The Scariest Resident Evil Games
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This list contains spoilers!
From the pixelated visuals of its debut game to the current-gen mobile and VR installments, the Resident Evil franchise has consistently terrified gamers in various ways. While virus-infected people and creatures alone can frighten many players, this list delves deeper to uncover some of the most chilling moments in the franchise’s history—whether through encounters with enormous zombified monsters or phobia-inducing scenarios.
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Despite the multiple changes in the franchise’s direction and gameplay style, there is one thread that connects every Resident Evil game: Horror. Although the games differ in how much they succeed in scaring players, every title has at least one or two moments that will have most gamers reaching for their pillow.
Updated on September 22nd, 2025, by Jack Pursey: This list has been updated to include updated and expanded information about each game.
16
Resident Evil 6
The Scariest Moment: Ustanak Encounter
There are multiple encounters with Ustanak in RE6. However, the initial encounter should be the most intense. Just as Jake Muller realizes how big a threat this giant beast is, he is chased by it in a narrow corridor. Following the chilling chase, Jake must finally confront Ustanak, which feels like fighting both Nemesis and Mr. X at the same time—Ustanak just won’t go down no matter what.
According to Resident Evil 6’s lore, Ustanak was the subject of experimental tests on the C Virus, which resulted in his transformation. What makes this monster scarier is his high intelligence. Unlike most other gigantic Resident Evil creatures, Ustanak can make his own weapons and make dreadful decisions when facing his targets.
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To be fair to other entries on the list, Resident Evil 6 does not create many scary moments. The enemy designs are rather stereotypical, seemingly aimed at attracting more FPS fans who may not have enjoyed previous games. However, the outcome fell short of satisfying hardcore fans of the genre and was not as financially successful as expected.
15
Resident Evil 5
Scariest Moment: Traversing Crocodile-Infested Water
Capcom’s Resident Evil 5 struggled to live up to the extremely high expectations that were placed on its shoulders long before the game was even announced. Resident Evil 5 is certainly not a bad game, though, exemplified by its impressive Metascore of 86 on PC.
In terms of the game’s fear factor, it’s not a particularly scary game, though it does have its scary moments, such as the section in Chapter 3 – 1, where players must traverse crocodile-infested water.
14
Resident Evil (1996)
Scariest Moment: Black Tiger Boss Fight (Underground)
Imagine it’s 1996, and a teenage gamer is about to fire up a game on their PS1 that everyone’s buzzing about: Resident Evil. The initial cinematics are spine-chilling enough to tempt them to eject the disc and retreat to Crash Bandicoot. Nonetheless, they muster the courage to dive in. Following a few hours of gripping gameplay that leaves their eyes widened and palms sweaty, they’re confronted with their ultimate dread: Fighting a colossal spider in a claustrophobic underground tunnel. That’s true fear.
The pixelated visuals of the first RE game might not look scary now. But back when the survival horror genre was in its baby stage, those “funny-looking” zombies could easily give someone a heart attack—especially if they had no idea what a jumpscare is. The arachnophobia-inducing Black Tiger boss battle in Resident Evil 1996 is destined to stand as an iconic “hair-raising” moment in video game history. Its impact goes beyond the inherent creepiness of giant spiders; it inspired numerous horror games to exploit gamers’ phobias in the most sadistic ways imaginable.
13
Resident Evil: Revelations 2
Scariest Moment: Revenant Jumpscare
One of the spin-off titles from Capcom’s flagship horror franchise was Revelations 2, a game that brought back fan favorites such as Claire and Barry and introduced new characters like Moira and Natalia, which a second player could control.
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Along with new characters, there are a host of new enemies, including the terrifying revenants and grotesque monstrosities of sewn-together body parts that are infected with the Uroboros virus. During the exploration of the mansion, one sneaky revenant falls down from the ceiling right at the player’s feet, resulting in a cheap but effective jumpscare.
12
Resident Evil 3 Remake
Scariest Moment: Encountering Drain Deimos
The remake of Capcom’s classic RE3 saw players returning to the virus-ravaged streets of Raccoon City as the unstoppable Nemesis tenaciously hunts down Jill Valentine, one of the few survivors of the Spencer Mansion incident.
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Through her explorations of the city, Jill experiences many terrifying events, such as running away from Nemesis, mutated dogs, or the dreaded drain deimos. Said to be infected with fleas, these insects, unfortunately, are not flea-sized and are large enough to present a threat. The most horrifying thing about these creatures is that they can grapple Jill and infect her with parasites that are a death sentence unless she can cleanse herself of them.
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Resident Evil – Code: Veronica
Scariest Moment: Rockfort’s Torture Chamber
Resident Evil: Code Veronica was the first main series of Resident Evil games to be released after the original trilogy. The game was notable for its visuals, which were a significant improvement over the game’s predecessors.
The visuals were considered to be movie-like at the time of the game’s release. This made the game all the more frightening, as audiences hadn’t seen such realistic horror visuals in a video game before.
10
Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles
Scariest Moment: Yawn Boss Fight
Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles was the first game in the franchise to be released after the iconic Resident Evil 4. This put a ton of pressure on the on-rails shooter, and sadly, it failed to live up to the hype, scoring a lackluster 75 on Metacritic.
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Much like Resident Evil 5, the amount of hype around Umbrella Chronicles was more of a curse than a gift. The initial disappointment clouded what was a solid on-rails shooter that made excellent use of the Nintendo Wii’s motion controls. The on-rail mechanic is what grants Umbrella Chronicles a spot on this list, as players have no choice but to follow their characters who are constantly heading directly into danger.
9
Resident Evil 0
Scariest Moment: Queen Leech Boss Fight
The Resident Evil series’ fifth main installment was released in 2002. The game didn’t perform badly with critics, though it was seen as a drop in form from the incredible run of games that Capcom was on leading up to its release. Criticisms were predominantly directed at the game’s lack of innovation, particularly in terms of its fixed camera, which seemed outdated at the time.
Resident Evil 0 earns a spot on this list for its atmosphere. The improved hardware of the GameCube allowed Capcom’s developers to create more meticulously detailed environments than ever before, which greatly helped the game’s unsettling elements pop.
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Resident Evil: Revelations
Scariest Moment: Scagdead Boss Fight
The Nintendo 3DS doesn’t seem like the most natural place for an action-horror title, but Capcom was able to make it work with Resident Evil: Revelations. The game performed particularly well with critics, exemplified by its impressive 82 Metascore.
Resident Evil: Revelations offers a unique horror experience thanks to the Nintendo 3DS’ capabilities. The 3D functionality made the game’s scariest moments far tenser and made the horror feel closer than ever.
7
Resident Evil 4
Scariest Moment: First Regenerator Encounter
As mentioned previously, Capcom made the bold decision of reinventing its iconic Resident Evil franchise with the sixth main series iteration. The risk certainly paid off, as Resident Evil 4 breathed new life into the series, and it quickly became recognized as one of the best games of all time.
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The game sacrificed some of the series’ iconic horror in favor of more action-packed gameplay, though there are still a few frightening moments. Such moments include the fight against Del Lago, the first encounter with a Regenerador, and the fight against Verdugo.
