By its (near-)constant excellence, innovation, and longevity, Resident Evil video games have earned their crown because the king of survival horror. Capcom debuted its world of mutants and mercenaries in 1996 and has since grown Resident Evil right into a multimedia franchise that spans over two dozen console video games, six movies, two latest Netflix sequence, novels, comics, and even stage performs.
It may be an thrilling franchise to discover given the quantity of content material it homes, although for a similar purpose, it may be an equally daunting sequence to strategy in 2025. With the upcoming launch of Resident Evil 9, this text focuses solely on video video games and cuts out the convolution by presenting two methods to play solely essentially the most narratively important and accessible Resident Evil video games so as.
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How Many Resident Evil Video games Are There?
There are 10 core Resident Evil video games: RE 0-7, Village, and Code: Veronica. Nonetheless, the entire variety of Resident Evil console video games — together with spinoffs and remakes — sits round 30. That quantity rises close to 60 when accounting for cellular and pachinko video games.
Which Resident Evil Recreation Ought to You Play First?
Our general suggestion for the place to start is with Resident Evil 4 Remake. It is essentially the most visually/technically spectacular RE remake to this point and, because of its masterful mixture of motion and horror, arguably the very best general Resident Evil sport within the franchise’s almost 30-year historical past. It is a largely self-contained story that does not require you to play every sport that got here earlier than it.
Nonetheless, should you desire first-person horror, we advocate beginning with Resident Evil 7: Biohazard. It is the start of the Ethan Winters storyline and a very good sport that makes use of the extra immersive first-person digicam to intensify the horror.
Methods to Play the Resident Evil Video games in Chronological Order
For this checklist, we’re specializing in 12 Resident Evil video games: all 10 core entries and the 2 Revelations spinoffs. Whereas many others are thought of canon, this isn’t an exhaustive chronology, however quite an approachable information to coming into and having fun with the world of Resident Evil video video games.
Lacking from this checklist are cellular and pachinko video games, mild gun and Wii shooters (Resident Evil Survivor, Survivor 2, Lifeless Intention, Umbrella Chronicles, Darkside Chronicles), and non-canonical/non-consequential/troublesome to entry spinoffs (Resident Evil Gaiden, Outbreak, Outbreak: File #2, Mercenaries 3D, Operation Raccoon Metropolis, Resistance, Umbrella Corps, Re:Verse)
With sequence newcomers in thoughts, the temporary plot synopses beneath comprise solely gentle spoilers resembling broad plot factors and character introductions.
1. Resident Evil 0
Resident Evil 0 is the fifth sport launched within the sequence however the first chronologically. It takes place simply earlier than the occasions of Resident Evil, with Particular Techniques and Rescue Service (S.T.A.R.S.) medic Rebecca Chambers and former marine Billy Coen discovering a prepare stuffed with zombies within the Arklay Mountains (residence to the Spencer Mansion). Billy and Rebecca uncover useful data associated to sequence villains Albert Wesker and William Birkin. We additionally study extra in regards to the origins of the sinister Umbrella Company and its lethal T-Virus. The sport wraps with Rebecca headed towards the mansion, the place she’d function a supporting character in RE 1.
Obtainable on: PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Swap, Wii, GameCube, PC | IGN’s Resident Evil 0 Wiki
2. Resident Evil
The primary Resident Evil got here to PlayStation in 1996, although for these coming to the franchise in 2022, you’ll need to play the 2002 remake (or its newer HD remaster), because it improves gameplay and expands on the story.
RE 1 picks up proper after RE 0. You play as one in every of two S.T.A.R.S. brokers — Chris Redfield or Jill Valentine — who come to the Spencer Mansion whereas investigating a sequence of murders within the woodlands outdoors of Raccoon Metropolis. Chris/Jill encounters the murderous, mutated victims of the T-Virus and uncovers key details about Umbrella and its organic experimentation.
Obtainable on: PS4, PS3, PS1, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Swap, Wii, GameCube, DS (Lethal Silence), Saturn, PC | IGN’s Resident Evil Wiki
3. Resident Evil 2
Going down two months after RE 0 and 1, Resident Evil 2 introduces two new protagonists — rookie cop Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield (Chris’s sister) — every with their very own related but distinct marketing campaign. RE 2 additionally introduces the recurring character Ada Wong and the long-lasting Tyrant enemy.
We study extra about William Birkin and his work on an much more threatening virus referred to as the G-virus. Leon/Claire uncover extra disturbing particulars in regards to the clandestine work of Umbrella, in addition to its ties to the Raccoon Police Division.
Resident Evil 2 is at present out there to play without spending a dime with an Xbox Recreation Go subscription.
Obtainable on: PS5, PS4, PS1, Xbox Collection X|S, Xbox One, Swap (Nov. 11), GameCube, N64, Dreamcast, PC | IGN’s Resident Evil 2 Wiki
4. Resident Evil 3
The chronology will get dicey with Resident Evil 3, however for the sake of simplicity, we advocate taking part in it after 2. The primary a part of RE 3 takes place earlier than the occasions of RE 2; the second half takes place after. You might play midway by 3, pause, play by 2, then return for the second half of three. Nonetheless, taking part in RE 3 after 2 gained’t detract from the expertise or your understanding of the story. We selected to position it fourth on this checklist seeing as its conclusion progresses the general narrative past RE 2.
You start RE 3 as Jill Valentine, nonetheless coping along with her expertise from RE 1, attempting to flee from an overrun Raccoon Metropolis. For a part of the sport, whereas Jill is indisposed, management shifts to her mercenary ally Carlos Oliviera. RE 3 additionally introduces Nemesis and divulges the destiny of Raccoon Metropolis.
Obtainable on: PS5, PS4, PS1, Xbox Collection X|S, Xbox One, Swap (Nov. 18), GameCube, Dreamcast, PC | IGN’s Resident Evil 3 Wiki
Resident Evil 3 Soundtrack Vinyl
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24 tracks from the action-packed 2020 remake
5. Resident Evil: Code – Veronica
Resident Evil: Code – Veronica advances the timeline by a few months and sees Claire Redfield proceed the seek for her brother Chris that started in RE 2. This time Claire’s search takes her to an Umbrella facility in France, the place she escapes captivity and follows the path to the southmost area of Earth.
Chris Redfield, one of many protagonists from the unique sport, returns as a second playable character in Code Veronica. Chris, like Claire, is in search of his sibling, and the search ends in a gathering with sequence antagonist Albert Wesker.
Obtainable on: PS4, PS3, PS2, Xbox 360, GameCube, Dreamcast | IGN’s Resident Evil Code Veronica Wiki
6. Resident Evil 4
Resident Evil 4, arguably the sequence’ most beloved entry, places gamers again within the sneakers of Leon Kennedy six years after his time in Racoon Metropolis throughout RE 2. Leon travels to a rural village in Spain on a mission to rescue the U.S. president’s daughter.
There, Leon encounters a cult and explores its ties to a mind-controlling parasite. The story that unfolds weaves collectively the narratives of two characters from Resident Evil’s previous: Albery Wesker and Ada Wong.
Learn our Resident Evil 4 Remake assessment to see the enhancements that had been made for the reason that authentic.
Obtainable on: PS5, PS4, PS3, PS2, Xbox Collection X, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Swap, Wii, GameCube PC, VR | IGN’s Resident Evil 4 Wiki
7. Resident Evil Revelations
Resident Evil Revelations is about between the occasions of RE 4 and 5. It explores one other consequence of Umbrella’s bioweapon improvement and introduces gamers to the Bioterrorism Safety Evaluation Alliance (BSAA).
Jill Valentine and Chris Redfield are actually BSAA brokers, with Jill serving as the sport’s main protagonist. The duo head to the Mediterranean to fight the usage of T-Abyss, a brand new variant of the T-Virus.
Obtainable on: PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Swap, Wii U, 3DS, PC | IGN’s Resident Evil Revelations Wiki
8. Resident Evil 5
Resident Evil 5 is about 5 years after RE 4. Chris Redfield, as a part of the BSAA, flies to Africa along with his companion Sheva Alomar to forestall the black market sale of a bioweapon. The folks of Kijuju, nevertheless, have already been contaminated with an enhanced model of the mind-controlling parasite seen in RE 4.
It’s a larger-scale story than previous Resident Evils, although Chris additionally embarks on the extra private mission of discovering his long-lost companion, Jill Valentine. We additionally study of Albert Wesker’s newest nefarious plot.
In contrast to previous video games within the sequence, RE 5 will be performed cooperatively; the second participant controls Sheva.
Obtainable on: PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Swap, PC | IGN’s Resident Evil 5 Wiki
9. Resident Evil Revelations 2
Resident Evil Revelations 2 is about between RE 5 and 6. It brings Claire Redfield again into the highlight for the primary time since Code Veronica. The sport is break up into 4 episodes, with every episode divided into two elements: a previous sequence with Clarie and Moira Burton and a gift sequence with Barry Burton (Moira’s father) trying to find them. The story introduces one other antagonistic Wesker.
Obtainable on: PS4, PS3, PS Vita, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Swap, PC | IGN’s Resident Evil Revelations 2 Wiki
10. Resident Evil 6
Resident Evil 6 is an action-heavy journey that tells an much more sprawling (and convoluted) story than that of RE 5. It weaves collectively 4 campaigns starring Leon Kennedy, Chris Redfield, Ada Wong, and a mercenary named Jake Muller.
The BSAA launched in Revelations performs an essential function in 6, because the quartet of protagonists work to squash the bioterrorist group Neo-Umbrella and stop the unfold of yet one more mutant-creating virus (the C-Virus).
Obtainable on: PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Swap, PC | IGN’s Resident Evil 6 Wiki
11. Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
With Resident Evil 7: Biohazard Capcom reinvented the franchise in a number of methods: It’s RE’s return to mass acclaim and fandom following the largely disappointing fifth and sixth entries, it introduces a brand new protagonist in Ethan Winters, and most notably it switches the sequence’ longrunning perspective from third-person to first-person.
Regardless of all these adjustments, RE 7 nonetheless exists on the sequence canonical timeline, presumably going down within the modern-day someday after RE 6. The sport is about in rural Louisiana, with the primary half going down within the residence of the splendidly insane Baker household. Its ties to previous RE video games are quite unfastened, although lots of the sequence staples are right here: clandestine human experimentation, bioweapons, and towards the top, a well-known face.
Obtainable on: PS5, Xbox Collection X|S, PS4, Xbox One, Swap, PC | IGN’s Resident Evil 7 Wiki
12. Resident Evil Village
Resident Evil Village is a continuation (and the conclusion) of Ethan Winters’s story, set three years after the occasions of RE 7. Biohazard and Village stand on their very own as a duology of video games. Although Village features a few extra ties to the sequence’ previous, together with a extra distinguished function for the aforementioned “acquainted face” and additional details about the origins of Umbrella.
A post-credits scene extends the timeline even additional. We’ll save the small print, however these curious can learn on to the following part for a bit extra context.
Obtainable on: PS5, Xbox Collection X|S, PS4, Xbox One, Swap, PC | IGN’s Resident Evil Village Wiki
Bonus: Shadows of Rose DLC
Selecting up shortly after Village’s post-credits scene (16 years after the principle story of Village), Shadows of Rose progresses the Resident Evil timeline additional than any sport earlier than it. Assuming the occasions of Village happen in 2021, Shadows of Rose brings the franchise into the close to way forward for 2037.
The three-4 hour DLC stars Ethan’s daughter Rose, who makes an attempt to rid herself of the undesirable powers inherited from her father.
Obtainable on: PS5, Xbox Collection X|S, PS4, Xbox One, Swap, PC | IGN’s Shadows of Rose Wiki
Resident Evil: The Full Playlist
Here is each RE sport ever launched, together with the most well-liked compilations.
Methods to Play the Resident Evil Video games by Launch Date
Resident Evil (1996)*Resident Evil 2 (1998)*Resident Evil 3: Nemesis (1999)*Resident Evil: Code – Veronica (2000)*Resident Evil 0 (2002)*Residet Evil 4 (2005)*Resident Evil 5 (2009)*Resident Evil: Revelations (2012)Resident Evil 6 (2012)*Resident Evil: Revelations 2 (2015)Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (2017)*Resident Evil Village/Shadow of Rose (2021/2022)*
*Mainline Resident Evil video games
The Way forward for Resident Evil Video games
There’s loads to look ahead to from this iconic horror sequence. In late 2023, Capcom confirmed they’re engaged on extra RE remakes, and a few studies counsel Resident Evil Zero and Code Veronica are up subsequent.
Capcom is not simply trying to earlier video games, nevertheless. The studio confirmed that Resident Evil 9 is in improvement final 12 months, and a full reveal trailer for what’s formally titled Resident Evil Requiem was introduced at Summer season Video games Fest.
Helmed by Resident Evil 7’s director Koshi Nakanishi, the brand new trailer seems to point out Raccoon Metropolis, from the unique trilogy, after it was destroyed in an try and comprise the virus. The trailer additionally introduces Grace Ashcroft, an FBI analyst and probably the daughter of Alyssa Ashcroft from Resident Evil Outbreak. There’s absolutely greater than meets the attention right here, and a few theorists imagine the sport will as soon as once more function none apart from Leon Kennedy.
Both means, Resident Evil Requiem is about to launch on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox on February 27, 2026.
Searching for extra timeline guides? Test these out subsequent:
Jordan covers video games, reveals, and films as a contract author for IGN.
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