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As every Resident Evil fan knows, the heart of Resident Evil is in "the survival horror." So for this UNDER THE UMBRELLA, we’d like to open a discussion all about your favorite horrors and scares from the series. I’d like to start with my top five here, and would invite all of you to share yours with us on Twitter at #REBHFun!

Needless to say, this will be spoiler heavy, so please be careful if you haven't played one of the games (yet!). I'll list the game I'm talking about with each scare, so you can skip it if you prefer.

And again, please share back with us your thoughts and personal biggest scares of the series on #REBHFun!

On to the list!

#5, The Over-the-Shoulder Zombie (Resident Evil)

The legend himself! Probably one of the most famous and shocking scenes in horror gaming history. And no wonder! This game throws you into a creepy mansion, with strange tank-controls, weird creatures, and missing teammates - all filling you with tension and dread. And then the slow, torturous reveal of a half-rotten zombie face hits for maximum effect!
When I play now as an adult, it doesn't shock me as much, but when I first played as a child, I didn't sleep that whole night!

In the Resident Evil remake, our zombie friend got a makeover, making him much more...beautiful? If you've only played the original game, and not the remake, you're missing out. It's not just a graphics overhaul, but also adds in tons of content, including "Crimson Heads," new areas, Lisa Trevor, and much more!

The remastered zombie: quality and horror turned up to 11.

#4 Regenerators (Resident Evil 4)

There are probably a fair number of you out there who were, like me, traumatized by Resident Evil 4's "Regenerators." The pallid grey look, the shambling walk as they approach, the regeneration. And when they finally get close enough to hear...that breathing... Of course, I'm sure there are Regenerator fans out there, but for me, there is only terror.

#3 Rachael Ooze (Resident Evil Revelations)

While I got used to some of the other scares as I got older, Rachael Ooze still gets me every time. Maybe it's because it was the first time (for me) to fight a talking creature, but she really creeped me out.
"Where? Where are you?"
"Play with me!"
"I want your blood."
It might be because she was only recently infected, but she still seemed to have some glimmer of intelligence left, making her a tragic enemy as well. Not to mention incredibly fast and tough! The first time I met her my game ended in the blink of an eye.

#2 Baker Family Dinner (RESIDENT EVIL 7 biohazard)

This scene was less "scary" and more "horrific". It remains one of my favorites from the whole series. The grotesque dishes you're offered, the familiar but terrifying behavior of your "family", it's one of the poster scenes of the game. That's what I like about RE7 as a whole: it does the mundane-turned-horror so well! Little details like the home center receipt and the name list you find in the basement, I spent the whole game on the edge of my seat. No thanks Margaret, I'll pass on dinner.

#1 Window Dogs (Resident Evil)

Quite possibly the only Resident Evil scene better known than the head turning zombie from #5 above.
Resident Evil is often without any music or sound effects (apart from your footsteps), so the player is very sensitive to sound. So when zombie dogs loudly burst through the window of an otherwise silent hallway, it makes you jump out of your skin! Then you're panicked, and the dogs are fast and hard to hit! This is a scene sure to get anyone's heart racing.
Even better, this scene resets the "rules" for the rest of the game. After this experience, you look at every window and entry-point, expecting zombies to burst through at any moment (and they sometimes do!).
By itself, this is a great scare scene, but I rank it as my #1 because it also ups the scare-level for the rest of the game.

There it is! My top five favorite scares! What do you think? Would you rank these as your top scares too? If not, what are yours? Tell us all about it at #REBHFun!

Looking forward to seeing you all at #REBHFun, and on the next UNDER THE UMBRELLA!