Summary
Though the main draw of aResident Evilgame is always the long and engaging story mode, this series has been known for its fun and engaging variety of bonus modes, too. Whether it’s the action-packed Mercenaries mode, chaotic PVP modes, or even side stories, there have been tons of exciting bonus game modes that do a good job at encouraging players to continue returning to the game even after the credits roll.
While someResident Eviltitles only offer players one or two extra game modes to play around with, others provide a much healthier variety, to the point where some consider these extra bits of content to be more engaging than the story itself. Anyone looking for an excuse toboot up someResident Evilgamesbut doesn’t want to play through the main stories again ought to check out these titles below.
Before diving in, this list will still include content that acts as side-stories; so long as they are not a part of the main story itself and are clearly designed to act as bonus content, they will be counted.
ThoughOperation Raccoon Citycame out during a low-point for the series, looking back, the game had some genuinely innovative and interesting multiplayer modes, many of which are still active to this day. The Heroes Mode would be Capcom’sfirst and only crack at aResident Evilhero shooter, and while it definitely feels a little unbalanced, being able to jump in with series legends who all possess their own abilities and weapons is still terrifically fun.
The other PVP modes are more focused on competing against the enemy team for objectives, such as collecting bio-samples, all while the undead roam the map and feast on anyone who they run into during the match. While the extra single-player content is severely lacking,Operation Raccoon Cityprovides a lot for PVP fans.
Whilethe Mercenaries modewas technically first introduced withResident Evil 3, Capcom would refine it and make it a little more rewarding to play with the iconic fourth entry in the series. With five characters to choose from and four stages, including the infamous Water World stage that features the Super Salvador, there’s a lot of chaotic fun to be had, but the real meat of the bonus content comes with the Ada side stories.
Separate Ways, while nowhere near as lengthy as its remake, is still a quick and easy story, standing apart from the main story thanks to its new cutscenes and boss enemies. Assignment: Ada is more of a straight-up arcade shooter, though that’s far from a bad thing, especially for those who are fans of the more action-heavy games in the series.
While all the bonus modes in theResident Evil 2 Remakeare time trials, there are still plenty of them to get through to ensure players aren’t fighting their way through the same area over and over again. Fourth Survivor is the most well-known and enjoyable of the bunch,following HUNK as he tries to make a desperate escapefrom the zombie-infested city before the bombs arrive. Since this game is a lot more stripped-back on the melee combat, it means each and every single zombie poses a threat, and with swarms of them standing in HUNK’s way, it makes for an exhilarating extra bit of content to play through.
There’s also Ghost Survivors, which acts as a “what if?” scenario for four side characters who met their fate in the main campaign. These stories are brutally difficult to overcome with a high ranking, which adds a lot to their replayability. And this is all without even mentioning Tofu, a fun little gag mode that Capcom decided to insert into the game, which is always a blast to play around with.
Raid Mode was a bonus challenge mode first introduced to the series withResident Evil: Revelationson the 3DS. While the core gameplay loop and upgrade system helped the mode feel like a breath of fresh air from what had come before, Capcom would double down and build upon the foundation they had set with the sequel,Revelations 2.
The main goal of a typical match is to simply complete objectives and make it to the end of a level, but because of how many weapons, upgrades, and characters there are up for grabs, it makes the grind pretty enjoyable. It also helps thatRevelations 2allows Raid Mode to beplayed both online and through split-screenthanks to it not being released on a handheld like its predecessor.
While the main story of the remake to the belovedResident Evil 4is already fantastic, the game features one extra bonus game mode, along witha DLC side story that players can dive intoafter Leon’s mission finally ends. The Mercenaries mode from the original game is back, and while the same characters are all here, each of them has been given unique abilities to feed into different playstyles. Luis, for example, is capable of using dynamite to blow groups of Ganados into smithereens; meanwhile, Ada can zip around the map like nobody’s business thanks to her grappling hook.
While getting an S rank on each of the four maps isn’t quite as difficult as it is in other iterations of the mode, it’s still a blast to return to for quick and short sessions.Separate Waysis really the star of the show here, though, with it now being much longer than it was previously and featuring tons of new bosses and areas to make for an excellent bonus story.
Resident Evil 5is a game often credited for itsexcellent incorporation of co-op mechanics into its gameplay, and it works just as well in the bonus game modes as it does in the main campaign. The Mercenaries mode, which is arguably the best iteration seen in the entire series, presents a fast-paced and incredibly fun challenge that becomes extremely addictive considering how many characters are available to get onto the leaderboards because of the Mercenaries Reunion update.
The two side stories, Lost in Nightmares and Desperate Escape, also offer a nice break from the main story. While the former of the two is a slow and creepy prequel level that focuses on Chris and Jill, the latter is a much more chaotic and action-packed story, following Josh and Jill as they get all kinds of monsters and B.O.W.s thrown their way. Even today,Resident Evil 5still has an active player base for its bonus modes, and that’s a testament to just how fun they are to jump into.
Resident Evil 7is a game packed full of extra content, but it’s honestly quite staggering just how diverse all these modes are regarding what they offer. On the one hand, there are the Banned Footage levels, where players take control of a previous victim of the Baker family as they partake in a bunch of sick and twisted mini-games.
However, there are also the side-stories, which manage to play very differently to the main story thanks to the protagonists. Chris, who plays the lead role in Not a Hero, is built to be much more of a run-and-gun kind of character compared to Ethan; meanwhile Joe can use his giant metal fists toknock out any Molded monsterswho stand in his way. The amount of content is more than enough to provide roughly the same amount of playtime as the story itself, and the best part is that all of it is fun to play.
Resident Evil 6is often considered the most action-heavy entry in the series, and while that didn’t sit well with everyone when it came to the main stories, it would be much better implemented in the bonus modes, and it’s fair to say that there’s no shortage of them to enjoy. Alongside the Mercenaries mode making a return, this time with characters who are able to perform all kinds of big and bombastic melee attacks, there’s also several PVP modes, including Survivors, Predator, and Onslaught.
That’s not all though, as there’s even a mode called Agent Hunt, which allows players to assume control of a monster in someone else’s story. This made for a fascinating and pretty fun idea that has not been seen in the series since. Then, there’s Siege mode, a mode whereone team acts as B.O.W.swhile the others play as humans who must protect a group of civilians by any means necessary. The stories ofResident Evil 6may be divisive, but in terms of bonus content and replay value, it is the very best game in the series due to the quantity and variety.
