The Most Difficult Resident Evil Game, Ranked

Choose the game you think is the most difficult!

Author: Gregor Krambs
Updated on May 9, 2024 06:26
Fans of survival horror games often debate which installment in the Resident Evil series presents the toughest challenge. Determining the most difficult game can be essential for new players who are adjusting their expectations or for veterans who relish conquering the stiffest challenges. A ranked list can serve as a thorough guide, highlighting variances in difficulty across the series. By diving into a live, community-driven ranking, gamers can share their personal experiences and insights. This collective input shapes a dynamic list that reflects real-time opinions and changes as new strategies and game patches emerge. Voting on this list not only captures the community's current pulse but also helps tailor advice for players looking to test their limits against the series' most demanding entries.

What Is the Most Difficult Resident Evil Game?

  1. 1
    57
    votes
    This game is considered the most difficult Resident Evil game due to its challenging puzzles, limited ammunition, and tough boss fights. The game's dual-character system also adds to the difficulty, as players must manage both characters' inventory and health.
    Resident Evil 2 (1998) is a survival horror video game developed and published by Capcom. It is the second main installment in the Resident Evil series. The game follows protagonists Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield as they navigate through a zombie-infested Raccoon City.
    • Release Date: January 21, 1998
    • Platforms: PlayStation, Nintendo 64, Windows, Dreamcast, GameCube
    • Genre: Survival horror
    • Single-Player: Yes
    • Multiplayer: No
  2. 2
    30
    votes
    Similar to Resident Evil 2, this game is also challenging due to its limited resources, tough enemies, and intense boss fights. The game also features a unique gameplay mechanic where the player must dodge attacks from the titular Nemesis.
    Resident Evil 3: Nemesis (1999) is a survival horror game developed and published by Capcom. It is the third installment in the Resident Evil series, following Jill Valentine's attempt to escape Raccoon City during a zombie outbreak. The game introduces the relentless Nemesis, a bioweapon created by Umbrella Corporation, who constantly pursues the player throughout the game.
    • Platform: PlayStation
    • Release Date: September 1999
    • Genre: Survival horror
    • Single Player: Yes
    • Multiplayer: No
  3. 3
    21
    votes
    This game takes the series in a new direction by introducing a first-person perspective and a more immersive horror experience. The game's limited resources and tough enemies make it a difficult game, especially in the early stages.
  4. 4
    17
    votes
    This game is challenging due to its complex puzzles, tough boss fights, and limited ammunition. The game also features a unique setting on a remote island, which adds to the difficulty.
    Resident Evil Code: Veronica is a survival horror game released in 2000. It is the fourth major installment in the Resident Evil series and follows the adventures of Claire Redfield as she sets out to find her brother, Chris Redfield. The game takes place three months after the events of Resident Evil 2, and focuses on Claire's attempts to escape from a mysterious prison facility and uncover the dark secrets of the Umbrella Corporation.
    • Platform: PlayStation 2, Dreamcast, GameCube, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Windows
    • Genre: Survival horror
    • Single Player: Yes
    • Multiplayer: No
    • Release Date: March 3, 2000 (JP), February 29, 2000 (NA)
  5. 5
    13
    votes
    While not as difficult as some of the earlier games in the series, Resident Evil 4 is still challenging due to its adaptive difficulty system and tough boss fights. The game's action-focused gameplay also adds to the difficulty, as players must manage their ammo and health carefully.
    Resident Evil 4 (2005) is a survival horror game that is widely considered one of the most difficult games in the Resident Evil series. It deviates from the previous games' fixed camera angles and introduces an over-the-shoulder third-person perspective, revolutionizing the gameplay.
    • Platform: PlayStation 2, GameCube, Wii, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
    • Release Date: January 11, 2005
    • Genre: Survival horror, third-person shooter
    • Single-player: Yes
    • Multiplayer: No
  6. 6
    13
    votes
    This game is challenging due to its unique gameplay mechanics, which require the player to manage two characters at once. The game also features tough enemies and puzzles, making it a difficult game overall.
    Resident Evil Zero (2002) is a survival horror video game developed and published by Capcom. It serves as a prequel to the original Resident Evil game and follows the story of Rebecca Chambers, a member of the special police force known as S.T.A.R.S. The game takes place in Raccoon City, where Rebecca and her fellow S.T.A.R.S. member, Billy Coen, must uncover the truth behind a series of mysterious murders and stop the outbreak of the T-virus.
    • Platform: GameCube, Wii, HD Remaster
    • Genre: Survival horror
    • Release Date: 2002
    • Players: Single-player
    • Perspective: Third-person
  7. 7
    4
    votes
    This game is challenging due to its unique gameplay mechanics, which combine elements of third-person and first-person shooters. The game also features tough enemies and boss fights, making it a difficult game overall.
    Resident Evil: Dead Aim is a survival horror game released in 2003. It is a spin-off entry in the Resident Evil series and combines third-person shooting with on-rails first-person gameplay. Set on a cruise ship, the game follows the story of Bruce McGivern and Fong Ling as they attempt to stop a bio-terrorist threat. It features a mix of puzzle-solving, exploration, and intense combat against various infected enemies and bio-weapons.
    • Platform: PlayStation 2
    • Genre: Survival horror, First-person shooter
    • Game mode: Single-player
    • Release date: June 17, 2003
    • Number of players: 1
  8. 8
    11
    votes
    This game is challenging due to its unique gameplay mechanics, which include a scanning system that allows the player to find hidden items and enemies. The game also features tough enemies and boss fights, making it a difficult game overall.
    Resident Evil: Revelations (2012) is a survival horror video game developed by Capcom. It was originally released for the Nintendo 3DS console and later ported to other platforms. The game takes place between the events of Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil 5, following the exploits of Jill Valentine and Chris Redfield as they investigate a mysterious bioterrorist organization, known as Veltro, on a seemingly abandoned cruise ship called the Queen Zenobia.
    • Platform(s): Nintendo 3DS, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii U, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
    • Release Date: January 26, 2012 (Nintendo 3DS)
    • Genre: Survival horror
    • Mode(s): Single-player, multiplayer
    • Campaign Length: Approximately 10-12 hours
  9. 9
    13
    votes
    This game is challenging due to its unique gameplay mechanics, which allow players to control one of eight characters in a multiplayer setting. The game also features tough enemies and puzzles, making it a difficult game overall.
    Resident Evil: Outbreak is a survival horror video game released in 2003. It is a multiplayer-focused spin-off of the main Resident Evil series developed by Capcom. The game takes place in Raccoon City during the same time frame as Resident Evil 2 and 3, but features an entirely new storyline and characters. It allows players to control one of eight different survivors who must work together to escape the city overrun by zombies and other horrific creatures.
    • Unique Mechanics: Scenario Branching System
    • Platform: PlayStation 2
    • Genre: Survival horror
    • Mode: Single-player, multiplayer
    • Number of Players: 1-4
  10. 10
    11
    votes
    This game is challenging due to its unique gameplay mechanics, which combine elements of rail shooters and first-person shooters. The game also features tough enemies and boss fights, making it a difficult game overall.
    Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles is a survival horror rail shooter video game developed by Capcom. It was released in 2007 as part of the Resident Evil series. The game features a retelling of the events of Resident Evil Zero, Resident Evil, and Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, through an on-rails shooting gameplay.
    • Genre: Survival horror
    • Release Date: 2007
    • Platforms: Wii
    • Game Modes: Single-player, multiplayer
    • Perspective: First-person

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Ranking factors for difficult game

  1. Difficulty settings
    Evaluate the game's difficulty settings, such as easy, normal, or hard mode. Some Resident Evil games offer additional difficulty levels (such as "Nightmare" or "Professional") which further ramp up the challenge.
  2. Enemies and AI
    Consider the enemy types, their behavior, and the Artificial Intelligence (AI) controlling them. A game with more challenging and numerous enemies or smarter AI will be more difficult.
  3. Availability of resources
    Assess the scarcity of key resources, such as ammunition, healing items, and other supplies. A game that severely limits your resources will increase the difficulty.
  4. Puzzle complexity
    Factor in the complexity and frequency of puzzles that must be solved to progress through the game.
  5. Save points and checkpoints
    Evaluate the distance between save points and checkpoints in the game. A game with fewer save opportunities will typically be more difficult, as players will have less margin for error when it comes to making mistakes.
  6. Game mechanics and controls
    Take into account the complexity of game mechanics (e.g., character movement, inventory management, etc.) as well as the responsiveness and ease of use of controls.
  7. Level design
    Consider the overall level design, layout of areas, and any map system's effectiveness in helping players navigate through the game. Confusing or difficult-to-navigate locations can increase difficulty.
  8. Boss fights
    Evaluate the challenge posed by boss encounters in the game, including the bosses' health, attack types, and patterns.
  9. Time constraints
    Assess any time constraints imposed on the player, such as needing to complete certain tasks within a time limit. Time pressure can add to the overall difficulty of a game.
  10. Learning curve and adaptability
    Consider how user-friendly the game is in terms of introducing new mechanics, teaching players how to use them, and allowing players to practice and learn through trial and error. A steep learning curve can make a game more difficult for newcomers to the franchise or genre.

About this ranking

This is a community-based ranking of the most difficult Resident Evil game. We do our best to provide fair voting, but it is not intended to be exhaustive. So if you notice something or game is missing, feel free to help improve the ranking!

Statistics

  • 1834 views
  • 188 votes
  • 10 ranked items

Voting Rules

A participant may cast an up or down vote for each game once every 24 hours. The rank of each game is then calculated from the weighted sum of all up and down votes.

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More information on most difficult resident evil game

Resident Evil is a survival horror video game franchise that has been around since 1996. Over the years, the series has gained a reputation for its challenging gameplay, intense horror elements, and complex storylines. With a total of 28 titles in the series, it's no surprise that fans often debate which game is the most difficult. From the limited resources in the original game to the relentless enemies in the later titles, each Resident Evil game presents its own unique challenges. In this article, we'll explore the most difficult Resident Evil games and what makes them so challenging. So, sit back, grab your controller, and get ready to enter the world of survival horror once again.

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