The Resident Evil franchise has been one of the longest-running and most successful franchises in video game history, with Capcom releasing new entries on a regular basis. Just recently, Capcom revealed its plans for Resident Evil's future, confirming that DLC is on the way for Resident Evil Village later this year while a full-blown Resident Evil 4 remake is in development for release in 2023.
Capcom has released a lot of main series Resident Evil games over the years, and most of them have turned out to be quite good. In fact, the majority of main series Resident Evil games are highly-rated by fans and critics alike, though there are some that have failed to live up to expectations.
While fans wait for more information on the Resident Evil 4 remake, here is a tier list ranking every main series Resident Evil game released so far.
S-Tier
Resident Evil 2 - The original Resident Evil coined the term survival-horror and helped put the genre on the map. The bar was set extremely high, but Capcom still managed to exceed expectations with Resident Evil 2. Resident Evil 2 lets players loose in a Raccoon City overrun by flesh-eating zombies and other unspeakable horrors as rookie cop Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield, who is searching for her brother Chris. RE2 was a massive upgrade over the original game in nearly every category, and it remains a landmark release in the survival-horror genre.
Resident Evil (2002) - Merely six years after the first Resident Evil released, Capcom moved forward with a remake for the Nintendo GameCube. The Resident Evil remake vastly improved the graphics of the original game and made the infamous Mansion Incident much scarier with the horrifying Lisa Trevor and zombies that don't stay dead unless players burn their corpses. The Resident Evil remake is the ideal way to experience the original story, and luckily it's available on modern platforms through an HD remaster that added modernized controls and much more.
Resident Evil 4 - Most video game franchises figure out what works and stick with that blueprint throughout their existence, but director Shinji Mikami took Resident Evil in a bold new direction with Resident Evil 4. One of the most critically-acclaimed and influential video games ever made, Resident Evil 4 sees Leon S. Kennedy on a dangerous quest to save the president's daughter. It introduces an over-the-shoulder camera and ramps up the action significantly. RE4's overall impact on the Resident Evil franchise remains controversial, but there's no denying the sheer artistry on display.
Resident Evil 2 (2019) - Capcom has never been shy about remaking classic Resident Evil games, and so it's no surprise that it eventually did the same for Resident Evil 2. The Resident Evil 2 remake is a mostly faithful recreation of the original 90s game, but with gorgeous graphics that are up to modern standards and various tweaks to make the game better live up to today's expectations. The Resident Evil 2 remake also made Mr. X much scarier, allowing him to relentlessly pursue players nearly anywhere they try to go, leading to plenty of unscripted, terrifying moments.
A-Tier
Resident Evil - The Resident Evil that started it all remains a must-play game to this day. It sees the S.T.A.R.S. Alpha Team explore the dangerous Spencer Estate in search of the missing Bravo Team. What they discover is a mansion filled to the brink with zombies and other monstrosities, all of which are extremely deadly. There are certain aspects of the original Resident Evil that haven't aged as well as other games in the series, but it's still a classic of the genre and worth playing, even with the remake readily available.
Resident Evil 7 - The Resident Evil franchise was suffering from an identity crisis after Resident Evil 4 pushed it in a more action-oriented direction. Resident Evil 7 was Capcom's attempt to bring Resident Evil back to its survival-horror roots, and it was wildly successful in achieving that goal. Resident Evil 7 is a pure survival-horror game that plays a lot like the classic Resident Evil games, though the big difference is the first-person viewpoint and heightened focus on scaring the player. Easily one of the scariest Resident Evil games, if not the scariest, gamers won't soon forget the terror inflicted on them at the hands of the Baker family.
B-Tier
Resident Evil 3: Nemesis - Capcom struck gold with the first two Resident Evil games, so it was only natural that it would move forward with another one as quickly as possible. Resident Evil 3: Nemesis wasn't originally supposed to be the third main series Resident Evil game, and it shows, though it's still a great entry in the series. The game stars RE1 protagonist Jill Valentine as she explores Raccoon City, visiting some locations that players already experienced in Resident Evil 2. RE3's titular Nemesis monster helped take the third game in the series to the next level, and it quickly became one of the franchise's most iconic creatures.
Resident Evil Code: Veronica - Originally a Dreamcast exclusive, Resident Evil Code: Veronica ushered the Resident Evil series to a new generation of video games. Resident Evil Code: Veronica sees Chris and Claire Redfield subjected to more of the Umbrella Corporation's unspeakable horrors, but with improved controls and quality-of-life improvements when compared to previous games in the series. Code: Veronica also sees the shocking return of series antagonist Albert Wesker, resulting in one of the franchise's most memorable moments. There are aspects of the game that haven't held up, particularly the backtracking when players take control of Chris and the way it lets players ruin their own playthrough, but it's still a great game and there's a reason why fans are begging for a remake.
Resident Evil Zero - Resident Evil Zero is a prequel to the original game, showing what exactly happened to the S.T.A.R.S. Bravo Team in the night leading up to the Mansion Incident. It puts Rebecca Chambers in the starring role and adds fan favorite character Billy Coen to the mix as well. Resident Evil Zero introduced an interesting new gameplay mechanic where players are able to swap between the two playable characters at will. It also ditched the series' item boxes in favor of letting players drop items on the ground. These changes didn't resonate with all fans, but the game still provides an engrossing Resident Evil experience regardless.
Resident Evil 5 - Resident Evil 5 is essentially Resident Evil 4 with co-op and an even greater focus on action. Resident Evil 5's over-the-top action and third-person shooter focus over horror and puzzle-solving didn't sit well with everybody, but the game remains one of the best co-op shooters around. Resident Evil 5 also boasts some incredible replay value, with players challenged to earn high scores on each mission, fully level up each weapon, and find the many collectibles hidden throughout the game.
Resident Evil Village - Resident Evil 7's first-person viewpoint was controversial, but Capcom still decided to double-down with Resident Evil Village. The latest main series entry in the long-running survival-horror franchise, Resident Evil Village picks up where RE7 left off, with Ethan Winters finding himself at odds against a new group of villains, including the incredibly popular Lady Dimitrescu. Resident Evil Village is more action-oriented than its predecessor, which again proved controversial in the community, but it's otherwise a solid follow-up and serves as further proof that the RE formula works very well in first-person.
C-Tier
Resident Evil 3 - Capcom found a lot of success with its other Resident Evil remakes, so it makes sense that it decided to produce a remake for Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, though it's definitely one of the weaker games in the franchise. The Resident Evil 3 remake drops "Nemesis" from the title, and it also makes the titular monster significantly less intimidating. The short game focuses on scripted sequences and removes some of the original RE3's defining features to tell a more streamlined story. It's still a fine and highly polished game, but it could have been so much more.
D-Tier
Resident Evil 6 - The worst Resident Evil game by far is Resident Evil 6. Resident Evil 6 marks the franchise's low point, further committing to action over horror, and bogging down the narrative with multiple, interweaving campaigns starring the series' most recognizable characters. Resident Evil 6 has its moments, and the return of co-op is appreciated, but it's a slog to play and overall a significant step down from its predecessors.