How to play the Resident Evil games in Chronological order

When you think survival horror, chances are the first thing that comes to mind is Resident Evil. When the series debuted on the PlayStation almost 30 years ago, it was by no means the first survival horror game - with Alone In The Dark and Sweet Home laying the groundwork years before. But Resident Evil is the series that has arguably done the most to define and shape the genre.

In the decades since the original Resident Evil game debuted, Capcom's franchise has spawned multiple sequels, spin-offs and remakes, along with numerous movies and TV shows. If you've never played a Resident Evil game before, though, you may be wondering where the best place to start is, and whether you need to play the series in order to get the most out of the franchise.

To help you get started, we've put together this guide on how to play the Resident Evil series in order, which walks you through how to play the games in chronological and release order, along with tips if you're just getting into Capcom's iconic franchise.

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How to play the Resident Evil games in order

If you're looking to play your first Resident Evil game and don't know where to start, rest assured you don't have to play the series in any particular order. While you'll learn more about the lore, returning characters and Umbrella's nefarious schemes the more games you play, you can easily jump into whichever game interests you the most. Despite some narrative threads continuing, you'll still be able to enjoy each game as a standalone experience.

For those still not sure about which point in the series to jump in at, read on.

Resident Evil chronological order

In total, there are 10 core Resident Evil games - along with the spin-off Revelations series and light gun games including The Umbrella Chronicles. To help streamline this list, we'll focus on the mainline RE games and the Revelations games, which can easily be played on modern platforms.

Here's how to play the Resident Evil series in chronological order:

Resident Evil Zero (2002)

Resident Evil Zero is chronologically the first game in the series, but it's actually a prequel that was released as the sixth mainline game. It debuted as a GameCube exclusive back in 2002. Players take control of Rebecca Chambers, who is a member of the S.T.A.R.S tactical unit that ends up in the Spencer Mansion in the first Resident Evil. While on an investigation in the mountains, Chambers comes across an abandoned train where all the passengers and crew have turned into zombies.

Like early entries in the series, Zero has a secondary playable character - the ex-marine turned convict Billy Coen - and features the tank-style controls that are synonymous with the games released before Resident Evil 4. It also reveals more about the origins of the T-Virus, the Umbrella Corporation and iconic villain Albert Wesker.

Check-out our Resident Evil Zero review from when the game received its HD re-release in 2016, and discover why, "of all the early Resident Evil games, there is none better to showcase its idiosyncratic charm than this one".

RE0 is available to play on: GameCube, Wii, Switch, PS3, PS4, PS5 (via backwards compatibility), Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S (via backwards compatibility) and PC

Resident Evil (1996)

The game that defined the survival horror genre, the first Resident Evil was released for the original PlayStation back in 1996. The seminal title, directed by Shinji Mikami, laid the blueprint for the survival genre that would come to define it for years to come, including the use of fixed camera angles, limited ammo and inventory space, and point and click adventure-style puzzles.

Players choose between two main characters - Jill Valentine or Chris Redfield - who are part of the S.T.A.R.S tactical team that ends up in the mysterious Spencer Mansion after a mission goes wrong. There, they encounter a sprawling house full of zombies, rabid dogs and other nightmarish creatures. The original Resident Evil was remade in 2002, with the remaster widely available on modern formats. The Director's Cut of the original PS1 game is also available with PS Plus Premium as part of the Classics catalogue and also on GOG.

For more on the game that kickstarted the franchise, read our Resident Evil HD review and find out why it's still "a fascinating place to revisit".

RE1 is available to play on: PS1, PS3, PS4, PS5 (via backwards compatibility), Saturn, DS, GameCube, Switch, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S (via backwards compatibility) and PC

Resident Evil 2 (1998)

Set two months after RE1's Mansion Incident, Resident Evil 2 shows the wider impact of the T-Virus outbreak, with the action now shifting to Raccoon City, where most residents have been transformed into zombies. Once again, players can choose between two characters - Raccoon City Police officer Leon Kennedy or college student Claire Redfield - who both make their first appearance in the series.

Originally released in 1998, Resident Evil 2 is one of the defining games of the PS1 era. It was later fully remade from the ground up by Capcom in 2019, bringing the game up to modern standards and acting as a launchpad for more HD remakes of classic games in the series. If you want to know more, read our Resident Evil 2 Remake review and visit our Resident Evil 2 Remake walkthrough if you need help with this reimagined classic.

RE2 is available to play on: PS1, PS4, PS5, Dreamcast, N64, GameCube, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, iOS, Luna and PC

Resident Evil 3 (1999)

Resident Evil 3 takes place almost concurrently with its predecessor. The game is once again set in Raccoon City and the police headquarters, but this time around players take control of Jill Valentine, who returns from the first game. While Jill explores the same overrun city that Leon and Claire encountered in RE2, this time around she also has to deal with a terrifying new enemy known as Nemesis. This huge, powerful monstrosity stalks the player in specific scenes, leading to terrifying encounters where the Terminator-like villain chases you from room-to-room until you can escape its clutches.

RE3 was originally released on the PS1 in 1999, just one year after Resident Evil 2 launched. Like its predecessor, Resident Evil 3 later got the remake treatment that fully rebuilt the game for modern times. If you'd like to know more, check out our Resident Evil 3 Remake review. We've also got a Resident Evil 3 Remake walkthrough if you need a hand surviving Jill's campaign.

RE3 is available to play on: PS1, PS4, PS5, Dreamcast, GameCube, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Luna and PC

Resident Evil Code Veronica (2000)

While not a numbered game, Code Veronica is one of the mainline games in the Resident Evil series. Set a few months after the Raccoon City Incident, it follows Claire Redfield as she continues the search for her brother that began in Resident Evil 2.

Originally released for the Dreamcast, it's the final core game that featured the old tank controls - but advanced the series in other ways, with real-time backgrounds instead of pre-rendered ones and a more dynamic camera.

Code Veronica is available to play on: Dreamcast, GameCube, PS2, PS3, PS4, PS5 (via backwards compatibility), Xbox 360, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S (via backwards compatibility)

Resident Evil 4 (2005)

Arguably the most beloved game in the entire series, Resident Evil 4 was a turning point for the franchise. First released as a GameCube exclusive in 2005 before heading to the PS2, RE4 switched up the series' formula for a more action-orientated approach. Gone were the tank controls of old, in favour of more fluid character movements and an over-the-shoulder view that let you aim anywhere.

Players once again take control of Leon Kennedy, who is sent on a mission to rural Spain where he has to rescue the President's daughter from a sinister cult. Resident Evil 4 is the most recent game in the series to get the remake treatment, with the reimagined version of the iconic game launching in 2023 for modern formats. Make sure you read our Resident Evil 4 Remake review, and visit our Resident Evil 4 Remake walkthrough if you need help surviving Leon's mission.

RE4 is available to play on: GameCube, Switch, PS2, PS3, PS4, PS5, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, iOS and PC

Resident Evil Revelations (2012)

Resident Evil Revelations is a spin-off to the mainline franchise. Set between the events of Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil 5, it was designed as a return to the series' roots - which by then had long delved into the action-orientated gameplay RE4 introduced.

Originally released on the Nintendo 3DS handheld, Revelations sees players once again take control of Jill Valentine and Chris Redfield, the protagonists from the first game. The former S.T.A.R.S members are now part of a counter-terrorism unit that are investigating a biological threat onboard an abandoned cruise ship.

If you need help surviving this nightmare at sea, make sure you check out our Resident Evil Revelations walkthrough.

Revelations is available to play on: 3DS, Wii U, Switch, PS3, PS4, PS5 (via backwards compatibility), Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S (via backwards compatibility) and PC

Resident Evil 5 (2009)

Set five years after the events of RE4, Resident Evil 5 continues the action-orientated gameplay that its predecessor introduced but adds a twist. It's the first game, and one of the few, in the series that lets you play the campaign cooperatively. One player takes control of Chris Redfield, who is making his first appearance in a numbered game since RE1, while the other takes control of the newly introduced character Sheva. If played solo, Sheva is controlled by the computer.

Both characters are agents with the Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance (BSAA) counter-terrorism unit, with the action this time shifting to Africa, where the locals have been infected with the mind-controlling 'Las Plagas' parasite from RE4. The setting was controversial, and with more Resident Evil remakes on the way we'll have to see how Capcom tackles this if RE5 is rebooted for modern audiences.

If you'd like to know more, visit our Resident Evil 5 review from the game's release in 2009, and find out that while it "might not be the game that the traditionalist might have hoped for, it still stands out as hugely enjoyable in its own right".

RE5 is available to play on: Switch, PS3, PS4, PS5 (via backwards compatibility), Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S (via backwards compatibility) and PC

Resident Evil Revelations 2 (2015)

Resident Evil Revelations 2 is the second and, so far, final game in the spin-off series. The action takes place between Resident Evil 5 and 6, with Claire Redfield a protagonist for the first time since Code Veronica. Revelations 2 also marks the debut of Barry Burton, who was one of the S.T.A.R.S members from the original game, as a playable character.

Like its predecessor, Revelations 2 features an episodic format, which is divided into scenes in the past with Claire and Barry's daughter, and scenes in the present where Barry is trying to find them. It also shakes-up the traditional Resident Evil gameplay by introducing stealth elements.

Revelations 2 is available to play on: Switch, PS3, Vita, PS4, PS5 (via backwards compatibility), Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S (via backwards compatibility) and PC

Resident Evil 6 (2012)

Resident Evil 6 takes place three years after the events of RE5. It has the largest playable roster of characters for a mainline game, with four different protagonists - the returning characters Leon Kennedy, Chris Redfield and Ada Wong (from RE2 and RE4), along with new character Jake Muller, who is the son of series villain Albert Wesker. Each of these characters have their own campaign, which intersect with one another and have their own distinct gameplay and style.

RE6 continues the action-orientated approach that RE4 introduced but takes it to a whole new, over-the-top level. It marked the low point of this more action-focused style of gameplay, and was met with a mixed reception at launch. The series went into a slump in the years that followed, which led to Capcom changing tack completely with the seventh game.

RE6 is available to play on: Switch, PS3, PS4, PS5 (via backwards compatibility), Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S (via backwards compatibility) and PC

Resident Evil 7 (2017)

Resident Evil 7 ushered in a bold new direction for Capcom's long-running survival horror series. Not only did it drop the more action-focused approach of previous games, it ditched the third-person perspective the series had used for decades. The action instead took place from a first-person perspective, as RE7 tried to return the series to its roots, with more of a focus on creepy exploration, along with terrifying scares akin to Hideo Kojima's influential P.T. demo.

RE7 also took the brave decision to put players in the shoes of a brand new character - Ethan Winters - in a new setting far removed from what the series is known for. Like the original game, Resident Evil 7 is a haunted house-style experience, with Ethan exploring the terrifying Baker Ranch after he receives an email from his missing wife Mia, who he hasn't seen for years.

For more on Resident Evil 7, visit our review from the game's launch in 2017, and if you find yourself stuck exploring the Baker Ranch check out our Resident Evil 7 walkthrough.

RE7 is available to play on: Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Luna, Stadia, iOS and PC

Resident Evil Village (2021)

Resident Evil Village is the eighth mainline game in the series, and is a direct sequel to Resident Evil 7. Players once again take control of Ethan Winters, with the game set three years after the events of the previous game. This time around, Ethan has to rescue his kidnapped daughter from a village filled with mutant creatures - including werewolf-like enemies.

Village marks the concluding chapter of Ethan's story. While Village, like its predecessor, is a first-person game, there's also a DLC called Shadows of Rose which is set 16 years after Village and returns the series to the third-person perspective it's known for.

In our Resident Evil Village review, we called it "an entertaining if uneven slice of horror". If you need a hand surviving the game's eponymous village, head to our Resident Evil Village walkthrough.

RE8 is available to play on: Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Stadia, iOS and PC

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Resident Evil series release date order

If you'd rather go back to the very beginning, then here's how you can play the main games in the Resident Evil series in release date order:

• Resident Evil - (1996)
• Resident Evil 2 - (1998)
• Resident Evil 3: Nemesis - (1999)
• Resident Evil: Code – Veronica - (2000)
• Resident Evil 1 Remake - (2002)
• Resident Evil 0 - (2002)
• Resident Evil 4 - (2005)
• Resident Evil 5 - (2009)
• Resident Evil: Revelations - (2012)
• Resident Evil 6 - (2012)
• Resident Evil: Revelations 2 - (2015)
• Resident Evil 7: Biohazard - (2017)
• Resident Evil 2 Remake - (2019)
• Resident Evil 3 Remake - (2020)
• Resident Evil Village - (2021)
• Resident Evil 4 Remake - (2023)

For the purpose of this list, we stuck to the release date order of the main Resident Evil games. Besides these titles, there are other spin-offs you can play like the Resident Evil Survivor and Umbrella Chronicles light gun games. These act as companion games, and in the case of Umbrella Chronicles feature levels set during different points in the series' timeline.

In case you're wondering though, here are the list of the RE spin-off games and when they were released:

• Resident Evil Survivor - (2000)
• Resident Evil Survivor 2 - (2001)
• Resident Evil Gaiden - (2001)
• Resident Evil: Dead Aim - (2003)
• Resident Evil Outbreak - (2003)
• Resident Evil Outbreak: File 2 - (2004)
• Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles - (2007)
• Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles - (2009)
• Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D - (2011)
• Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City - (2012)
• Umbrella Corps - (2016)
• Resident Evil: Resistance - (2020)
• Resident Evil Re:Verse - (2022)

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What's next for the Resident Evil series?

With the Resident Evil series approaching its landmark 30th year anniversary, rumours are swirling around what's next for the iconic franchise. According to leaks, the next big game for the survival horror icon could be Resident Evil 9 - which is rumoured to be open-world and is tipped to launch next year. Besides this, remakes of Resident Evil Zero and Code Veronica are also reportedly in development.

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That's a wrap for our guide on how to play the Resident Evil series in order. For more on Capcom's beloved franchise, check out our retrospective look at Resident Evil 2. You can also find out about what could have been with the cancelled Resident Evil 1.5, or how listings for Resident Evil 9 and PS5 versions of Code Veronica and Zero have appeared online.