Resident Evil Games in Order: Release and Chronological Guide

Summary: Resident Evil has grown into one of the biggest survival horror franchises ever, with 9 mainline games, several remakes, and a tangled story timeline. This guide breaks down the series in both release order and chronological order, ranks the standout entries, and gives you the best place to jump in if you are new to the series.

How Many Resident Evil Games Are There

As of 2026, there are 9 mainline Resident Evil games, plus a handful of remakes that retell earlier entries with modern graphics and controls. Counting remakes and major spin-offs together, the franchise adds up to well over a dozen titles worth knowing about, though only the mainline games and remakes are essential for following the core story.

• 9 mainline numbered entries, from the original Resident Evil to Resident Evil Requiem
• 4 full remakes so far: Resident Evil, Resident Evil 2, Resident Evil 3, and Resident Evil 4
• A Code: Veronica remake was announced in 2026, targeting a 2027 release

For official news and the full current lineup straight from the publisher, check Capcom's Resident Evil Portal.

Resident Evil Games in Release Order

This is the order the games actually came out, which is also a natural way to see how the series evolved from fixed-camera survival horror into more action-oriented gameplay and back again.

• Resident Evil (1996)
• Resident Evil 2 (1998)
• Resident Evil 3: Nemesis (1999)
• Resident Evil Code: Veronica (2000)
• Resident Evil (2002 remake, also called REmake)
• Resident Evil 0 (2002)
• Resident Evil 4 (2005)
• Resident Evil 5 (2009)
• Resident Evil 6 (2012)
• Resident Evil 2 remake (2019)
• Resident Evil 3 remake (2020)
• Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (2017)
• Resident Evil Village (2021)
• Resident Evil 4 remake (2023)
• Resident Evil Requiem (2026)

Note that Resident Evil 7 released in 2017, before the Resident Evil 2 and 3 remakes, even though it is numbered later. Keeping an eye on release years rather than just the title number helps avoid confusion here.

Resident Evil Games in Chronological Order

If you want to follow the story as it unfolds in-universe rather than by release date, the order looks different. This chronological order treats each remake as a modern retelling of its original entry's story rather than a separate event on the timeline.

• Resident Evil 0
• Resident Evil (or its remake)
• Resident Evil 2 (or its remake)
• Resident Evil 3 (or its remake)
• Resident Evil Code: Veronica
• Resident Evil 4 (or its remake)
• Resident Evil 5
• Resident Evil 6
• Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
• Resident Evil Village
• Resident Evil Requiem

Resident Evil Requiem is set after the events of Village and picks up long-running story threads, so it makes sense to play it last regardless of which order you follow for the earlier games.

For a closer look at the newest entry, see our full breakdown of the Resident Evil Requiem launch.

Best Resident Evil Games Ranked

With so many entries, a few consistently stand out as the best starting points and the most replayable overall.

• Resident Evil 4 remake: widely considered the most polished and replayable entry in the whole series
• Resident Evil 2 remake: a tense, modern reintroduction to the Raccoon City story that works well even with no prior series knowledge
• Resident Evil Village: a strong mix of horror and action with a memorable setting and cast
• Resident Evil 7: Biohazard: a return to slower, scarier survival horror after the more action-focused 5 and 6

Where to Start If You're New to the Series

If the goal is simply to play the best version of Resident Evil first, start with the Resident Evil 2 remake. It has modern controls, a self-contained story that still connects to the wider timeline, and is widely seen as one of the best entry points the franchise has ever had. From there, the Resident Evil 3 remake is a natural follow-up, and Resident Evil 4's remake is worth prioritizing early since it consistently ranks as the series' strongest overall experience.

If you would rather experience the story in the order it unfolds in-universe, start with Resident Evil 0 and work through the chronological list above instead.

Resident Evil has become a sprawling franchise, but you do not need to play every spin-off to enjoy it. Pick release order if you want to see the series evolve, or chronological order if you care more about following the story as it happens, and lean on the remakes of 2, 3, and 4 as reliable high points either way.