Polygon recently unveiled its definitive ranking of the 100 greatest video game quotes of all time. If you’ve scrolled through the list, I’m certain you’ve found yourself scratching your head, wondering why your own personal favorites were left on the cutting room floor. Trust me, our editorial team spent weeks embroiled in the exact same debates. Crafting a list that accurately represents the vast spectrum of narrative styles in gaming meant making some agonizing editorial choices—including severely capping the number of entries from any single franchise. Consequently, selecting the quintessential Resident Evil quotes felt like an impossible endeavor.
Few franchises, perhaps excluding Final Fantasy, boast a lexicon as iconic as Resident Evil. What began as a B-movie horror experiment—rife with clunky translations and hilariously stiff performances—has evolved into a series that masterfully leans into its own campy charm. These days, snappy one-liners are practically a staple of the franchise’s marketing, and players wait for the next Jill Valentine zinger with as much anticipation as they do the next narrative twist in the zombie apocalypse.
The 100 greatest video game quotes of all time
The definitive record of gaming’s most legendary dialogue.
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For our official compilation, we rightfully paid homage to one of Leon S. Kennedy’s most legendary quips: “Where’s everyone going? Bingo?” Dropped immediately after Resident Evil 4’s high-octane opening encounter, it perfectly encapsulates the series’ unique tonal balancing act. Where else can you go from dodging chainsaw-wielding maniacs to bursting into laughter within seconds? Horror and comedy are siblings in the storytelling world, both relying on precise tension and timing, and Resident Evil has perfected the art of the punchline.
While that quote takes the crown for us, I wanted to hear from the man behind the mask himself. During a recent interview with Nick Apostolides, the voice behind the modern incarnations of Leon in the Resident Evil remakes, I asked for his personal favorite. His pick caught me by surprise.
“One of the standouts for me is a line from the original Resident Evil 4, which I had the privilege of reprising in the remake: ‘Hasta luego!’” Apostolides shared. “I’ve always been a massive Terminator fan, so that line was a direct nod to ‘hasta la vista, baby.’ That moment felt incredibly cool when I experienced it as a fan years ago. Getting to actually deliver that line myself was a surreal, full-circle moment.”
I must concede that “Hasta luego”—delivered while Leon effortlessly triggers an explosive barrel—was missing from our expansive shortlist. However, that omission only highlights the sheer density of wit buried throughout these games. In the modern titles, Leon possesses a quip for virtually every scenario; his inventory of insults is arguably deeper than his ammo supply. Every time he faces a fresh nightmare, he treats it as a fresh opportunity to belittle the creature after a well-placed headshot. According to Apostolides, these quips are essential to why Leon remains a top-tier action hero.
“It’s a huge part of his appeal,” he noted. “He isn’t just a one-dimensional, stoic powerhouse. He’s multifaceted, which makes him difficult to pigeonhole.”
The same could be said for the wider Resident Evil ensemble. Jill Valentine, for instance, remains a personal favorite—a character who maintains her composure amidst cosmic horror while being entirely too exhausted to suffer any more nonsense. My favorite moment of hers is a fleeting remark in the Resident Evil 3 remake, where she watches a burning Nemesis sink into a lake and deadpans, “Bitch can’t even swim.” She is simply done with the monster’s antics and ready to move on. Those four words reveal more about her grit and personality than a paragraph of exposition ever could.
I’m certain you have your own favorites etched into your gaming memory. Whether it’s the iconic “Master of Unlocking,” the frustration of a “boulder-punching asshole,” or the legendary “What are ya buying?”—the fact that these lines still trigger passionate debate is a testament to the enduring, gloriously cheesy legacy of the series.
Source: Polygon
