The Resident Evil franchise has a long-running history with PC ports that dates back to the first game in the series. In an era well before the advent of digital storefronts and PC launchers like Valve’s Steam service, the Resident Evil series would receive PC ports just a few months after each game’s launch on the PlayStation. As later entries in the series would continue to arrive, these ports would begin to arrive much later (mostly thanks to console exclusivity) but since Steam became the primary launcher for PC gaming, the Resident Evil series thrives just as much there as it does on consoles. Looking at all the Resident Evil games on PC shows that there are very few series gaps present.
Currently, every mainline entry in the series is available on PC through Steam, though players will have to dig out their old PC CD-ROMs for the Windows ports of the original PlayStation trilogy. Still, the remakes of Resident Evil, Resident Evil 2, Resident Evil 3 and last year’s Resident Evil 4 are just as popular on PC as they are on consoles, showcasing that PC is one of the best places to experience the franchise. And of course, the PC versions of the titles have unique features available such as compatibility with Cheat Engines and mods.
Resident Evil (12/6/1996)
The original Resident Evil sees players assume the role of either Jill Valentine or Chris Redfield, two members of a special response team in the fictional Raccoon City Police Department known as S.T.A.R.S. Following bizarre attacks occurring in the foothills of the Arklay Mountains, the S.T.A.R.S. team responds, finding themselves stranded and forced to retreat into a nearby mansion. As it turns out, the strange catalyst for these grisly attacks is more devious than anyone could have imagined.
The PC port for the original Resident Evil would arrive just a few months after the game’s debut on PlayStation, launching on Windows PCs in December of 1996. Other than some slight improvements to the game’s textures and performance, the original PC release of the PS1 classic is mostly the same as its console version. The biggest differences are the PC version’s inclusion of the cut content from the Japanese release (Biohazard) and the full-color version of the FMV intro.
Resident Evil 2 (2/28/1999)
In the original sequel to Resident Evil, players choose between assuming the role of rookie Raccoon City cop Leon Kennedy or Chris Redfield’s younger sister Claire. Following the events of the first game, the T-Virus infection spreads into the city, creating a full-blown zombie apocalypse. As either Claire or Leon it’s up to the player to discover Umbrella’s plans for Raccoon City and destroy the last remaining sample of the G-Virus before the evil corporation can get their hands on it.
The Windows port of Resident Evil 2 arrived just a year after the launch of the PlayStation original. Following the original’s first version, Capcom released an updated Dual Shock version later in 1998, and that version served as the basis for the PC port of the game. In addition to sharper textures and better performance, the PC version of Resident Evil 2 includes a Gallery Mode with unlockable concept art and in-game renders for players to view.
Resident Evil 3: Nemesis (6/16/2000)
In Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, players once again step into the shoes of original hero Jill Valentine to experience the final days of Raccoon City from her perspective. As zombies continue to take over the city and most residents flee the area, the government launches a contingency plan to eradicate Raccoon City and curb the spread of the T-Virus outbreak. At the same time, Umbrella sends in its latest Tyrant bio-weapon, the Nemesis, to eliminate any remaining S.T.A.R.S. members. The Nemesis will continually stalk Jill as she makes her way through Raccoon City in hopes of escaping.
Unlike Resident Evil 2, PC players would get a port of Resident Evil 3 just a couple of months after the PlayStation release rather than a full year later. The PC version contains arguably the best-looking version of the original game, featuring more detail in its textures and character models and sharper resolution available. Additionally, the PC port of RE3 allows players to choose alternate costumes directly from the main menu and features the Operation: Mad Jackal mini-game.
Resident Evil Survivor (10/25/2002)
Resident Evil Survivor is the first Resident Evil spin-off to attempt a different genre, switching up gameplay from a third-person survival horror game to a first-person light gun game. Similar to games like House of the Dead, players shoot their way through on-rail levels that see them face off against several iconic enemies from the Resident Evil franchise. All of this action takes place in a plot that occurs in the aftermath of Resident Evil 3: Nemesis‘ story.
The PC port of Survivor wouldn’t arrive until a full 2 years after the original release on PlayStation and is largely the same as its PS1 counterpart. Like the PS1 version, the PC version of Survivor offers iconic locations and enemies from the Resident Evil series but features a lackluster plot and clunky shooting mechanics. However, the PC version at least supports the use of a compatible light gun, something removed from the PS1 version for its North American release.
Resident Evil 4 (5/15/2007)
Perhaps the most important game in the long-running history of the Resident Evil franchise, Resident Evil 4 is the return of fan-favorite Leon Kennedy and the first game in the series to shift to an “over-the-shoulder” fixed camera for its third-person gameplay. Unlike previous entries in the series, Resident Evil 4 is much more action-oriented and even features some arcade-like shooting that requires players to carefully position their hero and line up shots without moving. Further, the game introduces some light RPG mechanics in allowing Leon to upgrade his weapons and body armor.
Originally a GameCube exclusive, Resident Evil 4 would eventually make its way to the PlayStation 2 and then later to the PC. The PC version of the game wouldn’t launch until a full 2 years after the release of the original in 2005, but it includes the Separate Ways expansion that features in the PS2 version as a result. The PC version of the game would suffer from some setbacks despite its late arrival, featuring some blurry visuals and incompatibility with mouse and keyboard gameplay. As a result, the community would come together to mod that functionality into the game.
Resident Evil 5 (9/15/2009)
The 5th game in the Resident Evil series sees players take on the role of original hero Chris Redfield as her works for the anti-bioterrorism organization BSAA. Along with his partner Sheva Alomar, Chris heads into a desolate African village where reports of a strange bioweapon lead him to eventually encounter old friends and enemies. Like Resident Evil 4, RE5 uses an over-the-shoulder camera perspective and features some light RPG mechanics in allowing players to sell items to upgrade weapons.
The initial PC port of Resident Evil 5 would arrive on PC roughly 6 months after the game’s initial release. Interestingly, the title is the first game in the series to specifically be developed for PC alongside its PS3 and Xbox 360 versions, resulting in a much better PC port at launch than that of Resident Evil 4. The complete edition of the game, Resident Evil 5 Gold Edition, would later launch in 2015. The only version currently available on Steam is the standard Resident Evil 5.
Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City (5/18/2012)
Operation Raccoon City is a Resident Evil spin-off featuring co-development by Slant Six Games, the team responsible for the SOCOM series on PlayStation. The game takes place during the downfall of Raccoon City concurrent with Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3 and is a third-person tactical shooter where players assume the role of one of the Umbrella special forces units. The title features both competitive and cooperative modes, with the zombies infesting the city factoring heavily into each.
Like Resident Evil 5, Operation Raccoon City‘s PC port would be developed alongside its console releases. Despite the improvements the PC version features in terms of its visuals and presentation, the gameplay is largely identical to that of its console counterparts. The title holds a “Mixed” user score on Steam (as well as a “Very Negative” average from recent reviews) and its online component is effectively dead without a community to support it.
Resident Evil 6 (3/21/2013)
In an attempt to outdo the other two action-heavy titles in the series, Resident Evil 6 pulls out all the stops to feature not one but three full campaigns with full co-op capability. Players assume the role of returning heroes Chris Redfield, Leon Kennedy, and Sherry Birkin as they traverse the globe in search of a way to stop evil corporation Umbrella’s latest plot to unleash a bio-weapon. Each of the three campaigns features a distinct theme and style reminiscent of the series’ history, with some parts leaning more into traditional survival horror over the series’ transition into action-shooting territory.
The PC version of Resident Evil 6 arrived roughly 6 months after the launch of the original and fare similarly in terms of critical and player reception. As the game that many fans consider to be where Capcom “lost the plot” of the Resident Evil franchise and what fans love about the series, Resident Evil 6 would be the last Resident Evil game for some time before the franchise would get its own soft reboot in Resident Evil 7: Biohazard.
Resident Evil: Revelations (5/21/2013)
Resident Evil: Revelations is essentially the “anti-Resident Evil 6“, featuring a campaign and plot that harken back to the original horror-leanings of the franchise rather than the over-the-top action of the series’ middle era. Players once again take control of original Resident Evil heroes Jill Valentine and Chris Redfield, finding themselves trapped aboard a ship adrift in the ocean crawling with bio-weapons. In addition to the standard weapons that players carry, Revelations features a unique scanning tool that players must utilize as part of both combat and puzzle-solving.
Revelations‘ arrival on PC a year after its initial launch on 3DS would be a welcome addition to the series’ library following the mixed reception to Resident Evil 6. Thanks to its slower pace, claustrophobic setting, and emphasis on survival horror, Revelations would prove to be a hit among longtime series fans. The PC version features significant improvements to the visuals and audio as well as a brand-new difficulty mode for those seeking an intense challenge.
Resident Evil (1/20/2015)
Originally released for the GameCube in 2002, Resident Evil is a ground-up remake of the first game in the series. This new version leans more fully into the gothic horror of the original and adds plenty of new content, including scenarios cut from the original version on PS1 due to budget and time constraints. Players once again take control of either Jill Valentine or Chris Redfield, and each of their campaigns receives significant changes to prevent players from relying too heavily on their nostalgia or experiences with the original.
The PC port of Resident Evil (2002) would arrive a full 13 years after its debut on GameCube alongside the PS4 and Xbox One versions (dubbed Resident Evil: HD Remaster). The PC version of the remake remains one of the most critically and commercially successful games in the franchise, still holding a 91% “Very Positive” user score on the Steam store page. Aside form improvements to the game’s visuals and lighting, the title is the same as the version available on PSN and the Xbox Marketplace.
Resident Evil: Revelations 2 (3/18/2015)
An episode-format sequel to the original Resident Evil: Revelations, Revelations 2 sees players switch between Claire Redfield and Barry Burton from episode to episode, with each campaign featuring a co-op partner. however, what sets apart Resident Evil: Revelations 2‘s co-op is the inability of partner characters to participate in combat. Instead, the co-op partner in Revelations 2 must use their unique abilities to support their fellow player and distract enemies, occasionally entering the fray to provide healing assistance or solve puzzles.
Resident Evil: Revelations 2‘s four episodes would arrive simultaneously on modern consoles and PC, with the fourth and final episode available as of March 18, 2015. Interestingly, players on PC can still access the individual episodes of the game as well as a Deluxe Edition that packages together all 4 episodes as one complete experience.
Resident Evil Zero (1/21/2016)
Resident Evil Zero is the follow-up to the GameCube remake of the original, introducing players to the events that take place just before the original Resident Evil. Assuming control of S.T.A.R.S. Team rookie Rebecca Chambers, players must switch back and forth between her and new character Billy Coen as a tag team to solve puzzles and eliminate enemies, culminating in some important lore reveals regarding the history of the Umbrella Corporation and the construction of Resident Evil‘s setting, the Spencer Mansion.
The PC release of Resident Evil Zero would arrive almost exactly a year after the launch of Resident Evil (2002) and is similar to it in many ways. In addition to featuring improvements to the visuals and lighting, the PC version features remastered audio and sound effects as well as the brand-new Wesker Mode. In Wesker Mode, players can take control of the transformed Albert Wesker and use his newfound superhuman abilities to complete a series of missions.
Resident Evil: Umbrella Corps (6/21/2016)
Umbrella Corps is yet another Resident Evil spin-off that sees players participate in a competitive online shooter separate from the gameplay of the main series titles. Unlike Operation Raccoon City, the gameplay of Umbrella Corps is frantic and less tactical, forcing players to rely on twitch reflexes. The PC version of the title holds a “Mostly Negative” score on Steam and would also fare similarly in its console release. It’s often regarded as one of the worst uses of the Resident Evil IP and largely fails as a spin-off title.
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (1/24/2017)
Picking up years after the ill-fated Resident Evil 6 and introducing a brand-new cast of characters, Resident Evil 7: Biohazard reboots the franchise as a first-person survival horror game. You assume the role of Ethan Winters as he searches for his missing wife within the confines of an isolated and secluded farmhouse in rural Louisiana. What starts as a twisted nightmare straight out of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre eventually reveals its connections to the rest of the Resident Evil series in surprising fashion, and the new first-person perspective ratchets up the tension in an already frightening franchise.
Resident Evil 7 is the first game in the series to concurrently launch on both consoles and PC on a single date, sharing the launch window of 1/24/2017. The PC version of the title is noteworthy for being one of the best-looking versions of the title, which already has great visual and audio fidelity in the console release. Additionally, players with a VR headset can choose to play through the entire game in VR, which is an absolutely terrifying experience.
Resident Evil 2 (1/25/2019)
Resident Evil 2 takes the general premise of the 2002 Resident Evil remake and applies it to the series’ original sequel. In the process, Resident Evil 2 (2019) becomes not only the best remake of a classic game in the series but perhaps the best version of the game and a strong contender for the best game in the series, period. Once again taking on the role of Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield, the Resident Evil 2 remake includes a massive visual overhaul to the locations and enemies players are familiar with and introduces several brand-new wrinkles to the gameplay to keep everyone on their toes, including a persistent stalker in the form of Mr. X.
The PC version of Resident Evil 2 (2019) was launched at the same time as the console versions, quickly becoming one of the best Resident Evil games available on Steam. Though the gameplay is identical to its console versions, the PC version of Resident Evil 2 features some subtantial improvements to its lighting and textures as well as the capability to install mods.
Resident Evil 3 (4/3/2020)
Released just a year after the launch of the Resident Evil 2 remake, Resident Evil 3 is a reimagining of the PS1 classic Resident Evil 3: Nemesis. Resident Evil 3 would originally be conceived as an extensive DLC episode for Resident Evil 2 before receiving its own full retail release, resulting in the final launch version missing some of the content of the original Resident Evil 3: Nemesis. Though it is on the shorter side, Resident Evil 3 is built using the same general framework as the Resident Evil 2 remake and is yet another excellent revamp of a classic series title.
Resident Evil 3‘s PC launch led it to quickly become one of the most popular games on Steam during the first weeks of its release, though the title would quickly gain some negative player reception thanks to its full retail price and shorter length. That the game began its life as a DLC is somewhat obvious when comparing it to the legnth of Resident Evil 2, though that it no way dimishes the amount of fun to be had with this remake. Additionally, purchasing Resident Evil 3 includes the multiplayer Resident Evil: Resistance.
Resident Evil: Resistance (4/3/2020)
Resident Evil: Resistance is the online component for Resident Evil 3‘s remake, launching alongside the title as part of a package. This asymmetrical multiplayer game sees four players take on the role of different survivors as another player acts as the Mastermind, placing enemies and traps in the path of the Survivors to prevent their escape. The PC version of the game is pretty much nonexistent at this point thanks to technical issues and server problems marring the title’s launch and effectively killing the online community.
Resident Evil VIllage (5/7/2021)
The 8th game in the Resident Evil series, Village sees players once again assume the role of new hero Ethan Winters as he tries to rebuild his life following the events of Resident Evil 7. Now living in Europe, Ethan’s life turns upside-down when Chris Redfield shows up to take him and his infant daughter into custody. Along the way, their convoy is attacked and Ethan’s daughter is kidnapped, plunging the reluctant hero into yet another fight-for-life scenario in which he must survive the various realms of 4 supervillain-like adversaries.
Just like Resident Evil 7, Resident Evil Village‘s PC launch is perhaps the best-looking version of an already visually impressive game. Additionally, players can experience the entire title in VR, which happens to pair perfectly with Village‘s first-person perspective.
Resident Evil Re:Verse (10/28/2022)
Resident Evil Re:Verse is the online component for Resident Evil Village that launched alongside the title. In this multiplayer death-match game, either 4 or 6 players assume the roles of various heroes and villains from throughout the Resident Evil franchise and duke it out for survival in maps representing the series’ iconic locations. The PC version of Re:Verse is similar to Resistance in that negative player reception for the title has resulted in it having a distinctive lack of regular players.
Resident Evil 4 (3/24/2023)
The latest game in the long-running Resident Evil franchise, Resident Evil 4 (2023) is a ground-up remake of the fan-favorite Resident Evil 4 on GameCube done in the same style as the recent Resident Evil 2 and 3 remakes. Players step into the shoes of government agent Leon Kennedy as he heads to a remote region of Spain in an attempt to track down and rescue the President’s daughter. New to the remake of Resident Evil 4 is a parry mechanic that sees Leon able to deflect enemy attacks using his trusty combat knife, often acting as the last line of defense between life and death.
The PC version of Resident Evil 4 is, again, the best-looking version of an incredibly impressive game thanks to technology like Ray Tracing and DLSS available on PC. Other than the visual and performance improvements to the PC version, all releases of Resident Evil 4 are identical.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Resident Evil character renders.