Resident Evil 4 Remake, akin to its predecessors, monitors the time required for players to complete the game. A faster completion yields a superior rating post-credits, accompanied by exceptional perks for subsequent playthroughs! Mastery of the game and remarkable skills are essential for achieving the highest ranks, S & S+.
Understanding the requirements is pivotal for securing a higher rank. Explore further to learn what is needed to attain each rank at various difficulty levels — can you attain an S+ rating?
What Factors Determine The Ranking?
The calculation of your rank involves various factors depending on the difficulty settings, with the most crucial being the in-game clock.
As soon as you embark on a new playthrough, the clock initiates and continues until Leon and Ashley make their escape through the Island cave on the jet ski. The timer persists without resetting when you load a previous save within the same playthrough, whether due to death or opting to restart a section.
Adding to the complexity, the highest rank, S+, imposes further restrictions, intensifying the challenge. Failure to meet the requirements for any listed ranks at your chosen difficulty results in the game defaulting to a B rating.
What Should You Do To Achieve Ranks In Different Difficulty Levels?
Note, for an S+ rank on all difficulties, initiate a new playthrough without carrying over any equipment from a previous run. However, bonus equipment unlocked through Challenges and Deluxe Edition content is permitted.
Assisted Difficulty
- To achieve A, complete the game in under 15 hours.
- To achieve S, complete the game in under 4 hours.
- To achieve S+, complete the game in under 4 hours. Initiate the game from New Game on the title screen (loading a completed save limits you to A and S ratings).
Assisted Difficulty is ideal for absolute beginners, providing aim assist, increased ammo from crafting, and automatic recovery if Leon's health reaches the red danger zone.
Standard Difficulty
- To achieve A, complete the game in under 12 hours.
- To achieve S, complete the game in under 5 hours.
- To achieve S+, complete the game in under 5 hours. Initiate the game from New Game on the title screen (loading a completed save limits you to A and S ratings).
Standard Difficulty serves as the baseline, offering no assistance or unexpected challenges. Players facing difficulty can switch to Assisted upon receiving a Game Over.
Hardcore Difficulty
- To achieve A, complete the game in under 10 hours.
- To achieve S, complete the game in under 5 hours and 30 minutes.
- To achieve S+, complete the game in under 5 hours and 30 minutes. Initiate the game from New Game on the title screen (loading a completed save limits you to A and S ratings).
Hardcore Difficulty is recommended for experienced players, with tougher enemies, increased damage, and higher costs from the Merchant.
Professional Difficulty
- To achieve A, complete the game in under 7 hours.
- To achieve S, complete the game in under 5 hours and 30 minutes.
- To achieve S+, complete the game in under 5 hours and 30 minutes. Initiate the game from New Game on the title screen (loading a completed save limits you to A and S ratings). Complete the game having saved 15 times or fewer.
Professional Difficulty challenges even the best players, featuring tougher enemies, no knife parrying, and disabled autosave. Achieving S+ on Professional is an exceptional challenge, with limited saves requiring near-perfect gameplay on the highest difficulty.
How To Achieve S+ Rank? - Useful Tips
Securing an S+ rank on any difficulty is a notable achievement worthy of bragging rights. The key is to focus solely on essential tasks for completing the game. If you can avoid a fight without defeating every enemy, do so. Skip unnecessary treasures, and it's advisable to minimize interactions with the Merchant, planning purchases and sales in advance.
Naturally, you'll need to shop strategically with your Resident Evil 4 Ptas to avoid relying on Leon's initial gear throughout the game. Prioritize treasures that can be sold for full value without the need for gem inlay. Ignore Merchant Requests, even those easily completed along the main path.
Here, I want to give the first tip: Maximize upgrades for preferred weapons, reserving the remaining funds for a rocket launcher. Utilize it to one-shot Saddler in the final battle, swiftly concluding a prolonged encounter.
Accessories unlocked in earlier playthroughs, such as Cat Ears or Chicken Hat, offer potent buffs despite their eccentric appearance and are permitted in S+ runs. Use them to reduce the risk of death, as a single Game Over can impede S+ achievement, particularly on Professional difficulty.
If you need a break—whether nature calls, the doorbell rings, or dehydration sets in—ensure you pause the game using the pause screen, not the inventory screen. The pause screen halts the clock, allowing you to return rejuvenated and ready to continue. It serves as the only reprieve provided during an S+ attempt, so make use of it without hesitation!
Here is the second tip: In Chapter Nine, you can skip the majority of Ashley's section by knowing how to set the clocks. This sacrifices potential treasures, but time constraints make collecting them impractical, so don't worry about it!
Performing The Farm Skip
Upon reaching the Farm after the village fight at the game's outset, the typical progression involves navigating the windmill to enter the barn, then facing a Brute for an escape with the Wooden Cog. This clever skip allows you to break into the barn from the rear and secure the cog before the Brute's appearance!
When you spot the barn initially, look for a small window on the right side. If no enemies are alerted, a Ganada will be standing next to it. Eliminate her quietly, then aim through the window with your pistol.
With the right angle, shoot the padlock on the inside of the back door. Listen for a metallic sound confirming the shot. With the lock broken, enter the rear door of the barn, collect the Wooden Cog from the table, and climb the ladder!
The wooden platform outside the upper window leads to the windmill, where you can install the cog and operate the lever to open the gate forward.
