The Resident Evil games may have a lot of cheesy moments and characters, but there's no denying that the story at the heart of the series is a terrifying, and at times, very dark tale about the dangers of biological experimentation and the horrors that can come as a result of it. Whilst playing the games though, it can be easy to forget just how bleak and gruesome the world of Resident Evil really is, but Capcom has still made sure to insert a few hidden documents and secrets that give fans an insight into how screwed up things are.

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A lot of the time, these secrets are a little obscure and will only be picked up on by eagle-eyed players who are actively seeking them out, but they're always worth finding since they expand upon the lore and the characters of this beloved series. Here are some of the most popular examples of these kinds of secrets that demonstrate just how dark Resident Evil can get.

7 Sheva's Backstory

Resident Evil 5

If players click on the "Viewer" option in the main menu of Resident Evil 5, they'll be able to take a look at some background information on the characters and major events that have shaped the story. Considering that Sheva Alomar was a newcomer to the story, Capcom gave her quite a long backstory that's quite dark.

It's revealed here that Sheva's parents died when she was only eight years old because of a massacre involving Umbrella Corp. in her hometown. After being taken in by her uncle and seven other kids, Sheva decided to run away to try and return to her former home, only to pass out in the desert from starvation. It's a shame that the backstory isn't mentioned in-game since it does a lot to flesh out Sheva's character and really shows how much she's already been through by the time players meet her.

6 Beneviento And Angie

Resident Evil Village

While Beneviento is technically one of the Four Lords that Ethan must face in Resident Evil Village, she's barely ever seen in the game, preferring to use her doll Angie as her stand-in. There's no doubt that the whole of Beneviento's House is the most horrifying part of that game, but if players head to the left after leaving rather than running off, they can find some information on her that puts a lot of things into perspective.

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The documents follow the early life of Beneviento after she lost her parents. Not knowing how to react, Beneviento becomes very isolated and distant from everyone, dedicating all of her time to creating dolls like Angie. Considering that the only photos in House Beneviento are of her and Angie, it's easy to imagine just how lonely she must have been since that incident.

5 The Past Life Of Mendez

Resident Evil 4 Remake

Not a lot of context is given to the massive chief known as Mendez in Resident Evil 4, especially the in original game. The remake of this classic entry included a dark detail that gave some insight into who he was before his town was infected. In the attic of the Village Chief's Manor, players can come across two pretty lengthy documents detailing the history of the village.

After Mendez was appointed as the chief of the village by the "Elders", he talked about how he would teach the people how to fish while also educating the kids about literacy and mathematics. Once the "men in black robes" came down, though, Mendez talks about how the village slowly became controlled by the Plagas. Mendez makes for a pretty formidable boss in the game, but this secret does remind players that these were all innocent and well-intentioned human beings before the Los Illuminados showed up.

4 Lucas' Lonely Birthday

Resident Evil 7

Throughout Resident Evil 7, the Baker family will use their horrifying powers to try and stop Ethan from escaping to safety with Mia, but Lucas is a little different. As it turns out, he isn't actually possessed by the same Mold infection as his parents. Instead, Lucas has an eeriness to him that makes it seem like he could snap at any moment.

If players snoop around Lucas' bedroom, they'll be able to find out about his journey; in particular, the story of a "birthday" he had as a boy. After a child at school kept teasing him, calling him a "crazyhead", Lucas decided to tell the bully to come over for a birthday party. It turns out this was a trap, and Lucas trapped the bully in an attic for who knows how long. He may even still be there.

3 The Truth About Chief Irons

Resident Evil 2

From the moment Chief Irons shows up in the story of Resident Evil 2, it's clear that he's not out to make any friends. Irons came off as creepier in the original game, while he acted more evil in the remake, but there are several documents players can find in his office and decoration room that shed a lot of light on how horrible he is as a person.

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The chief's own diary reveals how, once the outbreak started in Raccoon City, he sealed off the exits and ensured no survivors would make it out alive, even if he had to deal with them personally. It's clear that Irons is a pretty dark and twisted individual from this alone, but there's a more personal document, written a few months before, that shows his ruthlessness. After a new police officer finds out about Iron's "secret", he writes that he worries about what will happen once it gets out, only for the last page to be completely blank, leaving it up to the player's imagination what happened to Irons (and the officer) next.

2 The Communications Officer

Resident Evil: Revelations

This is one of those hidden secrets that not only expand on a character's lore but can completely change the way the player looks at them, even if they're a multi-headed saw-wielding monster. The journal of what used to be the Communication Officer is left on one of the desks in the Store Room in Resident Evil: Revelations, and it chronicles the slow degradation of the officer's sanity as he succumbs to the T-virus infection.

After saying that he has a fever, the officer starts obsessing over flesh and even starts talking to illusions of himself. The creepiest part is near the end when the word "Mayday" starts being screamed with the letters all being separated. Revelations gets a lot of flak for its zany over-the-top story, but it's small reveals like this that add some dark reality to the narrative.

1 "Itchy, Tasty"

Resident Evil

This secret is so beloved by longtime fans that it has managed to make its way into two separate games, but where it first appeared was in the very first Resident Evil game where it can be found in a ground-floor bedroom located in the West Wing. At the beginning of the document, an innocent animal keeper of the mansion is playing poker with his buddies, but by the end, he can only let out the words "Itchy, Tasty" after the T-Virus fully takes control of his body. What makes this document so dark, though, is how in-depth it goes about the whole process, with the man constantly talking about feeling hot and itchy, with him even tearing off some of his own flesh at one point.

Despite being a small and personal piece of information, this simple document adds to the horrifying nature of the Spencer Mansion and the incident that took place. The keeper, in his zombified state, actually jumps out at the player after they read the document which puts this secret on a whole new level of scary. This document is hidden away in the Keeper's Office which doesn't contain any special items, making it very easy to miss this dark and unfortunate document tha has haunted players for over two decades.

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