Best Resident Evil Games to Play If You Prefer Jill, Claire, or Ada

If Jill Valentine is your priority, begin with Resident Evil 3 or the original Resident Evil. Claire Redfield fans should start with Resident Evil 2, while Ada Wong fans have the clearest character-led option in Resident Evil 6. Resident Evil 4 is worthwhile for Ada content, but it remains primarily Leon’s story.

Choose by the character’s actual role

A character appearing in a game is not the same as that character leading it. For this guide, “best” means the game gives your preferred character meaningful control time or story focus, not merely a cameo.

#	Preview	Product	Price
1		Resident Evil 2 - PlayStation 5	$15.19	Buy on Amazon
2		Resident Evil 2 Remake PS4	$23.49	Buy on Amazon
3		Resident Evil 3 - PlayStation 5	$18.13	Buy on Amazon
4		Resident Evil 2 Remake - PS5 - UK PAL	$24.75	Buy on Amazon

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• Lead protagonist: the game is built around that character’s perspective.
• Playable campaign: the character has a substantial, dedicated route or campaign.
• Selectable protagonist: you choose that character at the start or as one of the principal routes.
• Supporting or alternate appearance: the character is playable or important in part of the game, but another hero carries the main campaign.

That distinction is especially important for Ada. She is central to several entries, yet Resident Evil 4 is not an Ada-led base game. Conversely, Resident Evil 6 is the straightforward choice when the requirement is a dedicated Ada campaign.

At-a-glance recommendations

If Jill Valentine is your favorite

Resident Evil 3: the direct Jill recommendation

Resident Evil 3 is the cleanest answer to a Jill-first question. The official franchise history places Jill in the Raccoon City crisis, and the series chronology describes the remake as returning to her. That makes the title a better starting point than a game where Jill is merely one member of a larger ensemble.

#1 Best Overall

Resident Evil 2 - PlayStation 5

• TERRIFYING ZOMBIES WAITING AROUND EVERY CORNER -- Driven by insatiable hunger, these creatures act on instinct, gnashing their teeth, ripping at flesh, and devouring their victims. The new immersive camera lets you feel their fangs as they sink into your flesh.
• RACCOON CITY, REBUILT IN INTRICATE DETAIL -- The characters, environments, and story have all been rebuilt from the ground up to create a terrifying world that feels both nostalgic and new.
• NEW FOR PLAYSTATION5 – Upgraded features new to the PlayStation5 version of the game include a higher frame rate, 3D audio, added ray tracing, and engaging DualSense support for Haptic Feedback and Adaptive Triggers.

$15.19

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Pick it when your priority is Jill’s role in that crisis rather than seeing every major character. It is also the simplest recommendation for someone who wants one game instead of a broad series route: the title itself identifies the entry, and the character connection is unambiguous.

Resident Evil: choose Jill in the first game

The original Resident Evil and its remake remain strong Jill options because Jill is one of the selectable leads, alongside Chris. This is a different kind of recommendation from Resident Evil 3: you are choosing Jill’s route through the first game rather than entering a Jill-centered sequel.

Select this option if you want Jill at the foundation of the series or prefer to compare how the same premise works through the two principal protagonists. When a store listing simply says “Resident Evil,” identify whether it is the original, the remake, or a bundle before assuming which presentation you are getting.

Resident Evil: Revelations: Jill with Chris in a later adventure

Resident Evil: Revelations gives Jill and Chris a later adventure and is a useful third choice. The chronology characterizes this entry as moving back toward horror, so it suits a reader who wants Jill in a setting that emphasizes the series’ survival-horror identity rather than selecting a title solely for its name.

It is not the same proposition as a Jill-only campaign. If you want the most concentrated Jill experience, stay with Resident Evil 3. If you want Jill as part of a two-character pairing and are interested in a later chapter, Revelations fills that role.

If Claire Redfield is your favorite

Resident Evil 2: the clearest Claire entry point

Resident Evil 2 is the strongest Claire recommendation because it gives players separate Leon and Claire campaigns. Choosing Claire is not a short bonus route or a cameo; it is a principal perspective on the game’s events.

This makes Resident Evil 2 the best single purchase for a reader who wants Claire’s viewpoint without first completing another title. It also works for households or groups that want to experience the same game through different protagonists, provided each player understands that the two campaigns are distinct routes rather than identical character swaps.

Rank #2

Resident Evil 2 Remake PS4

• Based on the release of 1998 but completely rebuilt for a deeper narrative experience
• new over the shoulder camera mode and modernized control scheme
• a more modern take on the survival horror experience
• RE engine, Resident Evil 2 delivers breathtakingly photorealistic visuals in 4K
• zombies are brought to life with a horrifyingly realistic wet gore Effect.zombies react in real time taking instant visible damage, making every bullet count.engage in frenzied combat with enemies, explore dark menacing corridors & solve puzzles.a terrifying constant fight for survival.enjoy separately playable campaigns for both Leon and Claire

$23.49

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Resident Evil: Revelations 2: Claire returns as a protagonist

After Resident Evil 2, Resident Evil: Revelations 2 is the natural follow-on for Claire fans who want another game in which she is a protagonist. The value here is continuity of character presence: Claire is not being introduced as a side character, but brought back to lead another entry.

Use this as a second stop when you have already chosen Claire’s campaign in Resident Evil 2 and want a separate adventure built around her return. Because edition and regional listings can differ, check the exact product description before assuming that every version offers the same content.

Code: Veronica: a continuation with an access caveat

Code: Veronica continues Claire’s story after the Raccoon City events. It therefore appeals most to readers who care about Claire’s broader character path, not just the easiest modern entry.

The practical drawback is access. Current platform availability can be less convenient than that of the modern remakes, and the available edition may vary by region. Treat it as a story-focused recommendation and confirm that your local storefront or physical source carries the version you intend to play.

If Ada Wong is your favorite

Resident Evil 6: the dedicated Ada campaign

Resident Evil 6 is the decisive answer when “I want to play as Ada” means a substantial, dedicated campaign. The series chronology identifies Ada as one of the game’s four campaign protagonists, giving her a role that is structurally different from a short appearance inside another hero’s route.

The trade-off is tone. The chronology characterizes Resident Evil 6 as more action-oriented, so it is the best Ada-role match but not automatically the best choice for someone whose first priority is the slowest, most horror-focused style of Resident Evil. Decide whether campaign ownership or atmosphere matters more to you.

Resident Evil 2: important Ada content, not an Ada campaign

Resident Evil 2 can appeal to Ada-interested players because Ada appears in its story, but Claire and Leon carry the principal campaign structure. That makes it a good mixed-interest purchase for someone who wants Claire as the main playable choice and also wants to encounter Ada’s role in the same game.

Rank #3

Sale

Resident Evil 3 - PlayStation 5

• CLASSIC RESIDENT EVIL GAMEPLAY -- Overcome chilling encounters in a relentless fight for survival that ratchets up the intensity through nail-biting exploration and gripping puzzle-solving.
• EXPLORE RACCOON CITY FROM A NEW PERSPECTIVE -- Get even closer to the action with an over-the-shoulder camera and updated control scheme, drawing you into every bloodcurdling encounter.
• SURVIVE TOGETHER IN THE MULTIPLAYER MODE -- Bring up to four friends into the carnage with Resident Evil Resistance, a multiplayer survival horror experience included in the Resident Evil 3 package. Available as a PlayStation 4 title compatible on all PlayStation 5 devices. Includes code necessary for redemption, requires additional download not on disc.
• NEW FOR PLAYSTATION5 – Upgraded features new to the PlayStation5 version of the game include a higher frame rate, 3D audio, added ray tracing, and engaging DualSense support for Haptic Feedback and Adaptive Triggers.

$18.13

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Do not use Resident Evil 2 as the answer to a narrowly worded request for an Ada-led game. Its character balance is not equivalent: Claire and Leon have the separate main campaigns, while Ada’s material is part of the broader narrative.

Resident Evil 4: an Ada-related option with a Leon-led foundation

Resident Evil 4 is relevant to Ada fans, but the base game is principally Leon’s story. That distinction should appear in any recommendation so a reader does not buy it expecting the same campaign ownership offered by Resident Evil 6.

Ada-focused readers should also look for Separate Ways content associated with Resident Evil 4. Whether it is included depends on the edition or add-on being sold, so read the specific listing rather than assuming every release contains it. Capcom announced the Resident Evil 4 remake as a remake of the 2005 game, with a March 24, 2023 release date for the platforms named in that announcement; that historical announcement is not a current inventory of every platform or store edition.

When one game serves more than one favorite

Claire and Ada: different reasons to choose Resident Evil 2

Resident Evil 2 sits at the intersection of two character preferences, but not in equal ways. Claire fans get a full principal campaign. Ada fans get meaningful story content within a game led by other protagonists. If you are choosing for Claire, the campaign structure is the reason to buy it. If you are choosing for Ada, it is an appearance-based supplement rather than the clearest dedicated route.

Jill and Chris: a shared fit in the first game and Revelations

Jill’s recommendations also vary by the kind of partnership you want. The first Resident Evil lets you select Jill or Chris as the lead, while Revelations presents Jill and Chris in a later adventure. The former is a choice between principal routes; the latter is a joint-character recommendation. That difference matters if you want sole control of Jill’s perspective rather than a shared cast emphasis.

Choose by tone as well as character

Character priority should come first, but tone can break a tie. The series chronology describes Resident Evil: Revelations as moving back toward horror, whereas Resident Evil 6 is more action-oriented. Therefore:

• Choose Revelations when Jill’s presence and a stronger return toward horror are both important.
• Choose Resident Evil 6 when Ada’s dedicated campaign outweighs a preference for a more horror-centered approach.
• Choose Resident Evil 2 when Claire’s complete campaign is the deciding factor, regardless of whether Ada is also of interest.
• Choose Resident Evil 4 only after accepting that its primary perspective is Leon’s, then verify the availability of Separate Ways if Ada content is essential.

For Jill, Claire, and Ada alike, a character-led role is a more reliable selection criterion than assuming every numbered sequel gives equal control to its returning cast.

Rank #4

Resident Evil 2 Remake - PS5 - UK PAL

• UK PSN account may be required for any online features

$24.75

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Practical play paths

A Jill-focused path

1. Start with Resident Evil 3 for the most direct Jill-centered choice.
2. Move to the original Resident Evil or its remake to experience Jill as one of the first game’s selectable leads.
3. Add Resident Evil: Revelations if you want Jill and Chris in a later adventure with a stronger return toward horror.

A Claire-focused path

1. Begin with Claire’s campaign in Resident Evil 2.
2. Continue to Resident Evil: Revelations 2 for another entry in which Claire is a protagonist.
3. Choose Code: Veronica if following Claire’s story after the Raccoon City events is more important than having the most convenient modern access.

An Ada-focused path

1. Choose Resident Evil 6 first when a dedicated Ada campaign is non-negotiable.
2. Use Resident Evil 2 for Ada-related story content while recognizing that Claire and Leon own the principal campaigns.
3. Add Resident Evil 4 for its Ada connection only after checking whether the specific edition includes Separate Ways; the base game remains Leon-led.

Check the edition before you buy or download

Character recommendations are only useful if the version you obtain contains the expected route. The available evidence does not establish a current, universal platform list, regional stock position, price, or digital-versus-physical status for these games. Store pages and physical availability can change, so verify the details for your country and device at the time of purchase.

• Original versus remake: confirm which version of Resident Evil or Resident Evil 4 is listed.
• Included content: check whether Separate Ways is part of the Resident Evil 4 edition or must be obtained separately.
• Regional access: do not assume a listing seen in one country applies to another.
• Code: Veronica: expect access to be less straightforward than for modern remake releases and verify the exact supported system.
• Historical release information: Capcom’s March 24, 2023 date for the Resident Evil 4 remake describes that announcement, not a guarantee that every current store carries the same edition.

Common recommendation mistakes

Mistaking an appearance for ownership

Ada’s presence in Resident Evil 2 or Resident Evil 4 does not make either base game an Ada-led campaign. Use the role categories above before calling a title “for Ada.”

Ignoring the reader’s preferred balance of horror and action

Resident Evil 6 best satisfies the dedicated-Ada requirement, but its more action-oriented identity may not suit someone primarily seeking the series’ horror emphasis. Character and tone should be evaluated separately.

Treating dated listings as current availability

Older platform or release descriptions are not proof of present regional stock. Confirm the exact edition, system, and included add-ons at the point of purchase.

Reading the shipment figure as a current sales total

Capcom reported that the Resident Evil franchise had exceeded 125 million cumulative shipments as of March 31, 2022. That is a historical, worldwide cumulative figure from Capcom’s June 3, 2022 release, not a current sales total and not evidence that one character-focused entry is better than another.

Why these games fit the series’ identity

Capcom describes the franchise as survival-horror games in which players use weapons and other items to escape terrifying situations. That broad definition explains why the character routes can feel different while still belonging to one series: the roster changes, the campaign structures differ, and the balance between horror and action shifts from entry to entry.

The useful question is therefore not “Which game contains Jill, Claire, or Ada?” It is “Which game gives that character the role I actually want, and does its tone match how I want to play?”

Final decision rules

In short, match the character to the game’s actual playable structure: Jill in Resident Evil 3 or the first Resident Evil, Claire in Resident Evil 2, and Ada in Resident Evil 6. Use the other entries when you specifically want a shared cast, a story continuation, a different tone, or Ada-related content rather than a character-owned campaign.

Quick Recap

Bestseller No. 1

Resident Evil 2 - PlayStation 5

$15.19

Bestseller No. 2

Resident Evil 2 Remake PS4

Based on the release of 1998 but completely rebuilt for a deeper narrative experience; new over the shoulder camera mode and modernized control scheme

$23.49

SaleBestseller No. 3

Resident Evil 3 - PlayStation 5

$18.13

Bestseller No. 4

Resident Evil 2 Remake - PS5 - UK PAL

UK PSN account may be required for any online features

$24.75

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

Ada WongClaire RedfieldJill ValentineResident Evilsurvival horrorVideo Games