Since 1996, new Resident Evil titles have been released frequently. In that time, the series has taken many different forms, from classic survival horror to action-adventure. That's not to mention the abundance of spin-off games that also vary in genre.
Using the player data collected by How Long To Beat, it's clear that Capcom plays around with the length of each game as much as they do the genre. Some entries take three times as long to beat as others. But which ones test players' endurance and ammo conservation the most? And which titles provide fans with a quick tension-filled experience? It's important to note that some games have been omitted as not enough people submitted times for them to create a fair average.
Updated February 18th, 2021 by Ben Jessey: The excitement surrounding the upcoming Resident Evil: Village is at a fever pitch. Fans are truly ready to get chased around by vampiresses in creepy locations. But most RE games include several ties or references to other installments in the series. And there is no reason why Village would be any different. So, it’s a smart idea to brush up on your knowledge of Resident Evil lore.
However, it’s virtually impossible to play every single sequel and spin-off in the series before Village’s release. Therefore, our list of the longest and shortest RE games can help you manage your time. And we’ve now added a few more games to give you extra options.
14 Longest: Resident Evil: Revelations 2 – 10 Hours
Originally, Revelations 2 was episodic meaning fans only got to play a slither of the game once a week. Altogether, though, the episodes add up to a decent-sized Resident Evil title. And the campaign can even be played in co-op.
Of course, it’s a different kind of co-operative experience than the one RE usually delivers. Each duo has a character who handles the killing for the team and another with skills that help you explore. Other than that, Revelations 2 is a typical pre-RE7 game where there are horror elements, but the game is also action-packed.
13 Shortest: Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City – 6 Hours
Operation Raccoon City drops all pretense of survival horror. Instead, it’s a squad-based multiplayer shooter and not a particularly beloved one. Due to the game’s many technical issues, people have been highly critical of the game since its release. In fact, it ranks among the worst in recent memory.
Yet, it boasts an interesting "what-if" story that follows a team of Umbrella agents during the Raccoon City Incident. They’re trying to escape the overrun city while destroying any evidence implicating the huge Pharmaceutical Corporation. It’s not a tale that takes a long time to tell, so 6 hours is an appropriate length.
12 Longest: Resident Evil: HD Remaster – 11 Hours
There isn’t really any difference between Resident Evil: HD Remaster and the GameCube version. However, they’re both longer than the original 1996 game due to their additional areas and cutscenes. What’s clever about this remake is how several things have been altered to keep even veteran players on their toes.
For instance, the inclusion of Crimson heads means you can no longer be sure a zombie will stay dead. Yet, the creepy atmosphere and tension-building pace remain the same. And even though the dialogue isn’t quite as cheesy as the original, it’s still pretty bad. But as always, that’s a part of Resident Evil’s charm.
11 Shortest: Resident Evil 2 (1998) - 6 Hours
With the original Resident Evil being such a classic, the sequel could have easily been a let-down in comparison. Luckily, not only does the second game match the quality of the first, it's better in a few ways.
The Raccoon City Police Station is just as terrifying as the Mansion and series newcomers Leon and Claire match the entertainment value of Chris and Jill. While it's slightly shorter than its predecessor, six hours is only the length of one scenario. Playing through the game again as another character is recommended, due to the game's zapping system, which means actions taken in the first run affect the second.
10 Longest: Resident Evil 0 - 11.5 Hours
By the early 2000s, the main Resident Evil games had an established formula. But Capcom decided to mix things up a little with Zero. The biggest change is the inclusion of two main characters that players can and need to switch between regularly. Both Rebecca and Billy have their own strengths and abilities that are required to complete certain puzzles.
There are also no item boxes meaning players have to drop things in a safe place to pick up later. This feature creates a lot of backtracking, so it's no surprise that this prequel is one of the franchise's longest games.
9 Shortest: Resident Evil 3 (2020) - 6 Hours
The remake of Resident Evil 3 has received more criticism for being short than any other game in the series. This is the nature of coming out during a time when big releases are expected to last longer than six hours.
Capcom does deserve some sympathy as the original RE3 is pretty much the same length. Although, it may have been advisable to add several extra sections to the remake. Still, the presentation and gameplay of the 2020 title are outstanding and the Nemesis is aptly terrifying. It still rivals the RE2 Remake; players just wanted more.
8 Longest: Resident Evil Code: Veronica X - 11.5 Hours
There isn't a whole lot of difference between Code: Veronica and Code: Veronica X. The latter simply has a bit of extra story and some graphical improvements - though it's still in need of a remake.
Both games play a lot like the other early Resident Evil titles, but with the inclusion of real-time 3D environments and a more dynamic camera. Plus, one playthrough in either Code: Veronica is significantly longer than a run in the first three games. CV actually started a trend of the main RE installments taking over ten hours to beat.
7 Shortest: Resident Evil: Deadly Silence - 5.5 Hours
Deadly Silence is one of the lesser-known remakes in the series. It acts as a Nintendo DS port of the first Resident Evil. Capcom made multiple changes to the original's gameplay to make use of the system's dual-screen and stylus.
These alterations are particularly evident in the Rebirth mode -- a warped version of the original campaign. Classic mode, on the other hand, is much more reminiscent of the first RE. Both modes are relatively short.
6 Longest: Resident Evil 5 - 12 Hours
While Resident Evil 5 wasn't the first RE game to include elements from the action-adventure genre, it was the first in the main series to be virtually devoid of scares. A big reason for the game's lack of spookiness is the co-op feature. It's hard to strike fear into players' hearts when they've always got a partner by their side.
What it lacks in horror, though, it makes up for in fun. Going around and taking down infected creatures with a buddy is a blast. And as it takes approximately 12 hours to complete, it never overstays its welcome nor do players expect more when the credits roll.
5 Shortest: Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D - 5 Hours
Mercenaries was a nice additional mode in Resident Evil 3, 4, and 5. Capcom liked it so much that they created an entire game based on it for the Nintendo 3DS. It functions pretty much the same as RE 4 and 5's version of the mode where players run around killing infected to build up their score.
Certain missions, however, require taking on a boss. Because of the nature of Mercenaries, players can constantly replay maps to try and get higher scores, but playing every mission through once takes around five hours.
4 Longest: Resident Evil 4 - 16 Hours
Resident Evil 4 is the best combination of horror and action the series has ever produced. The instances where players are being stalked by Regenerators (or Regeneradors) are truly frightening. Whereas, other sections where they're gunning down the infected are action-packed fun.
The loud, explosive moments and the quiet tension-filled ones feel equally distributed throughout the 16-hour playtime too. And it leads many to question whether Leon's adventure in the Los Illuminados infested Spain is a survival horror game or a third-person shooter.
3 Shortest: Resident Evil: Dead Aim – 3 Hours
Despite being a little-known spin-off title, Dead Aim follows plenty of Resident Evil trends. Inventory management, exploration, and cheesy dialogue are all included. Plus, the spooky environment feels very in tune with the series. It differs in terms of the camera perspective though. Instead of being third or first person, it’s both.
You walk around in a third-person view which enables easy navigation. Then when enemies are nearby, you can switch to a first-person perspective to shoot them. So, it’s certainly a unique entry into the franchise. However, it’s not a particularly deep one; therefore, its brief length is actually welcome.
2 Longest: Resident Evil 6 - 21.5 Hours
With four campaigns and seven protagonists, Resident Evil 6 is the biggest game in the series. Each campaign is around the same length as some of the early RE games, so altogether it’s easily the longest entry in the franchise.
Although, for many, bigger doesn’t equal better as Resident Evil 6 was heavily criticized upon release. Fans disliked how it eliminated the few remaining features from the original games by virtually removing inventory management and quickening up the pace. Plus, it is the least scary entry in the main series. However, it still delivers plenty of excitement.
1 Shortest: Resident Evil: Survivor - 2 Hours
There have been several first-person games in Resident Evil's long history. But the first one was Resident Evil: Survivor back in 2000. Despite the change in perspective, some of the base objectives are similar to the main series as players need to circumvent zombies and find keys to open doors.
Although, unlike most RE games, Survivor includes some arcade elements. For instance, there are no save points, meaning the game needs to be completed in one play session. This explains why it's the shortest entry in the series.