Resident Evil has transformed, become unrecognizable, and returned to its roots over the last 25 years. Some games polarize fans, while others are universally considered genre-defining opuses. When fans are not arguing over what is the best and worst video game in the Resident Evil franchise, they are more than likely enjoying the loads of bonus content packed into each entry.
Most of the games come with a Mercenaries mode, which involves the player taking down hordes of monsters while reaching a certain point or surviving until the timer counts down. The rules vary from game to game, and some even incorporate progression systems and RPG elements, but the core idea remains the same. The following list will detail all the modes from various games and rank them from worst to best. They are not always called Mercenaries, but the spirit is the same.
10 Resident Evil Code: Veronica
Called Battle Game, Code Veronica’s minigame is the most straightforward version. Players simply go through a random assortment of rooms and take out enemies. Interestingly enough, it can also be played in first-person.
Unfortunately, the offerings are shallow and there is essentially no challenge here. If someone knows how to shoot, they can get through Battle Game without breaking a sweat. The main game is fortunately beefy, so Battle Game’s lack of significant content does not hurt the whole package.
9 Resident Evil 3
The first game to actually call this mode Mercenaries, Resident Evil 3 tasks players with reaching a certain point within two minutes, and they recoup time on the clock by killing enemies.
There may not seem to be a lot of nuance with the classic tank controls of the original trilogy, but experts have found subtle ways to achieve the best times on each scenario. It is curious why the mode was completely absent from the Resident Evil 3 remake.
8 Resident Evil
Unfortunately, this Battle Game is only available on the Saturn version of the original title that started it all, which means its graphics are significantly inferior to the PlayStation version. Still, it is a great mode mostly for how hard it is.
Players eventually come face to face with a zombified Albert Wesker who even takes several magnum bullets to kill. It all ends with a showdown with a gold Tyrant who has more damage than the boss from the main game.
7 The Mercenaries 3D
One might think a game combining the two modes from Resident Evil 4 and 5 would be more highly rated. The main thing holding it back is the lack of significant extras. It is a whole game based on a bonus mode from earlier entries. Except for people who love besting their high scores, there is not much to do after going through the levels for the first time.
All the same, the gameplay does a great job of translating Resident Evil 4 and its sequel’s controls to the Nintendo 3DS. Early in the handheld’s life, there was a dearth of games, so this was a solid pick for early adopters.
6 Resident Evil 6
Let it never be said that Resident Evil 6 does not have a lot of content. After the more than 20 hour campaign, there is an extensive Mercenaries mode to dive into. With ten stages and nine characters, players will spend several hours experimenting with all the loadouts before even going for high scores.
There are also several other cooperative and competitive modes. Unfortunately, Resident Evil 6 is the biggest departure from the series’ survival horror roots, and the gameplay just does not feel like a Resident Evil title.
5 Resident Evil 2
In Resident Evil 2’s DualShock version and subsequent releases, Extreme Battle game is unlocked by beating both scenarios. Unlike modes from the other games, Extreme Battle actually has an objective. Players have to find four bombs scattered around the map and plant them in a specific location.
The layout of the items is slightly different each time and there are three difficulty modes. On higher difficulties, the dog form of William Birkin even occasionally shows up.
4 Resident Evil Revelations
Resident Evil: Revelations introduces Raid Mode. Instead of a traditional Mercenaries arena, Raid Mode offers multiple levels with definitive endings. Players earn experience points that can be used to upgrade and buy weapons.
It is a neat idea and a great way to extend replay value. For those who are not motivated by achieving high scores, Raid Mode offers something more unique.
3 Resident Evil 4
Resident Evil 4 significantly changed up the classic gameplay formula. Some fans might not have taken kindly to the change, but it helped the series live on and introduced it to a whole new legion of fans.
The Mercenaries mode in this title is the first to take it into an arena setting as opposed to a linear progression of rooms. Just survive and rack up as many points as possible. Every stage has its own unique boss enemy who periodically shows up. It’s also pretty tough, and players have to utilize different strategies depending on which of the five characters they choose.
2 Resident Evil 5
For those who have the Gold Edition of Resident Evil 5, which is all the re-releases for modern consoles, the Mercenaries mode is especially expansive. It includes the Mercenaries from the original release along with an additional mode with more characters. This was also the first mainline entry with co-op.
There is also a versus mode where teams compete for high scores and can even hurt each other. The gameplay does not lend itself perfectly to PVP, but it is still an incredibly fun diversion. Despite the action focus of Resident Evil 5, the gameplay is still slow and tense and attacks have impact.
1 Resident Evil: Revelations 2
While the first Revelations was developed for the 3DS before it came to consoles, Revelations 2 was made for consoles first, though a version for the PS Vita also came out. Because of this, the gameplay feels much smoother and enjoyable.
These improvements transfer over to the Raid Mode, which is significantly expanded upon. There is so much content in this mode, it feels like it could be a separate game. Many levels are new environments not featured in the campaign.
Next: 10 Horror Games To Play If You Love The Resident Evil Series
