Highlights
- Some of the more recent Resident Evil games have been made more forgiving in terms of gameplay and mechanics compared to the classics.
- Resident Evil games like RE7 and RE2 Remake are relatively easy to complete due to limited enemy variety and well-balanced gameplay.
- Games like Resident Evil Survivor and Revelations prioritize storytelling and experimentation over challenging gameplay, offering a simpler experience for players.
As the years have passed by, and the fanbase of the Resident Evil franchise has grown, Capcom has decided to make a lot of the more modern games a little more forgiving in their gameplay and mechanics than some of the classic titles. However, this isn't to say that a few of the originals weren't also quite simple to run through, despite advertisements in the 90s portraying them as the most brutal and punishing games to ever exist.
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The truth is, Capcom often does a great job at combining puzzles, item management, and shooting mechanics to make a game that is more or less perfect in difficulty, but there are still some entries that are noticeably a lot less challenging than the others. While some of these games simply require the player to pay attention to their surroundings and be vigilant of any enemies creeping around corners to stay alive, others are a cakewalk to complete.
Updated on October 20th, 2023 by Geoffrey Martin: This List has been updated to include a video version of the article. The video version details every entry in the piece, showing off each game for readers who have never seen the gameplay in action.
8 Resident Evil 7
Ethan's desperate escape from the Baker family in Resident Evil 7 can be challenging at certain points, especially in terms of the puzzles, but it's the lack of enemy variety that makes the game so easy to finish. The Molded will undoubtedly seem intimidating at first, but there are only a few variations of them in the game, meaning most players will be very comfortable facing them by the time they exit the estate and progress further into the game.
The boss fights also vary wildly from one another as while some will only require a few shots, such as Jack Baker's first encounter in the garage, others such as Marguerite will push the player to their limit. Overall, Resident Evil 7 should be credited for ushering the classic Resident Evil formula into the modern day, but it still could have added a little more challenge if there were a few extra enemy types.
7 Resident Evil 2
Many longtime Resident Evil fans regard Resident Evil 2 as the easiest out of the classic PS1 trilogy since it doesn't have the brutal puzzles of the first game or the Nemesis who stalks the player endlessly throughout Resident Evil 3. Even to this day, the classic Resident Evil 2 is still fairly well-balanced and isn't too hard to beat on all of its difficulties.
It's really the tank controls that make the game so tense since it means enemies can surround Leon or Claire extremely easily. It also makes aiming a little more challenging, but as soon as players get the hang of the movement and keep track of the correct keys and items they need to progress, the game suddenly becomes a lot easier.
6 Resident Evil Survivor
Before the first-person perspective was reintroduced in Resident Evil 7, it was in Resident Evil Survivor where it made its first appearance. The game is more or less an arcade rail shooter that has a very intriguing plot, being set on the outskirts of the Umbrella Corporations' private township after the destruction of Raccoon City.
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In terms of gameplay, it's fairly easy primarily because of how slow and predictable the enemies are. Nearly every monster in the game was borrowed from Resident Evil 2, with the zombies and Lickers having the same models and animations. This meant the enemies were just as slow but also much easier to hit now due to the shifted perspective, and when pairing this with unlimited ammo, it results in a relatively simple but still enjoyable game.
5 Resident Evil 2 Remake
Capcom decided to lean hard into the atmospherical aspect of horror when designing Resident Evil 2 Remake, especially with the dark and spooky corridors and unnerving noises that can be heard when wandering around the RPD. This isn't to say there aren't any enemies, because there are still plenty of zombies that the player will run into, but they act as much more of a hurdle than an actual threat as they stumble and limp forward, giving Leon or Claire a few precious moments to line up their shot.
So long as the player takes their time to obtain all the side items in the RPD, they will also be able to get their hands on devastating weapons like the Grenade Launcher and Magnum, which can decimate bosses with ease. The secondary knives and grenades also offer a generous escape for the player in case they get grabbed, providing a useful lifeline that can make surviving the Raccoon City Outbreak much easier.
4 Resident Evil 3 Remake
The big hulking B.O.W. known as the Nemesis may look scary in Resident Evil 3 Remake, but he largely acts as a quick time event for much of the game who only chases the player around for brief periods. His boss encounters will pose a challenge, but apart from this gigantic behemoth, the rest of Resident Evil 3 Remake is actually very easy.
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The dodge mechanic plays into this massively, allowing Jill to evade virtually any attack thrown her way so long as the player is precise enough with their input. The game is also surprisingly short since a few major areas which were featured in the original, such as the Clocktower, were cut from the remake. This essentially means there isn't much space for hard puzzles or grueling mini-boss encounters because the game is over after roughly six hours.
3 Resident Evil Revelations
Revelations is a spinoff title for the Nintendo 3DS which takes place primarily on the Queen Zenobia ship, and while it has a great story with some of the series' weirdest and quirkiest characters yet, the gameplay itself really isn't that difficult. There are a handful of encounters, such as the Mutant Communication Officer, that will test the player's aim and reflexes, but the game is very much focused on telling the player a story, so it doesn't go out of its way to ever pose too much of a challenge.
The ability to instantly switch between weapons using an in-game menu, and being able to dive and roll around mean enemies never become too much to handle, and the puzzles are some of the easiest in the entire series. Resident Evil Revelations is still a great game, but it's clear that Capcom was simply experimenting with how this series would work on a handheld system rather than trying to make a game that aimed to test the player's abilities.
2 Resident Evil 5
Resident Evil 5 confirmed that the series had plunged head-first into the action genre upon its release, with the game having an absence of puzzles with a much higher focus on intense gunfights and melee combat. The introduction of a companion also made it hard for the player to make mistakes, since if they missed a shot or ran out of ammo, Sheva would always be there to make up for it.
There are also a lot more weapons in Resident Evil 5, including plenty of automatic rifles and SMGs which are usually left absent from zombie games due to how easily they can mow down enemies, but that really is what players will be doing for the entire playthrough. All of this comes together to make a game that many fans remember more for its role in the lore than the challenging gameplay.
1 Resident Evil 6
By far the most controversial entry in the series, Resident Evil 6 is first and foremost an action game that provides players with everything they could need to avoid getting killed. The movement this time around is as far away from the tank controls as it can get, allowing the player to slide, roll, and leap around the screen to dodge enemy attacks.
On top of this, each character is also equipped with an extremely powerful set of firearms from the get-go. Whether it's Helena's devastating Hydra shotgun, Leon's dual-wield handguns, or even Jake's hand-to-hand combat, it's evident that the game wants players to feel as powerful as possible as soon as they boot up a campaign. The partner system, plentiful ammo, and a severe lack of puzzles also help in making this the easiest game in the Resident Evil franchise.