Resident Evil Games In Order (Chronological Story & Release Date)

The Resident Evil games have set the standard for survival horror games for the last few decades. Even though it has a few black sheep, most gamers agree that the franchise is unmatched in the horror genre. Resident Evil’s horror experience will pit you against a plethora of monsters, whether it be terrifying zombies or tall vampire ladies, all stemming from the infamous Umbrella Corporation.

If you want to experience it yourself, you should know how to play the Resident Evil games in the correct order. To make it easy, here’s a Resident Evil games order guide for you to play them in their release and chronological order.

 

Resident Evil Games In Release Order

The Resident Evil franchise has 14 main games, with 4 being direct remakes. This includes the Resident Evil 4 remake, which will come out on March 24, 2023. Here’s the release order for the Resident Evil main games:

– Resident Evil (1996)
– Resident Evil 2 (1998)
– Resident Evil 3: Nemesis (1999)
– Resident Evil Code: Veronica (2000)
– Resident Evil Remake (2002)
– Resident Evil Zero (2002)
– Resident Evil 4 (2005)
– Resident Evil 5 (2009)
– Resident Evil 6 (2012)
– Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (2017)
– Resident Evil 2 Remake (2019)
– Resident Evil 3 Remake (2020)
– Resident Evil Village (2021)
– Resident Evil 4 Remake (2023)

Those are the main Resident Evil games that give you a taste of the horrifying world the franchise has to offer. However, if you want more Resident Evil content, Capcom has released several side games and spin-offs for you to play. Here’s the order of the Resident Evil side games and spin-offs based on their release date:

– Resident Evil Survivor (2000)
– Resident Evil Survivor 2 Code: Veronica (2001)
– Resident Evil Gaiden (2001)
– Resident Evil: Dead Aim (2003)
– Resident Evil Outbreak (2003)
– Resident Evil Outbreak File #2 (2004)
– Resident Evil: Deadly Silence (2006)
– Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles (2007)
– Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles (2009)
– Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D (2011)
– Resident Evil: Revelations (2012)
– Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City (2012)
– Resident Evil: Revelations 2 (2015)
– Umbrella Corps (2016)
– Resident Evil: Resistance (2020)
– Resident Evil Re:Verse (2022)

Bear in mind that a lot of these, like Re: Verse and Umbrella Corps, are completely non-canon and can be ignored.

 

Resident Evil Games In Chronological Story Order

Resident Evil tells many compelling stories throughout its games. Even though some can serve as their own stand-alone titles, most of them interconnect with one another. If you want a more coherent timeline, here are the Resident Evil games in chronological order:

– Resident Evil Zero
– Resident Evil/Resident Evil Remake
– Resident Evil 3/Resident Evil 3 Remake (First Half)
– Resident Evil 2/Resident Evil 2 Remake
– Resident Evil 3/Resident Evil 3 Remake (Second Half)
– Resident Evil Code: Veronica
– Resident Evil 4/Resident Evil 4 Remake
– Resident Evil: Revelations
– Resident Evil 5
– Resident Evil: Revelations 2
– Resident Evil 6
– Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
– Resident Evil Village

Both Resident Evil 2 and 3 are set during the same period of time in Raccoon City, hence the overlap. All of the remakes to date take place more or less within the exact same timeframe as the original games.

This is what many consider to be the main timeline of Resident Evil. These are also the games that follow beloved characters of the franchise, namely Leon Kennedy, Chris and Claire Redfield, Jill Valentine, and the latest protagonist Ethan Winters. The other Resident Evil games not included are considered non-canonical or non-consequential to the overall story.

When played in this order, you’ll get a more linear experience of the story while also growing more attached to the main characters of Resident Evil.

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