Resident Evil has a catalog of games that aren’t very scary for being a horror franchise. The series has seen over twenty installments, most of which lean more toward the action genre. Screen Rant has previously ranked the best and worst of Resident Evil’s mainline entries. They all feature horrifying moments and themes, but that isn’t necessarily enough to earn the label of a horror game. Of these games, only a few stand out as genuinely terrifying experiences.
[Warning: This article contains spoilers for the Resident Evil franchise.]The first Resident Evil launched back in 1996. It was a widely influential game that coined the term “survival horror.” Since then, the series has taken quite a few tonal shifts. For a time, Resident Evil games became more synonymous with fast-paced action gameplay than the horror that put it on the map. This shift was most noticeably felt in Resident Evil 6, but the trend can be traced back to Resident Evil 4, when the series first implemented third-person shooter gameplay. Resident Evil stories were getting too big, and the negative response to the series’ new focus on action prompted a hard re-direct with Resident Evil 7: Biohazard.
Capcom began releasing a stream of remakes of the classic Resident Evil games, beginning with Resident Evil 2 in 2019. These games have started to refocus the series on its survival horror roots. This list will include the Resident Evil remakes, but that doesn’t mean that the originals were not scary. The remakes have earned preference here because they are more widely available, and the improved graphical fidelity and gameplay mechanics enhanced the horror elements in the original releases. Below is a list of five of the scariest Resident Evil games, ranked from least to most frightening.
5. Resident Evil 3's Remake Is Scary Because Of The Nemesis
Resident Evil 3, now playable in VR, gives players a truly terrifying look at the horrors of the Raccoon City outbreak. The game is set a day before the events of Resident Evil 2, and it follows Jill Valentine fleeing the city. As if evading hordes of zombies wasn’t scary enough, the Nemesis T-Type targets Jill throughout the game. This is an upgraded version of the Tyrant from Resident Evil 2.
Umbrella specifically designed the Nemesis for hunting down the members of S.T.A.R.S. that tried to expose the company’s experiments discovered at the mansion in the Arklay Mountains from the first Resident Evil. The Nemesis is persistent and returns stronger and more challenging to beat whenever it is defeated, even coming back equipped with a rocket launcher. Concept art for Resident Evil 3 showcases Nemesis’ creation, and its presence makes progressing through the game beyond stressful.
4. Resident Evil Is A Haunted House Classic
The first Resident Evil, and its HD remake, still holds up as one of the scariest games in the franchise. The tense atmosphere of the Spencer mansion keeps the player fearful of what may be hiding in the next hallway or room. The fixed camera and tank-like controls added to the suspense by removing a sense of control present in the later games. One of the game's scariest moments is when dogs burst through the windows and attack the player, locking them in a tight hallway. This scene is iconic to the franchise and won’t be forgotten anytime soon.
3. Resident Evil Village Delivers The Series' Latest Thrills
The most recent entry in the series, Resident Evil Village and its DLC, continues the franchise’s re-focusing on its survival horror roots. It utilizes the first-person perspective, which, like its predecessor, strengthens the player’s connection to the character and enhances the scares. The most frightening segment of the game takes place in House Beneviento. In this sequence, the player is stripped of their weapons and must solve a series of puzzles to escape.
The basement area of the house is eerily reminiscent of the narrow halls and scary corners of the house in P.T., which this level is heavily inspired by. At one point, the player is chased by a giant, deformed fetus monster. In the end, it’s revealed to be a hallucination, but it is classic nightmare fuel nonetheless.
2. Resident Evil 2 (Remake) Is The Perfect Zombie Game
Resident Evil 2, which is getting free upgrades for next-gen consoles, is a shining example of what third-person survival horror should be for the series. The game takes place during the Raccoon City outbreak and is most notably in the Raccoon City police station. It’s a massive building that used to be an art museum, and now it’s overrun by zombies. It has a similar atmosphere to the Spencer mansion but is made even scarier by the Tyrant, Mr. X. Once he shows up, Mr. X hounds the player for the rest of the game. It is unkillable, so the only solution is to run away to the safe rooms, which he cannot access. The tight areas of the police station make Mr. X particularly difficult to evade once he is aggroed. Exploring the police station with Mr. X in pursuit is like an extended anxiety attack packaged into video game form.
1. Resident Evil 7: Biohazard Is A Distinctive Horror Nightmare
After Resident Evil 6, the most hated game in the series, Capcom made a massive redirect for the series with Resident Evil 7: Biohazard. It was the first main entry in the franchise to utilize the first-person perspective, which added a new level of fear. It also abandoned the focus on action in its predecessors in favor of a pure horror experience. Resident Evil 7 takes place in the sizable run-down estate of the Baker family, who has been infected with a mold virus that gives them inhuman strength. Contrary to previous games, the player rarely can fight their way out of the tense encounters with the Bakers. Stealth is more effective, but it also makes being discovered much scarier.
For being the series that birthed the survival horror genre, it was disappointing to see Resident Evil lose its way for so long. However, the franchise’s return to its horror beginnings has been refreshing, and one can only hope it will stay on the path. Fortunately, it looks like Capcom will continue to push the series in this direction. The upcoming Resident Evil 4 remake is described as incorporating more of the tone and atmosphere created in the Resident Evil 2 remake. This all bodes well for Resident Evil 9 whenever it releases.