All Resident Evil Games You Should Play Before Requiem

Resident Evil Requiem is officially the ninth game in the main Resident Evil series, and it's set to be released in early 2026. This means that there's plenty of time to play some other games from the series before its release, and if you're new to the Resident Evil series and only trying it out because Requiem looks interesting, then there are some games that would be great options to play before jumping into Grace's story.

While the mainline and spinoff games in the Resident Evil series can be played out of order, it's helpful to have certain background information if you're playing games that have recurring characters, since those games tend to reference the games that the characters have been featured in previously.

Requiem looks like it will feature Leon as its recurring series character based on leaks, and Grace is also connected to a character from an earlier game, giving you a decent map of games to play before Requiem's release.

5 Resident Evil Outbreak

Where Grace's Story Actually Starts

Grace Ashcroft is one of the main characters in Resident Evil Requiem, and the trailer mentions her mom's unusual death. It turns out that her mom is Alyssa Ashcroft, who's one of the characters from Resident Evil Outbreak. While Outbreak is a spinoff game, it has a fair number of fans from the Resident Evil community, especially because it feels different from the mainline games with the way that its cast is filled with just normal civilians.

Requiem will likely be made in a way where you don't need to play Outbreak to understand Grace's story, but going through Alyssa's story could add weight to what you learn about her fate in Requiem. Plus, it's just a fun game that shows you what the outbreak in Raccoon City was like for the average person instead of the police officers and STARS members that you see the outbreak through in the main games.

4 Resident Evil

Where The Series Began

Naturally, the first game is a great place to start your Resident Evil journey. This is where you learn about the trials and secrets that led to the outbreak in Raccoon City, and you get an idea of Umbrella's evil nature as you witness and read about the results of their hidden research. It also sets the tone for much of the story going forward in the series.

If anything, Resident Evil is much slower paced than what Requiem is likely to be. As the series progressed, it shifted towards action elements, whereas the earlier games tended to include a lot more puzzles. Recent games in the series balance action with some puzzles and stealth at times, so it's likely that Requiem is going to continue that trend. Still, the first game holds up with the help of remakes and remasters, giving you a classic experience with better graphics than the original version.

3 Resident Evil 2

The Start Of Leon's Journey

Resident Evil 2 is a fan-favorite game in the series, and it puts you in the middle of the Raccoon City outbreak for the first time. Following Claire Redfield and Leon S. Kennedy, you need to survive the unexpected outbreak and try to escape the city before it's blown up. This is also where you meet other recurring characters, such as Ada Wong and Sherry.

The remake of RE2 is particularly worth checking out before Requiem. Not only do you get to see the start of Leon's journey, since he's rumored to be a playable character in Requiem, but you also get to experience the game with over-the-shoulder cameras and better combat controls instead of static cameras and tank controls.

2 Resident Evil 4

The Version Of Leon Likely To Appear

While Leon is also in Resident Evil 6, it's more likely that his character in Requiem will resemble the version of him that you see in the remake of Resident Evil 4. This is partially because the series overall tries to treat Resident Evil 5 and Resident Evil 6 as if they don't exist. As a result, getting to know Leon through RE4 would be more beneficial and better reflect what he's like in Requiem.

Another important part of RE4 is that it shows you Leon's growth from a rookie cop to an agent working for the president and taking on dangerous solo missions. Even if the leaks end up being untrue about Leon being in Requiem, RE4 is such a fun part of the series that it's still worth playing to pass the time while you wait for Requiem to be released.

1 Resident Evil 7

The Modern Style Of Resident Evil

As a series, Resident Evil has evolved over the decades, and Resident Evil 7—and its sequel, Resident Evil 8—shows you the modern style that the series seems to have settled on after experimenting with action-oriented titles in RE5 and RE6. These games returned to the survival horror roots of the franchise, and they focused on the story that took place in one contained area to keep the scope on the smaller side, which gives you the feeling of being trapped in a location.

It's unclear how large of an area Requiem will take place in, but you have a similar story starting with Grace receiving a tip about a dead relative that sends her to go investigate a dangerous location. However, she has more support and preparation than Ethan got, since she's not going in blind to the outbreaks that happen in this world.

There are a lot of games in the Resident Evil franchise, especially if you include spinoffs, and it would be difficult to get through all of them before Requiem is released while also balancing the responsibilities of life. That's why this set of games is curated to not require an unreasonable time commitment, but to also give you the best possible background to prepare for the newest game. Then, you should have all the extra information you might need to make the story as impactful as possible in Resident Evil Requiem.