The Scariest Resident Evil Games

Key Takeaways

• RE6’s Ustanak chase is intense, fighting this intelligent monster feels like Nemesis and Mr. X combined.
• RE5’s crocodile-infested water section offers scary moments, even though the game isn’t particularly frightening.
• RE1996’s Black Tiger boss fight is iconic, showcasing early survival horror’s impact and trendsetting visuals.

From the pixelated visuals of its debut game to the current-gen mobile and VR installments, the Resident Evil franchise has consistently terrified gamers in various ways. While virus-infected people and creatures alone can frighten many players, this list delves deeper to uncover some of the most chilling moments in the franchise’s history—whether through encounters with enormous zombified monsters or phobia-inducing scenarios.

Despite the multiple changes in the franchise’s direction and gameplay style, there is one thread that connects every Resident Evil game: Horror. Although the games differ in how much they succeed in scaring players, every title has at least one or two moments that will have most gamers reaching for their pillow.

Updated on November 25, 2024, by Mohsen Baqery: Horror is a core element of all Resident Evil games, making it difficult to determine the scariest titles in the franchise’s long history. Nearly every RE game features at least one terrifying moment that can make players want to quit. However, the following list highlights the Resident Evil games that manage to scare players multiple times—games that can keep the heartbeat racing throughout the playthrough. The current update rearranges the list to better rank the scariest RE games and includes interesting scientific data to support why the number one spot deserves to be crowned the scariest Resident Evil game of all time.

16 Resident Evil 6

The Scariest Moment: Ustanak Encounter

There are multiple encounters with Ustanak in RE6. However, the initial encounter should be the most intense. Just as Jake Muller realizes how big of a threat this giant beast is, he is chased by it in a narrow corridor. Following the chilling chase, Jake must finally confront Ustanak, which feels like fighting both Nemesis and Mr. X at the same time—Ustanak just won’t go down no matter what.

According to Resident Evil 6’s lore, Ustanak was the subject of experimental tests on the C Virus, which resulted in his transformation. What makes this monster scarier is his high intelligence. Unlike most other gigantic Resident Evil creatures, Ustanak can make his own weapons and make dreadful decisions when facing his targets.

To be fair to other entries on the list, Resident Evil 6 does not create many scary moments. The enemy designs are rather stereotypical, seemingly aimed at attracting more FPS fans who may not have enjoyed previous games. However, the outcome fell short of satisfying hardcore fans of the genre and was not as financially successful as expected.

15 Resident Evil 5

Scariest Moment: Traversing Crocodile-Infested Water

Capcom’s Resident Evil 5 struggled to live up to the extremely high expectations that were placed on its shoulders long before the game was even announced. Resident Evil 5 is certainly not a bad game though, exemplified by its impressive Metascore of 86 on PC.

In terms of the game’s fear factor, it’s not a particularly scary game, though it does have its scary moments, such as the section in Chapter 3 – 1, where players must traverse crocodile-infested water.

14 Resident Evil (1996)

Scariest Moment: Black Tiger Boss Fight (Underground)

Imagine it’s 1996, and a teenage gamer is about to fire up a game on their PS1 that everyone’s buzzing about: Resident Evil. The initial cinematics are spine-chilling enough to tempt them to eject the disc and retreat to Crash Bandicoot. Nonetheless, they muster the courage to dive in. Following a few hours of gripping gameplay that’s left their eyes widened and palms sweaty, they’re confronted with their ultimate dread: Fighting a colossal spider in a claustrophobic underground tunnel. That’s true fear.

The pixelated visuals of the first RE game might not look scary now. But back when the survival horror genre was in its baby stage, those “funny-looking” zombies could easily give someone a heart attack—especially if they had no idea what jumpscare is. The arachnophobia-inducing Black Tiger boss battle in Resident Evil 1996 is destined to stand as an iconic “hair-raising” moment in video game history. Its impact goes beyond the inherent creepiness of giant spiders; it inspired numerous horror games to exploit gamers’ phobias in the most sadistic ways imaginable.

13 Resident Evil: Revelations 2

Scariest Moment: Revenant Jumpscare

One of the spin-off titles from Capcom’s flagship horror franchise was Revelations 2, a game that brought back fan favorites such as Claire and Barry and introduced new characters like Moira and Natalia, which a second player could control.

Along with new characters, there are a host of new enemies, including the terrifying revenants, and grotesque monstrosities of sewn-together body parts that are infected with the Uroboros virus. During the exploration of the mansion, one sneaky revenant falls down from the ceiling right at the player’s feet, resulting in a cheap but effective jumpscare.

12 Resident Evil 3 Remake

Scariest Moment: Encountering Drain Deimos

The remake of Capcom’s classic RE3 saw players returning to the virus-ravaged streets of Raccoon City as the unstoppable Nemesis tenaciously hunts down Jill Valentine, one of the few survivors of the Spencer Mansion incident.

Through her explorations of the city, Jill experiences many terrifying events, such as running away from Nemesis, mutated dogs, or the dreaded drain deimos. Said to be infected with fleas, these insects, unfortunately, are not flea-sized and are large enough to present a threat. The most horrifying thing about these creatures is that they can grapple Jill and infect her with parasites that are a death sentence unless she can cleanse herself of them.

11 Resident Evil – Code: Veronica

Scariest Moment: Rockfort’s Torture Chamber

Resident Evil: Code Veronica was the first main series of Resident Evil games to be released after the original trilogy. The game was notable for its visuals, which were a significant improvement from the game’s predecessors.

The visuals were considered to be movie-like at the time of the game’s release. This made the game all the more frightening, as audiences hadn’t seen such realistic horror visuals in a video game before.

10 Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles

Scariest Moment: Yawn Boss Fight

Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles was the first game in the franchise to be released after the iconic Resident Evil 4. This put a ton of pressure on the on-rails shooter, and sadly, it failed to live up to the hype, scoring a lackluster 75 on Metacritic.

Much like Resident Evil 5, the amount of hype around Umbrella Chronicles was more of a curse than a gift. The initial disappointment clouded what was a solid on-rails shooter that made excellent use of the Nintendo Wii’s motion controls. The on-rail mechanic is what grants Umbrella Chronicles a spot on this list, as players have no choice but to follow their characters who are constantly heading directly into danger.

9 Resident Evil 0

Scariest Moment: Queen Leech Boss Fight

The Resident Evil series’ fifth main installment was released in 2002. The game didn’t perform badly with critics, though it was seen as a drop in form from the incredible run of games that Capcom was on leading up to its release. Criticisms were predominantly directed at the game’s lack of innovation, particularly in terms of its fixed camera, which seemed outdated at the time.

Resident Evil 0 earns a spot on this list for its atmosphere. The improved hardware of the GameCube allowed Capcom’s developers to create more meticulously detailed environments than ever before, which greatly helped the game’s unsettling elements pop.

8 Resident Evil: Revelations

Scariest Moment: Scagdead Boss Fight

The Nintendo 3DS doesn’t seem like the most natural place for an action-horror title, but Capcom was able to make it work with Resident Evil: Revelations. The game performed particularly well with critics, exemplified by its impressive 82 Metascore.

Resident Evil: Revelations offers a unique horror experience thanks to the Nintendo 3DS’ capabilities. The 3D functionality made the game’s scariest moments far tenser and made the horror feel closer than ever.

7 Resident Evil 4

Scariest Moment: First Regenerator Encounter

As mentioned previously, Capcom made the bold decision of reinventing its iconic Resident Evil franchise with the sixth main series iteration. The risk certainly paid off, as Resident Evil 4 breathed new life into the series, and it quickly became recognized as one of the best games of all time.

The game sacrificed some of the series’ iconic horror in favor of more action-packed gameplay, though there are still a few frightening moments. Such moments include the fight against Del Lago, the first encounter with a Regenerador, and the fight against Verdugo.

6 Resident Evil (2002)

Scariest Moment: Zombie Dog Jumpscare

Resident Evil (2002) marks a significant increase in the fear factor of this list’s entries. Whereas most of the games weren’t too scary but did have scary moments, Resident Evil (2002) is a genuinely unsettling experience throughout.

The 2002 remake of 1996’s Resident Evil wonderfully recaptured the essence of the original’s horror, while making the experience uncomfortably immersive with the improved visuals.

5 Resident Evil 3: Nemesis (1999)

Scariest Moment: First Encounter With Nemesis

The success of the Resident Evil 2 remake unsurprisingly led to a remake of Resident Evil 3 just one year later. However, the game would have benefited from a longer development cycle, as it struggled to emulate the success of its predecessor.

Disappointment over the remake shouldn’t detract from the original game, however, as the 1999 title is not only one of the franchise’s best entries, but it’s also one of the scariest over 20 years after its initial release, largely thanks to the infamous Nemesis.

4 Resident Evil 4 Remake

Scariest Moment: Playing As Ashley In The Castle

With the overwhelming success of the remakes of Resident Evil 2 and 3, it almost felt inevitable that the critically acclaimed fourth game would get the same treatment. Thankfully, the developers learned from the mistakes of the RE3 remake and took the necessary time to deliver something truly special.

Resident Evil 4 remake retains almost every aspect of horror and action that made the original the household name it was. It also selectively chose to update the game in key areas and mechanics. While much still feels like the original, anyone who has played both versions of this story will notice the improvements.

3 Resident Evil Village

Scariest Moment: House Beneviento

When it was revealed that Resident Evil Village would implement similar gameplay mechanics and themes to its predecessor, many people started preparing for another horrifying experience. And that is just what they got as they saddled up for another adventure as the series’ latest new protagonist, Ethan Winters, as he searched for his kidnapped daughter Rosemary in an isolated Romanian village.

With each of the Four Lords being defined by a different subgenre of horror, players are spoiled for choice about which part of the game is the scariest, depending on what they personally find frightening, but most fans seem to be in agreement about one infamous part of the game that sparked nearly as much discussion as the much beloved Lady Dimitrescu: House Beneviento.

2 Resident Evil 2 (2019)

Scariest Moment: First Encounter With Mr. X Or Licker

The idea of searching a zombie-infested Police Station in Raccoon City as the young and clumsy Leon should be enough to scare most gamers away. But if they overcome the initial fear and give RE2 Remake a shot, they’ll be rewarding themselves with countless terrifying moments that will send shivers down their spines. One such instance is the first encounter with a Licker, an unsettling hybrid creature capable of decapitating anyone with its elongated tongue.

What intensifies this scene is the Lickers’ lack of sight. These creatures rely on sound to detect their prey, as they are devoid of eyes. Consequently, players will find themselves attempting to stealthily maneuver past them while they emit ominous growls and wait for their mistakes.

When Leon first hears a Licker’s growl for the first time, he goes, “What in God’s name…?” And that should be a sign for players to never return to that hallway again.

1 Resident Evil 7: Biohazard

Scariest Moment: Mia Boss Fight

In 2022, five years after the release of RE7, a group of scientists conducted an experiment to find the scariest video game of all time. They measured players’ heartbeat rates while playing horror games to see which one increased it the most. Unsurprisingly, they found that Resident Evil 7: Biohazard was one of the scariest titles, with players’ BPM reaching 121 during its most intense moments—almost double the average BPM at rest. The group also concluded that Capcom’s first-person survival-horror game ranks as the sixth most terrifying game of all time.

The Science of Scare group’s research showed that while RE7 might not be the scariest game overall, it is the scariest Resident Evil game. On their list, only Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil Village appeared alongside it, with Resident Evil 2 ranked 11th and Village sharing the 16th spot with games like Devotion and Layers of Fear.

In terms of the numbered titles, it seems that Capcom is separating their Resident Evil games into groups of three. The first three games centered around combat, survival, and puzzle-solving with a fixed perspective. Resident Evil 4 then leaned into the series’ action elements and put the camera over the protagonist’s shoulder. Resident Evil 7: Biohazard again implemented a perspective change while also ramping up the level of horror, inspired by titles like Outlast and Amnesia.

Ethan Winters travels to an old farmhouse in Louisiana in search of his missing wife, Mia, after receiving a message from her, despite her being AWOL for three years. He finds much more than he bargained for when he encounters her captors, the homicidal Baker family, and discovers dark secrets beneath the bogwater.