Ranking Resident Evil Games the Best and the Worst

The 1996 original was a huge success that showed that survival horror games had a real market, and spawned basically yearly installments afterwards. The series would fail to adapt with the times, though, until 2005’s Resident Evil 4. More of an action game, this third-person shooter reinvented the entire series (for better or for worse) and was a classic when it released on GameCube and PlayStation 2.

While the Resident Evil series is diverse and each title has some value to it (except for you, 6), there are definitely some titles that are better than others. With Resident Evil 4 getting a PlayStation 4 release this week, it only made sense to take a look back at Capcom’s legendary series and rank them from the worst to best Resident Evil games.

Before we get onto the list, here are a few things to consider. First off, only games in the main series were ranked. That means no Umbrella Corps, or the on-rails shooters. Second, and most importantly, there wasn’t some mathematical formula to come up with this list. It’s all just a matter of opinion.

I hope you enjoyed my look at the Resident Evil series. It wasn’t easy to decide which game took top honors, as so many of the titles in the series have their own special place in my heart. You can make a case for several titles as the best Resident Evil games, after all.

In your opinion, which are the best Resident Evil games? Which is the worst entry in the franchise? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Essential Reading:

Resident Evil Games Ranked

Resident Evil Games Ranked
11. Resident Evil 6

I never enjoy writing about Resident Evil 6. It's a bad game that isn't even fun to mock, since it's not a lazily designed cash-in. It's a game that a huge staff poured their hearts into and it turned out terrible. Everything from the action to the story is somehow a mess, and it's one of the most disappointing titles in recent memory.
10. Resident Evil 5

When I wrote about Resident Evil 5 a few months ago on the series' 20th anniversary, I said that the title was disappointing but not a bad game. Having replayed the recent PS4 port, I think I have to walk back that statement. Maybe it's because the 2009 release is so close to feeling like a modern shooter yet also feels constantly dated, but I can't remember another game that actively tried to make me not enjoy it. Every scene seemed memorable, but only for how unenjoyable and how terribly designed it was. Seemingly endless hordes of not-zombies filled every area, and the still combat just isn't fun anymore. There was certainly some fun to be had with RE5 in the past, but it only offers frustration today.
9. Resident Evil Zero

Despite still looking great graphically, Resident Evil Zero feels very dated. That's not surprising, since the 2002 release felt like a tired entry in a series that needed to evolve when it came out. Thankfully, RE4 would come shortly afterwards, but Zero is a great showcase of why the series had to change.
8. Resident Evil 3: Nemesis

It was going to be hard to follow Resident Evil 2, so in that regard, it's not surprising that Resident Evil 3: Nemesis was a disappointment. That said, Jill Valentine's adventure isn't a bad one. While I'm not quite fond of the multiple Nemesis encounters, it did add a unique element to the game, and the series has tried to recreate such an encounter since then (only to fail several times).
7. Resident Evil

The title that started it all was 1996's Resident Evil. From the iconic mansion to those damn dogs that jump through windows, I have a lot of fond memories of it. That said, it was still made in 1996 and the basic formula was improved from there on out (especially by its sequel). Plus, there is a far better version of the same game that I'll talk about in a bit.
6. Resident Evil Code: Veronica X

Resident Evil Code: Veronica X may look ugly as sin in 2016, but it still works from a gameplay perspective. It's one of the best designed Resident Evil titles, and definitely gave players more of what they loved out of the PS1 titles. It may not be pretty, but those who go on Code: Veronica's journey won't regret it.
5. Resident Evil: Revelations 2

While the cooperative mechanics in Resident Evil Revelations 2 feel forced, it does tell an interesting story that is split into two distinct perspectives. Plus, players get to play as Barry Burton which scores huge points with me. I'm a simple man that likes Barry Burton, what else can I say?
4. Resident Evil: Revelations

While Resident Evil: Revelations lost a little of its magic in the transition to consoles, it still marked a magnificent return to form for the series. It was decidedly a survival horror title, and it brought back a lot of the gameplay that old-school fans were starting to miss. It's a must-play for anyone that wishes Capcom would take the series back to its root, and a game that doesn't get nearly enough attention.
3. Resident Evil 2

Out of the PlayStation-era games, Resident Evil 2 is easily the best. The Hideki Kamiya directed title had a rocky development, but Capcom was able to produce a classic survival horror title. Excitingly, a remake is on the way. One I can't wait to play, and am anxious to see how the publisher decides to update it. Let's hope a whole new generation can experience, and love, Kamiya's classic.
2. Resident Evil (Remake)

The 2002 remake of Resident Evil is the standard that every remake should be held to. Even today, 14 years later, I can't think of a remake that managed to make so many smart design changes while also keeping true to the original. It was a fresh experience for even those who played the PS1 classic hundreds of times, and Capcom even did a great job in bringing it to PS4. It really speaks to how amazing the assets of the original were that it still looks great on current gen systems!
1. Resident Evil 4

Resident Evil 4 was a complete reinvention of a series that desperately needed it in 2005. Not only was it a fresh take on the Resident Evil formula, it was also the premiere action shooter released on Gamecube and PlayStation 2. While its sequels didn't do nearly enough to build upon the instant classic that Capcom released, it stands the test of time as an excellently designed title — albeit one with a few quirks in 2016.