Resident Evil is one of those franchises that everyone knows worldwide. From the claustrophobic confines of the Spencer Mansion to a cold, isolated village in Romania, to a scorching setting in Africa, fans have seen and done it all. Thankfully, Capcom continues to make new games, and with new projects being developed, let’s tap into the past and rank the main Resident Evil Games.
Insider Gaming is not ranking every Resident Evil game, as we’ll be here all day. No one wants to know if the mess that is Umbrella Corps has enough T-Virus in the tank to fend off competition from Operation Raccoon City! No, 10 Resident Evil games are the subject of this ranked list, and it’s predominantly what are considered the mainline games in the series.
Controversy and cold takes are sure to ensue.
Every Resident Evil Mainline Game Ranked
10. Resident Evil Zero
There are always two immediate bones of contention for a Resident Evil ranked list: Who comes out on top, and who collects the Wooden Spoon. For my money, Resident Evil Zero earns the cutlery because it just isn’t that good, and one of the main reasons it’s borderline unplayable is the inventory system, which decided to do away with the traditional, magic inventory box system and have items be strewn around the game—leading to excessive backtracking.
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Billy and Rebecca’s storage space is so small that you’d think every item you were carrying was the size of a grandfather clock. It takes ‘survival horror’ to an exaggerated degree, and it doesn’t help that Zero has uninspired enemies and bosses and doesn’t boast a compelling story. Only a remake, making necessary gameplay improvements, could improve its future standing.
9. Resident Evil 6
You thought this would be last, didn’t you? Resident Evil 6 is hilarious. It’s so unhinged and unashamedly bonkers that you have no choice but to laugh at how outlandish and unserious it is. It’s no secret that Capcom’s fourth and fifth numbered games veered away from the intense survival horror aspects of the originals, but Resident Evil 6 goes so far off the beaten path that it ends up in Narnia.
The idea of multiple campaigns and the chance to use several iconic fan-favorites is a wonderful idea, but the execution is woefully hit and miss (mostly miss). Leon’s campaign is the clear standout, paying homage to Resident Evil’s roots, and it can be unironically enjoyable. If you cut Jake’s and Chris’ campaigns and extended Leon’s and Ada’s, there would actually be a pretty good Resi game here. Instead, it’s seen as the catalyst for change—causing Capcom to go back to the drawing board afterward, and if you want to have this in the number ten spot, I don’t blame you.
8. Resident Evil 3 Remake
Do you go with the remake or the original? Another question that applies to several entries on this Resident Evil games ranked list. For convenience and relevance, the remakes are getting the nod, which is why the Resident Evil 3 Remake ranks so low. There are just better games, for one thing, but the remake loses a lot of the heart and soul of the original—and content.
The Nemesis encounters are terrifying, but few and far between, and feel quite inorganic. Also, why is one of gaming’s most distinguishable enemies wearing a giant bin liner? Jill is fantastic, and so is the narrative, and Nemesis will still make you change your underwear after every showdown. You might enjoy the original more, but here, the Resi 3 Remake comes in at number eight.
7. Resident Evil Village
If Resident Evil 7: Biohazard was the game to get the franchise back on the rails, Village quickly gets bored and taps into the franchise’s bad aspects again. Village pretty much peaks once you finish up the Castle Beneviento portion of the game, and given how much hype there was for Lady Dimitrescu, her role is more stunted than it should’ve been.
Village looks and feels spectacular and leans more heavily into Resident Evil 4 for inspiration. You’re not short of action, but the game feels linear, and the story is somewhat disjointed. There’s also too much action again—we won’t even touch on Chris Redfield’s Call of Duty action sequence at the end of the game. Resident Evil Village is fine and fun, but it’s a definite step back.
6. Resident Evil 5
It needs to be said: This is the most underrated Resident Evil game, and it’s not even close. Five unfairly gets the flak for being the first true ‘non-Resident Evil game.’ Indeed, the sun-scorched tropics of Africa don’t scream dark, despair, and desperation, but the intense Manjini sequences instil a different breed of scares and tension.
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The game’s antiquated control scheme shows its age, though, making some battles far harder than they need to be and frustrating. Lots of Resident Evil 5 involves fighting multiple enemies in tight spaces, and the tank-like controls can leave you wanting to punch more than just boulders. I also have to say how much I love getting the tiniest scratch, only for Sheva to blast me with a full First Aid Spray. Still, the game’s mission structure is a blast, and there’s some seriously good gameplay here—plus a decent story with appearances from Wesker and Jill.
5. Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
One of my biggest complaints with Resident Evil games is that they have a tendency to fall flatter than a pancake toward the end. The first two-thirds of Resident Evil 7 are nothing short of exceptional, and it’s unbelievable how much tension and panic the new first-person perspective adds. Jack Baker’s dynamic AI keeps you on your toes, and it has some of the best boss battles in Resident Evil history. If you really want to hate yourself, play this in VR!
So, where does it go wrong? Ethan Winters is the most boring and non-descript hero (he improves in Village), the delicate pacing descends into a tired slog of combat once you reach the ship, and the final boss fight and ending overall are just such a letdown from the game’s promising early hours. If you savor the first huge chunk of the title, you have the most survival-horror-driven entry since Resident Evil 3, and it might be the best atmosphere Capcom has ever delivered.
4. Resident Evil
It would be a crime to put this any lower. The original 1996 Resident Evil is the type of game that should adorn the hallways of any video game museum or archive. Its influence is immeasurable, and it managed to create a disgustingly tense and titillating experience with limited 90s gaming tech. However, this entry is based on the 2002 GameCube remake, as it remains the optimal way to enjoy it—for now.
The methodical pacing ensures you get a nice snippet of Zombie action with limited supplies before finding items, solving puzzles, and SNAKE-ing your way through the Spencer Mansion and beyond. The story is subpar as it’s finding its feet, and the legendary dialogue is so bad it’s…well, bad. Regardless, many of the games you play in 2026 have likely been influenced by Resident Evil in one way or another, and it remains a classic and staple of the survival horror genre it created.
3. Resident Evil Code: Veronica X
Resident Evil Code: Veronica was a system-selling monster that dwarfed many of its contemporaries at the time. Then, Resident Evil Code: Veronica X made some subtle additions, making it the most complete way to play Code: Veronica. There’s something special about getting a Chris and Claire story, and unlike Resident Evil 7 and 8, this is one of the best stories that actually gets better the further you progress.
Writing this list in 2026 is tricky because there’s a common complaint about the older games that rears its head again: Controls. It was a deliberate design choice by Capcom early on that grows very tiresome in subsequent releases—which is why recent games have been a delight with their freeing movement. The story really pulls its weight here and makes Code Veronica worth playing again…and again.
2. Resident Evil 4 Remake
Now for bone of contention number two: Resident Evil 4 or Resident Evil 2? It all depends on what YOU are looking for in a Resident Evil game. As this is Insider Gaming’s list (and my thoughts), I prefer brains over braun, which is why Resident Evil 4 takes the second spot. The remake highlights why the fourth mainline game was so groundbreaking at the time and still holds up. It seamlessly blends action, survival sequences, and epic boss fights, and delivers a compelling (and kooky) story throughout its extended duration.
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It’s much longer than most Resident Evil games, giving you real value for money. Nearly everything about it is memorable: The opening village siege, the cart ride, the monster on the lake—it’s Resident Evil heritage. While the game is action-oriented, there’s still plenty of horror. Seeing a Garrador fills my body with panic, and hearing a Regenrator is still enough to make me want to turn the game off.
Babysitting Ashley does hurt the pacing, I’m not gonna lie. It’s one aspect of the game I always hate and dread, but regardless, this is a masterpiece.
1. Resident Evil 2 Remake
Another masterpiece is Resident Evil 2: I haven’t a single bad thing to say about this game. When it was revealed that Capcom was remaking Resident Evil 2 with a new third-person camera, the Resi community went into overdrive. Yet, the remake keeps everything that made the original game so amazing, and I would argue betters it.
The puzzles are perfect, every location feels meaningful and suspenseful, and Leon Kennedy is such a likable protagonist. Where Nemesis feels sporadic and watered down in the Resident Evil 3 Remake, Tyrant (more commonly known as Mr. X) is a constant menace that keeps you on your toes from start to finish. With potentially four unique playthroughs to experience as Leon and Claire, there’s content for days. Capcom nailed the Resident Evil 2 Remake, and it brings home the bacon for this list.
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