A newcomer to the series asked the community for advice on where to begin exploring the survival horror world of Resident Evil—and received a fairly definitive answer. Spoiler alert: it's not the highest-rated entry in the series.
Which Resident Evil game is best for beginners? According to the player community, it doesn't seem to be one of the highest-rated titles. On PC, the highest-rated entries are Resident Evil 9: Requiem and Resident Evil 4 Remake, with Metacritic scores of 92 and 91 respectively. However, on Reddit, the advice for newcomers is clear: the top-voted comment in the thread, with over 700 upvotes, recommends Resident Evil 2 Remake.
The 2019 remake follows Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield as they struggle to survive amidst the zombie-infested streets of Raccoon City. The game emphasizes tense exploration, puzzle-solving, and careful ammunition management. Many players consider it an excellent starting point for the series, as it blends classic elements—especially the unsettling atmosphere and survival pressure—with modernized controls and an over-the-shoulder perspective.
The Reddit user who started the discussion ultimately chose Resident Evil 2 Remake. However, for players who prefer more action-oriented gameplay, Resident Evil 4 Remake might be a better choice. A comment with over 380 upvotes recommended Resident Evil 2 as an introduction to horror, while noting that Resident Evil 4 focuses more on action. In Resident Evil 4, Leon no longer needs to cautiously navigate narrow police station corridors; instead, he frequently faces hordes of enemies, making combat a more central aspect. Nevertheless, the game still features plenty of horror elements.
After that, there's little reason not to continue with Resident Evil 9: Requiem, the latest entry in the series. Although the stories in the Resident Evil series are interconnected, the developers have stated that players can fully enjoy Requiem even without any prior experience with the franchise. Those who have played Resident Evil 2 or Resident Evil 4 should be familiar enough with Leon to better appreciate the game's nods to previous titles. By the way, all three games are playable on Steam Deck.