Summary of the plot and timeline of the Resident Evil series

Resident Evil Requiem has just officially launched and it’s time to look back at the entire history of the legendary survival horror franchise Resident Evil. With a tightly linked storyline revolving around biological virus mutations and conspiracies spanning nearly three decades, understanding the timeline is essential to understanding Requiem’s ​​context as well as the future of the franchise. Below is the official chronological summary to the Requiem.

Resident Evil plot and timeline summary

Resident Evil Zero: Origins

Resident Evil Zero laid the foundation for the entire disaster. Before the events at the Spencer mansion took place, three scientists Edward Ashford, James Marcus and Ozwell E. Spencer discovered the ancient virus “Progenitor” in Africa – a strain capable of restructuring biology at a fundamental level. From here, they established the Umbrella Corporation with the goal of researching and weaponizing biological evolution, creating a premise for the T.

Ostensibly a pharmaceutical corporation, Umbrella actually operates a network of secret laboratories and military contracts. Research abuse led to an outbreak in the Arklay Mountains. Rebecca Chambers (STARS team) and prisoner Billy Coen become the first witnesses investigating the infected train.

The origin of the event involves James Marcus – who was betrayed and revived as a mutant. Even though Marcus was destroyed, disaster had already begun. Rebecca heads to the Spencer mansion, and Billy disappears from official records.

Resident Evil: The case at the mansion

Resident Evil (Resident Evil 1) opens a classic event at the Spencer mansion. STARS Alpha Team consisting of Jill Valentine, Chris Redfield, Barry Burton and Albert Wesker are sent to find the missing Bravo Team. The seemingly abandoned mansion is actually Umbrella’s biological weapons testing center, containing zombies, Hunters and Tyrants – Umbrella’s ultimate weapons.

The turning point occurred when Wesker was revealed to be a double agent of Umbrella, orchestrating the entire event to collect actual combat data. The plan failed when Tyrant counterattacked. The surviving STARS members destroyed the mansion and escaped. However, Umbrella has not collapsed yet.

Resident Evil 2 & 3: The Fall of Raccoon City

The event at the mansion was just the beginning. In Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, the T virus leaks into Raccoon City’s water supply, turning the entire metropolis into a widespread infection zone.

Leon S. Kennedy (rookie police officer) and Claire Redfield find a way to survive and uncover Umbrella’s plot. William Birkin – the father of the G virus – became the center of a disaster when he inoculated himself with a mutation, creating a chain of uncontrolled transformations. His daughter, Sherry, became a key link in the crisis.

At the same time, Jill Valentine is chased by Nemesis – a biological weapon specially created to destroy living STARS members.

Due to the inability to control the infection, the US government decided to launch a nuclear attack, wiping Raccoon City off the map. Umbrella lost its global reputation and began to seriously weaken.

Resident Evil Code: Veronica – Umbrella Legacy

Resident Evil Code: Veronica continues Claire Redfield’s journey in finding Chris. Claire was captured and taken to Rockfort Island – the base of the Ashford family. A new outbreak occurs due to the remnants of Umbrella’s research. The two Redfield brothers reunited and escaped from the base in Antarctica.

More importantly, Albert Wesker reappeared after testing the virus on his own body. He gained superhuman abilities and became an independent threat, bringing virus samples to the global black market.

Resident Evil 4 & 5: Global Bioterrorism

Resident Evil 4 marks the transition from traditional zombies to the parasitic creature Las Plagas. Leon – now a government agent – goes to Spain to rescue Ashley Graham and face the Los Illuminados organization.

In Resident Evil 5, Chris Redfield, a founding member of BSAA, and Sheva Alomar investigate the TRICELL corporation in Africa. Wesker plots to spread the Uroboros virus to “select” humanity through forced selection.

The final confrontation leads to Wesker’s death. However, bioterrorism has become a global arms race, beyond the scope of single control.

Resident Evil 6: Global Crisis

Resident Evil 6 expands the scale of conflict to many countries. Leon, Chris and Jake Muller (Wesker’s son) confront Neo-Umbrella and virus C – a strain capable of creating large-scale custom mutations.

Although the world avoided complete destruction, the political and human losses were enormous. This period closed the era of supranational bioterrorism.

Resident Evil 7 & Village: The Winters Saga

RESIDENT EVIL 7 biohazard returns the franchise to first-person survival horror gameplay. Ethan Winters searches for his wife in Louisiana and discovers “The Mold” – a sentient fungal entity controlled by Eveline.

In Resident Evil Village, Ethan continues his journey to rescue his daughter Rose from Mother Miranda. The truth is revealed: Ethan died from the events in Louisiana and survived thanks to the Mold structure.

He sacrificed himself to save Rose. Chris Redfield takes responsibility for protecting the girl, and discovers that BSAA has begun deploying its own biological weapons – a sign that the historical cycle is at risk of repeating itself.

Resident Evil Requiem

Resident Evil Requiem takes place approximately three decades after the Raccoon City disaster. The central character is Grace Ashcroft – daughter of Alyssa Ashcroft in Outbreak – investigating a series of murders in the American Midwest and finding a solution to her mother’s death.

The story is said to be directly connected to the Raccoon City Event and to feature Leon S. Kennedy. Details related to the sealed “Dead Zone” and questions about infection show that Requiem is built as an intersection between the past and future of the series.

Resident Evil is not only a survival horror series, but also a chronicle of scientific ambition, bioterrorism, and power cycles. Resident Evil Requiem will likely serve as a concluding chapter or a new beginning for the next era.