RESIDENT EVIL 4: A GUIDE TO PLAYING THROUGH WITH JUST A HANDGUN.

DISCLAIMER: RESIDENT EVIL IS THE PROPERTY OF CAPCOM, AND ALL THAT GOES WITH
OWNERSHIP.  THIS FAQ WILL BE POSTED ON GAMEFAQS ONLY.  ASK ME, THOUGH, IF YOU
WANT TO POST IT ELSEWHERE, AS I AM A PERSON VERY PARTIAL TO FLATTERY.

-Insert Art Here.-








Introduction: Ever feel like playing only with the handgun, throughout the whole
game?  It's not quite as hard as you might think, but is still a challenge, and
on Professional it is frankly just excruciating.  I myself have never finished
it on Professional.

This is a walkthrough designed with those playing with only the handgun
throughout the whole game.  Well, generally, anyways.  There will be times when
you'll need to bust out a sniper rifle, and the grenades/knife is just a given.

UPDATE:SOME CONTACT INFO, AND YES, EXPANDED & ADDED SOME SECTIONS.


The Beginning:

I highly recommend starting on a second round, as this way you can start out
with a fully upgraded handgun with a 5x chance of instant headshots.  You can
just start out with a new game if you wish, but the lack of power and capacity
along with health will make your going excruciating...  Especially when you are
trapped inside the small cage with a clawed maniac.

So: upgrade your handgun.  Sell off anything else you don't need.  This includes
ammo, by the way.

Here are some tips to keep in mind as you play:

-Headshots are nice, but when you are facing a group of Ganados, shoot one in
the knee, then KICK him into the other to drop them.  Without a shotgun, the
going gets difficult.  When fighting Monks, the same tip applies, but remember
to go for a headshot to make them stagger, as when they are kneeling only the
SUPLEX seems to be used.

-The Knife is nice, and you should use it often...  but on Normal difficulty,
handgun bullets aren't as scarce as you might think, so don't worry about
blowing off the enemies' heads as they are laying down, especially if you are
pressed for time.

-When the Plagas pop out, the 5x Headshot chance comes in very handy.  You'll be
blowing away those head-chewing monsters in one or two shots, half the time.
The rest, just shoot them and run away when they get too close.

-You'll be accumulating some nice cash throughout the game.  Think of it as a
way to save up for the CT, Handcannon, and the Infinite Launcher.

-Use the SUPLEX whenever you can.  This is done by shooting a monk or a soldier
in the knee-shin area, and as they are kneeling, walking over to them and
pressing A.  You'll be killing them most of the time in one shot.  However, if
they are still alive after the SUPLEX, just shoot them in the face.

-You'll get tons of money, throughout the game.  Don't be afraid to buy first-
aid sprays.  I usually keep around two sprays and as many herbs as I can, when I
go through the game.  Its not unusual to burn through healing items when
fighting some of the tougher enemies (the bugs!).

-For use only with the Exclusive Handgun: shoot them in the knee from afar, and
when they are kneeling, aim for the face and pull the trigger.  If it doesn't
blow their head off, at least it'll knock them down.

-The bosses will take a long time (my fight with Salazar took forty five
minutes.)   Be patient.  And I hope you like pain- some of the bosses will rip
you a new one.

-Easily, the biggest pain in the game comes from the bugs and the dogs, in the
sewer and hedge-maze areas, respectively.  I'll explain how to deal with them
when the time comes...  (A special mention goes for the flying bugs.)

-There is a point in the game when you absoutely MUST use a sniper rifle.  Two
parts, actually.  I mention them when we come across them.

-If you find the going too hard, I suggest you buy a magnum and keep it for the
bosses.  It's the coward's way out, but hey, at least you'll look cool doing
it...

-Grenades.  Save them.  Don't ever throw them away.  Whether they be flash,
incendiary, or fragmentary, KEEP THEM.

-Don't be afraid to run away.  If you can get to a new area (marked with a green
"Open"), just get there.  The enemies can't follow you, so don't worry.
Remember, it's about survival.

-What are we waiting for?


THE VILLAGE:

Just go through the motions: shoot them in the knees, kick them, and knife them
to death as they lie on the ground.  You want to gather and save as much ammo as
possible in the beginning.  Shoot some crows if you can, also: sometimes, they
drop hand grenades.

Inside the village, there are two options:

-You know that house with the shotgun inside?  If you don't feel like facing Dr.
Salvador the Paper-Bag Man, don't go in, and don't go up the road to where he
is, either.  Just run back and forth through the town, shooting kneecaps and
blowing off heads until the bell tolls.  After which you can collect loot at
your leisure.

-Or, the tougher way.  I don't recommend this, as Dr. Salvador takes up way too
much ammo to kill, but if you feel like it, here you go. Immediately head to the
house with the shotgun.  After the cutscene, ignore the villagers pounding on
the door and go upstairs.  Pick up the items, (don't use the shotgun!) knock
down the ladder, then head to the roof by jumping out the window.

From here, there are two ladder that can reach you.  Knock them down as they
come up, then shoot them in the head.  The chainsaw man will show up, too-
don't let him come up!  As you knock down the ladders and blow off heads, watch
your back at times to make sure enemies aren't sneaking up behind you.

Pump the chainsaw man full of lead.  He takes quite a lot of bullets before
going down.

When the bell tolls, collect the loot, and go on to the next part.  And the part
after that.  And the part after that...  Remember, when enemies mob you in
groups, the knee-shot+KICK works wonders.  Also use the oh-so convenient
exploding barrels to your advantage.   You shouldn't have any problem until you
come out of Mendez's house, and meet another Dr. Salvador.  There's two ways to
get through alive; knock the two villagers down with a shot to the knees then
the chest, and as the chainsaw man is rushing you, run around him- don't get
close- then just rush through the whole thing.  It takes a bit of luck, but
killing him is hard.

If you do want to kill him, toss a grenade, and when he's knocked over, pump him
full of lead.

Back to the village, then.  Run through, ignoring anyone who isn't an immediate
threat, and get to the insignia door.  Open, save, and go on.

Sell the shotgun, by the way.

In the graveyard, its just business as usual.  Run through both the cemetary,
the bridges, and the swamp, and get to Del Lago.

BOSS: DEL LAGO THE GIANT TUNAFISH

Just refer to the other guides if you need help.  You don't use a gun here, so
this is out of my jurisdiction.

After the boss, save, then go on...

You'll meet a parasite for the first time.  I usually kill it in one or two
shots with the instant headshot.

Run down, shoot the chains to knock loose the crate, and use the switch to
divert the stream of water from the pathway.  When enemies mob out of the cave,
jump over back onto the second box, and shoot them down as they attempt to jump
towards your position.  When the dust settles along with a dozen mouldering
corpses, go on your way and meet...

BOSS: EL GIGANTE

Patience is a virtue well appreciated here.  Using the handgun to whittle his
health down takes a long time, but be patient.  Just plug him in the face until
he keels over, at which point you slash away the worms.  The hand grenade also
does a lot of damage to him.  And I hope you rescued the dog.

There really isn't a killer strategy for this fight.  It's mostly about guts and
skill.

Afterwards, head back towards the church, and prepare for...  THE DOGS.

God, I hate these critters.  When they run towards you, steadily plug them in
the face to keep them from leaping.  Hope you have a good aim- with three of
these darn things, it's hard to keep all of them from ripping your throat out.
If you find that you are having too hard a time with this, just run through them
(you might be assaulted a few times) and open the door.

After saving Ashley, get out, take care of the villagers, and go on your way.

"WE'RE SANDWICHED, ALRIGHT." (SO SAYETH THE LEON.)  Or,

THE BATTLE IN THE MANSION

Inside the house, I recommend that you push the closets over the windows,
collect all the loot, then stand at the middle of the stairs, so that you can
still see and shoot into the incoming melee without being surrounded.  Luis is
quite a help- invincibility must help him a lot- and in the beginning, as the
Ganados pour through the windows, just blast open their faces and any emerging
parasites.

When they start creeping towards your position, get to the top of the stairs,
then blast them as they come towards you.  And when Luis runs up the stairs,
prepare for the ladders to come- knock them down whenever you can, and if there
are enemies almost all the way up, just shoot them to drop them back down to the
ground.

Good luck.  It's quite difficult without a shotgun.

Afterwards, get out of the house, then take the left way.

THE BELLA SISTERS

When they first jump out, climb up the stairs, run back a little, then shoot the
Ganados as they lurch towards your position.  When the Bella sisters charge, lay
down a hand grenade, and shoot them as they fall.  When they are on the ground,
pump them full of bullets.  Run if you have.

A good tactic is to strand them down where you first began, climb up the ladder,
and keep knocking it down as you fire on their faces.  They'll fall--
eventually.

THE GREAT TRAMWAY/TROLLEY RIDE

Just aim carefully, and shoot them as they come.

I think you can handle the regular enemies, from now on.  I'll just go through
the tough parts.  Just beware of crowds, and use your noggin to get through.

THE CATAPULTS

Wow.  What a welcome.

The first catapult can be destroyed with a shot to the red barrel.  The second
one- located right above the building with the yellow herb in it- can also be
destroyed that way.  The third can be destroyed with a nice grenade throw.

The fourth, though, is nearly impossible to destroy without a rifle.  I used it
for a single shot to the face. You can use the pistol if you want, but it's a
very large waste of ammo...

NOTE:I HAVE KILLED THE FOURTH CATAPULT WITH THE HANDGUN; JUST AIM, AND FIRE AT
THE GENERAL DIRECTION, AND LOOK CAREFULLY FOR WHERE THE BULLET HITS.  KEEP FINE-
TUNING YOUR SHOTS WHILE DODGING THOSE FLAMING BALLS AND YOU'LL EVENTUALLY KILL
HIM.  NOT RECOMMENDED, HOWEVER; I EXPENDED TWENTY THREE SHOTS ON THE GUY.

THE SHIELD-MONKS

Aim at where their head will be, roughly, and start blasting.  Five or so shots
will punch through the wood to let you get a shot to the face. Also, try luring
them up/down a staircase; as they work they way up/down to you, their
heads/shins will be revealed to you.  Kill them.

THE PRISON:

Ah!  The Clawman!

Seeing as how they go down in a single shot from a Broken Butterfuly or a Killer
7, the marathon that you are soon about to go through is, to say the least, very
aggravating.  They take forever to kill, and are very dangerous, also, with
their one-hit headswipe kills and blind rushes.

There are two things to keep in mind as you fight these guys:

-Always walk, and run only when necessary.

-Shoot them once when they are turned around, and as they writhe around on the
ground, walk away from the spot from which you shot.

Basically, it's a battle of endurance.

PIGGYBACKING ASHLEY:
When Ashley piggybacks atop Leon's back to crank the two switches that raises
the bridge from the pool of water, you'll have to protect her.  This is the
second part of the game that you'll need a rifle, as a pistol simply doesn't
have the power to stop them in their tracks.

THE SEWERS

You should know where the bugs are, by now.  Kill the first one from afar,
pumping it full of lead as it scurries towards you.  Go on, kill the next two
sitting in the pool with a grenade, then, after you walk through the door, a bug
will pop down from the hole on the ceiling.

Don't bother trying to run.  They'll simply run you down.  Its all about
shooting it and kicking it.  Shoot it as it comes towards you.  Kick when you
can.  Pop a herb into your mouth when needed.  When the first one dies, you
could drop a hand grenade at the 'spawning' spot- if you get the timing right,
you'll kill the second one, but its not always guaranteed.

When the two die, don't bother checking the cells.  Go on to where the switch
is, turn it on, and then RUN.  You could fight the incoming bugs if you wish,
but there's no point to it.  Unlike the other encounters, you can definitely run
away from these guys.

FREEING ASHLEY

While she's screaming for help, blast off those locks.  Be careful; it's too
easy to kill her while you're trying to help her.

When the monks come, shoot them once to knock them down, their aim for the head
to kill them.  Persevere, and you'll survive...  I guess...

THE RUMBLE IN THE CAGE.

Ah...  trapped in the cage with a clawman and a monk, as others surround you and
throw darts.  Start with an incendiary grenade to immobilize the Clawman for a
second.  You can either attempt to shoot off the locks, or as in my case, toss a
grenade outside to deal with the monks so that you can kill it inside the cage.
The handgun's too weak to break the lock off in less then twelve or so shots.

Killing the clawman inside the cage is pretty stupid, by the way.  What actually
happened is that, after all the monks were dead, it, while I stood in a corner,
actually walked out the cage and went off in search of prey.  I ran like hell to
the door, then, and got to the next part.

Just walk away from the berserker, shoot the lock, walk again, shoot the lock...
Also, kill the monks dropping into the cage, too.

Good luck.

THE CLOCK TOWER

After destroying those wooden planks that were choking the machinery, just start
jumping down.  Ignore the enemies unless they are right in your way, at which
point you just shoot to knock them down- a shot to the knee, then the chest.  It
won't kill them, but you'll be able to step over them.

Outside, at the bridge, three shield-monks will menace you.  Use a grenade if
you wish, or just stand your ground, shoot through the wooden shield, and blast
open their faces.

Just run through, after that, to where the two Garradors wait...

TWO BERSERKERS: TWO DEATHES.

When you step through the door, two monks await, with the berserkers standing
behind.  Toss a grenade to start it off.

When everyone rushes down to your position, slip past them and run to the upper
door.  By that point a whole group of monks- who dropped down from somewhere,
will be charging you, and if you are unlucky, a berserker or two also.  A hand
grenade takes care of the monks easily, though, and after that its simply a
battle of endurance.

Use the side passage a lot, and shoot them only if they are far away from your
position.  Try to wear one out at a time.  Its really about keeping your cool
and aiming well from afar.  Use the bells only in emergencies- say, if one is
very close to your position.

THE RIGHT HAND OF SALAZAR

Just run, use L+R to dodge when you need to, and use the freeze canisters when
you can.  Keep running back and forth until the elevator arrives, at which point
you run to it.  That's all!

When dodging, remember that the Hand will start attacking you with combos.  This
is especially prevalent near the end, when you are before the elevator room.
It'll jump up, go to the ceiling, then stab out with a four-hit combo: just keep
your wits about you.  It usually attacks with:

L+R, L+R, A+B, A+B.

Good luck.  Its not that hard.

THE TWO TROLLS

Drop one of them in lava to start things off.  The other can be taken care of by
running to the platform opposite of the switch to release the lava-trap,
climbing it, and using A to slide down as the troll lurches towards your
position.  By doing so, you get a chance to pop it a few time in the face.  Aim
carefully- ammo is going to be scarce afterwards, as this troll takes a ton of
damage.

SALAZAR

Run down to the right side, and stand under the platform, so that its tentacles
can't bother you.  Bodiless parasites will rush your position, two at a time.
Three shots take care of them.  Shoot the parasites, and wait for Salazar to
reveal himself, at which point you plug it as much as you can.  I usually fit in
four or five shots.  Don't worry about ammo too much, either; the parasites
usually drop about ten or fifteen shots when they die, and since they come in
twos every ten second or so, you'll be continually refreshed with more
ammunition.

This battle takes a long time.  Be patient!

J.J.

These chaingun-toting maniacs take a lot of damage, but they aren't too hard.
Wait till they are done shooting, pop them in the face, back into cover right
BEFORE they start shooting again, pop out&shoot, and repeat.  This will keep
them from chasing after you, while you wittle down their hit points.

ARMORED SOLDIERS

Blast them in the face.

REGENERATORS

The second time in the game that you absoutely need a sniper rifle.  I think you
know the rest.

THE "IT."

You know...  the giant four-legged scorpion-sphinx-man-faced monster that chases
you through those three switch-triggered rooms?

When it comes, just dodge it, shoot and operate the switches, and get to the
end.  Its not as hard as you think- don't bother trying to damage it until the
second battle, and you'll be alright.  Don't be afraid to cure yourself.

When the platforms fall away, the battle REALLY begins.  Run and shoot as it
comes toward you.  Try to trap it behind one of the cages when you can, at which
point you can chuck grenades and shoot it in the face.

KRAUSER.

Use the knife!  Slash him when he gets close.  Walk away from him, backwards, so
that you are facing him at all times.  Dodge his attacks with the A+B or L+R
buttons, slash him, and pump him full of lead when you have the chance.  Use
grenades when needed.

SADDLER.

THE END!

Shoot the eye on its leg, climb it, stab its eye.  Use the exploding barrels and
the cranes to your advantage.  Hand grenades also drop it down for a stabbing.
When the special rocket launcher is thrown to you, USE IT!  And that's it!
You've beaten Resident Evil 4 with (mostly) the Handgun!








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