Sure, playing on Standard difficulty is great and all, but if you really want to challenge yourself, consider trying out Resident Evil 4 Remake on Hardcore difficulty instead. This is the highest difficulty level you’ll have access to when you first start the game, at least until you unlock Professional later on. It’s no cakewalk, though, so here are a few tips to help you get through Resident Evil 4 Remake on Hardcore mode.
There’s No Shame in Running
While Resident Evil 4 Remake does give you various resources whenever you kill an enemy, it’s rarely ever worth it to try to clear out an entire area if you don’t have to. Whenever you have the option to just run past your foes to get to your objective, do so.
You can often get by them easily by keeping Ashley close by with the tight formation, by using grenades, or by using the TMP to stun your foes and following up with a melee attack. The enemies are also generally slow to react when you run past them, so don’t be afraid to make a run for it to conserve your ammo.
Craft All the Flash Grenades
As soon as the Merchant starts selling blueprints, make sure to pick up the Flash Grenade blueprint from him. Not only is it great for stunning enemies and getting easy melee and knife kills that way, they also instantly kill Las Plagas tendrils, making it much safer for you to progress.
Of course, you’ll always need to strike a balance between crafting ammo and Flash Grenades, but as a general rule of thumb, try to have two Flash Grenades on you at all times.
Use the TMP and Shotgun
Your two best friends in a Hardcore run of Resident Evil 4 Remake will be the TMP and your shotgun of choice. The TMP may be incredibly weak in firepower, but it also stuns enemies very easily. Just by shooting at their knees, you can quickly stun multiple enemies at once before going in for some melee attacks.
Similarly, the shotgun is also great for instantly decapitating enemies as they get closer. You do need to be a little careful once Las Plagas tendrils start spawning, but the shotgun will get the job done for most enemies in the game.
Upgrade Your Weapons Wisely
Speaking of weapons, money is incredibly scarce on Hardcore mode, and the situation is only exacerbated by the fact that the Merchant’s services are also a little more expensive. You’re not going to be able to afford every upgrade for every weapon, so make sure to prioritize the weapons that are actually going to be useful to you.
For starters, the Red9, W-870 shotgun, and the bolt-action rifle are all solid choices. Try not to invest too much money into the starter handguns, as you’ll be able to grab the Red9 once you beat Del Lago, and it’s easily one of the best handguns in the game.
Sell Your Old Weapons and Treasures
On that note, don’t be afraid to sell your old weapons either. As soon as you find a better weapon, don’t hesitate to sell the old one for more money to put towards your upgrades. Similarly, try to inlay all your treasures with gems where applicable, and make sure to always get the treasure maps from the Merchant.
You’ll need as much money as possible to keep up with your upgrades, body armor repairs, and your inventory caches.
And those are five tips to help you excel in Resident Evil 4 Remake on Hardcore mode. Be sure to search for Twinfinite for more tips and information on the game.
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