What order should you play RE? (Story)
- Thread starter Miles
- Start date
Springhosen
Kahnum of Outworld
If you want to follow the story all the way through, your best bet is to play them in chronological timeline order.
Resident Evil: Zero
Resident Evil/Resident Evil: Director's Cut or even the Remake
Resident Evil 2
Resident Evil 3: Nemesis
Resident Evil: Code Veronica/Code Veronica X
Resident Evil 5
You'll notice I didn't put Resident Evil 4 up there and that's for the simple reason that it's, essentially, an unrelated game story wise. If you wish to play this game, my only suggestion is that you play it after you play Resident Evil 2.
The Umbrella Chronicles and The Darkside Chronicles just touch on the games and the timeline and actually, in my opinion, kind of butcher the story and the entire feel of Resident Evil so I wouldn't recommend playing them until after you've learned the story by way of the other games.
If you wish to branch out into the Survivor and Outbreak series', you should probably play Survivor somewhere between RE2 and Code Veronica since it makes references to Leon but happens before Resident Evil 4. Gun Survivor: Code Veronica should be played after you play Code Veronica and Resident Evil: Dead Aim would be best appreciated if played after Code Veronica as well.
As for the Outbreak games, I would say play them anywhere between playing RE2 and RE3 because, even though they're unrelated to the story of the main series, they still deal with Raccoon City so it's probably best to get all the Raccoon City era stuff out of the way before moving on to different areas of the Resident Evil universe. (Unless you wish to finish the main timeline before branching out into different, unrelated games. Once you get into Survivor and Outbreak, it's becomes less about storyline and more about personal preference.)
Hope this helped and welcome to the Resident Evil universe!
Resident Evil: Zero
Resident Evil/Resident Evil: Director's Cut or even the Remake
Resident Evil 2
Resident Evil 3: Nemesis
Resident Evil: Code Veronica/Code Veronica X
Resident Evil 5
You'll notice I didn't put Resident Evil 4 up there and that's for the simple reason that it's, essentially, an unrelated game story wise. If you wish to play this game, my only suggestion is that you play it after you play Resident Evil 2.
The Umbrella Chronicles and The Darkside Chronicles just touch on the games and the timeline and actually, in my opinion, kind of butcher the story and the entire feel of Resident Evil so I wouldn't recommend playing them until after you've learned the story by way of the other games.
If you wish to branch out into the Survivor and Outbreak series', you should probably play Survivor somewhere between RE2 and Code Veronica since it makes references to Leon but happens before Resident Evil 4. Gun Survivor: Code Veronica should be played after you play Code Veronica and Resident Evil: Dead Aim would be best appreciated if played after Code Veronica as well.
As for the Outbreak games, I would say play them anywhere between playing RE2 and RE3 because, even though they're unrelated to the story of the main series, they still deal with Raccoon City so it's probably best to get all the Raccoon City era stuff out of the way before moving on to different areas of the Resident Evil universe. (Unless you wish to finish the main timeline before branching out into different, unrelated games. Once you get into Survivor and Outbreak, it's becomes less about storyline and more about personal preference.)
Hope this helped and welcome to the Resident Evil universe!
Springhosen
Kahnum of Outworld
Resident Evil Archives: Resident Evil and Resident Evil Archives: Resident Evil Zero are Nintendo Wii ports of the Remake and Zero games. (They originally came out on the Gamecube and, as I understand, there were minimal changes made to the games when they were ported, if any.)
Springhosen
Kahnum of Outworld
I advised to play it after 2 because the main character is Leon and he first appeared in 2. I didn't put it up on the list of "need to play games to understand the story" because Resident Evil 4's storyline is rather...detached from the main story. I'm sure there are a few mentions of las plagas in Resident Evil 5 and, you're right, there is the Kennedy Report but as far as the main storyline goes, you don't need to play it. In fact, if I were asked to choose a game that was the worst game ever simply by the standards of the story-line's relevance to the series it belongs to, Resident Evil 4 would be it. (And coming before Dino Crisis 3 definitely says something.)
aoshi
Well-Known Member
I was jus gonna ask why RE 4 was not included. Have you beaten all modes in the game including supplementary walkthroughs like seperate ways, assignment ADA? I would like to see return of characters like Ada wang in the next game. She was a good character. By the way, Why play old games to know the story.I believe RE 5 has Resident evil history documented. You could p[lay RE 5 directly to know RE history.But i warn ya, RE 5 is much more explosive than old games and RE 4. If you have beaten all modes in RE 4, You might have a fair chance in RE 5.
I don't think RE 4 was bad story-wise.Game had interesting characters and plot to keep me busy. In fact , I don't see why RE 5 would be in line with older games. It only has character references from old games like chris,jill and wesker. Its main plot was about sheva, josh and africa. As to how wesker schemed in unleashing uroboros. I dont think uroboros was from old games.
I don't think RE 4 was bad story-wise.Game had interesting characters and plot to keep me busy. In fact , I don't see why RE 5 would be in line with older games. It only has character references from old games like chris,jill and wesker. Its main plot was about sheva, josh and africa. As to how wesker schemed in unleashing uroboros. I dont think uroboros was from old games.
wesker_awesome
After a meal there's nothing like a good cigar.
Speaking of Dino Crisis, I wonder when and if they will make 4.
Elochai
Tiger Army Never Dies!
She was just saying that it doesn't tie in with the other games, really... She actually explained that quite well.. Can't really put it any other way.
Can't really get much more straightforward than that.
Because that's no fun! Living through the experience and feeling that level of *screwed* when you are down to just a few crossbow bolts or shotty shells then *bam*! Rocket Launcher! And surviving the game is second to none. It's also more fun to allow your imagination do a little wandering when you are trying to fill in the gaps of what's happening/happened/is gonna happen over the course of a few games.
aoshi
Well-Known Member
My question was how can RE 5 be included to be in line with older games when it is clearly isn't. It only references characters like wesker and jill.Wat happens in RE 5 is not influenced by watever happens in the older games is my point.Similarly RE 4 had references of wesker working on las plagas along with ada wang. If RE 5 can be referenced to be played as a part of RE universe so can RE 4. Besides RE 4 had scary elements which was true to RE franchise but RE 5 was all about action and did not have any horror elements.
Springhosen
Kahnum of Outworld
I'm sorry but I disagree. Resident Evil 5 continues on with the Wesker/Chris/Jill battle that has been there since the beginning and, if you take a look, all of the games I mentioned have, if not that element, then elements of the earlier outbreaks or Umbrella's involvement .
[This portion of this post contains light SPOILERS for Resident Evil Zero through Five!]
Resident Evil: Zero: The beginning of the outbreaks, shows Wesker's and Birkin's involvement, a little of what happened to Bravo team and precedes the story of the mansion incident.
Resident Evil/Director's Cut/Remake: The mansion incident, this is the beginning; 'nough said. While Zero is technically the beginning, this story is the one that started it all for most of us.
Resident Evil 2: Further shows the involvement of Wesker and Birkin by showing how the initial outbreaks in Arklay affected Raccoon City, Claire tries to find Chris and shows how Umbrella corrupted Raccoon's head officials and how seemingly everyone is on their payroll.
Resident Evil 3:Nemesis: An expansion of Resident Evil 2 with Jill Valentine and shows a deeper look into the deception of Umbrella.
Resident Evil: Code Veronica/Code Veronica X: Claire finds Chris, Wesker and Chris face-off for the first time since 1996 and this game deals one of the final blows to Umbrella and is our last main time-line, chronological game with the company.
Resident Evil 5: Shows us what Jill and Chris have been doing since we last saw them in Resident Evil 3 and Resident Evil Code Veronica respectively and ends things with Wesker.
[/Spoilers]
Where exactly would you put Resident Evil 4 in this...? Umm...it has nothing to do with Chris, Jill or Wesker - references of Wesker working on las plagas isn't enough to make it a "need to play" especially since that's referenced to in Resident Evil 5 - and since Umbrella's gone it has nothing to do with the corporation either or any of the earlier outbreaks...?
A completely irrelevant follow-up on Leon? Yes. A "need to play to understand the Resident Evil universe"? No.
And I'm sorry but I've played Resident Evil 4, maybe not all the way through - god don't make me
- but I have seen it played all the way through and I must say that there is no way Resident Evil 5 can be less scary than Resident Evil 4.
aoshi
Well-Known Member
From the history you have stated, Characters have been working on something but not exactly on wat.Their missions were different as to how survive virus outbreak. Survival horror took a new turn with Resident evil 4.RE 4 continues leon's survival from raccoon city and is headed on a mission to find president's daughter. It has new characters but definitely cannot be treated as out of RE universe. We could be hearing about them in later games. Example ada wang,ashley. You have only stated a part of the RE universe.I agree its the dominant part. But to know all characters, RE 4 needs to be played or known. Resident evil 5 does not continue from history of RE games. In fact it continues from RE 4. Chris and wesker rivalry is only a part of the story which was present in earlier games. That i would agree. But to discard RE 4 as not worth knowing RE history i cant agree. In fact, to know gameplay mode like mercenaries, RE 4 would be a good start.
Elochai
Tiger Army Never Dies!
The point you are missing is that it doesn't tie in with any other game, story-wise. It doesn't continue or add to any other story but its own. In it's own right, it's a standalone. Resident Evil 5 ends a rivalry created since the very beginning. (To me that seems more important than answering the question, "Hey! What's Leon been up to?") It answers questions and gives new ones. It ends one story and, possibly, starts another with the BSAA.
Playing the earlier games will help answer the questions you are posing. While I feel the same as Magnolia about RE4, I'll give it some credit with trying to do things different for a change. But my decision with it being a standalone still.. well stands. It isn't critical to the canon.
Playing the earlier games will help answer the questions you are posing. While I feel the same as Magnolia about RE4, I'll give it some credit with trying to do things different for a change. But my decision with it being a standalone still.. well stands. It isn't critical to the canon.
Springhosen
Kahnum of Outworld
But he didn't ask about the characters he asked about the story - "What Order Should You Play RE? (Story)" - and to know the story, you don't need to play Resident Evil 4.
I didn't say it wasn't worth knowing, I said it wasn't worth playing if all you want to do is learn the main storyline but I do I believe I even gave tips as to when to play it should anyone decide to in my very first post.
B.Martin
Well-Known Member
I'm convinced 4 follows 5 and they cross over from RC, 4 is the first experimentation of the las plagas which is the parasite in all enemies in 5. I dare say uroboros is created from the las plagas gene, I forget now what it days in some of the diaries you pick up. I do however see why you would say this about 4 being un-related, however in my opinion 4 is the start of the new age resident evils and the new 'zombies' which then follows into 5. Infact as I mentioned earlier, there are many references to 4 in the notes and diaries you find in 5. I would just play them in order, 0-5 if I were you