Hello again faithful readers! I hope you have been enjoying all of the Resident Evil content this season on the podcast and the blog! This is going to be my last blog post on the franchise for awhile. And I can think of no better way to send it off than by ranking my favorite villains in the Resident Evil universe. I am going to caveat this discussion by stating very plainly that my experience with the franchise is deep, but really only goes as far as the main entries. So if you don’t see your favorite villain from Operation: Raccoon City, you now know why. So with that lets start with an honorable mention.
The Hounds (Various Titles)
Had to include them. Although not a major boss in any of the games that they appear, the infected hounds can cause some serious hell to the unaware gamer. Usually in packs, they do low damage individually but can take you down together. Their barks can make you incredibly on edge, and I have found that over compensating for them can lead to other mistakes (recently tried to dodge some in RE2 Remake and instead ran headlong into Mr. X). They are far scarier than your average zombies and deserve at least a mention on this list.
5. Garrador (Resident Evil 4)
This was a tough call between another enemy in RE4; the Regenerador, the awful noise making super parasitic mess that can only be killed by using an infrared scope on a rifle. The reason why I placed Garrador on the list over Regenerador is to me I feel the reason why Regenerador is so reviled by Resident Evil fans is due to the difficulty it takes to take it down (the scope adds an extra level of BS since you cannot move while aiming). Garrador is a blind enemy with claws that make Wolverine’s look like hangnails. He reacts to sound, so in order to take him on stealth is your best friend. Your first encounter with one is in a locked cell, where you have to use bells to get him to turn his back so that you can shoot him on the parasitic growth on his back. But to me the fight that matters most is when you take two on at once, in a room with tight hallways and few bells to use to your advantage. I cannot tell you how many times I have turned corners during this fight just to run face to face with one and get the auto KO with a swift decapitation. Dude sucks and I am happy he hasn’t returned to the series, yet...
4. William Birkin (Resident Evil 2)
The scientist who let is work consume his life, quite literally. He was a menace in his own right back in the OG RE2, but certainly takes it to the next level in the 2019 remake. He has four different forms, each more evolved (or devolved depending on how you look at it) and more difficult to take down. His fights are always in enclosed spaces, which make him such a difficult monster to take down. Personally taking him on under gunned is one of the most difficult tasks I have ever encountered, as I recently did in the remake. It was the third fight, and I had been running around with only the unlimited Samurai Edge pistol. Although I had infinite ammo, taking him on without a shotgun or magnum took it to another level.
3. Nemesis (Resident Evil 3: Nemesis)
I think probably the most iconic Resident Evil villian in the entire franchise. This is part thanks to its awesome portrayal in the movie “Resident Evil: Apocalypse” (2004), but truly I think it is thanks to the impact it had in the game that it shared a name. Nemesis makes his presence known real quick and lets the player know he is not messing around. I will always remember the scene where we kills Brad Vickers, taking me way off guard for its suddenness and brutality. He also has a super iconic look. The black trenchcoat and the Frankenstein’s monster’s face help him to really stand out in the Umbrella rogue gallery. And let’s not forget his guttural groan, moaning “Staarrssss” as he hunts you around the map.
2. Mr. X (Resident Evil 2)
This is one that up until the release of the 2019 remake I don’t think I would have included on this list. For me playing RE2 had always been a Leon experience, and even though I have played all campaigns, Leon A is the one that I remember the most when looking back on the game. But… RE2 Remake changed all of that. He is a terror. His steps chasing you around the RPD literally throws you off from whatever you are doing and leads to stupid, costly mistakes. The confrontation with him on the moving platform at the end of Leon’s first campaign is rough, particularly on Hardcore. And his skull-crushing first tease in the jail really set the town that he is no longer here to mess around. There have been mods for the PC release where as he gets closer to you DMX’s “X Gonna Give it to You” plays louder and louder. Funny, yet oddly terrifying. Because of this revamp, I am excited and scared to see them revamp Nemesis.
1. Albert Wesker (Resident Evil Zero, Resident Evil, Code: Veronica, Resident Evil 5, Resident Evil 5)
I know many my roll their eyes as listeners to the podcast know I LOVE Wesker, I think it is very easy to place him at the top because of the huge impact that he has had on the franchise. He appears in so many games, and his presence in the RE universe is constantly felt, even after his death, that I do not know how he cannot reign supreme on this kind of list. His first appearance is just as an average man, the rat on the STARS team who betrays everyone for his own personal gain. He defies death constantly, eventually becoming one of the monsters that he helped create. He has an awesome persona, with the trench coat, sunglasses, and slicked back blonde hair. He even was pretty cool in the the movie adaptations, often a bright spot in a messy plot. Even though he died in RE5, I am hopeful that he will return in RE8. This may be as a clone or some other sci-fi BS that I will buy without question. I think he will because I think that RE8 will focus around Chris Redfield again, and we now know that it impossible to have a good RE game with Chris without his foil Wesker.