Resident Evil for Beginners: Where to Start
Resident Evil has 30+ games across 30 years. For newcomers, that's intimidating. The good news: you don't need to play everything — and you definitely don't need to play in chronological order.
Here's the honest beginner's path through Resident Evil, ranked by where to start, in what order, and which entries you can safely skip.
Start Here: Resident Evil 2 Remake
BUYThe single best entry point to Resident Evil for new players. Modern controls, gateway difficulty, dual protagonist for replay value, and the iconic Mr. X stalker that introduces you to the series' DNA.
If RE2 Remake doesn't click for you, the franchise probably isn't for you. If it does click — congratulations, you've got dozens of games to enjoy.
CHECK ON AMAZONFULL VERDICTThen Play: Resident Evil 4 Remake
BUYAfter RE2 Remake, the action-focused RE4 Remake shows you the other side of the franchise. Less pure horror, more set-piece action, plus the iconic merchant economy.
If you played both RE2R and RE4R, you've experienced the franchise at its best.
CHECK ON AMAZONFULL VERDICTIf You Love Horror: Resident Evil 7
BUYThe scariest mainline RE. First-person perspective, genuinely terrifying Baker family, atmospheric Louisiana setting. If you found RE2 Remake's tension exciting rather than off-putting, RE7 will deliver more of that.
Required if you want to play RE Village or RE Requiem narrative-aware.
CHECK ON AMAZONThen: Resident Evil Village
DEPENDSThe direct sequel to RE7. Continues Ethan Winters' story while leaning more into action and variety (werewolves, vampires, mutants). Best played after RE7 for narrative continuity.
Skip if you don't connect with first-person RE.
CHECK ON AMAZONFULL VERDICTThen: Resident Evil Requiem
BUYThe newest mainline. Dual protagonist between Grace Ashcroft (survival horror style) and Leon S. Kennedy (action style). Builds on RE7/Village narrative threads while welcoming newcomers.
If you've played RE2R, RE4R, RE7, and Village — Requiem is the next required entry.
CHECK ON AMAZONFULL VERDICTFor Completionists: Resident Evil 1 (REmake)
BUYThe 2002 GameCube remake of the original 1996 Resident Evil. Tank controls and fixed cameras feel dated but atmosphere is unmatched. Essential if you want to understand series origins.
Optional but rewarding for fans who've fallen in love with the modern entries.
CHECK ON AMAZONSkip For Now: Resident Evil 3 Remake
WAITThe weakest modern remake. Much shorter than original, missing iconic content. Worth playing eventually but never the priority.
Buy at $10-15 sale price for completion only.
CHECK ON AMAZONSkip Entirely (Mostly): RE5 / RE6
SKIPThese are the 'pure action' era that nearly killed the franchise. Skip both unless you're doing a complete chronological playthrough. RE5 is co-op fun with a friend; RE6 is widely considered the worst mainline entry.
Capcom hasn't remade these for a reason — the originals don't hold up well.
CHECK ON AMAZONFinal Thoughts
The honest beginner path: RE2 Remake → RE4 Remake → RE7 → Village → Requiem. That's the modern Resident Evil at its best.
You don't need to play in chronological order. Capcom's remakes are designed to work as standalone entries. Story callbacks reward franchise familiarity but don't require it.
Budget approach: Wait for a Steam or PSN sale. The full modern RE catalog (RE2R + RE4R + RE7 + Village + Requiem) goes for $300+ at launch but routinely hits $120-150 total during sales.