Are the older *Resident Evil* games worth catching up on now that they’re popular again?

I finally turned on my PC on Saturday afternoon, and at first I just wanted to casually browse the discounts. But once I opened Steam, I realized the hype around older Resident Evil titles had picked up again. To put it simply, this wasn’t driven by discounts alone. It was more that the recent release of Resident Evil Requiem, combined with Steam’s Spring Sale, pulled a lot of people back to the older games.

It’s actually a lot like when a newly opened bubble tea shop blows up and ends up boosting business for the old shop next door too. It’s not like the Resident Evil series had never gone on sale before, but this time feels different. A lot of people played the new game first, found themselves wanting more, and then went back to pick up the older titles while they were discounted. On top of that, this year happens to be the series’ 30th anniversary, so veteran players are revisiting the classics while newcomers are catching up, and naturally the online player count has gone up.

Looking at how players are catching up on the series, it’s pretty interesting too. Some are playing through in order, finishing Resident Evil 6 and then moving on to Resident Evil 7. Others are working backward from Resident Evil 9 all the way to Resident Evil 6. Either way, it shows that the older entries in the series still have real appeal—they’re not just the kind of discounted games that sit in your library collecting dust.

That said, not every older title is equally worth picking up now. Resident Evil 6 in particular has a very split reputation. Some people take one look at its dated visual style and skip it outright; others think its multiplayer is pretty fun, and that it works fine as a solo action game too. But its horror factor is definitely much weaker, feeling more like 80% action plus 20% puzzle-solving and suspense. If you already like the style of Resident Evil 5, it might actually be right up your alley; but if you’re looking for that step-by-step tension and oppressive atmosphere, then it’s not quite as worthwhile.

If we’re talking about the most cost-effective catch-up choices in terms of both time and price, I personally think two titles stand out. The first is Resident Evil 4 Remake, which has great replay value and is widely seen by many players as one of the most replayable games in the series. For working adults, that really matters—you can buy it once and keep coming back to it, unlike ordering takeout that’s gone in just over ten minutes. The second is Resident Evil 2 Remake, whose speedrun experience has consistently been well regarded. It’s also easy to replay in short bursts of free time—you can do one run over the weekend and another after work without it feeling tiring.

So in my view, this renewed popularity of older Resident Evil games isn’t just nostalgia spinning its wheels—it’s a textbook case of a new release driving interest in older titles. If you’re on a limited budget, prioritize Resident Evil 4 Remake and Resident Evil 2 Remake; if you prefer co-op and action, then take a look at Resident Evil 6. As for anyone mainly diving into the series for the horror atmosphere, don’t spend your time on Resident Evil 6 first.

That said, the time you get to play games on the weekend is precious—almost like annual leave. There’s nothing wrong with using a sale to catch up on older titles, but the key is still the same: don’t just look at the price—make sure it’s actually something you’ll enjoy.