The Resident Evil 4 Remake has exceptionally reimagined the entire game from top to bottom, including all of the original enemies from the 2005 version. Now more detailed and sinister-looking than ever, the game features some of the most iconic enemies in the franchise, and we’ve taken up the exciting task of compiling every one of them into a detailed list. Here is our guide to all enemies in Resident Evil 4 Remake (Complete List).
We’ve broken down our list by tier, from all common enemies up to the main story bosses.
Common Enemies and Monsters
Ganados (Villagers)
These are the first enemies you encounter in the game. They’re local villagers who have been infected by the Plagas parasite and indoctrinated into the Los Illuminados cult. While passive toward each other, they become aggressive to outsiders like Leon and will attack on sight. They typically wield weapons like hatchets, torches, pitchforks, and machetes.
They’re relatively easy to kill with a couple of headshots, especially if alone. Mobs however can be troublesome as they can quickly overwhelm you with constant attacks.
A few chapters into the game they can become more difficult as night falls and the Plagas inside them will sometimes burst out to attack. Either a few handgun shots or one flash grenade will take care of them as the Plagas are susceptible to bright light.
Zealots (Cultists)
Zealots, or cultists, are essentially the same as Ganados but they reside within the Salazar castle, adorned in black robes and constantly chanting. They’re more directly involved in the Los Illuminados and follow the orders of Ramon Salazar, taking part in and/or enacting various barbaric rituals in service to the cult.
They’re a little tougher than the Ganado villagers, but their fighting style is much the same. They brandish weapons like crossbows, chain maces, scythes, and spiked shields. They’re easiest to fight when picked off one by one, and mobs again can get dangerous. They also can mutate and their Plagas parasite will burst out in one of two forms.
Colmillos (Infected Dogs)
Just like humans, wildlife have succumbed to the parasite as well, including wolves. Known locally as Colmillos, they’re aggressive, mutated creatures that contain the Plagas and will sometimes attack with it.
They first appear in Chapter 3, often in small groups, and focus on using charge attacks. As such, nimble dodging is key to avoid getting mauled by them. Close quarter combat with a shotgun is recommended to kill them. If their Plagas appears, Flash Grenades again are also a go-to.
Regeneradors
Regeneradors are a unique monster found much later in the game during Chapter 13 on the Island. With fearsome red eyes, sharp teeth, and deformed features, they are the result of barbaric experiments conducted by researchers testing the effects of the Plagas on the human body, and what that integration could create. They were deemed a terrifying success, as their name suggests able to quickly regenerate their flesh from mortal wounds thanks to the implantation of multiple Plagas inside the body, making them practically invincible.
However, their source of strength is also their weakness, as destroying the Plagas inside will in fact kill them permanently. Using a sniper or assault rifle with the Biosensor Scope acquired in the Incubation Area will help you see the Plagas inside them and focus on targeting them until the monster dies.
High-damage explosives like Heavy Grenades or a Rocket Launcher work as well if you’d rather not take the time to aim.
Iron Maiden
Iron Maidens are the second form of the Regenerador that morphs when enough damage is caused to the first form. They brandish hundreds of long, sharp spikes all over their body that make them far more menacing and dangerous. They can shoot these spikes out in ranged attacks, so using cover while fighting them is highly recommended. They contain almost double the number of Plagas as Regeneradors, and the last one is hidden inside its mouth.
Killing them will take considerable artillery and patience, but if you’d rather avoid the fight altogether that is always an option anywhere they’re encountered.
Armadura
Meaning “Armor” in Spanish, Armaduras are another enemy unique to the Castle area of the game. They’re primarily encountered in a handful of areas, including the Armory, the Library, and the Masoleum where Ashley must venture through in Chapter 9.
They’re essentially suits of medieval armor that have Plagas festering inside them. While not inherently living things, it can be presumed that the armor was a cold and dark enough place for them to hide within. Upon approaching them, they will stir and attack by swinging their greatswords.
Killing them comes down to proper aiming, as bullets will often riccochet off the armor. However, shooting off the helmet will reveal the Plagas in the same manner as the Ganados and Cultists, allowing you to target them and kill the enemy altogether. Flash Grenades can be used here as well.
They’re also weak to the blue flame lanterns and will freeze under the light when exposed.
Novistador (Bugs)
Spanish for “those without sight”, the Novistadors are giant bug enemies that first appear in Chapter 10 in the Ballroom area of the Castle. Their enormous hive initially took form deep underground beneath the Castle and has since spread upward into the structure itself after being uncovered by the Los Illuminados.
They’re often silent hunters and can appear almost invisible, waiting for prey like Leon to walk by. They can be targeted in this state to avoid their painful charge attacks. They’ll also dive from above and can otherwise be located by listening for the buzzing noise they make. Any type of gun works well for these enemies; an upgraded Red9 pistol can down them in just two shots.
Parasite
The parasite is essentially a large, very aggressive form of the Plagas that can travel to find a desirable host. They can be found scurrying around the Castle, often ambushing Cultists and forcing them to attack the player at great speed.
Shoot them off the host and kill it before it decides to target you instead. No more than a few shots will make quick work of them.
Soldiers
Soldiers are like the Ganados and Zealots; infected humans that reside on the Island and are well-equipped with weapons like stun rods, metal shields, gatling guns, and even the occasional rocket launcher.
Picking them off one by one is recommended as many of them wear body armor and thus take more of a beating before they’re killed. Otherwise, if you get swarmed make good use of grenades and the shotgun.
Elite Enemies and Monsters
Colmillo (Stronger Version)
Among the long list of Merchant Requests you can complete in the remake, one of them involves tracking down and killing a special, tougher version of the Colmillo. After following the instructions of the request, the mutated wolf will spawn in the main Village area and charge you immediately.
It uses all of the same attacks as the normal Colmillo, and will unleash its Plagas after taking so much damage. In much the same fashion, make good use of your shotgun for close range and a flash grenade for the Plagas.
Merciless Knight
This enemy is a much bigger and stronger version of the Armadura, and it spawns after picking up the Merciless Knight Merchant Request in the Castle. It can be found down in the Masoleum area where Ashley ran through in Chapter 9. It’s very, very tall with gold armor and will be flanked by two smaller normal Armadura enemies that we recommend taking out first before focusing on the big guy.
It can be killed in exactly the same way, by knocking off its helmet to reveal the Plagas inside it. If you don’t have flash grenades handy then use a higher powered weapon in your arsenal, like the assault rifle, magnum, or an upgraded handgun.
Iron Maiden (Stronger Version)
This unique version of the Iron Maiden is found after picking up the Wandering Dead Merchant Request on the Island, sitting on a crate right after you and Ashley break down the wall with the wrecking ball machine. It will spawn down in the Incubation Room, where you first picked up the Biosensor Scope and upgraded your security card to Level 3.
It’ll be standing by itself in the room, initially as a taller version of the Regenerador. After attacking it, the monster will morph into an Iron Maiden and it can be killed by using the scope on a weapon to eliminate the Plagas inside it. Otherwise, we’d recommend Heavy Grenades or even a Rocket Launcher to bring it down as quickly as possible.
Chainsaw Man
This enemy is all but synonymous with Resident Evil 4 since its classic iteration in 2005. A unique chainsaw-shaped game controller was even produced back then and remains a rare collector’s item.
He essentially is an elite version of the Ganado that wields a deadly chainsaw weapon. He first appears in the main Village area in Chapter 1, where Leon gets mobbed by the locals and must hold off until the church bell rings.
The Chainsaw Man will chase you relentlessly around the area, and his attacks are almost always an instant kill, so keeping your distance is key while dealing out as much damage on him as you can. They also spawn later in the game, one deeper in the Village area and another down in the Mines underneath Salazar’s Castle.
Garrador
Meaning “Clawer” in Spanish, this terrifying looking enemy is unique to the Castle area, first encountered early on in Chapter 7 down in a blood-soaked dungeon area that Leon falls into while trying to retrieve a gate key. It essentially is a larger, muscular human overtaken by the Plagas, wearing iron restraints and its eyes sealed shut, rendering it completely blind. Its weapons are two giant metal claws attached to its arms that can deal serious damage if one isn’t careful.
Due to its blindness, it relies entirely on sound to find its target. Running around or bumping into objects that make noise will anger it and cause it to attack relentlessly, swinging its claws around. Its weak spot is the Plagas parasite sticking out of its back, though it can be killed by shooting any exposed area of its body enough times.
Brute (Minotaur & Warthog)
The Brute is yet another elite version of the Ganado that can be found all throughout the Village and Island areas of the game. It’s noticeable by its larger size, the deep, guttural noises it makes, and the animal head it wears which vary from bulls to warthogs.
They wield heavier weapons like sledgehammers or handheld gatling guns, and have quite a bit more health than regular Ganados. Making use of powerful weapons helps bring these down more easily, especially targeting their legs for a barrage of melee attacks. Any environmental hazards like red barrels or falling debris can also be useful for dealing high damage to them.
Main Story Bosses
Del Lago (Chapter 3)
Spanish for “from the lake”, the first major boss of the game is found living deep in the lake near the Village area. Leon is tasked with finding the key to the church where Ashley is being held captive, which requires him to search the water and everywhere around it. While on a boat he gets ambushed by Del Lago, which appears to be a giant, mutated salamander full of Plagas parasites.
Fighting it can be a unique challenge, as your only means of attacking it is with harpoons while dodging the floating debris that can slowly destroy your boat if you’re not careful. It will swerve and often dive and jump through the water, making it somewhat difficult to hit consistently.
On harder difficulties it will swim faster and create giant splashes that briefly make it difficult to see. Its weak spot is its mouth, which it will open when charging toward you.
El Gigante (Chapter 4)
El Gigante, or “The Giant”, is encountered in the Quarry area, on the way back to the church after retrieving the key to unlock it. Per a file you can find on the ground after the fight, the monster was essentially a human that experienced extreme mutation from the Plagas and wouldn’t stop growing. The workers would feed it livestock nonstop, but its hunger was never sated, leading them to lock it away before it attacked the village.
The Ganados trap you in the area near its “cage” and awaken it via its Plagas infection. It immediately breaks out and proceeds to attack you, so be ready to run and dodge. The main targets of focus should be its head and/or the Plagas that bursts from its back. After so much damage the giant will hunch over in pain, leaving an opening for a major melee attack on the Plagas.
At one point during the fight, if you rescued the white wolf from the bear trap earlier on, it will return to help you by causing distractions. This is very useful when trying to focus on targeting the boss. On the harder difficulties El Gigante will be quicker and employ a jump attack that will HURT if you don’t dodge it. Because you want to keep your distance, make use of your long range weapons and grenades to knock it out.
Chainsaw Sisters (Chapter 6)
This pair of bosses is encountered while Leon and Ashley are trying to escape the village to the extraction point. While trying to retrieve a lever to open a gate leading to the outskirts, the Chainsaw Sisters will attack with, you guessed it, chainsaws. They are essentially a twist on the Chainsaw Man mini-boss from the beginning of the game.
Before they attack, you’ll definitely want to have Ashley hide in one of the nearby lockers as the fight is a giant mob ambush that can quickly get out of hand with her unable to defend herself. Pick up all the resources in the area before you trigger the fight and it’s recommended to start off by throwing grenades to kill or seriously wound the Sisters at the start.
Ideally you want to kill them off immediately before you focus on the normal Ganado enemies. Use a magnum if you have it, and on harder difficulties, if you can afford one, a rocket launcher will immediately wipe them out. After this you can focus entirely on clearing out all of the other attackers and then continue on with Ashley.
Bitores Mendez (Chapter 6)
The last boss encountered in the Village area of the game is none other than the Big Cheese himself; the towering, very intimidating Bitores Mendez. The designated Chief of the Village, he controls everything that goes on there and is the one responsible for infecting both Leon and Ashley with the Plagas.
He also carries the parasite, which has made him nearly invulnerable to normal attacks. He pursues the two relentlessly through the Village after suspecting that Leon has defied his “indoctrination”, and corners them in an abandoned barn for a final confrontation.
The fight against Mendez starts with his first mutated form, the Plagas separating his upper and lower body. We recommend any high powered gun that you have, and/or grenades that can make an impact while he’s on the ground.
Enough damage will cause his upper body to break away and become even more aggressive. He moves up to the rafters, using the giant claws that sprout from his back to move around and throw debris at you. When he picks up red barrels be sure to shoot them to get plenty of extra damage on him. Otherwise shoot him with a long range weapon like the sniper rifle, submachine gun, or magnum to end the fight.
Before you escape the burning barn, be sure to pick up his false eye that falls out from its socket. While you don’t need it to progress like in the original game, it’ll sell for a pretty penny to the Merchant.
Armored El Gigante (Chapter 8)
This giant is found upon the battlements of the Castle while Leon is trying to find Ashley after she flees during a lapse of sanity from her Plagas infection. Covered in armor, it’s not recommended to waste any of your ammo on trying to hit him, as you’ll need a much bigger “gun” to actually bring him down.
Run across the battlements, ducking behind cover and killing Zealots as you go until you reach a big cannon to use, just like at the beginning of the Castle section. Break the counterweights underneath the cannon to raise it up and fire it at the giant, causing the creature to collapse and tumble off.
It will reappear and try to attack one last time as you escape to the next section of the Castle, but that effort proves futile and it then falls to the depths once more.
Verdugo (Chapter 9)
This next boss fight is considered one of the most difficult in Resident Evil 4, both in the classic and remake versions. Verdugo, which is Spanish for “executioner”, is the so-called “right hand” of castellan Ramon Salazar — one of the giant, ominous-looking cloaked bodyguards that follow him around.
The lore behind the creature is also among the most fascinating. Verdugo is the result of fusion and gene splicing between human and insect DNA, presumably the insects that infest the hive below the Castle. One of the two created is rumored to have been Ramon’s former butler, but that forever remains a mystery.
Verdugo personally confronts Leon down in the sewers of the Castle, where Ramon sends him via a pitfall before he’s able to rescue Ashley. The creature pursues him through the grates above the walkway and ambushes him during an attempt to reboot the power to the elevator.
This is the game’s one fight-or-flight boss, due to its difficulty. Either you can choose to hold out against Verdugo while the elevator makes its agonizingly slow way down, or you can focus on killing him.
During your first playthrough, particularly on Standard difficulty it’s ideally recommended to flee, as attempting to kill Verdugo can quickly wipe out what resources you have. His exoskeleton is essentially bulletproof, and he is incredibly agile so finding a weak spot anywhere is all the more challenging.
The main tool of defense against him is the liquid nitrogen shower devices that are scattered around the Sewer area. Setting one off as he charges will cause him to freeze for a few seconds, which can help create distance when escaping, or give you time to attack if you insist on doing so.
If you’re dead set on defeating him, which will grant you a trophy/achievement, the main tactic is freezing him with one of the nitrogen showers and then shattering him into pieces with a rocket launcher, if you can afford one. Doing this during the very first ambush is recommended so you waste as few healing resources as possible.
Dos Gigantes (Chapter 11)
These two Gigante monsters in the game are encountered down in the Mines below the Castle, after you make contact with Luis again. One looks similar to the giant fought back in the Quarry in Chapter 4 but is in fact a stronger variant, while the armored giant is the same one you fought earlier on the battlements, evidently surviving its fall. Both you and Luis must fight them off in the boiler room.
Luis mostly provides distraction for at least one of them, and the key to making this fight quicker and easier is the lava pit just below their feet. Ideally you want to lure the armored Gigante over the pit and use the nearby control panel to open the grate so that it falls in, killing it immediately.
Luis will temporarily retreat during the fight, leaving you to keep one or both of them occupied. He’ll return soon after with a pack of dynamite that he’ll throw and hook to the back of the Gigante closest to him. Shoot the dynamite for major damage and while it’s hunched over finish it off.
Jack Krauser (Chapter 11)
The next boss is a familar face from Leon’s past. Major Jack Krauser is a born-and-bred war veteran that trained Leon in hand-to-hand combat during Operation Javier, a government mission in South America that went terribly awry. All of the soldiers in their unit were wiped out with strangely no help from their superiors, both Krauser and Leon barely making it out alive.
Krauser went on to become hateful and eager for revenge against those in power, in poetic contrast to Leon who did become somewhat distrustful and cynical but still believed in helping protect the innocent from the corrupt. Swayed by cult leader Osmund Saddler, Krauser joined the Los Illuminados for the sole purpose of obtaining the power he craved via the Plagas, in exchange for kidnapping Ashley which also helped fulfill his desire for vengeance against the government.
Krauser is first encountered down in the Mines, while Leon and Luis are fighting their way back to the surface to find Ashley. Unfortunately, Luis falls victim to Krauser’s bloodlust when he stabs him through the back. This angers Leon and the two engage in a brutal knife fight.
As Krauser is an extremely skilled soldier, the fight against him is considered arguably the most difficult in the game. This first battle with him is just a unique test of endurance, and requires a lot of parrying. Depending on the difficulty you’re on, Krauser will attack in quick succession with his knife, sometimes up to five times in a row. Deflecting the entire combo will stagger him, opening him up to a melee attack for damage.
You can mix in headshots and knife attacks to push the fight along quicker, and soon a cutscene will mark the end of it when Luis shoots Krauser in the chest. He laughs it off and simply retreats, while Luis gives Leon the key to his lab, where he can destroy the Plagas inside him and Ashley, his dying wish and atonement.
Ramon Salazar (Chapter 12)
It was only a matter of time before you would have to confront Ramon Salazar himself. The eighth castellan of his family’s castle, Ramon was a Spanish nobleman that defected from his Catholic faith to the Los Illuminados. He was the first in his royal line to do so after the previous castellans rejected the will of Saddler and his cult, opening the seal to the Plagas parasites buried for thousands of years in amber beneath the Castle.
Adorned in royal garb, his physical appearance is quite puzzling, having the stature of a young child with a pompadour of grey hair while his complexion belies the Plagas infection inside him. Despite all of this, in the original version of the game he admits to being just 20 years old. Considered second in power to Saddler, he wields control over all of the Zealots that inhabit his castle, and is always flanked by the two Verdugos who serve as his bodyguards.
By the end of Chapter 12, with all of his lackeys wiped out and Ashley moved by Krauser to the neighboring Island for the final ritual, Ramon relishes the chance to destroy Leon once and for all. The battle against him is quite different from the original game, and can be quite difficult.
He morphs into his true Plagas form, a disturbing amalgamation of mutated flesh with a giant mouth that will instantly kill you if you wander too close or stay still for too long. Essentially, you have to be constantly moving in this fight, doing your best to get the angle whenever he opens the mouth that exposes him inside.
Your strongest weapons are recommended here such as the assault rifle, an upgraded Red9 handgun, or a magnum. The latter will make quick work on him in a few shots. Otherwise, you can go the other route and use a rocket launcher on him to finish him off in one. Finally, and most amusingly, pelting him with a gold chicken egg will deal 70 percent of damage.
Krauser (Transformed) (Chapter 14)
Over on the Island, Krauser beckons Leon via recorded message to his carefully constructed, or rather booby trapped battlefield, to test his newly acquired power against his former comrade. The two confront each other in the ruins, Krauser determined to see how much Leon has learned, using his concern for Ashley as a means to aggravate him. Leon proclaims that Krauser has lost it completely and decides he needs to be stopped no matter what.
This second fight is a long, drawn out one that takes you through the entirety of the ruins, just like in the original game. You’ll need to dodge trip wires and mounted guns that fire on sight, all while Krauser periodically ambushes you with his own attacks. Make your way across the area until he reveals his Plagas mutation, one of his arms a sharp sword-like weapon while the other is armored and serves as his shield.
He’ll attack you relentlessly during this final phase, so make use of your strongest weapons here to end it as quickly as possible. Parry the attacks from his sword arm and dodge the charge from his shield arm. Hit him with headshots, preferably with the shotgun or a magnum until he finally goes down.
He implores Leon to give him a noble death with his own knife. Leon hesitates but relents, ending Krauser’s life, knowing it had to be done to protect Ashley and any other innocent victims from his malice.
Osmund Saddler (Chapter 16)
The final boss of the game is of course against the leader of the Los Illuminados himself, Osmund Saddler. An ambitious man, ironically not born in Spain, who was initially a bioweapons research chief that sought control of the Los Illuminados along with the Plagas parasite in order to gain power on the world stage.
After manipulating Ramon Salazar to not only join the cult but grant him access to the Plagas-filled amber beneath his castle, he took full control by infecting all of the locals in the entire region, with plans to spread the Plagas to the United States via Ashley, the president’s daughter, and then the rest of the world.
He confronts Leon one last time after previous attempts to recapture and control Ashley via her infection, which now is gone thanks to Luis, who once helped engineer a stronger version of the Plagas for Saddler. He morphs into his ultimate Plagas form, a massive entity of mutated flesh resembling a crab-like insect. He’ll chase you around the dock area and employ attacks like spraying acid similar to the Salazar boss fight, and also summon hordes of bugs to distract you.
Focus on hitting Saddler’s weak points which are the eyeballs scattered around his body. Eventually he’ll lose control over his mutation and recede to a mass of writing flesh, with his original body sealed inside a protective orb. Ada will soon throw you a special rocket launcher to use against it. That one shot eliminates Saddler and his hive mind control over all of the infected locals.
That concludes our guide to all enemies in Resident Evil 4 Remake (Complete List). We hope you found this list informative in many ways, and let us know if there’s anything we might have missed.
Be sure to check out all of our other guides for everything in Resident Evil 4 Remake, including our review of the game.
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