Whenever you consider horror gaming, chances are high you image Resident Evil in one in all its many kinds. From its humble beginnings as a puzzle-based zombie sport that took cues from Alone within the Darkish and Candy Residence, Capcom’s survival sequence has turn into virtually the ultimate phrase in scary video gaming. There’s not a lot that comes near it by way of worldwide success and model recognition.

With that, I’m going to try to rank all of the mainline Resident Evil video games which have been launched over the a long time (virtually 30!) primarily based purely on their gross sales figures. Now, there are a few issues I wish to clear up earlier than I get began.

First off: there appears to be some debate about whether or not the likes of Revelations and Revelations 2 rely as “most important video games” within the sequence. As such, I received’t be discussing them, as nobody appears to agree. Nevertheless, Code Veronica is unanimous on the subject of classing it as a canon RE sport. So, within the checklist it goes.

As for the gross sales numbers themselves, there doesn’t seem like a consensus on that, both. It will make sense to make use of Capcom’s personal figures, however they don’t match up with what different sources say. For instance: it lists RE4 (the unique) quite a few instances, relying on the platform and launch model. Given this, I’ll pull info from quite a lot of locations, however I’ll attempt to hold this as correct as I can. Additionally, it in the end doesn’t matter ultimately. We’re all simply attempting to get by means of the week, yeah?

Code: Veronica (2000) – 2.54 million

Happening simply earlier than the army destruction of Raccoon metropolis, Code: Veronica is smack-bang in between Resident Evil 2 and 3. The Wikipedia entry for the sport refers to it because the “fourth most important installment” within the sequence, although if you happen to’re not acquainted with the franchise, you’d be forgiven for pondering it’s a by-product, seeing because it’s not a numbered sport. I’ve made that mistake prior to now.

It’s additionally thought-about one of many strongest entries, with just about common acclaim throughout the board. Metacritic exhibits a assessment rating of 94 and a consumer ranking of 9.1 for the Dreamcast model. You’ll typically see it on lists of the highest Resident Evil video games of all time. With such reward, it’s no marvel there are excessive hopes that Capcom will remake Code: Veronica in some unspecified time in the future.

Resident Evil 3: Nemesis (1999) – 3.50 million

I nonetheless have fond reminiscences of being in my teenagers and taking part in the 1999 launch of Resident Evil 3. I beloved the second sport, and the third entry was simply as implausible to me. I used to be petrified of the prospect of bumping into Nemesis at sudden intervals, however my sweaty arms and greasy face (teenager, bear in mind) fought bravely. And that was the final time I really felt free. Sigh.

Anyway…three and a half million in gross sales is unquestionably noteworthy, particularly for a time when gaming wasn’t fairly the behemoth business it’s in the present day. Nemesis was the third-best sport in Japan for 1999 – the place it was known as Final Escape – in response to knowledge initially printed by Famitsu. That positioned it forward of Gran Turismo 2 and Dino Disaster.

Resident Evil 2 (1998) – 4.96 million

Now we come to my favourite Resident Evil sport of all time. Is that this a nostalgia factor? Virtually definitely, sure. However I nonetheless recall being blown away by its visuals and the truth that the sport dropped you proper in the course of the motion. Unprecedented on the time, once I give it some thought. I performed this sport to dying when it first got here out, even trying to unlock the flexibility to play as Tofu.

Coming simply a few years after the unique, RE2 appeared to fall simply shy of its predecessor by way of gross sales. However it completely (in my eyes, not less than) took what made the primary sport such successful and upped nearly all the things. Sure, two and a half a long time later, it’s dated, nevertheless it’s a traditional. However that first time Mr. X burst by means of a wall will go down as one of the vital frightened I’ve ever been whereas taking part in a sport.

Resident Evil (1996) – 5.08 million

There’s some debate about when the “survival horror” style truly started. One factor that the majority would agree on is that it didn’t begin with the unique Resident Evil. Nevertheless, it’s usually thought-about the primary sport to be described as a survival horror. Some would take into account 1992’s Alone within the Darkish – which influenced RE – to be the primary. However the time period can retroactively describe even earlier releases, it appears.

That apart, it doesn’t detract from Resident Evil‘s impression on the gaming world. Its mix of exploration, puzzle fixing, and a zombie infestation mixed to make it one of many scariest video games ever launched on the time. For that alone, it’s gone down within the historical past books as in all probability a very powerful horror sport of all time.

Resident Evil Remake (2002) – 5.25 million

You might argue that this reimagining of the primary Resident Evil installment was what kick-started Capcom’s eager curiosity in remaking the older video games from scratch. Nevertheless, this got here out some 17 years earlier than the RE2 remake, which is a indisputable fact that hammers dwelling simply how lengthy the sequence has been going for.

This 2002 do-over of RE saved the third-person perspective and tank controls of its ancestor, however gave a lift to the visuals. It was a a lot darker model than the unique, I discovered, nevertheless it retained the franchise’s place within the limelight few years earlier than the fourth sport would come alongside and completely smash the boundaries of survival horror.

Resident Evil Zero (2002) – 5.45 million

With the discharge of each a remake and a brand-new entry, 2002 was evidently 12 months to be a Resident Evil fan. In case you wished to play the video games in chronological order primarily based on timeline, Zero could be the one to begin with. Overlaying the occasions earlier than the 1996 sport, this one is a prequel and sees you taking part in as each Rebecca Chambers and convict Billy Coen.

Sadly, I by no means completed this one, although I did take pleasure in the truth that you may swap between each characters at a second’s discover. This was one thing of a departure from earlier Resident Evil video games, the place you usually performed one marketing campaign earlier than taking part in the story once more as another person. Novel.

Resident Evil 4 Remake (2023) – 7 million

The numbers are beginning to climb up, however we haven’t but reached the tens of tens of millions. Additionally, on condition that Resident Evil 4 Remake is the newest installment to be launched – launching in March 2023 – this quantity is barely going to alter as time strikes on. The earlier entries on this checklist are in all probability not shifting many copies now, given their common ages.

The unique RE4 is definitely thought-about one in all – if not the – finest sport within the sequence. So, you’ll be able to think about the strain Capcom was below to make the remake nothing wanting stellar. Luckily, the studio pulled it off, bringing all the things followers beloved concerning the 2005 launch, however — truly, you don’t want me to inform you how good it’s. Little doubt a lot of you’ve got performed the remake already.

Resident Evil 3 Remake (2020) – 8.70 million

Don’t be too stunned that this has (up to now) bought greater than RE4. Keep in mind, the latter has solely been out simply over a 12 months, whereas the remake of Resident Evil 3 has had whereas longer to rack up the numbers. It’s not fairly as excessive by way of gross sales figures as among the different video games, nevertheless it’s nonetheless a sizeable chunk, particularly for such a brief sport.

That was largely the primary criticism of RE3. That, and it dialed again the puzzles a tad. However even for a brief horror title, it was capable of seize the essence of its 1999 counterpart and inject some much-needed modernity into the combination. In fact, it additionally saved the Nemesis antagonist, which might have been prison to go away out.

Resident Evil Village (2021) – 10 million

Now we’re into the juicy numbers. It was very not too long ago that Capcom introduced Resident Evil Village had smashed 10 million copies, and is the quickest sport in the entire sequence to realize this. Very similar to RE4 Remake, we are able to count on the eighth installment to maintain racking up these figures over time. However we are able to already see how profitable the sequence continues to be in spite of everything these years.

Village is – in a approach – the second installment that’s attempting to do one thing totally different with the franchise, very like RE7 earlier than it. Gone are the traditional zombies and third-person digicam angles. Changed as an alternative by a way more concerned perspective, grittier visuals, and a return to kind for players who simply wish to ogle a digital matriarch.

Resident Evil 6 (2012) – 13.10 million

This one may be a shock to some. If you understand the final trajectory of Resident Evil high quality, you’ll be acquainted with the sixth sport’s status. Just about tacking on horror as an apart, the sequence was, by this level, virtually fully about bombastic motion than rigidity. This 2012 installment is usually thought to be one of many weakest of the mainline video games.

Or so I believed. The truth that it’s bought over 13 million copies have to be a testomony to how effectively it did upon launch, or a while after it. Steam exhibits it as “largely constructive” for opinions, whereas Metacritic has it down as 67 out of 100. It appears bizarre, then, that the gross sales figures seem like at odds with the general reception of RE6. However that’s present enterprise, child!

Resident Evil 4 (2002) – 13.20 million

I’m going to admit one thing proper now. Please don’t hate me for this, however…I don’t take into account the unique Resident Evil 4 to be one of the best within the sequence. I do know, I do know. It’s sacrilege. However I feel it’s as a result of I performed it a few years after it was launched. By this level, the management scheme felt outdated and the voice performing felt too tacky for one thing that had moved into darker and extra honest territory.

That’s to not say I didn’t take pleasure in it. It’s an ideal Resident Evil sport. Simply not my favourite. However I might nonetheless see why everybody beloved it a lot. Its swap to an over-the-shoulder perspective was genre-defining and whereas being extra action-orientated could be the later video games’ detriment, it labored out fairly properly on this case. It’s only a disgrace I used to be late to the occasion to really recognize it.

Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (2017) – 13.30 million

After I first noticed the teasers and trailers for this, I used to be massively excited. Capcom was rewriting their very own guidelines for Resident Evil 7 and it was a call that helped breathe new life into the waning sequence. It had lashings of P.T. (long-dead by this level) and Outlast, which did nothing to quell my thirst for this sport.

Going again to its horror roots, Biohazard appeared to be a approach to undo what the final two or three entries had finished. Whereas Resident Evil 2 is my favourite total for each its gameplay and journey down reminiscence lane, RE7 is definitely my favourite of the fashionable video games.

Resident Evil 2 Remake (2019) – 13.90 million

Whereas we mustn’t neglect the 2002 remake of Resident Evil, the 2019 trendy tackle RE2 may be stated to be the beginning of a brand new period for Capcom by way of remaking traditional video games. Almost 14 million in gross sales over the previous few years might be all of the proof you could perceive simply how enormous this sport was upon launch.

Clearly, the sport itself performed an enormous half in that recognition. Had it been a straight remake of the 1998 launch, it in all probability wouldn’t have been as well-received apart from some attraction to older followers. However bringing again the over-the-shoulder digicam from RE4, including Mr. X from the offset, switching the puzzles and total degree design round to maintain issues recent are the hallmarks of an ideal remake that also hits that nostalgia spot.

Resident Evil 5 (2009) – 14.60 million

Very similar to RE6, I used to be stunned to see that not solely had the fifth Resident Evil sport bought so many tens of millions of copies, it’s truly the highest-selling entry within the sequence. Proper firstly of this text, I posted a hyperlink to Capcom’s checklist of its prime releases. I went by means of to double examine these numbers. It seems, sure, it does certainly add as much as 14.6 million if you embrace all variations of the sport.

I by no means performed RE5 past the demo. The truth that it had a co-op mode – in Gears of Struggle trend – was a neat thought, nevertheless it’s shift in direction of heavy motion was off-putting for me. Nonetheless, you understand my views on Resident Evil 4, so what do I do know, eh? The numbers communicate for themselves.