Should I Play Resident Evil 5 Before Resident Evil 6?

No, you do not need to play Resident Evil 5 before playing Resident Evil 6. While the two mainline titles are directly connected by characters and plot points, Resident Evil 6 recaps and explains necessary backstory from prior games well. You can jump right into RE6 if desired.

However, I wholeheartedly recommend playing RE5 first to get the full context around the shift towards bioterrorism that defines RE6‘s conflict. Seeing how Albert Wesker and Chris Redfield‘s story arcs develop across both games greatly enhances immersion in the RE universe.

As an RE superfan who has completed the franchise multiple times, I think RE5 sets up RE6 perfectly – even if playing RE6 first is perfectly understandable gameplay-wise. Below I‘ll analyze the story, gameplay, reception and connections tying RE5 and RE6 together to showcase why I suggest playing RE5 first.

The Story – Wesker‘s Legacy Looms Large

Resident Evil 5 serves as Albert Wesker‘s final outing in the series. His experiments with bioweapons and viral agents in Kijuju set off a chain of events that leads directly into the global crisis central to RE6‘s plot:

• Bioterrorist Attacks Go Worldwide – After Kijuju, new forms of bio-organic weapons spread across the globe, used by neo-umbrella groups and other organizations
• All Paths Lead to Wesker and Tricell – From Tall Oaks to Lanshiang, Wesker‘s Tricell company enabled experimentation with viruses and parasites
• Motivated for Revenge – Chris and Leon seek to destroy Wesker‘s legacy of terror after losing comrades to his handiwork

Without understanding Wesker‘s past villainous exploits throughout Resident Evil, you lose crucial context around what motivates heroes like Chris and Leon to fight this scourge of bioterror across RE6.

Evolving Gameplay – Fast-Paced Action Takes Over

The jump from Resident Evil 5 to Resident Evil 6 also represents a seismic shift in series gameplay and mechanics:

This represents a clear pivot towards slick action gameplay vs RE5‘s more horror-focused combat. Understanding these systems in RE5 will ease the learning curve mastering RE6‘s faster, more acrobatic style.

Meanwhile, both games shine in co-op gameplay. Having a partner to manage collective inventory space, draw enemy fire, and coordinate attacks makes traversing zombie threats more strategic. RE5 requires constant cooperation on puzzles too – great practice for RE6‘s high challenge co-op demands.

Reviews and Reception – Blockbusters with Caveats

Both Resident Evil 5 and 6 broke franchise sales records, attracting new casual gaming fans despite grumblings from some hardcore niche players:

Critics praised RE5‘s tense co-op gameplay and landmark production values, while panning RE6 as overly sensationalized with muddled controls. However, both scored over 4 million sales apiece – proving audiences loved the bombastic, popcorn movie approach regardless.

As an RE devotee, I appreciate later installments bringing new fans into the fold – even if the scares take a backseat to gunfights compared to earlier survival horror entries. Both titles have jaw-dropping memorable moments too!

Worth Playing in Order For Maximum Enjoyment

Could you just jump right into blasting zombies away with Leon in RE6 and have a complete blast? Absolutely. But to fully appreciate references and character arcs from across the Resident Evil universe, play RE5 first.

Seeing Chris and Jill take down Albert Wesker before witnessing the global aftermath of his experiments in RE6 puts events in greater context. And getting accustomed to RE5‘s mechanics makes adjusting to RE6‘s cover shooting and melee attacks far less jarring.

They‘re both modern action blockbusters – but RE5 retains enough horror DNA where playing it first provides helpful innovations training for RE6‘s high-stakes clashes. I have proudly 100%‘ed every Resident Evil release multiple times over – jumping back and forth between older and newer games keeps gameplay exciting and fresh each round!

So for newcomers to the legendary RE franchise, starting with the one-two punch of RE5 then RE6 lets you adjust to evolutions in weapons, movement and pacing gradually instead of all at once. It provides the best window into overarching series lore as well. Either way, strap in for wild over-the-top bioweapons action at its finest!