Games With The Most Character Development

While many of the most recognizable Resident Evil characters have developed and grown throughout the series, this can definitely be seen moreso in some games than others. Simply put, Capcom doesn’t always go all-in with its character development for every entry, since many Resident Evil titles are more focused on providing a unique gameplay experience rather than building on the characters.

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However, that shouldn’t suggest there haven’t been a select few games that have seen the likes of Leon, Chris, Claire, and many others develop as people due to their stories and plot events. While these titles can vary wildly in their overall quality and reputation, one thing they all have in common is they push their characters to move forward in their own personal journeys, and it’s these games this list will be focusing on today.

7

Resident Evil: The Darkness Chronicles

Darkness Chronicles Contains Operation Javier; A Very Important Mission For Both Leon And Krauser

The Darkside Chronicles, a spin-off on-rails shooter game, features four campaigns in total, but the one that matters most to the development of the characters is Operation Javier. This is a mission that sees Leon and his new companion Krauser venturing deep into the jungles of South America to seek out a dangerous drug lord. This is Leon’s very first mission as a special agent, and as so, it is a very meaningful stepping stone for the fan-favorite protagonist, giving players a glimpse into what he was like before his rescue mission in Resident Evil 4.

On the other hand, Operation Javier ends up completely warping Krauser’s mind. Because the soldier’s arm was severely wounded in the mission, causing him to rely on Leon, he becomes infatuated with the idea of gaining more power, which he realizes can be done by seeking out Wesker and ditching the US government altogether. This leads nicely into the fourth game where the two face off one final time, making Darkside Chronicles a crucially important entry for learning how the two of them got to this point.

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Resident Evil 4 (2023)

Leon Pushes Himself To Make Up For The People He Failed To Protect In Raccoon City

In all honesty, Leon doesn’t feel like he develops as a character all that much in the original Resident Evil 4, but this certainly doesn’t apply to the remake. At the beginning of the game, it’s made clear Leon is still plagued by the horrors of Raccoon City and is overridden with guilt at all the people he failed to save. He therefore sees this new mission as a way to make up for this, and in his journey to save Ashley, he continuously pushes himself to his limit, proving to players and himself how dedicated he is to keeping others safe.

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By the very end of the remake, Leon’s mind is put at ease knowing that, this time, things turned out differently. It was a smart move for Capcom to dive deeper into Leon’s mental state and personal trauma for this remake, considering it was always a bit jarring that he was so happy-go-lucky in the original after all he had been through.

5

Resident Evil 5

Chris Learns To Prioritize The Mission Over His Personal Feelings

When Chris first arrives in Kijuju at the beginning of Resident Evil 5, it’s clear that, alongside his mission to snoop out a black market dealer, he also has something else on his mind; Jill. Once the main mission goes pear-shaped, Chris becomes pretty obsessed with finding Jill, so much so that he almost lets Wesker get away upon rescuing her. At that moment, it’s Jill who convinces him to look at the bigger picture, making him snap out of his tunnel vision as he focuses on saving the world from destruction.

This game would also be important for Chris’ development as it marked the end of his longtime rivalry with Wesker. Being able to take out Wesker once and for all made Chris realize he should always be giving his all if it meant keeping the planet safe, which he admits during the final moments of the story.

4

Resident Evil: Revelations 2

Claire And Barry, Two Iconic Members Of The Resident Evil Cast, Go Through Unique Arcs In Revelations 2

Though Revelations 2 introduces a fair number of new characters to the series, the two who receive the most development are series icons, Claire and Barry. For Claire, she comes to learn that maybe she shouldn’t be quite as trusting of her TerraSave allies as she once thought after it is revealed that Neil, a member of the anti-terror group, was a mole who willingly gave up his comrades to Alex Wesker.

Barry, who hadn’t shown up in a canon game since the very first one, is on a mission to rescue his daughter Moira. However, Barry and Moira have a pretty rocky relationship, to say the least, so much of his part of the story revolves around seeing him reconcile with his family, who previously were captured by Wesker in the first game.

3

Resident Evil 2 (2019)

The Raccoon City Outbreak Turned Leon And Claire Into Very Different People

Leon and Claire start Resident Evil 2 as an ordinary duo; one is a rookie cop, and the other is a college student on the lookout for her brother. However, everything changes once the two of them are thrown into the zombie-ridden Raccoon City. During their fight for survival, the two gradually develop as characters, with Leon becoming more concerned about bringing the perpetrators of the outbreak to justice, and Claire focusing on protecting a young girl named Sherry.

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The events of Raccoon City would leave a permanent scar on the two protagonists. While Leon would be forced to join the US government as an agent, Claire would go on to invade an Umbrella HQ in an attempt to rescue Chris. Both characters become much more confident and aware of the danger that bioterror presents to the world, resulting in them receiving tons of development throughout the nightmarish journey.

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Resident Evil

The S.T.A.R.S Team Turns From Naive Soldiers To Grizzled Veterans Throughout The First Game

When Jill, Chris, and the rest of Bravo Team arrive in the Spencer Mansion, they are all shown as being a pretty naive bunch who easily get spooked at the sight of a single zombie. This is understandable considering these guys hadn’t yet seen a zombie or B.O.W. up close and personal before, but the sheer amount of monsters they take on in the first game results in each of them becoming much different people by the end.

Jill, Chris, Rebecca, and Barry all turn into grizzled veterans who embark on their own escapades after this game in order to prevent the spread of B.O.Ws and zombies across the rest of the planet. Meanwhile, Wesker turns into a superhuman after being ‘killed’ by the Tyrant, which sets him on his own personal journey. The very first game in the series sets the stage for everything going forward; establishing the characters who fans would come to adore for many years after.

1

Resident Evil 6

Divisive Gameplay, Bizarre Stories, But So Much Character Development

It’s no secret that Resident Evil 6 isn’t the most beloved game in this series, primarily because of how heavily it leaned into the action genre, ditching survival horror in the process. However, because it features 4 campaigns, each of the game’s main protagonists gets more than enough time to embark on their character arcs that see them develop throughout the game.

Chris, for example, starts as a disillusioned soldier whose constant fighting has made him a shell of his former self. After a little convincing from Piers, Chris gets back to his senses, and along the way, learns how destructive his lust for revenge can be, and how much damage it can cause to those around him. Jake and Sherry also go through their own compelling arcs, turning from squabbling allies into what is implied to be romantic partners by the very end. This is just scratching the surface of how much character development is packed into this divisive entry, which is why it’s still worth playing through despite its reputation.

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