From the chaotic action of Resident Evil 4 to the creeping horror of the original Resident Evil, the series has featured a wide variety of genres and styles. But while there isn't an RE kart racer--or at least not yet--not every game in the series has managed to garner the mass acclaim of a Resident Evil 2, or the cultish love that still burns for the misunderstood Resident Evil 6. (Yes, there are dozens of us.)

The following 11 Resident Evil games include notable entries that have fallen by the wayside, strange curiosities that have been forgotten by all but the most hardcore fans, and bizarre ideas that probably should've never made their way off the drawing board in the first place.Now that the long-awaited Resident Evil 4 remake is finally out, fans can't help but wonder which classic entry Capcom will retell next--we're hoping for Code: Veronica. We gave the RE4 remake a 10, calling it a masterful version of one of the greatest games ever made.Though we certainly can't recommend checking out everything on this list, they each form a lesser-known part of one of the most storied series in gaming, so read on to discover what awaits you.

Resident Evil Survivor

One of the first major Resident Evil spin-offs is also one of the all-time worst-received entries in the series. The idea of combining the horror trappings of RE2 with the PS1's GunCon was not necessarily a terrible one, but the execution left a lot to be desired. We gave it a 4.1 back in2000, and that's actually slightly higher than the game's Metascore of 39. Unfortunately for North American fans, the light gun functionality was left out of that version due to controversies surrounding the Columbine High School massacre. As such, this one is best left in the dustbin of gaming history. It did spawn a sequel, however.

Resident Evil Code: Veronica (and Veronica X)

Old-school Resident Evil fans are more than familiar with Code: Veronica, but newer fans might have to go out of their way to try it. Known as the true sequel to Resident Evil 2 (it was given a different name because it didn't release on PlayStation originally) and widely considered one of the best games in the series, Code: Veronica has been stuck on retro consoles for far too long. The GameCube and PS2 versions of the Dreamcast original, dubbed Veronica X, remain the easiest way to play it in 2023, though the HD version for PS3 and Xbox 360 is also a good choice. Let's hope that Capcom finally remakes this game after RE4, because there are a lot of fans who haven't had a chance to experience it yet.

Resident Evil Gaiden

Every classic video game series that was around in the early 2000s got its own weird Game Boy entry that few remember, and that's exactly what Resident Evil Gaiden is. A top-down survival-horror game set on a passenger ship--that also features clunky first-person combat for some reason--Gaiden stars series heartthrob Leon S. Kennedy, as well as returning mentor figure Barry Burton. Though it's sometimes considered underrated for a Game Boy Color game, Capcom has long-since scrubbed it from the series' canon. That said, you could do a lot worse in the Game Boy catalog--Austin Powers: Oh Behave, anyone?

Resident Evil Zero

Another well-received Resident Evil game that newer fans might have missed out on, Zero is a bit of a strange beast. As its name implies, Zero serves as a prequel to the game that started it all, and it's actually set one day before the original. Inspired in part by pioneering horror game Sweet Home, it's significantly more difficult than previous entries in the series, while returning to the slow, count-every-bullet fundamentals established in its first two games. Unlike every other game on this list, Zero is easily playable on modern-day consoles, so if you like survival-horror classics, definitely check it out.

Resident Evil Outbreak

One of the strangest RE games ever, Outbreak is a co-op horror game for PS2 that relied on that console's fledgling internet support for its basic functionality. Set in Raccoon City during the events of RE2, Outbreak featured a cast of normal people just trying to survive the zombie attacks. Though the game could be played solo, it was really designed like a proto-Left 4 Dead, with players pooling resources and using their character's unique abilities to get through a number of scenarios. The game's servers shut down in 2011, but there have been a number offan effortsto bring the game back from the dead over the years, and they appear to be ongoing.

Resident Evil: Deadly Silence

The Nintendo DS is the second best-selling console of all time, which might be why Capcom decided to port the original Resident Evil to it. Subtitled Deadly Silence, the port featured two separate versions of the game, one that stayed as close to the original as possible, and another that added more enemies and added some DS-specific puzzles. It also added some new mechanics, like the 180-degree turn. I doubt anybody would go to bat for Deadly Silence as the ideal way to experience the original Resident Evil today, but it's an interesting relic of a faded era.

Resident Evil: Dead Aim

The third light-gun game in the now-forgotten Resident Evil Gun Survivor series, Dead Aim is consideredby manyto be its best entry. Combining third-person movement with the first-person shooting mechanics of a light-gun game, Dead Aim's other aspects were less than thrilling, particularly its by-the-numbers plot. There are better light-gun games in the series, but Dead Aim is the best of the early entries.

Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles & Darkside Chronicles

Released for Wii in the late 2000s, Umbrella Chronicles and Darkside Chronicles are generally considered the best light-gun games in the Resident Evil series. Though the two games lack unique stories of their own, instead opting to retell key events from previous titles (with a few exceptions), the Wii's control setup brings them nearer to the standard of the rest of the series. Only hardcore Resident Evil fans need to play these forgotten light-gun games, but if you're interested, they're pretty good for what they are.

Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City

Capcom has tried to bring the popular action of the shooter formula to the RE series several times, and it never seems to work out very well. 2012's Operation Raccoon City is a non-canonical retelling of the events of Resident Evil 2 and 3 from the perspective of a military squad, featuring fan-favorite character HUNK. Unfortunately, the tactical combat of the SOCOM and Rainbow Six franchises did not translate well here, and it ended up with aMetascoreof 48. There are definitely worse Resident Evil games, and this is one that deserves to be forgotten.

Resident Evil: Revelations and Revelations 2

The Revelations sub-series is well-known to hardcore RE fans, and if you're in the mood for a more subdued survival-horror experience, they might be up your alley. The original Revelations was designed for the 3DS, and thus even the HD re-release feels a bit dated at times, but Revelations 2 is essentially a full-throated series entry split into four different episodes. They can't compare to classics like RE2 or RE4, but if you've beaten all the best games in the series over and over, you'll probably appreciate their more psychological take on the horror genre.