As you're surely aware by now, there are a lot of Resident Evil PC games. While some titles do remain as console exclusives, most of the big releases have made their way to our favorite gaming platform, this way or the other. This article aims to finally conclude what the best Resident Evil games on PC are. We've even got arguments as to why each game got the placement it got!
Having initially prepared this article for the seminal release of RE: Village, we're now updating it for something else entirely! Indeed, we're knee-deep in thick, viscous hype about the launch of Resident Evil 4 Remake, and this article is going to help you, too, contextualize it with the rest of the franchise. No dawdling, then, as we've got lots of ground to cover!
READ MORE: Should Resident Evil 4 Remake Be Wacky or Serious?
List of Best Resident Evil PC Games
The first order of business is the list itself. Here's how we decided to rate each of the 12 major Resident Evil game releases we've had so far on PC:
- Umbrella Corps
- Operation Racoon City
- Resident Evil 6
- Resident Evil 5
- Revelations
- Resident Evil 0 HD
- Resident Evil 3 Remake
- Original Resident Evil HD
- Resident Evil: Village
- Resident Evil 4 HD
- Revelations 2
- Resident Evil 7
- Resident Evil 2 Remake
Whether you agree with this or not, we've got some explanations on what's what in the following few sections!
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Best Resident Evil Games PC Games: The Why of It
#13: Umbrella Corps
What can we say about Umbrella Corps that hasn't already been said? We were huge fans of the idea of a competitive PvPvE Resident Evil where the focus is on brutal Umbrella operatives. Sadly, the premise of the game flunked rather heavily, and few people talk about Umbrella Corps in 2021 in the first place. You were onto something though, Capcom! Perhaps they'll come back to the idea down the line, and work out how to make players love it.
#12: Resident Evil: Operation Racoon City
Operation Racoon City is a bombastic retelling of the classic Resident Evil Racoon City plot, though that's not necessarily an upside for the game. We will say that, while ORC might not be a stellar Resident Evil game, it's a decent third-person zombie shooter. If you can get into its janky, rugged storytelling, there's no reason why you couldn't have some fun with its surprisingly decent core gameplay loop.
Play Operation Racoon City today!
#11: Resident Evil 6
For what it's worth, Resident Evil 6 is the king (or queen) of campy RE titles. Whether it's fighting a zombie T-Rex from the top of a bullet train or mowing through Majini terrorists in Eastern Europe, the game never lets up, and we love it for what it offers. The problem with RE6 was that it really went all-in on the action, which eventually resulted in the production of more muted and atmospheric follow-up releases.
One thing worth noting is that RE6 offers one of the best Mercenaries modes in the franchise, and the incredibly badass combat mechanics fit perfectly. It's worth your time for this alone, especially if you're looking for an arcade gaming experience.
#10: Resident Evil 5
Back in the day, Resident Evil 5 proved that the franchise could proliferate in the light of day after all. Set in Africa, this is still one of the most exotic games in the franchise, and the sheer amount of content it offers is impressive, to say the least. As extreme in its variety as it is streamlined for the sake of more action-oriented gameplay, RE5 has a lot to offer even in 2021. Especially if you've got another player to mow zombies with!
#9: Resident Evil Revelations
In more ways than one, Revelations was a return to form for the franchise after its action-heavy mainline releases. To be sure, the Revelations titles are basically side-stories to the main RE storyline, but they're essential for every fan of the series. The first Revelations title, in particular, is set on a massive ship in the middle of the ocean that's been overrun with mutated BOWs. Hilarity ensues! Well, not really, but it's a good time for horror fans all the same.
A particular thing of note about Revelations was its Raid Mode. This time attack revamp of the classic Mercenaries mode is heavy on RPG-lite mechanics, and one of Capcom's strongest experimental game modes to date. If you want to play Raid, though, Revelations 2 will be a far superior option.
Play Resident Evil Revelations today!
#8: Resident Evil 0 HD
Resident Evil 0 HD is, at its core, exactly the same game as it was back in 2002. Except far prettier and more enjoyable across the board. It's worth keeping in mind, of course, that this is a fixed-camera RE game, much as the original RE1, RE2, and RE3 were. There's plenty of charm and classic frights present here that make RE0HD stand out in 2021, however. It's very much true to the legacy of Resident Evil, and a must-play for fans of the franchise.
Play Resident Evil 0 HD today!
#7: Resident Evil 3 Remake
Though we were sad to see that RE3R wasn't quite as top-tier as its predecessor, there's a compelling argument to be made here that it was always, in fact, an entirely different game. With action-heavy sequences and a dynamic storyline that does have a few surprises down its remade sleeves, the remake of Resident Evil 3 ended up being a stellar action game without going into total campiness like Resident Evil 6. For that alone, we enjoyed it quite a lot. It's not quite as safe a recommendation as the top 5 RE games on this list, however.
Play Resident Evil 3 Remake today!
#6: Resident Evil HD
The game that started it all, but in HD! Original Resident Evil is, in its revitalized form, a consistently great, surprisingly gracefully aged experience. Capcom had gone out of their way to rework the presentation of the game across the board. With re-written dialogue that's still cheesy, albeit not a total gouda no more, streamlined gameplay, and far improved graphics, there's virtually no reason for anyone to play the old original on PC anymore.
Seriously, we cannot overstate just what a great title this is. If you're looking for a trip down memory lane but would prefer not to bother with a truly ancient release from the 90s, this is the way to experience Resident Evil's humble beginnings.
#5: Resident Evil: Village
In the end, when the dust finally settled on Resident Evil: Village, we had to make a hard choice. Phenomenal though it might be, it's not as big of an instant classic as Resident Evil 4 was back in 2005. Revelations 2 set us up with a different story, too: one that we couldn't anticipate where it would go. Quite simply, the stakes were lower, and the characters more disposable: the whole shindig was that much more eventful. RE7, on the other hand, was an immense tonal and gameplay shift, and Village simply followed it up with more goodness.
All that being said, Village is a phenomenal horror game and an amazing adventure. One of Capcom's finest ever, in fact. It's just that the company has so much more to offer that even beating its own previous heights is no mean feat!
Play Resident Evil Village today!
#4: Resident Evil 4 HD
Resident Evil 4 didn't just revitalize the franchise and bring it into a new generation of gaming, but it also pretty much established the over-the-shoulder camera that so many modern games use as a default. RE4 was a game-changer across the board, and its HD version helps make it more relevant in 2021.
RE4 is set in a small Spanish village that's been overrun with stealthy parasitic bodysnatchers. It may well be one of the campiest Resident Evil titles in existence, but this campiness is successfully offset by its incredibly oppressing setting and visuals. It's a scary game, but it's bound to give you a couple of good laughs, too. All in all, there's a good reason why this is one of the fan favorites.
Play Resident Evil 4 HD today!
#3: Resident Evil Revelations 2
Deciding on the three best Resident Evil games ever made wasn't easy, we can tell you that. We had to choose between a huge number of really great games, and we're 100% sure that not everyone will agree with our assessment.
Sitting pretty at #3, however, is Resident Evil Revelations 2. After the boisterous mess that was Resident Evil 6, we were taken aback by this game. Revelations 2 is frightening, atmospheric, and minimally campy. It's a surprisingly good exploration of the human psyche and our innate desire for resolution. Best of all, though, is that it's a really scary Resident Evil game with heaps of content.
RE: Revelations 2 is played either from the perspective of Claire Redfield or Barry Burton, depending on the chapter you're in, and the two narratives are masterfully entwined. To be sure, this is a Resident Evil game with all the tropes that this entails, but it's also an incredibly down-to-earth experience that sticks with you in a way few other titles do.
One of the best things about Revelations 2, though, is its massive upgrade of the original's Raid Mode. More guns, more characters, more playable maps - it's a whole heap of fun. All in all, Revelations 2 may well be the longest game in the franchise to date, and that's a good thing in this case!
Play Resident Evil Revelations 2 today!
#2: Resident Evil 7
Resident Evil 7 was a risky move for Capcom, no matter how you spin it. A first-person Resident Evil game? And a mainline, flagship release, at that? Boy were people suspicious about the whole thing! Thankfully, the gambit paid off, and we ended up getting a modern horror classic.
From the very start, RE7 keeps the player on their toes. The amount of damage that the protagonist, Ethan Winters, undergoes at the very start is downright nauseating, and the game uses found footage horror tropes to an incredible effect. The story of RE7 is set to continue with Village, of course, but we'd be amiss not to say that it might be a great idea to play through RE7 first, just to get acquainted with Ethan and his plight.
We think it's telling that this game isn't as ridiculously loaded with explosions and grand, epic fight sequences as many of its predecessors. Instead, it's a more intimate and dreadful experience, with the levels themselves being your main friends and foes no matter how well you think you can handle horror. It's scary stuff, and we say that as a big win for the franchise!
Really, we don't think people would be as excited about Village as they are if RE7 didn't end up being such a banger. Great work, Capcom.
#1: Resident Evil 2 Remake
Yes - we do think RE2R is a better game than RE7. The simple reason why that's the case is that it showed Capcom being not only willing but also incredibly capable when it comes to handling fully-fledged remakes of classic games. Resident Evil 2 Remake is phenomenal. There's just no other way to put it! It's a tense, highly atmospheric horror that highlights all the franchise's strengths in the best way possible.
Whereas RE7 was Capcom's first foray into a proper Resi FPS, RE2R was a victory lap for their designers. Instead of doing what they did with RE5 and RE6, they focused on delivering a game that's slower and more deliberate. With highly reactive zombies and a ridiculously ominous Mr. X as your unbeatable antagonist.
There's not a sliver of doubt in our mind that, up until now, Resident Evil 2 Remake was the best Resident Evil game ever made. Will that change with the release of Village? We don't know, honestly! One thing that RE2R has got going for it is nostalgia. So many of us had played the original back in the day, that even a mediocre remake would've thrilled us silly. Instead, though, Capcom delivered harder than ever before!
Play Resident Evil 2 Remake today!
Will RE4R Make it to Our Best Resident Evil Games on PC List?
Judging by everything Capcom's shown so far, we're in for a heck of an adventure with Resident Evil 4 in its new, up-to-date format. All the good gameplay bits are present and accounted for, all the characters and narrative beats have been updated for modern sensibilities, and the zany goodness remains. What more could anyone ask for, from a classic horror title?
It's going to be interesting to see how Capcom bridges the gap between the straight-faced and serious RE2R and RE3R. We've already seen that the new Resident Evil 4 doesn't take itself too seriously, and we're thrilled to see more! The game is due to launch on March 24, so it's not a long wait ahead of us at all. Stay tuned for more - right here at 2Game!
CHECK OUT: The Complete Technical Summary of Resident Evil 4 Remake on PC
As you’re surely aware by now, there are a lot of Resident Evil PC games. While some titles do remain as console exclusives, most of the big releases have made their way to our favorite gaming platform, this way or the other. This article aims to finally conclude what the best Resident Evil games on PC are. […]
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