[Read on for a description of every Resident Evil game ever released in the US, and my plans to complete them all in 2012]

Why Resident Evil?

This year Capcom is pushing out three entirely new Resident Evil games - it's also the 15th Anniversary of Resident Evil: Director's Cut, which is the first RE game I fully completed. So why am I playing the series in the first place?

Honestly, Resident Evil 1 was one of the first times, outside of Metal Gear Solid and Tenchu, where I was completely immersed in the game and it's world. I remember plotting out where I've gone in the mansion in a custom map at 10 years old (no guides), and wanting nothing else than seeing "what's next".

I couldn't get enough of the unique scenarios the game offered, like dogs crashing through a window, or a terrifying snake appearing out of nowhere. It wasn't necessarily the claustrophobia and the slow moving zombies that made me love the series - it was the sheer amount of variety the game offered up.

So thanks for joining me on my journey to complete every Resident Evil game released in the US. I've beaten most of these already, but that doesn't mean I remember all of them! As I complete games that I haven't beaten front to back, I'll add extended thoughts in their entry, and add a "complete" picture for each game.



Resident Evil - Playstation [Owned], PC, Saturn, PSN [Owned]*

Resident Evil is where it all started. Gaming legend Shinji Mikami created a game that was not only an homage to Sweet Home, but also a great survival horror companion to Alone in the Dark.

Unlike most games at the time, you simply didn't know what to expect next - literally anything could jump out and try and bite your head off. Moments like the first time you experienced zombie dogs jumping through a window, or the famous first-person Hunter scene are burned into my memory. Despite the low budget voice acting (which only added a campy, enjoyable "Evil Dead" feel to it), Resident Evil is a pure classic, even today.



Resident Evil 2 - Playstation, PC, Nintendo 64, Dreamcast, Gamecube, PSN* [Owned]

Resident Evil 2 took the first iteration's mansion setting, and turned it to 11. It wasn't just "The Mansion" anymore - your playground was an entire city. Somehow, someway, Resident Evil 2 filled this city with secrets, story, and tons of character.

Costume changes and hidden modes became more of a big deal, and started shaping up Resident Evil's trademark of packing in tons of content. The unique "two disc" approach, in which the game was basically two games was also rarely done at the time, and was a testament to the sheer undertaking that this year and nine month project really was.

The dynamic "Zapping System" mechanic that changed your story was pretty much unheard of at the time, and still is today. While I don't think Resident Evil 2 was as fun as the first game, one thing's for sure: it's one of the most technically impressive games of all time.



Resident Evil 3 - Playstation, PC, Dreamcast, Gamecube, PSN* [Owned]

"3" was unique in that it had a big bad boss enemy stalk you the entire game - basically right from the very beginning. It also introduced a mechanic that I was extremely grateful for, and rarely re-used: dodging.

After the game was completed, you could access the first true Mercenaries game, entitled "Operation: Mad Jackal". RE3's variation was much more fleshed out than the first two game's "Survivor" or "Battle Game" gametypes.

Quite honestly, Mad Jackal set me up for my rabid love of the Mercenaries gametype. In fact, for a few of the games, I would play Mercenaries for considerably longer than the actual core game - Resident Evil 3 was one such example.



Resident Evil Survivor - Playstation [Owned]*, PC

My recollection of Survivor is vague at best: I remember renting it with my little brother, and beating it in an afternoon.

The only specific thing I really remember about it is that it's basically "Doom" in Resident Evil form, and you literally cannot save the game - ever. While you're able to keep any weapons and items after death, you have to restart from the beginning if you die: considering the game is around 1-3 hours, that might suck.

Extended Thoughts:

Survivor is what it is. It's not a terrible "lightgun game", but it isn't great, either. One of the biggest punches in the face is the fact that it feels like a straight arcade port (even though it's not) given the fact that there are no continue points. It's hard to recommend for that reason alone, but if you're a Resident Evil fanatic, you may as well track this one down.



Resident Evil Code: Veronica - Dreamcast, Playstation 2 [Owned], Gamecube, Playstation 3, Xbox 360 [Owned]*

Code Veronica was formerly my favorite game in the series, before the REmake and RE5 came along. It was the first game to offer semi-fixed angles for the camera, instead of pre-rendered backgrounds, which was partly due to the upgrade in hardware to the Playstation 2.

It also offered a first person view for a few weapons, and an amalgamation of various Resident Evil games, such as the 180 degree turn, upgradeable weapons, and explosive scenery. Simply put, it was just a clean, fun Resident Evil game. In the PS2 version there were a few ham-fisted action scenes involving Wesker, but they were good fun and helped add to the game's enjoyment. In addition to the normal game (Code: Veronica X), I completed battle mode with every character.



Resident Evil Gaiden - Game Boy Color [Owned]*

Gaiden ("side-story" in Japanese), is probably the only "bad" Resident Evil game in the entire franchise. While a few other games were extremely average, Gaiden is borderline unplayable. Strangely enough, the game is a top down/rhythm game hybrid - the results are disastrous, and not even Leon and Barry can save this game.

Combat is done in a turn based game style, where contact with an enemy initiates a mini-game similar to the "field goal kick" bar from the popular Madden NFL series. To be blunt - combat just wasn't scary, and it wasn't fun.



Resident Evil REmake - Gamecube, Wii [Owned]*

RE1's Gamecube REmake is possibly the best remake of all time, for any series. Capcom pulled out all the stops for this one, when they could have easily just re-released the game a la the RE Gamecube collection.

The graphics are updated, the voice acting is improved, and the game is overhauled so much that fans will barely recognize some parts of the game (among a few new areas). The REmake offers up classic RE1 gameplay with a brand new veneer - personally, while it's not my favorite, I think it's technically the best game in the series.



Resident Evil Zero - Gamecube [Owned], Wii [Owned]*

Resident Evil Zero is one of the only games I haven't completed in the series. While I had a Gamecube, I was too busy playing other games at the time (including the Gamecube's REmake), and just missed this one.

I've heard mixed things - both that it doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things, and that it's a solid entry to the franchise. Either way I'm excited to jump into one this year with the Wii re-release.



Resident Evil: Dead Aim - Playstation 2 [Owned]*

Dead Aim is easily the best light-gun game in the series, especially for it's time. Movement was shown in a third person view like standard Resident Evil games, but it switched to first person for shooting purposes.

This basically created a hybrid shooting/adventure game that at least allowed you to pick your fights during most instances, instead of being forced to battle every single enemy on-rails. Why Capcom didn't follow this formula further, I'll never know, as it made for a really interesting game. It also offered up a few new characters: while forgettable, at least Capcom was trying something different, instead of putting Leon and Chris into a game for the 100th time.



Resident Evil Outbreak - Playstation 2 [Owned]*

Outbreak was a fan's dream - for the first time, Resident Evil was truly multiplayer! You could cooperate or betray your teammates, just like a real zombie apocalypse.

There were plenty of "how could you leave me behind!": "it was both of us or one of us!" moments, and it made for a really unique experience that hasn't really been matched yet, even with Left 4 Dead. Outbreak served up classic hopeless Resident Evil tension with heated multiplayer gameplay, and it's a shame so many people missed out on it (mostly due to the haphazard marketing of the PS2's HDD and Internet accessory).



Resident Evil Outbreak File #2 - Playstation 2 [Owned]*

Strangely enough, Outbreak 2 was the first Resident Evil game to allow people to move and shoot. Since it wasn't as popular in America however, no one really talks about it. Part of the reason for the lack of popularity was the fact that it was basically a carbon-copy of Outbreak 1, with a few different scenarios.

The game added an extra communication system that allowed people to talk to one another despite the region, and a few other small additions, but it wasn't really enough to show up on most people's radars. Personally, I wasn't really upset with more of the same, as I enjoyed Outbreak 1.



Resident Evil 4 - Gamecube, Playstation 2 [Owned], PC, Wii [Owned]*, iPhone [Owned], iPad, Playstation 3, Xbox 360 [Owned]*

Many fans are upset at Resident Evil 4 for spearheading the series into an action oriented direction. Personally, I see it as a natural evolution of the series. The behind the back camera and aiming mechanics are a much better alternative than anything previously offered, and the enemy variety lends itself well to the new direction.

The Mercenaries mode also takes a further step forward, and offers up even more additional content than ever before - most notably the ability to select multiple stages, and the inability to actually complete it. Resident Evil 4 was also insanely popular, and helped revitalize the series.



Resident Evil: Deadly Silence - DS [Owned]*

One of the cool things about this version is that the top screen of the DS is used as a map, and a health indicator at all times. Additionally, the game is pretty much a spot-on port of the PS1 game, voice acting and all, which is pretty impressive given the DS's general lack of horsepower. It also has a multiplayer mode; it's kind of weak, given that you and your friends never actually see each other in different parts of the mansion, but it's a free addition nonetheless.

To differentiate this playthrough from my original RE run, I'm playing the "REbirth mode", which adds a ton of unique first person action scenes, and DS-centric additions/re-arrangements. Even though the game is basically a port, but touch screen specific puzzles and changes are enough to justify another playthrough here.

All in all, Deadly Silence is about what you'd expect out of a portable port, and a solid addition to any RE fan's collection.



Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles - Wii [Owned]*, Playstation 3

Umbrella Chronicles is an on-rails shooter for the Wii. That's about all I can say about it, honestly. It doesn't take a whole lot of effort or time to complete this one, and cooperative gameplay is kind of shoe-horned into it.

Thankfully, it has a decent amount of unlockable content. While I have played Umbrella Chronicles, I haven't tackled it as much as Darkside Chronicles, so I'll be sure and post extended thoughts below.

Extended Thoughts:

If you like light-gun games, be sure and check this one out. It offers pretty standard, enjoyable light-gun arcadey fun over the backdrop of a few past Resident Evil titles. Umbrella Chronicles is a good way to get a refresher for Resident Evil Zero, Resident Evil 1, and Resident Evil 3. Although, despite how fun it can be, I'd highly recommend playing it with a partner, as it enhances the enjoyment tenfold



Resident Evil 5 - Xbox 360 [Owned]*, Playstation 3 [Owned], PC

I make it no secret that Resident Evil 5 is my favorite game of all time. The day I got it at midnight, I took off work the next day, and beat it sometime in the morning. The next day, my wife and I started a coop campaign that would last about a week - after that, I grinded through another playthrough to get some cash for extra weapons - I just couldn't get enough.

To put it simply, I think RE5 is the most fun game in the entire series. There's a campaign, tons of extra content, coop, and for the first time, there's coop Mercenaries - what more could you want? I literally played RE5 for months on end, and ate up all the DLC possible - I can't say enough good things about this game. For my 2012 playthrough, I'm either going to tackle the Playstation Move version of the game, or replay it with my wife.



Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles - Wii [Owned]*, Playstation 3

Darkside Chronicles is a considerable improvement upon Umbrella Chronicles. There's a new evade move and it offers a dynamic difficulty setting, along with an improved coop mode.

Like the other Light Gun games in the series, Darkside Chronicles is basically a love it or hate it kind of game. It doesn't really offer a whole lot more than most other on-rail shooters. If you're a Resident Evil fan however, you may want to put up with it just for the extra story bits.

Extended Thoughts:

Out of the two light-gun Wii titles, Darkside Chronicles is the better game; especially for two players. The developers make a much better effort to accommodate coop play, and the new mechanics make gameplay that much smoother. You also get crucial backstory on Leon and Krauser, which helps make Resident Evil 4's Krauser encounters that much more enjoyable. If you have to choose one of the two, make it "Darkside", but getting both isn't a bad idea.



Resident Evil: Deck Building Game - [Owned]*

If you haven't played a deck building game before, the concept is pretty simple. There are a bunch of stacks of static cards in the center of the play area. You have one giant deck, of which you draw five cards at a time from. With those five cards, you can perform a number of actions depending on what you randomly drew -- you can buy cards from the middle or perform actions to either draw more cards or modify your deck.

Resident Evil's deck building variant adds another new concept: fighting infected. On any given turn, you're allowed one buy, one action, and one "exploration" that allows you to take a door card and explore the Spencer Mansion. In the mansion you can find items or battle infected for trophies - depending on the gametype, the player with the most trophies (kills) wins.

I've played a number of deck building games before such as Dominion, but Resident Evil is one of my favorites. Each player gets assigned a unique character that changes your abilities, which helps add to the characterization and uniqueness of the game. Also, it's a delight to take down the Nemesis with a bunch of knife cards as Krauser.



Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D - 3DS [Owned]*

Mercenaries 3D is a very niche title. If you love the Mercenaries mini-games from other titles, you may like Mercs 3D. If you loathe them - well, that's kind of the entire game.

Mercs 3D made waves in the gaming community at release due to the inability to delete saves, and the incredibly short length of the game (it can be beaten in a few hours).

It also had a few other problems like the short draw distance, among other graphical glitches. Personally, I thought the game was acceptable, and played it for quite a while before putting it down. While it may seem like a cash grab at first, there are a decent amount of scenarios included, and Mercs fanatics will be sure to come back to it occasionally.



Resident Evil Revelations - 3DS [Owned]*

Did the mysteriously abandoned "Resident Evil-PSP" game end up as Revelations? Does it really matter at this point? Early previews are calling this "one of the best Resident Evils in a long time, and possibly the best Resident Evil ever".

The demo is great, the visuals are great, and there's really no reason to doubt this entry, despite the fact that it's on a portable. I plan on getting this game day one and ripping through it in a few days. I'll be sure and post my thoughts after completion.

Extended Thoughts:

As I mentioned in my review, I felt like the demo was a bait and switch of sorts. The fact of the matter is, without going into spoiler territory, at least half of the game is not the tight-knit claustrophobic experience the demo made it out to be.

A lot of Revelations will be spent with an AI partner clunking around, or in open areas fighting non-stop enemies in a full out action fest -- the switch between the Cruise Ship sections and everywhere else is jarring, and the story isn't the greatest to boot.

Thankfully, the game looked great, controlled great, and Raid Mode is pretty fun solo or with a friend. I hope that Capcom puts this new engine to good use, and expands upon a lot of concepts with Revelations. It's not one of my favorite Resident Evil games for sure, but it's not bad either.



Resident Evil Game Boy Color - Gameboy Color ROM [Owned]*

This previously unreleased title has finally been given to the public by an anonymous source.

While it evidently isn't possible to beat the game in its current state, I'll still attempt to complete the game as much as possible. Up until 2012, no one has had a chance to play this missing piece of history, so I'm pretty excited to see what we've been missing all these years.

Extended Thoughts:



Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City - Xbox 360*, Playstation 3, PC

I honestly have no idea what to expect from Raccoon City. I'm not the biggest fan of Slant Six, and I'm not too keen on the possible idea of shooting down Resident Evil's heroes and heroines. Additionally, based on rumors, the game may not have a split-screen mode, which would hinder my ability to play with my wife.

Regardless, I'll be picking up Raccoon City this year on my 360, and I'm eager to see what it can offer to the series.

Extended Thoughts:

Raccoon City is somewhat of a disappointment. While fun, the game has a heap of issues, from online stability, to numerous gamebreaking glitches. Players have been known to fall through the floor, turn into ghosts, and all sorts of other mishaps. It's a shame, because for Resident Evil fans, the game is a fun little romp through the events of Resident Evil 2 and 3.

You get to see pretty much every major monster from the series (Nemesis included!), and some familiar faces like Birkin, Leon, and Hunk. If done correctly, and possibly as canon, this could have been a really worthwhile entry into the franchise. As it stands, it's a hard recommendation



Resident Evil 6 - Xbox 360*, Playstation 3, PC

I could not be more excited for Resident Evil 6. From the rumors offered so far, it looks to have a full Mercenaries mode with multiplayer, story mode coop, and a single player campaign without an AI partner. In short, it apparently offers more content than RE5.

I'm excited for the new setting, and hopefully the story will be interesting this time around without Wesker (presumably, provided he isn't cloned). Although the series is decidedly more action oriented, there are also rumors of more claustrophobic areas and slower moving zombies having a part in RE6 - if they can do it right, I say bring it on.

Extended Thoughts: