For most newcomers, start with Resident Evil 2 (2019 remake). It offers modern controls and presentation while letting you experience two complementary campaigns: Leon Kennedy’s route and Claire Redfield’s route. After that, follow Leon into Resident Evil 4 (2023 remake), or follow Claire toward Code: Veronica.
Choose Jill Valentine or Chris Redfield first if you want the mansion, S.T.A.R.S. and Umbrella foundations. Choose Ethan Winters if you prefer a focused first-person story told across Resident Evil 7: Biohazard and Resident Evil Village.
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Quick answer: pick the protagonist who matches the horror you want
| What you want from Resident Evil | Best protagonist to start with | First game | Where the route leads |
|---|---|---|---|
| A modern, all-purpose introduction | Leon or Claire | Resident Evil 2 remake | Leon continues into Resident Evil 4; Claire connects most directly to Code: Veronica |
| Classic survival horror, mansion exploration and Umbrella lore | Jill or Chris | Resident Evil (2002 remake) | Resident Evil 3 remake, then later BSAA-era stories |
| A progression from survival horror to action-horror | Leon | Resident Evil 2 remake | Resident Evil 4 remake, then Resident Evil 6 |
| Survivor-focused drama and the Redfield family thread | Claire | Resident Evil 2 remake | Code: Veronica and later Claire-led appearances |
| The original S.T.A.R.S. foundation and broad bioterror history | Chris | Resident Evil remake | Code: Veronica, Resident Evil 5 and BSAA stories |
| A compact, modern first-person arc | Ethan | Resident Evil 7: Biohazard | Resident Evil Village |
Why the Resident Evil 2 remake is the safest first game
The 2019 remake is the most balanced entry point because it sits between the series’ eras. It presents the Raccoon City crisis with current visual design and controls, yet retains the exploration, resource decisions and enclosed tension associated with classic Resident Evil. You do not need detailed knowledge of earlier games to understand what Leon and Claire are trying to do.
It also solves a common newcomer problem: choosing a single lead before knowing what kind of story you prefer. Leon’s campaign follows a rookie police officer arriving in Raccoon City for his first job. Claire arrives while looking for her brother Chris. Their routes show different perspectives on the same disaster, so playing both gives you a fuller introduction than committing to one character alone.
#1 Best Overall
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Once you finish one route, the other is useful rather than redundant. Claire’s emphasis on protecting people and surviving as a civilian feels different from Leon’s progression toward a more action-oriented role. The game therefore works as both a self-contained first experience and a test of which protagonist style suits you.
Every major protagonist route, explained
Leon S. Kennedy: the clearest path into action-horror
Leon begins as an inexperienced police officer entering Raccoon City on his first day. That starting point gives his games an easy-to-follow character arc: a survivor who gradually becomes a highly capable government agent. His route is the best choice if you want to watch the series’ tone change from enclosed survival horror to larger-scale action while keeping one central character in view.
Start with Resident Evil 2 remake and then play Resident Evil 4 remake. In the latter, Leon is sent to Europe to search for the U.S. president’s daughter. The mission structure, combat emphasis and wider locations make the shift from the police-station setting of Resident Evil 2 immediately apparent.
Leon’s route rewards players who like visible skill progression. The first game establishes uncertainty and limited resources; the next presents a protagonist who is expected to operate alone in a dangerous rescue mission. If you want a straightforward two-game introduction before sampling the wider series, this is the most legible route.
Claire Redfield: civilian resilience and the family connection
Claire enters Resident Evil 2 looking for Chris, so her motivation is personal from the opening scenes. Her campaign puts more weight on protecting other survivors and responding to people caught in the outbreak. That survivor-focused perspective makes her a strong choice if character relationships matter more to you than a transformation into an elite action hero.
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Play Claire’s route in the Resident Evil 2 remake first, then continue to Code: Veronica for the most direct extension of her search for and connection to Chris. Claire’s path is also a good way to understand why the Redfield family remains important across later stories. It emphasizes persistence, empathy and practical survival rather than institutional authority.
There is no universally correct order between Leon and Claire. If you want the police-arrival viewpoint first, begin as Leon; if the sibling search and civilian viewpoint appeal more, begin as Claire. Playing both campaigns before moving on gives you the context that a single route cannot provide.
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Jill is one of the S.T.A.R.S. officers investigating the original mansion incident alongside Chris. Her route is the right starting point for players who want the series’ earliest survival-horror design, the institutional conspiracy surrounding Umbrella and the team that established the franchise’s core mythology.
Begin with the 2002 remake of Resident Evil. It establishes the mansion investigation and Jill’s role in the S.T.A.R.S. foundation. Follow it with the Resident Evil 3 remake to stay with Jill during the Raccoon City crisis. Resident Evil Revelations then serves as a bridge into later bioterror stories, presenting Jill as a BSAA member and a survivor of the Raccoon City Incident.
Jill’s route is less about a single linear career ladder than about seeing the series’ original ideas develop: investigation, constrained resources, institutional betrayal and the consequences of the mansion case. Choose it when atmosphere and lore are more important to you than the newest presentation or the most cinematic combat.
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Chris Redfield: the broadest franchise-spanning bioterror story
Chris begins with Jill in the first mansion investigation and becomes a recurring BSAA lead. Capcom describes the scope of his role directly: “To explore the history of Chris Redfield is to explore the history of the Resident Evil series itself!” That makes Chris the strongest route for readers who want the widest network of connections among Jill, Claire and later BSAA events.
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Start with the 2002 Resident Evil remake, then play Code: Veronica for the family connection involving Claire. Continue to Resident Evil 5, where Chris’s action-era arc becomes a major focus. This sequence moves from the mansion foundation through the Redfield family story and into the franchise’s larger bioterror response.
Chris is a good choice if you are comfortable with the series changing scale and tone. His route covers more of the institutional and global side of the fiction than Ethan’s compact story, and it connects multiple recurring characters rather than concentrating on one isolated incident.
Ethan Winters: a concentrated first-person story
Ethan’s storyline is the most self-contained of the main protagonist routes. In Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, he travels to Louisiana to find his wife, Mia, after believing she was dead. The first-person perspective makes the experience more immediate and keeps the horror centered on a personal, domestic crisis.
Play Resident Evil 7 followed by Resident Evil Village. Together they form a two-game arc before you need to learn the older cast or the longer history of Umbrella and the BSAA. This is the best route for someone who wants modern first-person immersion, a personal motive and a defined beginning and continuation.
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Ethan’s route does not replace the older protagonists; it gives you a different entry point. After finishing both games, you can decide whether to explore the earlier survival-horror foundation or move into the broader action-era stories.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Recommended play orders
Best general order for a new player
- Resident Evil 2 remake — play Leon and Claire’s routes.
- Resident Evil 3 remake — continue the Raccoon City crisis through Jill’s story.
- Resident Evil 4 remake — follow Leon’s progression into action-horror.
- Resident Evil 7: Biohazard.
- Resident Evil Village.
Add the 2002 Resident Evil remake before Resident Evil 2 if you want the S.T.A.R.S. and mansion context first. Otherwise, the order above gives you a modern introduction before widening into the other eras.
Chris and Jill lore order
- Resident Evil (2002 remake).
- Resident Evil 3 remake.
- Code: Veronica.
- Resident Evil 5.
- Resident Evil Revelations.
This sequence prioritizes the mansion investigation, the Raccoon City aftermath and the development of the BSAA-era bioterror narrative. It is best when series history matters more than keeping one gameplay style throughout.
Leon-first order
- Resident Evil 2 remake, Leon route.
- Resident Evil 4 remake.
- Resident Evil 6.
This is the most direct action-led protagonist path. The first game establishes Leon as a rookie survivor, the second shows his government-agent role, and the third continues his later career.
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- Resident Evil 7: Biohazard.
- Resident Evil Village.
Choose this order when you want the shortest complete protagonist arc and prefer first-person horror over the series’ older third-person and fixed-location structures.
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Should you play Leon or Claire first?
Play Leon first if you want the clearest setup for Resident Evil 4 and prefer a protagonist whose role develops toward government-led action. Play Claire first if the search for Chris, civilian survival and protecting other people are stronger draws.
For a first visit to the remake, select the character whose motivation sounds more compelling, then play the other campaign before buying the next game. The two perspectives are complementary, and seeing both prevents you from treating one character’s route as the entire Raccoon City story.
How to choose when you are buying only one game
- Choose the Resident Evil 2 remake for the broadest introduction and the option to compare two leads.
- Choose the Resident Evil remake if mansion exploration, S.T.A.R.S. and Umbrella’s beginnings are your priority.
- Choose the Resident Evil 4 remake only when you specifically want Leon’s action-oriented chapter; it is more rewarding after Resident Evil 2.
- Choose Resident Evil 7 if first-person immersion and a personal modern horror story matter most.
When shopping for a physical copy, check the platform, edition and current retailer availability at the time of purchase. Stock and prices change, and a listing for one console generation may not include the version you need. The same check applies if you continue with the Resident Evil 4 remake for Leon or Resident Evil Village for Ethan.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsCommon mistakes new players make
Assuming Resident Evil has one permanent hero
The series rotates its mainline focus among Chris, Jill, Leon, Claire and Ethan. Starting with one character does not commit you to a single continuous gameplay style. Treat each route as a different lens on the same evolving universe.
Skipping the second Resident Evil 2 campaign
Choosing one lead and immediately moving to another title leaves out the contrasting perspective that makes the remake such an effective introduction. Finish one route, then play the other before deciding which character’s later games you want to prioritize.
Expecting every route to feel alike
Jill’s mansion investigation, Leon’s action progression and Ethan’s first-person story serve different purposes. A change in camera perspective, pacing or scale is part of the franchise’s design, not evidence that you selected the wrong protagonist.
Starting with a later action chapter without context
Resident Evil 4 is an excellent Leon game, but the rookie-to-agent progression is clearer when you have first seen Leon in Resident Evil 2. Likewise, Chris’s later stories carry more weight after the mansion and family connections are established.
Final recommendation
Start with the Resident Evil 2 remake and play both Leon and Claire. Follow Leon into the Resident Evil 4 remake if you want action-horror, or follow Claire toward Code: Veronica if you prefer survivor and family-driven stories. Pick Jill or Chris instead when classic S.T.A.R.S. lore is your main attraction, and pick Ethan when you want a focused first-person pair of games in Resident Evil 7 and Village. There is no single mandatory protagonist order; the best route is the one whose tone and motivation match the experience you want first.
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