from the zombies.

There’s a similar over-the-shoulder gameplay style here, but The Last of Us grants players more room to fight and jump around compared to Resident Evil 4. The game also has Ellie, a far more effective supporting protagonist than Ashley. The Last of Us is easily the best addition to the zombie genre following Resident Evil 4.

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