Remaking an old game is an art form not every developer gets right, but somehow, Capcom keeps hitting the nail on the head, hitting it out of the park, and every other metaphor. With the release of the Resident Evil 4 Remake, they've remade just about every mainline entry, save for the ones too young to need it.
The creators of the series have been at this for a long time. The RE2 Remake didn't happen by accident. Capcom released the first Resident Evil in 1996, and their first remaster followed in 2001 with Code Veronica X, so they've had decades to gauge fans' responses. This has resulted in some of the most satisfying, and fan-pleasing games ever released.
9 Resident Evil: Chronicles HD Collection
Not every remake or remaster is created equal, and some are more of a port than anything else. That is especially true for the Chronicles collection, which bundles the two on-rail games together originally available on Nintendo Wii (Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles and Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles).
Unfortunately, this bundle doesn't offer anything new beyond the visual upgrade and the support for PlayStation Move, so you can emulate the Wiimote and have fun shooting zombies and creatures. However, it is nice having all these story developments in one place.
8 Resident Evil 4 HD Remaster
Before the pitchforks come out, Resident Evil 4 is not this low because it's bad. RE4 is a perfect game, and it deserves every ounce of praise; you'll see it again in this list, so please put down the gasoline.
However, most other upgraded games have at least one piece of new content, while this is simply another port. It's an excellent port, to be fair. RE4 has found its way onto just about every console in existence for a reason, and with an HD remaster, that trend can continue indefinitely.
7 Resident Evil Revelations HD
Resident Evil Revelations got a rough deal. It was released at the start of the 3DS's life span, and the system didn't have a lot of launch titles, so people weren't likely going to buy a 3DS just for a Resident Evil spin-off. Add on top of that, RE5 had already pushed a lot of fans away with its focus on action and abandonment of most things horror. Revelations though, takes place on a zombie-ridden cruise ship with an appropriate mood setting, and it features Chris and Jill together again. It's not a bad game at all. Just a poorly timed one.
Revelations was thankfully given a second chance with a port to home consoles a year later. It featured additional content for the Raid mode through new characters and guns to play with. The story mode also got a new difficulty where item and enemy placement is completely reworked. That's a feature most people want in their favorite RE game, and it's surprising that this is the game that got it, but a win is a win.
6 Code Veronica X
Code Veronica is a funny little game. It's the second spin-off title, but it was planned to be the original Resident Evil 3. Upon reflection, this would've made a lot of sense. Code Veronica continues the story of Chris and Claire Redfield and sees them finally reuniting. It's also where Wesker is solidified as the series' main villain, and the campy-ness dial is replaced with an amp.
Code Veronica, however, was unfortunately tied to the Sega Dreamcast, a notably dying console with a limited player base. To get the series' narrative sequel into more hands, Capcom saw to remaster the game for the PS2 and Gamecube under the name Code Veronica X. The remaster was mostly fixated on a graphical overhaul, but a few cutscenes were expanded upon and added to flesh out the story, including one of the best fight scenes in the series between Wesker and Alexia, no matter how short it is.
5 Resident Evil 0 HD Remaster
Every series with unnecessarily complicated lore needs one thing; a prequel. Resident Evil has Zero. It's another classic in regard to the series formula, with a fixed camera and the never-ever controversial tank controls. It was generally reviewed well, despite some criticisms surrounding gameplay choices meant to deliberately make the game harder, like axing the item box.
The remaster in 2015 was a direct result of Capcom recognizing the demand for the original games after the Resident Evil 1 Remake rerelease broke sales records. Because of this, Zero's remaster was rushed and doesn't offer much more than a graphical update. Although, a Wesker Mode was added that replaced Billy with Wesker, who can perform unique attacks.
4 Resident Evil 3
Resident Evil 3 is arguably the black sheep of the numbered series, if you ignore that Resident Evil 5 hasn't been sheared in years. Its story is mostly stand-alone, with it really only offering more insight into Jill's expertise and how Raccoon City fell so rapidly. So when RE2 got a remake, everyone was glad that the series' most oft-overlooked game might be getting some attention next.
It's not a perfect remake. Nemesis has been relegated from an ever-present source of dread to scripted encounters. Still, the game is beautiful, tense, atmospheric, and endlessly rewarding for completionists. Sure, Nemesis isn't as relentless as he was in the past, but when he's there, he is there! Additionally, Carlos and Jill's voice actors are perfect for their roles and make excellent foils for each other. It might not be the longest game, but what's there is worth your time.
3 Resident Evil Remake
The Resident Evil Remake, or REmake for short, has aged like a fine zombie holding a glass of wine. It exists solely because the series creator, Shinji Mikami thought the original game looked too outdated to be ported to modern consoles in 2002. Thankfully he thought that, because it gave us one of the best remakes ever, and it set the bar for all Resident Evil Remakes in the future.
A good remake should make you look at the original and say "this is what they would have made if they had modern technology." For the REmake, this meant recreating the iconic Spencer mansion, nearly one-for-one. The major level changes come in the form of shortcuts that reduce painful travel times between the far corners of the mansion, and the addition of Lisa Trevor, an entirely new threat who chases you through multiple areas.
2 Resident Evil 4 Remake
Ever since Resident Evil 1's HD remaster in 2015, fans knew what was to come. Remakes were now firmly on the table again, and everyone wanted a modern taste of Resident Evil 4. When Resident Evil 2 Remake was announced, it truly became a question of "when" not "if." Resident Evil 3 Remake practically became a formality we had to experience before the next game in line could be remade, and the wait wasn't a disappointment.
Resident Evil 4 Remake is incredibly faithful to its source material. This is the game that pioneered over-the-shoulder controls for the series, so unlike RE2 and RE3, this feels much more like a 1-to-1 recreation rather than a reimagining. Leon still gets his one-liners, Ashley is still one of the best escort NPCs ever, and Luis is still indiscernibly cool. What's the same will please fans, and what's new will keep them on their toes. It's a perfect remake.
1 Resident Evil 2 Remake
If a good remake says, "This is the same game with newer technology," then a great remake asks, "ok, yea, but what if we did it differently?" Done right, the results can be a game that captures the feeling of the original, while making it an entirely different experience for new and returning players.
The RE2 remake recreates most of the game's settings almost identically, but it allows you to explore them up close and personally. The most memorable change has to be what they've done to Mr. X. In the original, he was entirely scripted, and save for being able to disable him for a reward, he didn't have a lot of depth. The new Mr. X will make you rethink your life choices as to how you ended up in his territory. The RPD is his dojo, and you're just renting space until he decides he's bullied you enough for one day.
Additionally, the extra content, like HUNK's mission, the Tofu Survivors, and a handful of mini-campaigns can keep you busy for days, if not weeks.