Summary
- Ghost Survivors bonus stories feature side characters like Kendo, Katherine, and HUNK.
- HUNK's Fourth Survivor scenario in Resident Evil 2 expands his lore and offers intense gameplay.
- Jill Valentine stars in various side stories, such as Desperate Escape and Lost in Nightmares.
While every Resident Evil game features a lengthy main campaign for players to run through, there are usually a few side stories that add some extra content to enjoy as a little bit of a bonus. These can often be unlocked through specific means, such as completing the main story or purchasing them as DLC. While they're always much shorter than the base campaign, these pieces of side content can also flesh out some of the side characters who were originally given only brief amounts of screen time.
Every Main Resident Evil Game In Release Order
The Resident Evil franchise has been around for decades and is responsible for some of the greatest horror games ever. Here are all the main releases.
In fact, side stories have become somewhat of a tradition, especially in the modern Resident Evil games, where they can be seen much more frequently. As a result, several side characters have been able to take on a leading role in these additional adventures, including the well-known individuals listed below.
Spoilers Ahead for Resident Evil 2, Resident Evil 4, Resident Evil 5, and Resident Evil Village.
8 Robert Kendo
Kendo Is The Star Of The Show In A "What If" Style Side Story
Resident Evil 2
- Released
- January 25, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Intense Violence
- Genre(s)
- Horror
Kendo doesn't stick around in the main story of Resident Evil 2 for long, especially in the original game, but he nonetheless became somewhat of a fan-favorite character, despite only appearing for a few seconds. Thankfully, Capcom took note of this and decided to include Kendo in the Ghost Survivors bonus stories, which are essentially 'What If' scenarios that focus on several side characters who, unfortunately, met their demise in Raccoon City in the canon timeline.
In the case of Kendo, players will be able to jump in as the iconic gun-nut, where they can use his powerful shotgun and a few other hard-hitting weapons to take down all the zombies and mutants that come their way. It may not be that long of a side story, but it's still appreciated that Capcom went through the effort to make this tragic character playable in some form.
7 Katherine Warren
Katherine Features In An Unexpected Side Mission That Puts Players On The Back Foot
- Game: Resident Evil 2 (2019)
Fans might remember Katherine as the mayor's daughter, who can be seen lying on the table in Chief Irons' office. She's only seen a single time in the main game, but in the same vein as Kendo, she also has a side story that explores what would have happened if she were still alive and kicking, making for an interesting adventure.
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What really makes this Ghost Survivors story so intense is that Katherine is severely underprepared for taking on zombies, having little more than a basic pistol to protect herself. As a result, this mission truly feels like a fight for survival, making it arguably the most memorable of the bunch.
6 HUNK
Fans Can See Exactly How HUNK Made It Out Of Raccoon City In One Piece
- Game: Resident Evil 2 (1998) / Resident Evil 2 (2019)
HUNK is a character who's talked about a lot more than he's actually seen throughout the Resident Evil series, though he does still make a few rare appearances here and there, including a very short but extremely fun side story. The Fourth Survivor refers to HUNK's stand-alone bonus story in Resident Evil 2, where players can control the Grim Reaper for themselves as they desperately try to escape the zombie-infested Raccoon City before the bombs drop.
Not only is this story a ton of fun because of how skilled HUNK is at taking down monsters, making players feel like a true badass as they make their way through the city, but it also helps to expand on the character's lore too, considering how little of it is actually out there.
5 Ada
Ada Fans Are Spoiled For Choice When It Comes To Extra Content
Resident Evil 4
- Released
- March 24, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
Ada has actually been given a few side stories over the course of the series since her introduction in the second mainline game. In the original Resident Evil 4, for example, not only could players jump into the arcade ministory called Assignment Ada, but there was also the Separate Ways story, which showcases what Ada was up to while Leon was desperately trying to rescue Ashley. Separate Ways made a return, and the remake of Resident Evil 4 is much longer and a lot more memorable thanks to the new areas, weapons, and enemy types.
However, another instance of Ada popping up in her own standalone side story was in Resident Evil 6, at least originally. In the vanilla version of the game, Ada's short campaign was only unlocked after completing Leon, Chris, and Jake's campaigns, making it feel like some sort of secret campaign that provided fans with just a little more insight into Ada as a character and her relationship to the villainous Simmons.
4 Josh Stone
Sheva's Former Mentor Gets To Show What He's All About
Resident Evil 5
- Released
- March 5, 2009
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
When Josh shows up to save Chris and Sheva from a pack of crazed Majini near the beginning of Resident Evil 5, it's clear that the BSAA agent is willing to do whatever it takes to help the duo on their mission. He actually appears on several occasions throughout the game to assist the protagonists in reaching Wesker, and while he is technically playable in The Mercenaries mode, he also earned himself a side story alongside Jill Valentine in the Desperate Escape DLC.
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This mission picks up near the end of the main game after Jill is defeated by Chris and Sheva. It turns out that Josh came to Jill's rescue as the two battled against an entire horde of Majini in an attempt to make it out alive. This is definitely one of the most action-oriented side missions in the entire series, so fans of that specific genre will find a lot to love here.
3 Jill Valentine
The Iconic Protagonist Has Appeared In A Few Memorable Side Stories In Her Time
- Game: Resident Evil 5 (2009)
Of course, Jill has appeared as a protagonist in several games in the series, but she's become such a popular character that even in the games where she doesn't play a leading role, she still manages to get her own campaign in some form or another. A prime example of this is Resident Evil 5, where Jill not only appears in Desperate Escape alongside Josh, but is also playable in the much slower-paced Lost in Nightmares, where she teams up with her old partner Chris on a mission that is clearly an homage to the original game.
It's always exciting to see Jill show up in a game, considering she's literally been in the franchise from the very beginning, so having two side stories in a single game is definitely a nice treat. It also helps that these two missions are drastically different in how they play, giving players the choice of whether they want to play as a more classic iteration of Jill or if they want to go in guns blazing with the modern version.
2 Joe Baker
Joe Fights Tooth And Nail to Save Zoe From Certain Death
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
- Released
- January 24, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, In-Game Purchases
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror, Psychological Horror, First-Person
Most characters in this series who earn their own side story usually make some sort of cameo in the base game, but this doesn't apply to Joe Baker. As a member of the Baker family living in the swampy marshlands, Joe no longer remains in contact with Jack and Marguerite. However, when he realizes that Zoe has been crystallized and is ticking down to her inevitable death, he realizes it's time to take action.
While it's great to explore Joe as a character and see what makes him so distinct from the rest of his family, it's also a ton of fun to play as him due to his explosive combat style. Joe is more than capable of blasting away Mold monsters with nothing but his fists, and it results in a drastically different style of gameplay from what has been seen in the base game.
1 Rose Winters
Ethan's Daughter Is All Grown Up, And She's Acquired Some Pretty Weird Powers
Resident Evil Village
- Released
- May 7, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
The ending of Resident Evil Village, where Ethan sacrifices himself to destroy the Megamycyte and save his daughter, Rose, made it clear that Rose would appear again at some point in the future. While some fans predicted she would be the main protagonist in the next mainline installment, they would actually be able to play as the superhuman teenager a lot sooner, as she would be playable in the Shadows of Rose DLC, which released not long after the base game's launch.
There's a distinctly different vibe to Rose's side story compared to what fans may be accustomed to, primarily because it delves into the supernatural quite heavily. Shadows of Rose feels like a real breath of fresh air to play through, while also providing a fitting end to the Winters saga of games.
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