Being one of the most highly regarded survival horror franchises of all time,Resident Evilhas mastered the art of crafting an atmosphere to oppress the player with an overwhelming sense of dread and terror. The environment, monster design, lighting, and audio all help to create this atmosphere.
RELATED:Horror Games That Have Incredible Sound Design
Of course, the music is included in the sound design, which Capcom has mastered with its flagship franchise. With each entry in the series, they include songs to rouse adrenaline, bring a brief calm respite, and chill the blood of the players.
10Haunted House (Resident Evil 7)
Resident Evil 7is often heralded as the series' return to survival horror, following on from the more action-packedResident Evil 6. Ethan Winters made his first appearance in this game. His adventures in theResident Evil universe all began with receiving a message from his wife who has been missing for three years, drawing him out to the derelict Baker mansion in Dulvey, Louisiana.
Fans sang the praises of this entry because it stands out as one of the scariest with the infected molded andthe deranged Baker family. One key component in its scary success was the soundtrack which was often dirty, gritty, and outright terrifying. Haunted House is one of its most spine-chilling tracks, utilizing what sounds like the distant dragging and colliding of metal rather than instruments, making it sound like a monster could be hiding behind any corner.
9Raccoon City Hospital (Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City)
Operation Raccoon Cityis a deviation from the main formula of the series, focusing on the gameplay aspect and acting as a non-canonical what-if scenario, set in the timeline around the events featured inResident Evil2andResident Evil 3. Rather than focusing on the horror aspect, it challenges players more on the survival front,throwing hordes of enemies at themto see if they can survive.
RELATED:The Best Spin-Offs in the Resident Evil Franchise
Although it seems like this game has nothing to offer in the fear front of things, that is whereOperation Raccoon Cityprovides a scary surprise in the music route, offering some truly chilling tracks. Once players reach the Raccoon City Hospital, they will be met with the music theme for that area. This track features a haunting combination of swelling violins, choruses of voices, and pure, unadulterated ambiance that serves to make the abandoned hospital all the scarier.
8Invitation (Resident Evil 0)
The claustrophobictitle ofResident Evil 0saw players experiencing the events of Bravo Team during the Spencer mansion incident, namely that of team medic Rebecca Chambers, and her accomplice by situation Billy Coen. On the train, they witness many horrors in the form of shambling zombies and grossly oversized insects, and once they disembark the horrors don’t end there.
One of the many scariest factors of this title is the soundtrack that serves to further leverage the tension of the environment, and that is no less true with the track labeled Invitation. Ironically, it is a foreboding piece of music that uses dark white noise as the background to violins, metallic percussions, and even the occasional beat from a triangle. When blended together in its slow tempo akin to a zombie’s walk, players will surely not feel invited to whatever this song is a prelude to.
7Central Hall (Resident Evil 4)
One of the most popular and beloved entries in the series,Resident Evil 4had a lot to offer in the ways of action,cheesy one-liners, and over-the-top action moments without sacrificing the fear factor. Set in a remote European village that has fallen to the ravages of Las Plagas, Leon travels there in search of the President’s kidnapped daughter Ashley Graham, who has reportedly been seen in that area.
Resident Evil 4has a phenomenal soundtrack under its belt with more than one eerie track, but Central Hall stands out as one of its most haunting yet. A collaboration of unsettling sound effects more than recognizable instruments, players will instantly feel their blood chill while exploring as this song plays in the background. It definitely adds a new layer of suspension, the music constantly seeming to build up to something.
AnotherResident Evilspin-off title,Dead Aimwas the firstlight gun shooter gamein the series. Players would switch between first and third-person view as they explore the environments of the game while shooting any monsters they encounter. It takes place four years after the events ofResident Evil 2, featuring a brand-new protagonist and storyline for eager fans to sink their teeth into, and a truly impressive soundtrack.
One of its best and most haunting tracks is called Scream in the Darkness, and to no one’s surprise, it features distinct background screams that sound slowed down and distorted, making them all the more eerie.
5The Underground (Resident Evil 1)
The firstResident Evilgame is often viewed as one of theearliest and greatest survival horror games, pushing the envelope on what was considered scary back in those years to bring a truly terrifying experience. Featuring the S.T.A.R.S. Team Alpha and their exploration of the Spencer mansion, players would control S.T.A.R.S. members Chris or Jill as they uncovered the mysteries and horror that hid within. The terrifying monsters, level design, and tank control system elevated the horror, which was aided by a fantastic soundtrack.
Once players venture into the underground, they will be greeted with the eerie soundtrack of the area, which is a discordant overlapping of a repetitive whirring sound and what almost sounds like the low, guttural hiss of an inhuman creature.
4The Hag (Resident Evil Village)
A continuation of the Winters storyline,Resident Evil Villagebrings back protagonist Ethan as he searches a desolate Romanian village in search of his kidnapped infant daughter, Rosemary. After learning she has been separated into four parts, he seeks to find and take out all four lords, meeting a mysterious hag there who offers advice that is more cryptic than helpful.
The hag is accompanied by an eerie soundtrack to match her unsettling appearance and mannerisms, which is an overlapping chorus of women’s voices, with dark violin strings simmering beneath the surface. The song raises in volume, heightening the tension of Ethan’s meeting with the mysterious old woman.
3Police Station Basement (Resident Evil 2 Remake)
TheResident Evil 2 Remakewasone of the best remakes of all time, completely remastering the original with updated graphics, gameplay, tweaks to the story for a more streamlined experience, and of course a brand-new soundtrack. Following the story of the unlikely duo Claire Redfield and Leon Kennedy as they flee to the police station to escape horsed of zombies, players will enter into a truly new and frightening survival horror experience that will test their courage.
The soundtrack alone could haunt even the bravest of fans, especially the Police Station Basement track. It features the chilling rise and fall of whispering voices and cold instruments that truly help to facilitate an unsettling atmosphere that will have players shivering on the very edge of their seats.
2Voice of the Darkness (Resident Evil 5)
The fifth installment of theResident Evilseries proved divisive among fans, with some praising its fun gameplay and emphasis on co-op, while others disagreeing with the bold new direction the beloved horror franchise was taking. But whichever side of the fence fans fall on, there’s no denyingResident Evil 5has sometruly spectacular and memorable moments, and even some scary surprises.
RELATED:Resident Evil - Best Duos
One of these is the fantastically ghastly Voice of the Darkness track, which combines some creepy background noises that could almost be mistaken for footsteps or movement with what sounds like distorted voices coming from the darkness, just as the song title suggests. Diving into whatever area has this song playing as its theme would undoubtedly be an ultimate test of anyone’s bravery.
1Promenons-nous Dans Le Bois (Resident Evil Village)
Resident Evil Villageproved to be a truly remarkable entry into the series, expertly bringing in four totally disparate subgenres of horror to create one of the most unique and engaging horror experiences. One of the mostunsettling areas of the gamewas the house belonging to the mysterious and withdrawn Donna Beneviento, the Dollmaker. With one horrific lucid nightmare and a house full of killer dolls, it was a scene full of horrifying scares that would scar players for years.
This was helped along by the equally creepy track Promenons-nous Le Bois, which combines low distant thudding sounds with a multitude of children’s voices overlapping in indecipherable words, laughter, and screams. The discordance and sheer horror of the track are enough to terrify even the bravest of players.
