Summary
- Resident Evil: Revelations aimed to bring back horror after more action-focused releases.
- Resident Evil Village seamlessly blends horror with action in a lycan-infested village.
- Resident Evil 4 (2023) remake elevates the game with improved combat and darker tone.
The Resident Evil franchise has always prided itself on scaring its players witless as zombies, giant insects, and other monsters are thrown straight at them from out of the dark. Even armed to the teeth with an arsenal of weaponry, these games can be a true test of courage.
The Scariest Resident Evil Games, Ranked
Few game franchises match the sheer awe and horror exhibited in the chilling Resident Evil titles, but which games are the scariest?
But then there are also games in which the action gameplay takes up the lead role, leaving horror, tension, and atmosphere as a secondary concern as players blast their way through enemies. The perfect game would be those that find the balance between these two, and luckily for fans, there are great Resident Evil games that perfectly blend these two elements together.
7 Resident Evil: Revelations
Tried To Bring Back Horror After The Action-Focused Releases
Resident Evil: Revelations
- Released
- January 26, 2012
WHERE TO PLAY
Capcom wanted to bring back the horror roots the franchise was known for following the action-packed Resident Evil 5 and 6, and the next game to release was Revelations, a spin-off game to the main series. Bringing back series icons Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine, Revelations tells the story of the two now working for the BSAA, and Jill boarding the Queen Zenobia in search of her old partner. She doesn't find him aboard, instead finding her share of terrifying monsters.
Revelations did indeed bring back the claustrophobic environments and tense atmosphere earlier games were known for, but it could not quite shake off the influence of its predecessors completely, still providing plenty of bang. Combat was fluid and fun, even on the handheld version of the game, and the boss fights were collosal in terms of size and challenge.
6 Resident Evil Village
Horror And Action Meet In The Remote, Lycan-Infested Village
Resident Evil Village
- Released
- May 7, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Publisher(s)
- Capcom
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PlayStation VR2, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PC, iOS
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Resident Evil Village saw the continuation and subsequent conclusion of Ethan Winter' story as he sets off on another rescue mission, this time for his infant daughter, Rosemary, who was first taken by Chris, and then by Mother Miranda, whisked away to a remote, snowy village in Romania. Mother Miranda wishes to use her as part of a ritual to resurrect her own daughter, Eva, and has entrusted the separate quarters to the Four Lords, whom Ethan must kill in order to save her.
Resident Evil: Best Villains In The Games, Ranked
The Resident Evil series has produced numerous iconic villains over the years. These are the best.
The small, snow-wept village could be quite picturesque if it weren't for all the roaming lycanthropic creatures eager to separate Ethan's flesh from his bones. As it stands, it can be rather eerie to explore, but nothing could quite prepare players for the Beneviento House. Rather than having to pump a boss creature full of lead, players must survive the hallucinations of the giant fetal creature and hunt down Donna's scary sentient doll Angie, providing plenty of horror to juxtapose the more action-packed boss fights.
5 Resident Evil 0
Two Playable Characters Encourage Combat
Resident Evil 0
- Released
- November 12, 2002
WHERE TO PLAY
Following a helicopter crash, S.T.A.R.S. Brave Team officer Rebecca comes across a mysterious train sitting motionless on the tracks. Boarding the train, she finds all passengers and crew have been transformed into zombies, and encounters Billy Coen, an escaped felon convicted of murdering 23 people. Though she doesn't trust him, the two have no choice but to work together.
With two people, and two guns, working together as one, it is all too tempting to mow down all the enemies in the way rather than try to dodge around them, as why not with double the firepower? The horror aspect is not sacrificed either, with locations such as the train and the laboratory being so perfectly eerie to explore, even with another character tagging along.
4 Resident Evil: Revelations 2
Combat Takes An Interesting New Turn
Resident Evil: Revelations 2
- Released
- February 24, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
At a TerraSave party, Claire Redfield and new recruit Moira Burton are kidnapped by a group of mercenaries, awakening on Rockfort Island with a fancy new wrist accessory that monitors their fear levels, as they have been infected with a virus that responds to fear. Racing against the clock, the two women must work together to escape. In tandem, a future storyline shows Barry Burton searching for his daughter Moira, meeting up with young Natalia on his search.
With the option of playing with a friend, the gameplay for Revelations 2 has a rather novel approach, as the second player controlling Moira or Natalia experiences combat in a whole new way, as neither of them wields conventional weapons, instead using flashlights, bricks, or crowbars to aid Claire or Barry. This new approach does place a focus on action without detracting too much from the horror aspect, as the Afflicted are truly terrifying enemies to behold.
3 Resident Evil 3: Nemesis
The Unstoppable Juggernaut Hunts Jill Throughout The Game
Resident Evil 3: Nemesis
- Released
- November 10, 1999
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Publisher(s)
- Capcom
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
- Platform(s)
- Sega Dreamcast, Nintendo GameCube, PC, PS1
The third game in the franchise brought back S.T.A.R.S. Officer Jill Valentine in Raccoon City, who finds her time of peace interrupted by the arrival of the BOW known as Nemesis, who has been given orders to eradicate all surviving S.T.A.R.S. Members, and Jill is the one next on his radar. Escaping his clutches proves no small feat, as he is nigh unstoppable, and Raccoon City has fallen to the ravages of the T-Virus.
Jill needs to combat her way through the horde and through Nemesis if necessary. Equal parts action-packed and frightening, Resident Evil 3: Nemesis was the first game in the series to balance the scales to perfection. The final showdown between Jill and her nemesis is just the icing on the cake, as she issues the iconic line "You want S.T.A.R.S.? I'll give you S.T.A.R.S.!" Like the certified horror action badass she is.
2 Resident Evil 4 (2023)
The Remake Adds Some Much-Needed Atmosphere
Resident Evil 4
- Released
- March 24, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Publisher(s)
- Capcom
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Originally released in 2005, Resident Evil 4 received a highly praised remake in 2023. This remake not only released the game on modern hardware, but it elevated it to brand-new heights, improving upon everything from the original game. Combat was smoother, the graphics stunning, and the characters given tweaks to their personalities and appearances to make them deeper, more interesting, and more likable.
Every Resident Evil Remake, Ranked
Capcom has generally delivered awesome Resident Evil remakes, but some are better than others.
Another major change was the tonal shift. Resident Evil 4 remake was a darker affair, marrying together the combat aspect of the original and the spookier tone that has seen a comeback in recent titles, such as Resident Evil 7. The story is still much the same, with Leon setting off to Spain to rescue Ashley Graham, the President's daughter, but with a darker tone and a more serious protagonist to help maintain the atmosphere.
1 Resident Evil 7
The Bakers All Deliver Intimidating Boss Fights
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
- Released
- January 24, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Publisher(s)
- Capcom
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror, Psychological Horror, First-Person
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PC, iOS
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
After the rather mixed reception Resident Evil 5 and Resident Evil 6 were met with, Capcom went back to the drawing board, making their next numbered title with a little more finesse. Resident Evil 7 introduced a whole new plot line and characters, as newcomer Ethan Winters traveled to the backwaters of Louisiana in search of his wife Mia, who has been missing three years ago. He has the displeasure of meeting the family who took her in, the Bakers.
Infected with Eveline's 'gifts,' the Baker family has been stripped of all humanity, becoming volatile, dangerous, and even outright monstrous. While exploring the eerie southern gothic setting, Ethan will run into members of the family for thrilling, exciting, and outright grotesque boss fights, which is when the game's combat truly shines through. Combined with the horror of the setting and just how creepy some of the monsters are, this game provides the best of both worlds.
Best Action-Adventure Games That Blend Horror and Exploration, Ranked
Action-adventure enthusiasts who like a drop of horror with a side of exploration can find that perfect combination in the following games.