Resident Evil 2

Capcom's 2019 remake is the one that established the template the studio has used ever since. The 1998 original's fixed cameras and tank controls are gone, replaced with a close over-the-shoulder camera and a Raccoon City Police Department rebuilt as a single continuous space you learn by heart. The RE Engine lighting does much of the horror work - a torch beam in a dark corridor, wet surfaces, gore that persists - but the real change is Mr X. The Tyrant follows you through the station in real time, audible through floors, and cannot be killed, only delayed, which turns inventory management and route planning into constant pressure rather than a menu chore. Leon and Claire each get their own campaign with different weapons, puzzles and support characters, and a second run reshuffles item placement rather than simply repeating. It sold over ten million copies, revived a series that had drifted into action, and is the reason RE3, RE4 and the rest followed in the same mould.