Capcom’sResident Evilfranchise is one of the longest-running and most successful video game franchises ever conceived, with Capcom regularly releasing new games in the series on a near-annual basis - sometimes multiple games a year. The main seriesResident Evilgames have earned a great deal of critical acclaim over the years, but Capcom has also experimented with a wide variety ofResident Evilspin-off games as well that have had varying degrees of success.
TheResident Evilspin-off games mainly include light gun shooters, though Capcom has also released other kinds ofResident Evilspin-off games. Some of these efforts have proven successful, but others have been derided as some of the worst entries in the entireResident Evilfranchise.
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With 2021 marking theResident Evilfranchise’s 25th anniversary,here is a history of all theResident Evilspin-off games released so far.
Resident Evil Survivor (2000)
The firstResident Evilgame was originally intended to be in first-person, and while it was eventually switched to a third-person view,Resident Evil Survivorreturned to the concept. Playable with a light gun or using a standard PlayStation controller,Resident Evil Survivortakes place some time after the events ofResident Evil 2, focusing on a new character named Ark Thompson who is investigating theUmbrella Corporation.
With all previousResident Evilgames earning critical acclaim, there was some expectation thatResident Evil Survivorwould earn positive reviews as well. Unfortunately,Resident Evil Survivorset a precedent forResident Evilspin-off games being significantly less impressive than the main series entries.Resident Evil Survivorwas criticized for its poor controls, especially without a light gun, and for having inferior graphics when compared to other games in the series.
Resident Evil Survivor 2 - Code: Veronica (2001)
WhileResident Evilis a worldwide success, the franchise’s second spin-off game has only ever released in Japan and Europe. It originally released in Japan as an arcade exclusive before making its way to the PlayStation 2. A fairly popular arcade release,Resident Evil Survivor 2 - Code: Veronicais even less significant to the franchise as a whole, as it’s merely a retread of the events of the properResident Evil Code: Veronicagame. Not only that, but whole thing is justClaire Redfieldhaving a nightmare. So while some fans in North America may be disappointed that they can’t experience the entireResident Evilfranchise without importing, this one is easily skipped.
Resident Evil Gaiden (2001)
UntilResident Evil Gaiden, theResident Evilfranchise had only been found on home consoles, PCs, and arcades. This game brought theResident Evilfranchise to a handheld device for the first time, originally launching for the Game Boy Color in 2001.Resident Evil Gaidenis non-canon, making it anotherResident Evilspin-off game that fans of the franchise can ignore without missing out on much, but it does have an interesting story. The game is set on a passenger ship that has been overrun by zombies and other creatures, pairing together popular characters Barry Burton andLeon S. Kennedy.
Resident Evil Gaidenfeatures similar puzzle solving and exploration as the main seriesResident Evilgames, but with some major changes, like a first-person viewpoint for combat. Unfortunately forResident Evilfans,Resident Evil Gaidenwas another swing and a miss on Capcom’s part and served as yet another disappointing spin-off game.
It’s possible thatResident Evil Gaideninspired the nextResident Evilspin-off game,Resident Evil: Dead Aim. A light gun shooter likeResident Evil Survivor,Resident Evil: Dead Aimstill earned poor reviews when matched up against the main series titles, but many critics deemed it a step in the right direction for theResident Evilspin-off games. LikeResident Evil Gaidenbefore it,Dead Aimfeatures a mix of first- and third-person gameplay, and is set on a boat.
UnlikeResident Evil Gaiden,Dead Aimfeatures an all-new cast of playable characters, with protagonist Bruce McGivern in the starring role. But like otherResident Evilspin-off game characters, McGivern has not proven to be important to the overarchingResident Evilnarrative and has since faded away into obscurity.
Resident Evil Outbreak (2003)
After many failed attempts at making a high qualityResident Evilspin-off game, Capcom finally struck gold withResident Evil Outbreak.Resident Evil Outbreakis set during theRaccoon City incident, with a varied cast of playable characters to choose from, all with their own unique skills and abilities.OutbreakgivesResident Evilplayers unprecedented freedom when it comes to tackling its challenges; for example, if a door is locked, players can either find the key like normal, or they can choose to break down the door instead.
What’s most notable aboutResident Evil Outbreakis its online multiplayer functionality. Online multiplayer wasn’t hugely supported on the PlayStation 2, however, and so it’s safe to say that manyResident Evil Outbreakfans had to stick to playing the game in single player.
Resident Evil Outbreak: File #2 (2004)
Hot off the heels ofResident Evil Outbreak’s success, Capcom moved forward with the sequel,File #2. Essentially a standalone expansion for the original game,Outbreak: File #2featured the same playable characters as before with very similar gameplay, but with new maps to explore and enemies to encounter. Unfortunately,Outbreak: File #2was far less successful than its predecessor, earning poor sales and weaker critic reviews. Regardless, manyResident Evilfans are still keeping their fingers crossed for anOutbreak File #3game, as unlikely as it may seem.
Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles (2007)
After years of trying to translate theResident Evilexperience to a light gun shooter, Capcom finally found success with 2007’sResident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles. The motion controls afforded by the Nintendo Wii console proved to be a big help, as it madeThe Umbrella Chroniclesfar more accessible than previous light gun games. It meant that the game didn’t have to be saddled with a weird control scheme that took standard controllers into account, and it meant that players didn’t have to buy a light gun accessory to play - all they needed was their Wii remote.
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The Umbrella Chroniclesis also one of the first spin-off games to expand on the franchise’s lore in a meaningful way. It is essentially a retread ofResident Evil Zero,Resident Evil 1, andResident Evil 3: Nemesis, focusing on howAlbert Weskerhas played a major role in various events throughout the franchise. It also shows how Wesker managed to survive the mansion explosion from the firstResident Evilgame, and provides further information on what happened to the Umbrella Corporation in the events prior toResident Evil 4.
Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles (2009)
Capcom continued its light gunResident Evilsuccess by producing a direct sequel toThe Umbrella Chronicles,The Darkside Chronicles.The Darkside Chroniclesfeatures theResident Evilgames ignored byUmbrella Chronicles, showcasing the events ofResident Evil 2andCode: Veronica, along with some original story content. It was not quite as well-received as its predecessor, but still serves as a solid light gunResident Evilgame far superior to the company’s previous efforts.
Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D (2011)
Capcom was an early supporter of the Nintendo 3DS handheld, releasingResident Evil: The Mercenaries 3Dfor the system in the summer after its release.The Mercenaries 3Dwas essentially just the Mercenaries game modes fromResident Evil 4and5mixed together, with some extra content to make it more worthwhile as a standalone game. However, many couldn’t shake the feeling that this spin-off was really just Capcom re-packaging side content from main seriesResident Evilgames, and so it’s often looked at another misstep in the company’s efforts to createResident Evilspin-off games.
Resident Evil: Revelations (2012)
While many 3DS survival-horror fans weren’t thrilled withResident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D, Capcom’s next attempt aResident Evil3DS game was much better-received.Resident Evil: Revelationshad more horror elements than other recentResident Evilgames, and saw the return of fan favorite characters likeChris Redfieldand Jill Valentine. A full-fledgedResident Evilexperience on the 3DS,Revelationswas later ported to other platforms as well. Quite possibly the bestResident Evilspin-off game released so far,Resident Evil: Revelationshas set the bar high.
Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City (2012)
But in the same year Capcom released the acclaimedResident Evil: Revelations, it also releasedOperation Raccoon City.Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon Cityis a non-canon third-person shooter set in the titular Raccoon City. It sold well but was panned by critics and fans alike, earning some of the lowest scores out of any game in theResident Evilfranchise to date.
Resident Evil: Revelations 2 (2015)
After the success ofResident Evil: Revelations, Capcom moved forward with a follow-up spin-off game, but decided to shake things up by releasing it as an episodic title instead.Resident Evil: Revelations 2was notable for bringingBarry Burtonback in the fold after the character was missing for years, and for continuing the firstRevelations' horror focus.Resident Evil: Revelations 2also has co-op support, allowing two players to experience the game together.
Umbrella Corps (2016)
Undeterred by the poor reaction toResident Evil: Operation Raccoon City, Capcom decided to try its hand at anotherResident Evilmultiplayer shooter game.Umbrella Corpsreviewswere even more negative than those forOperation Raccoon City.
Other Games (2020-2021)
In 2020, Capcom technically released anotherResident Evilspin-off game, but it’s only available as the multiplayer component for theResident Evil 3remake. TitledResident Evil: Resistance, the game is an asymmetric multiplayer horror game where one team controls human survivors and another player can torment them by sending variousResident Evilmonstrosities to impede their progress.
Later this year, Capcom plans to release another multiplayerResident Evilgame, with this one tied toResident Evil Village.CalledResident Evil Re:Verse, this is a more traditional multiplayer shooter game, featuring iconic locations and characters from theResident Evilfranchise. It’s unclear if Capcom ever plans on giving theseResident Evilspin-off games standalone releases, so for now, players will have to stick to playing them as the multiplayer modes of main seriesResident Evilgames.
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