Resident Evil 4 reimagines the series differently from the remastered entries in parts two and three. It leans toward a classic shooter pace rather than a slow-burn horror, yet players still need to manage ammunition and scarce resources with care. This guide breaks down the game’s core mechanics and offers clear strategies to master the title.
Guides for Resident Evil 4
General game tips
Don’t aim for difficult achievements during the first playthrough
Several achievements hinge on avoiding items or specific actions, such as skipping first aid kits, avoiding a trader, or sticking to knife and gun combat. It is wise to leave those targets for New Game Plus. In the initial run, focus on mapping out locations and studying how adversaries behave in their environments. Details about all rewards and routes to obtain them are covered in a separate article. The aim is to build solid fundamentals first and then pursue tougher goals with a clearer understanding of the world and its threats.
Search for treasure
Merchants sell maps showing treasure locations. Selling valuables yields pesetas, the currency used for weapon upgrades. If you reach a spot on the map and the treasure seems missing, look around carefully — it is often nearby. A full guide explains the precise locations of all such valuables and how best to exploit them for upgrades.
Combine treasures
Rather than selling green, yellow, and red stones separately, place them into conjoined jewelry such as a crown. The combined treasure fetches a much higher price than its parts, boosting your purchasing power for gear and upgrades.
Follow the merchant’s orders
Instructions from the merchant appear on blue sheets near his tent. A separate manual exists that covers how to handle extra tasks and side challenges encountered on the road.
Pass local shooting ranges
Completing these ranges yields bonuses that influence item prices at the local shop, making gear more affordable as progress continues.
Green grass should be mixed with red and yellow
Green grass improves treatment effectiveness, red increases the maximum health, and yellow offers strategic uses in crucial moments. Green grass is best reserved for extreme needs, while the others can be used to balance survival and combat readiness.
Only upgrade certain weapons
Upgrading every firearm from the start is inefficient. The best approach is to identify a few core weapons to enhance first and concentrate resources there. If the chosen weapon underperforms, it can be sold to reclaim most of the cost, allowing funds to flow into the top performers.
The best weapons in Resident Evil 4
- The best knife is a combat knife
- Best Gun – Red9
- Best Gun – Stingray
- The Best Shotgun – Riot Gun
- Best Assault Rifle – LE 5
- The best magnum revolver is the Killer7
Combat tips
Reflect enemy attacks
Close combat can be fought by timing a knife strike just before an enemy attack. A successful parry stuns the foe briefly, opening an opportunity to finish the encounter. This technique, when used well, can shift momentum in tight battles and preserve valuable ammo for tougher skirmishes.
Besides parrying, dodging and blocking exist, but they do not interrupt the aggressor’s rhythm. The smarter move is to learn how to reflect the blows and strike back with precision to keep opponents off balance.
Save ammo
Avoid engaging in battles without need. When forced to fight, target the hands gripping throwable weapons. If a torch-bearing foe is encountered, the flame reveals vulnerabilities that can be exploited with careful shooting or counterattacks.
Aim for the head to deal critical damage
From a momentary pause, aim at the enemy’s face and hold for a beat. The sight will slowly drop, increasing the chance of a critical hit when fired at the right time, maximizing damage with fewer shots.
The chainsaw must be killed first
The chainsaw foe looks intimidating but is one of the early game’s most dangerous enemies. Parrying can help, but the priority is to neutralize this threat quickly before proceeding to other opponents.
Only use flash grenades against mutants or groups of enemies
Flash grenades blind crowds and allow for a few clean melee strikes. Some enemies with huge growths on their heads are vulnerable to this tactic and can be eliminated swiftly.
Interrupt the mutation process with a knife attack
If an enemy collapses and then tenses again, rushing in to stab the neck can interrupt the mutation and end the threat for good, preventing a stronger foe from rising later.
Try to take out stealth opponents
Stealth isn’t universal in the game, but some levels offer behind-the-back takedowns. Seizing those moments can save resources and create safer routes through levels.
Prevent opponents from grabbing Ashley
Outmaneuver or shoot from a distance. If Ashley is dragged outside the location, the mission fails and the stakes rise quickly.
Shoot the crows
A simple pistol or a stun grenade can handle crowds of crows. Each dead bird yields small coin rewards that add up over time.
Where does Resident Evil 4 take place?
The action unfolds in a nameless Spanish village stuck in a medieval mood. The Los Illuminados cult captures Ashley Graham, the President’s daughter. Nearby, a vast Gothic castle and high-tech laboratories host ongoing biotechnology experiments and mysteries to uncover.
Where are the save files (saves) Resident Evil 4 Remake
Path to save:
- C:/Program Files (x86)/Steam/userdata/[SteamID]/2050650/remote/win64_save
[SteamID] denotes the unique number shown in the account menu. If Steam is installed in another folder, navigate there instead.
Where to find the gun (Riot gun) in Resident Evil 4
Three shotgun types exist in the game. The Hunting Rifle W-870 is located in chapter 1, north of the square near the tower, on the second floor. The Riot gun becomes available from the merchant in chapter 6 for about 28 000 pesetas and is highly recommended for upgrades. The Attacker can also be purchased from the dealer in chapter 10 for around 36 000 pesetas.
Where to find weapons in Resident Evil 4
There are 29 total weapons, with a guide detailing their locations available in the companion material.
Where to find the silencer in Resident Evil 4
The silenced variant does not appear in the remake. It was present in the original through Wesker in the Mercenaries mode, but this upgrade has not been added to the remake.
Where to find blue medallions in Resident Evil 4
Medallions are traded with the merchant in exchange for spinels and yellow grass. Spinels unlock unique items, while yellow grass increases the hero’s maximum health. A separate guide covers medallion hunting in detail.
Other guides
Guides and walkthroughs provide further insight into evolving strategies and optional routes through the game, helping players tailor their approach to their preferred playstyle. The material frequently emphasizes practical tips, reliable resource management, and how to balance exploration with combat readiness. The content is consolidated from leading gaming outlets and community-tested techniques and is presented here for clarity and quick reference.
Attribution: VG Times