Best Resident Evil game for beginners? Fans have a clear favorite

What's the best Resident Evil game to start with? According to the community, it apparently isn't one of the highest-rated entries. On PC, those would be Resident Evil Requiem and Resident Evil 4 Remake, which hold Metascores of 92 and 91, respectively. On Reddit, however, the recommendation for newcomers is pretty clear: The top comment in the thread, with more than 700 upvotes, recommends the Resident Evil 2 remake.

The 2019 remake follows Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield as they make their way through the zombie-infested streets of Raccoon City. The focus is on tense exploration, puzzles and careful ammunition management. Many users consider it an excellent starting point because it combines the series' classic strengths – particularly its unsettling atmosphere and survival pressure – with modern controls and an over-the-shoulder camera.

The Reddit user who started the discussion has since decided to go with the Resident Evil 2 remake. For those who prefer more action, however, Resident Evil 4 Remake might be the better choice. A comment with more than 380 upvotes recommends the second game for a more horror-focused introduction and the fourth for a more action-oriented experience. Instead of cautiously navigating the narrow corridors of a police station, Leon frequently faces larger groups of enemies, with combat taking a more prominent role. There's still plenty of horror, though.

After that, there's little reason not to move on to Requiem, the latest entry in the series. Although the Resident Evil games have interconnected stories, the developers say Requiem can also be enjoyed without any prior knowledge. Having played Resident Evil 2 or 4 should also make Leon familiar enough to better appreciate some of the references to earlier events. Incidentally, all three games also run on the Steam Deck.