Resident Evilis without a doubt one of the most beloved video game series ever. Through the decades, this series reached millions of players all throughout the world, and its popularity has reached new heights in recent years thanks to stellar remakes. Even if the series is almost 30 years old, it still shows no sign of slowing down.
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Looking back at these last 25+ years, theResident Evilseries has had many great entries, which are still remembered fondly by fans. However, there are a few games that really stand out from the others. These games are the ones that managed to stand the test of time and are still as great to play as they were back at their launch.
4Resident Evil 3: Nemesis (1999)
Resident Evil 3is the most divisive title in the earlier days ofResident Evil. This probably has two reasons why. First, the game was perceived by many players as being much too similar to its predecessor. Not only that, but it also brought less excitement to the table when compared to Leon and Claire’s adventure. Secondly, many players still considerResident Evil: Code Veronicato be a superior game and think of it as the “true"Resident Evil 3.
While both arguments have some merit, today players can say for sure thatResident Evil 3has had a much bigger-than-expected impact on the series. This is mostly thanks to its main antagonist, the Nemesis, which is still, to this very day, one of themost popular enemies in the whole franchise. The way he stalks players all throughout the game has left a scar on everyone who survived the experience, and even the recent remake couldn’t bring that haunting feeling back. Also, the game sportsone of the best incarnations of Jillin the whole series. This is what helpsResident Evil 3stand the test of time and makes it worth playing even after all these years.
3Resident Evil 4 (2005)
Resident Evil 4is perhaps one of the most beloved entries in the whole franchise, and it still ranks as the very best entryaccording to Metacritic. While this game proved to be the start of a very different direction for the series, players love how the game managed to make the gameplay much more dynamic while keeping horror elements in the mix. Even to this day,Resident Evil 4is incredibly fun to play, so everyone who decides to give it a shot will find it a worthwhile experience.
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The game revolutionized third-person shooters whilealso introducing many fan-favorite weapons, but it was the first of its kind; therefore, it had many shortcomings that would be fixed through the years. This is much more evident when playing its remake, which has no trouble bringing its gameplay up to today’s standards. So, while other titles offer a different experience from their respective remakes,Resident Evil 4is the only one where players can get the whole gist of it by sticking solely to the newer version, making the original a little less “timeless” than it once was.
2Resident Evil 2 (1998)
Another absolute gaming classic,Resident Evil 2is as good today as it was in 1998. The game improved upon its predecessor in almost every way imaginable, bringing to the table new weapons, enemies, and locations and expanding the gameplay formula to a whole new level. The Raccoon Police District is still one of the most iconic locations in the series, and being able to play two separate scenariosas two of the best protagonistsin the series in a single game is something that is still pretty unique within the series.
While the game was successfully remade in 2019, the originalResident Evil 2still has its unique charm, thanks to the two games being very different both in terms of structure and content. While it’s true that the remake expanded the game’s story and scenarios, the original still offers that classic early 3D horror experience that is still beloved by many gamers to this day. This is why players who’ve already enjoyed the remake can still play the original and get another great experience.
1Resident Evil (2002)
The very firstResident Evilisthe start of everythingand probably the one that has best stood the test of time. The reason why the remake version is considered so great is that it improved the original in every single way, but it still maintained that classic fixed-camera perspective that made the first games so great. Contrary to other remakes from then, this one is so faithful that it makes playing the original feel more like a novelty than a necessity.
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The reason why this game is the most timeless in the series is due to many factors. First and foremost, it’s not easy to beat the feeling of the very first encounter with a zombie and all the otherfreaky enemies found in the series. Secondly, the Spencer Mansion is probably the most iconic location in the whole series. Players who’ve made it through the game can probably still remember the disposition of rooms, secrets, and ammo even more than 20 years after its release. Even though the series has grown a great deal throughout the years, this entry is still the quintessential definition of the franchise, and players will surely have a great time playing through the adventure no matter when they will decide to dive into it.
