So, let’s start with the most obvious…

Resident Evil, specifically the 2002 remake, is the ultimate expression of creator Shinji Mikami’s vision. It’s where the story begins, with a series of brutal murders in the Arklay Mountains on the outskirts of Raccoon City.

More than two decades on, newcomers might find the fixed camera angles a little difficult to get along with at first, but with optional modernised controls added in for the Switch re-release, it’s perhaps the most sensible place to start.

That said, we wouldn’t oppose going back even further and trying the 1996 original for the PS1. This is literally where it all started, but we’d argue that the changes made for the GameCube remake significantly improve upon the experience. The GC version still feels old-school by modern standards, but it strikes a better balance for series virgins.