re 1-3 are horror games.
puzzle solving and looking for loot hidden all over.
then actual inventory juggling.
all others are just dumping guns and ammo in your hands and throwing 100s of zombies at you.
Resident Evil 4 was decent in my opinion. That is looking at it as not part of the series and instead it's own game. I really liked upgrading the weapons and the story was interesting enough to follow.
That being said, the rest of the games to follow 4 were complete stuff in the story department and Six got rid of upgrading weapons entirely.