Summary
- Steve Burnside's incompetence and awkward behavior make him the most unlikable hero in the Resident Evil series.
- Jessica Sherawat's betrayal and distracting behavior earn her infamy among fans as an unlikable character.
- Nikolai Zinoviev attempts to hinder Jill's escape from Raccoon City and prioritizes only himself, making him another hated character.
The immensely popular Resident Evil horror franchise has produced some of gaming's most beloved icons, but there have also been a fair few characters who are pretty easy to hate. Of course, most of the time these individuals are purposefully designed to be unlikable, making it all the more satisfying when players are finally able to take them down for good. While this obviously applies to many villains, there have also been odd occasions where, despite a character being presented as a hero or survivor, they just didn't seem to click with fans of the series for one reason or another.
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Considering the staggering number of characters Capcom has introduced to the Resident Evil franchise over the years, it's inevitable that not everyone would win over players. To be someone who is actually unlikable though means these characters need to possess some truly despicable characteristics, or at least act in a way that makes them seem unforgivable. While the most popular and beloved Resident Evil characters have already been covered, it presents the opportunity to look a little deeper at those who aren't quite as fondly remembered by the fanbase.
8 Steve Burnside
Despite Helping Claire Out Here And There, Steve Is Often Seen As An Annoyance By Most Fans
Resident Evil CODE:Veronica
- Released
- March 28, 2000
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Animated Blood and Gore, Animated Violence
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
It's clear that Capcom tried to make Steve a sympathetic character who players can relate to, but he doesn't exactly come across that way. His screechy tone and random emotional outbursts end up making Steve a little irritating at times, and though some fans have warmed up to him over the years since Code Veronica's release, he is still regarded as by far the most unlikable hero in the series.
The main reason for this is Steve's general incompetence. For example, after obtaining two golden lugers which Claire needs to open a door in the palace, Steve refuses to hand them over unless she finds him something fully automatic; as if he's a child who needs a new toy to play with to keep him occupied. There are also a few moments where he acts pretty creepy around Claire, which isn't exactly a good look for someone fans are meant to root for. Still, he does at least add some humor and goofiness to an otherwise pretty dark entry in the series.
7 Jessica Sherawat
Jessica Turns Out To Be A Double Crosser Who Cares Little For Her 'Teammates'
Resident Evil Revelations
- Released
- January 26, 2012
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Game Experience May Change During Online Play, Intense Violence, Language
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
Jessica is one of many newcomers introduced in Resident Evil Revelations, where she acts as a partner to legendary protagonist Chris Redfield during the early portions of the game. While Chris is focused on the mission at hand, Jessica's mind is always preoccupied with something else. Most of the time, she ends up trying to distract Chris rather than keeping him on track with her random comments and one-liners, but that's not the only reason Jessica has become so infamous.
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At roughly the halfway point of the story, it is revealed that Jessica was actually a mole working under none other than Morgan Landsdale, the villain of the game. Simply put, there's not much to love about Jessica.
6 Nikolai Zinoviev
Nikolai Makes Jill's Escape From Raccoon City Much Harder Than It Needed To Be
Resident Evil 3
- Released
- April 3, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Genre(s)
- Horror
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
While Nemesis acts as the main villain of Resident Evil 3, Jill also has to deal with a human antagonist who is constantly trying to trip her up during her desperate escape from the city. Nikolai is an irritating and snaky Umbrella operative who is more than happy to gun down anyone he sees as an enemy, and he'll do it with a smile on his face. From the moment he shows up in the game, he insults Jill and calls her a "Bleeding Heart", not exactly the greatest first impression.
He only becomes more troublesome the longer the game goes on, until eventually, he takes Carlos hostage and threatens to shoot him near the very end of the game before Jill stops him. Nikolai is living in a dog-eat-dog world where the only person he cares about is himself, so it's understandable why so many people have come to hate his guts.
5 Ricardo Irving
A Sleazy Black Market Dealer Who Becomes A Real Thorn In The Player's Side
Resident Evil 5
- Released
- March 5, 2009
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Irving acts as one of Chris and Shevas' main targets for the first half of Resident Evil 5, however he's not someone who is brave enough to face the duo one-on-one any time he shows up. Instead, Irving will often show up to throw out a few insults and sarcastic remarks before being pulled away by his mysterious masked savior every single time.
It's therefore easy to see why so many people would come to dislike him, since there is virtually nothing redeemable about Irving at all. He's a brutal weapons dealer who's willing to screw over anyone so long as it earns him some kind of profit, but he does eventually meet his fate after being gunned down by Chris and Sheva after he decided to mutate as a last esot.
4 Salvatore Moreau
Moreau Doesn't Exactly Share The Charisma And Likability Of Dimitrescu Or Heisenberg
Resident Evil Village
- Released
- May 7, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Developer(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
Dimitrescu, Heisenberg, and Beneviento are all weirdly likable in their own unique ways, but the same can't be said for Moreau. This strange fish man is utterly obsessed with proving his worth to Mother Miranda, considering he's often seen as the failure of the bunch who is only really good at watching over the swamp and taking down anyone who dares get in Miranda's way.
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When players meet Moeau in Village, he is constantly moaning about his inferiority complex, often lashing out at Ethan as a result. Even during his boss fight, where he transforms into a giant fish mutant, Moreau continues to whine until he is eventually bested by Ethan, shutting him up once and for all.
3 Ramon Salazar
Salazar Does Everything In His Power To Be An Unlikable Villain
Resident Evil 4
- Released
- March 24, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
Nobody who has played through the original or the remake of Resident Evil 4 will ever be able to forget about Salazar; the endlessly irritating head of the castle. Salazar loves nothing more than playing pranks on Leon and trying to get him caught in one of his many traps as he navigates his way around the castle. He even manages to hack the radio line, allowing him to throw out pathetic insults at Leon anytime he wants, despite the fact Leon manages to overcome every challenge thrown his way.
It really does feel like Salazar does everything in his power to be as unlikable as possible, and he certainly does a good job of it. One of the most satisfying moments in the entire series is being able to stop Salazar's constant yapping by taking him down with a barrage of bullets after he mutates, marking for an epic and extremely memorable boss fight.
2 Lucas Baker
Lucas Was Messed Up Even Before His Family Became Corrupted
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
- Released
- January 24, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, In-Game Purchases
- Developer(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
If players take the time to visit Lucas' room in Resident Evil 7 while Ethan is still in the Baker Estate, they will uncover some pretty unnerving documents covering his past. As a child, Lucas was wicked smart, though he would often be mocked and bullied by the kids at school. One time he decided to trick one of the kids into entering his basement before locking him up there for who knows how long, showing just how sick and twisted this guy truly is.
While the rest of his family may have only turned into vicious monsters after Eveline infected them with the Mold, Lucas has always been a little unhinged. His constant attempt to kill Ethan and avoid being caught makes him a villain who is easy to hate, though he does thankfully get his just deserts at the end of the Not a Hero DLC story.
1 Chief Irons
Iron's Sick And Sadistic Personality Shines Through When All Hell Breaks Loose
Resident Evil 2
- Released
- January 25, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Intense Violence
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Genre(s)
- Horror
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
While it's understandable why survivors in a zombie apocalypse would act a little more selfish than usual, Irons, the chief of the Raccoon City Police Department, takes this to a whole new level. In the remake of Resident Evil 2, Irons steals Sherry away from Claire the moment he runs into them, not having a care in the world for the young girls' well-being, instead prioritizing his own miserable life instead.
After stooping around the RPD and Irons' office, players will come to learn that this man is as despicable as they come, having committed plenty of sickening crimes throughout his career. When the outbreak started, Ions willingly turned on his own men, showing no leadership or courage in a time of crisis, being one of the most hateable characters in the series.
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