Resident Evil

Officially Resident Evil (franchise)

PIONEERING SURVIVAL-HORROR franchise developed by CAPCOM (Japan) — original RESIDENT EVIL launched MARCH 1996 on PS1, created by SHINJI MIKAMI. Player is member of RACCOON CITY POLICE'S S.T.A.R.S. TEAM (Jill Valentine, Chris Redfield, Leon Kennedy, others) investigating T-VIRUS OUTBREAKS by UMBRELLA CORPORATION creating zombies + BIO-ORGANIC WEAPONS (BOWs). Fixed camera angles + tank controls + resource-scarcity + save typewriter — DEFINED SURVIVAL HORROR GENRE. Modern era: RE4 (2005 shift to over-the-shoulder), RE7 (2017 first-person reboot), RE VILLAGE (2021), RE4 REMAKE (2023). 155+ MILLION SOLD. Netflix + film adaptations.

📐Various horror environments — Raccoon City mansions/police station, Spanish villages, Louisiana estate, Romanian villages, Ambrella facilities⏱~720 min🌤indoor

What is Resident Evil?

Resident Evil (BIOHAZARD in Japan) is PIONEERING SURVIVAL-HORROR franchise developed + published by CAPCOM (Osaka, Japan). ORIGINAL RESIDENT EVIL launched MARCH 22, 1996 on PLAYSTATION (later Sega Saturn + PC + Nintendo DS). Created by SHINJI MIKAMI (co-directed with hidetaka Suehiro; produced by Tokuro Fujiwara). CORE PLOT: UMBRELLA CORPORATION (fictional pharmaceutical megacorp) conducts illegal BIOWEAPON RESEARCH developing the T-VIRUS (Progenitor Virus derivative) that reanimates dead + creates BIO-ORGANIC WEAPONS (BOWs). Multiple viral outbreaks in RACCOON CITY (fictional Midwestern American city) cause zombie apocalypse. Player characters: JILL VALENTINE + CHRIS REDFIELD + BARRY BURTON (S.T.A.R.S. Alpha Team, RE1), LEON S. KENNEDY + CLAIRE REDFIELD (Rookie cop + Chris's sister, RE2), CARLOS OLIVEIRA (Umbrella mercenary, RE3), ADA WONG (mysterious spy, RE2/4/6), ALBERT WESKER (villainous S.T.A.R.S. captain turned superhuman antagonist), ETHAN WINTERS (everyman husband, RE7 + Village). MAINLINE GAMES: RE (1996), RE2 (1998), RE3 (1999), CODE VERONICA (2000), RE ZERO (2002, prequel), RE 4 (2005 — GENRE-DEFINING SHIFT to over-the-shoulder camera), RE 5 (2009), RE 6 (2012, action-focused), RE 7 (2017 — FIRST-PERSON REBOOT + Southern Gothic tone), RE 2 REMAKE (2019), RE 3 REMAKE (2020), RE VILLAGE (2021, sequel to 7), RE 4 REMAKE (2023). Plus SPINOFFS: OUTBREAK (online), Revelations 1+2, Umbrella Chronicles, Darkside Chronicles. CLASSIC GAMEPLAY (RE 1-3, Code Veronica): FIXED CAMERA ANGLES (Alfred Hitchcock-inspired cinematography), TANK CONTROLS (movement relative to character, not camera — awkward but suspenseful), RESOURCE SCARCITY (limited ammo, herbs for healing), SAVE POINTS with typewriters + ink ribbons, BACKTRACKING through mansions/police stations/laboratories, puzzle-solving (key items, statues). RE4 REVOLUTION (2005): SHIFTED to OVER-THE-SHOULDER camera (used by Uncharted, God of War, countless action games since), REAL-TIME AIMING with laser sight, ATTACHÉ CASE inventory Tetris. RE7 REBOOT (2017): FIRST-PERSON perspective, SOUTHERN GOTHIC BAKER FAMILY, PSVR support (terrifying). SURVIVAL HORROR PIONEER: RE established GENRE alongside SILENT HILL + ALONE IN THE DARK. Countless imitators (The Evil Within — Shinji Mikami spinoff, Dead Space, Dying Light). 155+ MILLION UNITS SOLD franchise-wide. MEDIA: 6 live-action films with MILLA JOVOVICH (2002-2016, poorly received but $1.2B box office); NETFLIX 2022 live-action series (cancelled after 1 season); INFINITE DARKNESS (2021 Netflix CGI series). RE4 REMAKE (March 2023) considered ONE OF THE GREATEST REMAKES EVER MADE. Modern series (RE7 onwards) is critical + commercial renaissance. Next mainline: RE9 rumored for 2026.

Quick facts

How it works

Objective

Survive T-Virus / C-Virus / Mold outbreak scenarios + escape + defeat bioweapons + uncover Umbrella corporate conspiracy. Multiple playable characters + endings across games.

Rules

Basic rules

PLAY as S.T.A.R.S. member (Jill/Chris/Leon/Claire/Ada/Ethan)
Different characters + different scenarios in most games.
MANAGE RESOURCES — ammo + herbs (green heal, red potent) + save ribbons
Resource scarcity is core tension mechanic.
COMBAT: firearms (pistol, shotgun, magnum) + melee finishers
Modern games (RE4+) have real-time aiming; classic games are stiffer.
EXPLORE + PUZZLE — key items unlock progression
Classic RE has mansion-style backtracking + puzzles.
SAVE at TYPEWRITERS using ink ribbons (limited)
Classic games; modern games have generous checkpoints.
FIGHT BOSSES — Tyrant (RE1), Nemesis (RE3), Mr. X (RE2), Lady Dimitrescu (RE Village)
Iconic villain design.
MULTIPLE ENDINGS + character branches in some entries
Replay value for classic RE.
MODERN RE (7+): first-person or over-the-shoulder immersion
Series evolves camera systems.

Scoring

Campaign completion time + resources saved + collectibles + difficulty. Some entries include RANK grade (S, A, B, C) based on speed + kills.

Action	Points
Beat game	Campaign complete + unlock bonuses
Beat under time limit	S-Rank / bonus weapons unlock
Save fewer than N times (classic RE1 no-save run)	Special ending / achievement
Complete Mercenaries mode (bonus arena)	High score chase
Find all files + collectibles	Lore completion
Beat on hardest difficulty (Village of Shadows, RE Village)	Elite achievement

Win condition · Complete campaign story. Some games have multiple endings depending on choices + timing.

Playing area

Called

Various horror environments — Raccoon City mansions/police station, Spanish villages, Louisiana estate, Romanian villages, Ambrella facilities

Dimensions

Confined level-design across games; RE7 + RE Village broader open estates

Iconic settings: Spencer Mansion (RE1), Raccoon City Police Department (RE2), village of Los Iluminados (RE4), Baker Estate (RE7), Village of Shadows (RE Village).

Equipment

PS4/PS5/Xbox One/Series X-S/PC — modern games
All major platforms; PC recommended for graphics + mods.
Various individual entries $20-70 depending on age
Modern remakes = $60; classic games heavily discounted.
PlayStation VR / PSVR2 (RE7 + RE Village + RE4 Remake support)
Extremely immersive + terrifying.
Controller strongly recommended
Camera controls + tension design for controller.

Strategies

CONSERVE AMMO — classic RE rewards restraint + running past enemies
Ammo scarcity is core tension; runs > kills often.
USE HERBS in combos — Green + Red = full heal + immunity
Optimal herb combining stretches resources.
KNIFE FINISHERS on downed enemies (RE4+) — saves ammo
Roundhouse kick after stagger is iconic.
MEMORIZE map + enemy patrols — informed play saves ammo + herbs
First playthrough is discovery; replays are optimization.
SAVE at TYPEWRITER before boss (classic games)
Ink ribbon scarcity means strategic saving.
TRY NEW GAME PLUS (NG+) with unlocked weapons — infinite rocket launcher trivializes replay
Reward for repeated playthroughs.
MODERN RE: use PARRY / KNIFE PARRY (RE4 Remake) to save ammo
New parry system rewards timing.
PLAY ON HARD FIRST — normal is too easy for veterans
Optimal challenge tuning.

Terminology

Umbrella Corporation: Evil pharmaceutical mega-corp; bioweapon developer.
T-Virus: Original zombie-creating virus.
G-Virus: RE2 mutation virus.
C-Virus: RE6 mutation virus.
Mold: RE7 organic entity.
BOW: Bio-Organic Weapon — Umbrella's bioweapons.
S.T.A.R.S.: Special Tactics and Rescue Service — Raccoon City police unit.
Tyrant: Classic RE1 super-soldier boss.
Nemesis: Iconic RE3 stalker enemy — 'STARS!' catchphrase.
Mr. X: RE2 Remake stalker Tyrant.
Lady Dimitrescu: RE Village tall vampire matriarch — massive fan-favorite/meme.
Leon S. Kennedy: Fan-favorite rookie cop protagonist.
Ada Wong: Mysterious spy femme fatale.
Albert Wesker: Traitor S.T.A.R.S. captain; recurring superhuman villain.
Green Herb / Red Herb / Blue Herb: Healing plants; combineable for stronger effects.
Ink Ribbon: Classic game save token (limited).
Merchant: RE4 iconic vendor character — 'What're ya buyin'?'

Major competitions

The Game Awards nominations (multiple; RE4 Remake 2023)
annual · worldwide · since 2014
Speedrun.com any% (various RE games)
ongoing · worldwide online · since 2010
Awesome Games Done Quick (AGDQ) — regular RE speedruns
biannual · USA + online · since 2010
RE Mercenaries community rankings (RE4 + Village Mercenaries mode)
ongoing · worldwide · since 2005
No formal esports — single-player franchise
n/a · n/a

Where it is played

🇬🇱🇴🇧🇦🇱🇅𡆹🇅🇖🇚🇚🇲🇐🇅🇫🇷🇦🇳🇨🇭🇮🇸🇪🇅🇸🇦🇱🇪🇸🇠🇅🇵🇦🇷🇹🇮🇨🇺🇱🇦🇷🇱🇾🇅🇵🇴🇵🇺🇱🇦🇷🇅🇮🇳🇅🇯🇦🇵🇦🇳🇑🇅🇺🇸🇦🇑🇅🇺🇰🇑🇅🇬🇪🇷🇲🇦🇳🇾🇑🇅🇱🇦🇹🇮🇳🇅🇦🇲🇪🇷🇮🇨🇦🇑🇅🇸🇴🇺🇹🇭🇪🇦🇸🇹🇅🇦🇸🇮🇦Global — 155M+ franchise sales; particularly popular in Japan, USA, UK, Germany, Latin America, Southeast Asia

Governing bodies

Capcom (developer/publisher)
Founded 1979 · Osaka, Japan
Official site ↗
Shinji Mikami — series creator (later founded Tango Gameworks; RE creator through RE4)
Founded 1965 · Japan
RE Engine (Capcom's in-house game engine, powering RE7+)
Founded 2016 · Osaka, Japan

Famous names & records

Famous athletes

Shinji Mikami — RE1 creator + directed through RE4; later founded Tango Gameworks (The Evil Within)
Hideki Kamiya — Directed RE2; later co-founded PlatinumGames (Bayonetta)
Hiroyuki Kobayashi — Producer of many mainline RE games
Masachika Kawata — RE4 producer
Jun Takeuchi — Longtime series producer + Chief Officer
Milla Jovovich — Lead of 6 live-action films (2002-2016)
Paul W.S. Anderson — Film director
Various speedrunners — RE1 sub-90-min runs + Village Mercenaries S-rank chasers

Learn this sport

beginner

1
Start with RESIDENT EVIL 4 REMAKE (2023) — best modern entry point
Universally acclaimed + accessible + defines franchise essence.
2
OR try RESIDENT EVIL 7 (2017) — first-person reboot; scary but accessible
Excellent horror; separate storyline from classic games.
3
Play on NORMAL difficulty — save tension for exploration + boss fights
Hardcore is intended for veterans.

intermediate

1
Play RE 2 REMAKE (2019) + RE 3 REMAKE (2020) — accessible modern classics
Different playable characters in RE2 (Leon + Claire) offer variety.
2
Play RE VILLAGE (2021) — sequel to RE7 with Lady Dimitrescu
Blends horror + action + memes.
3
Try classic RE4 (2005) after remake — historical significance
Aged well; over-the-shoulder camera invention.

advanced

1
Complete RE HD Remaster (original 1996 + 2002 remake) for franchise foundation
Tank controls demanding; historically significant.
2
Beat RE Village on VILLAGE OF SHADOWS difficulty — hardest tier
Extreme challenge.
3
Master MERCENARIES arena mode (RE4/Village) — score-chase
S-rank runs required elite play.
4
Speedrun classic RE1 or RE2 sub-90-min — legendary community
Speed-runs Community very active.
5
Play in VR (RE7 + RE Village + RE4 Remake VR modes) — most terrifying gaming experience possible
PSVR2 or PC VR.

Frequently asked

Which Resident Evil should I start with?+

BEST ENTRY POINTS in 2026 (choose one): (1) RE 4 REMAKE (2023) — universally acclaimed + genre-defining; modernized classic story of Leon rescuing President's daughter from Spanish cult. Most accessible entry that defines franchise. (2) RE 7: BIOHAZARD (2017) — first-person reboot + Southern Gothic Baker family; separate storyline so no continuity worry. Very scary. (3) RE 2 REMAKE (2019) — considered peak of series; Leon + Claire's Raccoon City survival. AVOID starting with: RE 1 (1996 or 2002 remake — tank controls too demanding for new players), RE 5-6 (weakest entries), Code Veronica (aged poorly). CHRONOLOGICAL RECOMMENDATION: RE 7 → RE 2 Remake → RE 3 Remake → RE 4 Remake → RE Village → then classic RE 1 remake → RE 5 → RE 6 → Code Veronica if completionist.

Are the classic Resident Evil games worth playing today?+

MIXED — CLASSIC RE (1996 RE1, 1998 RE2, 1999 RE3, 2000 Code Veronica) have HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE as genre-defining survival horror pioneers but TANK CONTROLS + FIXED CAMERAS are ACQUIRED TASTES. Modern players often bounce off due to clunkiness. RECOMMENDATIONS: (a) RE (2002 REMAKE for GameCube, HD remaster 2015 on modern platforms) is the classic RE experience worth playing — considered ONE OF THE GREATEST HORROR GAMES EVER MADE. (b) SKIP original 1996 RE1 unless historically curious — the 2002 remake is superior in every way. (c) PLAY 2019 RE2 REMAKE + 2020 RE3 REMAKE + 2023 RE4 REMAKE instead of classic originals — Capcom has essentially retired the classics through superior modern remakes. Classic games are still available digitally + on PS Store; historically important + still enjoyable if you accept the controls.

Is the Resident Evil movie franchise good?+

COMMERCIALLY SUCCESSFUL, CRITICALLY DIVISIVE — MILLA JOVOVICH starred in 6 LIVE-ACTION FILMS (2002-2016) directed mostly by her husband PAUL W.S. ANDERSON. Films earned $1.2 BILLION combined at box office — largely successful. HOWEVER, films are LOOSELY BASED on games with mostly ORIGINAL PROTAGONIST (Alice, not in games); Rotten Tomatoes scores 20-30%. Fans of games generally DISLIKE films for creative liberties. NETFLIX RE-BOOT (2022, live-action) — cancelled after 1 season due to poor reception. INFINITE DARKNESS (2021 Netflix CGI series) — mediocre. RE animation films (Degeneration 2008, Damnation 2012, Vendetta 2017, Death Island 2023) are more faithful to games + better received. RECOMMENDATION: skip Anderson films (unless you enjoy so-bad-it's-good), watch CGI animated films if interested in RE lore beyond games.

Sources & provenance

Last verified 2026-08-26.verified