Resident Evil Games in Order of Release Date [Complete List]

There is no series that beats the Resident Evil games when it comes to the survival horror genre. Since it started in 1996, the franchise has seen the highs and lows, but it has still managed to sustain itself in the class of the games never to forget.

We have decided to take a look at all the games in the franchise with particular emphasis on the main games and the spinoffs which by the way, is referred to as Biohazard in Japan.

Resident Evil Games

Main Series

Resident Evil 

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Release Date: March 22, 1996

Platforms: PlayStation, Microsoft Windows, Sega Saturn, Nintendo DS

The first game in the series, Resident Evil was not just a game that introduced the franchise, it also truly began the survival horror genre although there were a few others before it.

Although it had a good story, the dialogue was not necessarily the best. The strength, however, is in the gameplay as well as its ability to deliver what was truly a horror game.

Resident Evil 2

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Release Date: January 21, 1998

Platforms:  PlayStation, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo 64, Dreamcast, GameCube, Game.com

What makes the second game in the franchise even greater than the first is that Capcom took everything that was great with the first game and expanded on it. You get better graphics and even gameplay than the first, with good boss fights.

That said, considering the time it was released, the graphics will not fly today, but people still play it. It is one of the most successful and best selling Resident Evil games.

Resident Evil 3: Nemesis

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Release Date: September 22, 1999

Platform: PlayStation, Microsoft Windows, Dreamcast, GameCube

Nemesis take follows the path of the previous two games which has almost become too familiar, but it is the encounter with the Nemesis monster that changes everything and makes the game a huge success. You have various ammunitions at your disposal to deal with enemies and the overall gameplay is excellent.

Resident Evil CODE: Veronica 

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Release Date: February 3, 2000

Platform: Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, GameCube, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360

Looking at it in comparison to those before it, this is the best in terms of the storyline. Another strong point with this is that it has brought in better graphics with fully-rendered 3D environments and movable camera in place of the static angles seen previously.

Resident Evil Zero 

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Release Date: November 12, 2002

Platform: GameCube, Wii, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One

Zero goes back to events that happened before the first game of the series. Thanks to this, it has a good story to tell, most especially for Rebecca Chambers. The gameplay isn’t the best you will see and some important elements like item boxes were removed. The graphics is great though.

Resident Evil 4

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Release Date: January 11, 2005

Platform:  GameCube, PlayStation 2, Microsoft Windows, Wii, iOS, Zeebo, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Android, PlayStation 4, Xbox One

Capcon took a risk with this game that could have either destroyed the franchise or make something even greater out of it. The gamble paid and we have what is arguably the best of the Resident Evil games. It switched to the third-person action without losing the air of horror the franchise has come to be known with.

Although you can hardly fault this game in any way, there are some who believe it has no business being in the franchise because it is not as much of a horror game as it is an action one. Because of this, you will come across some lists putting it among the best action games ever.

Resident Evil 5

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Release Date: March 5, 2009

Platform: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows, Shield Android TV, PlayStation 4, Xbox One

Resident Evil 5 is an important part of the series, no doubt, but it tilts more towards an action game than a horror. This is mainly because it follows the format of Resident Evil 4. The storyline is good and the boss fights are very engaging but the franchise should be horror, not action.

Resident Evil: Revelations

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Release Date: January 26, 2012

Platforms: Nintendo 3DS, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Wii U, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch

With the revelation, we are back to the real horror that had come with much earlier titles. Interestingly, it comes with boss fights that are very terrifying. While it is highly underappreciated, it does a great job by bringing together the real horror of the game and still maintaining the action that has come afterward. New characters are also introduced in the game.

Resident Evil 6 

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Release Date: October 2, 2012

Platforms:  PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One

This would have been the best game in the series because it brings good horror, engaging battles, and a whole lot more. Unfortunately, it doesn’t give them all enough, so it will leave you asking for more.

Resident Evil: Revelations 2 

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Release Date: 24 February 2015

Platforms: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch

See Also: Metal Gear Games in Order of Release Date [Complete List] 

Probably the weakest game in the series, Revelation 2 does not give you enough in the gameplay. Nonetheless, it beats when you are looking for sheer horror. More so, the storyline is rather strong thanks to the use of multiple endings. That said, it is one of the games in the series that has been ignored by many people.

Resident Evil 7

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Release Date: January 24, 2017

Platforms: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch

Since RE6, the franchise had struggled to come up with something strong and easy to appreciate. With Biohazard, the franchise was is able to make something much better than the previous two before it, with dark horror and a good story, yet it doesn’t take us back to the best days of the franchise.

Spin-Offs

Resident Evil Survivor

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Release Date: January 27, 2000

Platforms: PlayStation, Microsoft Windows

Coming as the first spin-off in the franchise, Survivor has a good story, but the gameplay is definitely not the best. What is, even more, is that it does not have any save functionality so turning off your console means you will restart your game.

Resident Evil Survivor 2 – CODE: Veronica

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Release Date:  July 2001

Platforms: Arcade

You may as well decide not to play this game and still not miss a thing regarding the plot. This is because it does not add to the main story of the original Resident Evil games. However, the gameplay is very good and you get to choose to either play as Steve Burnside who was the main character in Code Veronica or as Claire. More so, it has a two-play cooperative mode.

Resident Evil Gaiden

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Release Date: December 14, 2001

Platform: Game Boy Color

The only RE to be made for Game Boy Color, this game brought a lot of changes to make it good for a handheld device. There is hardly anything much to talk about the game because it is mostly just there.

Resident Evil Dead Aim

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Release Date: February 13, 2003

Platform: PlayStation 2

Also in the third person perspective, Dead Aim battles are fought in the first-person view. This is one of the things that stands the game out from all others. That said, it has good gameplay and storyline. It also has good graphics while also remaining very creepy. Don’t expect it, however, to leave a lasting impression.

Resident Evil Outbreak

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Release Date: December 11, 2003

Platform: PlayStation 2

You can play this either as a single player or as a team trying to survive the zombies. We think the exceptional thing about the game when compared to other resident evil games is the online components. While the graphics and horror are good, the gameplay is not the one that places it among the best.

Resident Evil Outbreak: File 2

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Release Date: September 9, 2004

Platform: PlayStation 2

This also comes with the online multiplayer and although it seeks to improve on what the Outbreak offers, it only delivers much worse. Capcom has maintained a good storyline, something that is almost constant for it, there is a lot that you will find wanting in the gameplay most especially of you have played the first. Somehow, there is still fun to get from playing, most especially in a team.

Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles

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Release Date: November 13, 2007

Platform: Wii, PlayStation 3

An on-rails shooter game, Chronicles is not the longest game in the series but it is still interesting and fun to play. If you have played all the previous games in the series, you will find yourself going back to some here. Interestingly enough, this is a favorite game for a lot of people, selling millions of copies.

Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles

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Release Date: November 17, 2009

Platform: Wii, PlayStation 3

Also an on-rails shooting game originally for Wii, The Darkside Chronicles adds more to the story of the Umbrella Chronicles. It doesn’t have too much to tell in the story, but it does a lot by taking you back to some elements in Resident Evil 2 and Code Veronica for a nostalgic experience.

Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D

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Release Date: June 2, 2011

Platform: Nintendo 3DS, iOS

The Mercenaries 3D does something rather interesting by developing this as a standalone version of The Mercenaries which is a popular minigame in previous Resident Evil games. The game is quite fun to play, but it will not change your world. In fact, you may be disappointed at the end of the day, but it is worth the ride.

Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City

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Release Date: March 20, 2012

Platform: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows

Developed by Slant Six Games, Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City is a third-person shooter game that comes with twelve playable characters. While the idea behind the game and the story is good, the game is not what many would enjoy playing. Whether you are playing alone or multiplayer, it has a lot of things lacking in terms of action and the general gameplay.

Umbrella Corps

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Release Date: June 21, 2016

Platform: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4

The singular game that is even worse than the Operation Raccoon City is Umbrella Corps. Both the single player and multiplayer of the game do not satisfy and it gets frustrating the way events in the game are repeated. You may easily feel that you have been served a half done meal.

Conclusion

At the end of it all, there is no denying the fact that Resident Evil has thus far been a very successful and game-changing franchise for the survival horror genre. While the list has the main games and the spinoffs, there are also other Resident Evil games that have been developed for mobile phones. More so, there are differences in terms of name and in some cases platforms between the games made for Japan and different parts of the world.

Tim Flaherty
Tim Flaherty
Tim is our talented senior tech writer and editor, the one who plays music on replay, drinks more coffee than beer, plays video games, and reads poetry. In between, Tim reviews products, write about computers, games, hardware, software, guides, reviews and talk tech and arts. If there is a WWIII, he thinks it could be caused by bad writing.

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