Summary
There are not many things scarier in aResident Evilgame than hearing a chainsaw revving up in the distance when low on health and ammunition. The original ‘chainsaw enemy’ first appeared inResident Evil 4, but since then, there have been numerous iterations of this classic foe which always act as a tough opponent for the player to overcome, especially since they are always capable of killing a character with a single attack given their weapon of choice.
There have been plenty of chainsaw enemies throughout theResident Evilseries, but not all of them are created equal as some have become a lot more memorable than others for their scare factor, their design, and their introductions. Stock up on first aid sprays and keep that shotgun loaded, as this list will be going through every chainsaw enemy in theResident Evilseries to see which has stood the test of time as memorable in the eyes of fans, and what makes them so unique compared to their peers. Before jumping in, it should be mentioned that the best version of theResident Evil 4original and remake enemies will be included, rather than taking up different spaces in the list.
The Ubistvo is one of the most dangerous and relentless enemies Ada, Jake, and Sherry will face during their campaigns inResident Evil 6, and it’s fair to say, that he certainly doesn’t go down without a fight. Though the Ubistvo is fairly slow, its unpredictable movements and large attack radius mean that keeping a safe distance is always heavily advised, especially during its first encounter where there are other zombies around who can grab Ada if she isn’t careful.
In terms of design, the Ubistvo has been mutated beyond recognition due to being infected withthe C-Virus, but the rotating blades of the chainsaw can still be seen extending out from its body, which is a great and unnerving bit of body horror. It also has a surprisingly epic death scene where it gets kicked onto a train track by Ada after trying to take her head off with his deadly chainsaw, taking him out once and for all after a nail-biting encounter.
Upon completing the first mission inResident Evil 5, many players were led to believe the chainsaw enemy from the previous game had now been replaced by the Executioner, since both of them turn up early on in their respective games to act as mini-bosses. The truth is though, there is a Chainsaw Majini in the game, it’s just that he appears a little later on in chapters 2-1 to ambush Chris and Sheva when they least expect it.
The Chainsaw Majini’s bloody rag-tag appearance is already enough to make him stand out, but what makes him even more memorable is the area where he’s encountered. Chris andhis new companion Shevacome face to face with the enemy in a narrow street corridor with barely any room to maneuver left or right, all while being hounded by regular Majini enemies from all other directions. Saying that this fight is intense would be a huge understatement, and it helps to make this enemy one of the most recognizable from this popular entry in the series.
The Bella Sisters became fan-favorite enemies from the originalResident Evil 4, and as a result, Capcom made sure to give them a proper introduction in the remake, while also making them even more deadly than they were before. The moments before running into the twisted sisters are filled with anxiety as the village becomes completely silent and not a single Ganado is seen for quite a while.
After Leon manages to find a lever needed to open a nearby gate, two chainsaws suddenly start tearing through a wall, marking the official introduction for the maniacal Bella Sisters. This is another scenario where players must fend off a swarm of enemies while also dealing with the sisters, but extra caution needs to be taken since it’s all too easy for the regular Ganado villagers to grab Leon from behind, leaving him wide open to be cut to ribbons. Pair this with the sisters' gruesome design and terrifying squeals, and it results ina deadly duothat no player will ever be able to forget about.
The gigantic Dr Salvador doesn’t actually show up in the main story mode ofResident Evil 4. If players are brave enough to take on this behemoth, they’ll need to unlock the Mercenaries mode by completing the game once, and then jump on Stage 4 where he will eventuallyshow up as a boss. It’s honestly absurd just how powerful Large Salvador is since there’s rarely ever a moment where he won’t be swinging around his dual-bladed chainsaw to tear apart anyone who gets in his way, friend or foe alike.
This already makes him one of the scariest enemies in the entire series, but he also somehow possesses much faster movement speed than regular Salvador, so simply running around him won’t be as easy as it might have been in the campaign. He can also take a mini-arsenal worth of bullets before going down for good, so using characters with powerful guns like Weskeror Hunkcan make things a tad easier. Large Salvador is a spine-chilling enemy who single-handedly blocked many players from being able to complete Stage 4, and the Mercenaries mode in general.
Most chainsaw enemies in theResident Evilgames will show up without much background information on who they are, or how they ended up becoming the monster they eventually turned into. The Comms Officer inRevelationsthough not only gets an entire file dedicated to him, but it also happens to be one ofthe most disturbing and saddest documents in the series. After the Zenobia ship began becoming infested with Ooze, the Comms Officer locked himself away in a room, only to notice that the Ooze had begun seeping in through the air vents.
The found file documents the officer’s descent into insanity as he begins growing a second head due to the Ooze infection, and even begins talking to it. As he questions what on earth is happening to him with the last inch of his sanity, all he can say is “Mayday Mayday” before the words eventually turn into “Meat Meat”. All of this setup culminates in a brutal boss fight with the officer himself who, by this point, is mutated beyond recognition, yet still manages to hold onto a deadly chainsaw-like weapon that will instantly kill anyone who gets close.
1Dr. Salvador (Resident Evil 4)
A Recognizable Mascot Of The Series Whose Violent Tendencies Know No Bounds
The original chainsaw enemy who kicked off the trend, Doctor Salvador, is one of the many villagers whose mind has been completely corrupted by the influence of Las Plagas, but unlike his peers, he decides to carry around a chainsaw rather than a pitchfork or torch. That’s not the only difference though, as Salvador also stands out for the bag on his head where only his devilish red eyes can be seen peaking through, leaving it up to the player’s imagination to wonder what his actual face looks like.
Though Capcom did an excellent job at replicating Salvador’s intimidating presence in the remake, what makes him especially terrifying in the original is the fact that he can’t be countered with a parry, meaning a single misstep can result in Leon’s head being chopped off. Salvador was also used pretty extensively in the game’s marketing, not only being shown on some versions of the cover art and promo art but also having his very own"Chainsaw Controller" for the Gamecube. All of this has contributed to making Dr Salvador one of the most well-known enemies in the franchise who’s capable of making even veterans of the series feel uneasy whenever they can hear his chainsaw revving up from afar.
