Summary
Resident Evilhas given rise to countless amazing characters, from their epic legacy heroes that are always saving the day to their supporting casts that help make every game so great. There are countless debates about the best characters across theResident Evilgames — everyone will have different favorites, ranging from villains like Wesker to heroes like Chris Redfield.
Whether it is down to their engaging personality, the deeds they have done, how competent they are, or the personal growth they have throughout their game(s), theseResident Evilcharacters are shining examples of how to create fantastic characters who fans can’t help but adore.
Moira Burton was a one-off character introduced inRevelations 2, to be a companion to Claire Redfield and her scenario. The two Terrasave agents are kidnapped when an office party is crashed by armed mercenaries, and they are taken to a penal colony known as Rockfort Island to be unwilling participants of an experiment involving a virus that thrives under fear. The two women need to work together to escape — and purge themselves of the virus.
Throughout the course of the game, Moira has one of the best character arcs inResident Evil, especially among the supporting characters who never really receive such treatment. She pushes through the trauma alongside Claire, remaining a good companion and even friend to her. She even overcomes her fear of firearms sparked by a childhood incident to save Claire’s life, and she learns to make peace with her father, Barry.
The 2023 version ofResident Evil 4proved to beone of the best remakesof not just the franchise, but of all time. The graphics were phenomenal, the gameplay smooth, and the story and characters were more grounded and gritty, rather than overloaded with cheese like in the original version (though there’s still plenty of cheese to be found). Remaking this game was no small order, as it is held in high esteem by fans, but Capcom improved upon almost everything, mostly notably Ashley.
The new mechanics do, unfortunately, make her a little harder to protect, as players can no longer force her to wait at the start of the location, but her character overall is made not just bearable, but truly amazing. She isn’t as shrill or demanding and is less bratty, instead opting to make her a more well-mannered and civilized young woman who even voices concern for Leon at times. This is an Ashley players actually want to save, and not just one they are forced to to complete the game.
Resident Evil 7starred a brand-new protagonist in a brand-new game that eventually got a sequel in the form ofResident Evil Village. InRE7, Ethan travels to rural Louisiana in search of his missing wife, only to be beset by the Baker family, who have fallen to violent madness from the influence of the mold. InVillage, Ethan is this time seeking to retrieve his daughter from the Four Lords and Mother Miranda, who have taken her as part of a ritual.
Unlike most other protagonists, Ethan is a man with no real combat experience, yet he rises to the challenge with unfaltering bravery. Even though he is infected by the mold himself, he proves to be resilient as he doesn’t fall into fits of maddening rage, instead continuing to be the caring man he is, placing the well-being of his wife and daughter above his own. Even death doesn’t stop him from being a guiding light for his daughter, Rosemary.
The younger sister to Chris, Claire is one of the most popular characters who first appeared as a playable character in the second game alongside Leon as she set out to Raccoon City to look for her brother. Despite being a college student, Claire proved that, like her brother, she was no pushover, fighting throughhordes of monstersin order to make her escape. Along the way, she meets Sherry, taking the abandoned girl under her wing.
This is one instance where Claire proves she is one of the kinder characters inResident Evil,helping characters like her and Moira, and showing some care for Steve inCODE: Veronica. Yet, this never gets in the way of her kicking ass when the moment calls for it. This makes Claire a well-rounded character who is easy to like and is definitely owed a few more games that put her in a starring role.
Resident Evil 7was a game that was celebrated after lackluster titles such asRE5andRE6completely changed the formula of the games, as they placed a heavier emphasis on over-the-top combat. Part of what madeRE7so great was not only its smothering and terrifying atmosphere, butthe main threats of this title: the Baker family.
The Baker’s were an ordinary yet rather reclusive family living close to the bayou, who took in Eveline after she washed up by their guest house. They were rewarded with her gift as thanks, transforming them into terrifying monsters capable of dastardly deeds. The patriarch of the family was no exception, taunting his prey as he pursued them doggedly through his properties, quite ready to kill them with whatever he had at his disposal. He even sometimes made witty one-liners, which all around made him an excellent yet terrifying villain.
Originally a member of the S.T.A.R.S. Alpha Team in the firstResident Evilgame, it turned out Wesker is actuallya double agent. His betrayal was eventually revealed in the game, which gave rise to one of the most iconic video game villains of all time, who went on to reprise his role in games such asCODE: VeronicaandResident Evil 5.
The latter title is when Wesker is truly at his zany, over the top best self, with goals of unleashing Uroboros across the entire goal. The cheesy nature of Wesker was just whatRE5needed, which was proving rather divisive among fans. There are many who desire his return to the franchise, despite meeting his demise in a volcano, which is just further proof of how excellent this villain truly is, as players don’t normally root for the return of the bad guys.
At the forefront of the marketing forResident Evil Villagewas Lady Dimitrescu, a shockingly tall and beautiful vampire who was wholly different from all the other Resident Evil villains that had appeared in the franchise so far. In truth, her role in the game was short, but she made such a lasting impression during the limited amount of screen-time she had that the influence of her popularity cast a large shadow overVillage.
She wasan effective stalker enemywhile exploring the castle, forcing players to reroute in terror when they ran into her in the hallways. She was not the only occupant of the castle, as her three daughters also presented a threat. Her portion of the game was like a fresh new take on the story ofDracula, only she had much more power — and an intimidating monster form — at her disposal.
Chris Redfield is undoubtedly one of the staple heroes that helped make the franchise what it is from his very first appearance in the first installment in the series. He isone of the bravest characters, always ready to pick up a gun and save the world from whatever biological threat it faces next, as evidenced by his character having the most appearances out of the other legacy protagonists.
His close partnership with Jill is touching to see, which is especially evident inResident Evil 5, which made some…interesting changes to his character. He may be a bit more jaded in the latter entries in the series, but this doesn’t stop Chris from doing what he must to be the hero the world needs, even if that would mean sacrificing himself. He has dodged death so far, but it is clear from Chris’s characterization that he would take a bullet for the people he cares about.
Debuting inResident Evil 2,Ada has since been a frequent flyer in the franchise, often appearing to tease Leon and offer a cryptic yet helping hand. This is especially apparent inResident Evil 4, the game in which she saves his life multiple times, making it quite clear he wouldn’t have gotten very far without her intervention.
Her vested interest in keeping him alive sometimes conflicts with her own goals and motivations, as seen by her crossing him inRE2and throwing her lot in with Wesker. Sometimes, it can be hard to keep track of whose side she is really on, but this mystique only makes Ada all the more compelling. She has a way of leaving people wanting more, and this is true for both Leon and the players themselves.
Resident Evilgave rise toone of the most badass video game women of all time, and that would be Jill Valentine. Unsurprisingly, she is close to the top of many fans' favoriteResident Evilcharacters list, as her heroism is indisputable. In her main games —Resident Eviland, particularly,Resident Evil 3—Jill proves time and time again just how independent and badass she truly is.
Though Jill is long overdue to return to the series, as her last game was the remake ofResident Evil 3,she still remains not only as one of the most iconic, but one of the greatest characters all around. With a likable personality that extends beyond the devil-may-care one-dimensional badass, it is hard to dislike Jill.
