Minor Spoiler Alert!: The following guide may contain minor spoilers for the different unlockable weapons you will find throughout the RE4 campaign.

Capcom has just released its masterpiece, Resident Evil 4, to the masses and fans are finally able to get their hands on it. We absolutely loved the remake and we are now on our third playthrough of the campaign. We know some fans might want to play their first playthrough on Normal but we strongly suggest playing in Hardcore mode, especially if you have played the original RE4 multiple times. Not only will this difficulty mode feel even more like a new experience, but it brings out the survival horror hidden deep within RE4.

So, if you are up for the challenge and feel as though you are prepared for the treacherous Hardcore mode then we have the perfect guide for you to help survive your rescue mission and ultimately save the President’s daughter. Check out our recommended loadout below.

Handgun - SG-09 R

That’s right, Leon’s default handgun is one of the best weapons in the game! It may seem weak at first, especially in Hardcore mode. Its bullets do not inflict much damage and sometimes enemies won't even react to being shot when the handgun has no upgrades applied, but be patient! Once the gun receives a few upgrades, it will be your instant go-to weapon throughout the entire campaign. Firstly, I strongly recommend purchasing the laser sight for the handgun. Not only is it a nostalgic callback to the original game, but it makes aiming that much easier, especially in darker areas and with enemies that are at a distance.

You are going to want to focus on upgrading its power, rate of fire, and reload speed first. When fully upgraded, this handgun packs 2.0 damage per hit and that does not include critical hits. Once fully upgraded, immediately purchase the exclusive perk from the merchant to increase the critical hit rate to 5x. This will have you popping enemy heads with a single shot more often than not.

Some will tell you to buy the Punisher handgun instead, but don’t be fooled! Although the Punisher does offer more penetration, the SG-09 R’s exclusive perk outshines the punisher by a mile. The ability to increase the critical hit rate to 5x will make your killing sprees much easier.

Shotgun - Riot Gun

The default shotgun that you find early on in the game is complete trash. It has a slow rate of fire, weak damage output, and low ammo capacity. Do yourself a solid and buy the Riot Gun as soon as it’s available. Not only is the damage output stronger, but the rate of fire is higher, and it holds more shells so less time reloading. Upgrading the Riot Gun’s power to its third tune-up level should be enough. This will give the gun a damage output of 9.6, plenty to blow the heads of enemies in one shot. There is no need to upgrade anything else on this weapon, instead, save your money for other necessary upgrades.

Rifle - Stingray

Yet again, you will want to sell Leon’s base Rifle as soon as the Stingray becomes available. Unfortunately, this does not pop up in the shop until later on in the game. The good news is that you can sell your default Rifle to the Merchant with all of its upgrades and make most of your money back. I do recommend upgrading the power of the default rifle to the second tune-up level until you can purchase the Stingray.

Now, some may argue that the CQB Assault Rifle might be a better choice, but I beg to differ. The CQB can be found mid-way through the game and is a full-auto rifle. But that is exactly why it isn’t ideal. You can not change the firing mode on the weapon and it forces you to use it in first-person view. Not only that but the Stingray comes with a bonus of 3x the power against weak points without having to upgrade it! This is huge and will help with some of the beefier bosses in the game. I suggest upgrading the power to at least level 4 and reload speed to level 2. This weapon will tear through the Regenerators later on in the game. Make sure you at least have the standard scope, I never found a need to purchase the 10x magnified scope in my first run.

Magnum - Broken Butterfly, Then Killer7

The Broken Butterfly is a must-buy and will come in handy as a last resort when facing a tough boss. It dishes out a decent amount of damage per shot and it will be the strongest weapon available early on in the game. I upgraded the power to level 3, bumping it up to 21, but eventually, you will want to sell it and instead purchase the Killer7 to take its place. It inflicts more damage and comes with a mounted laser sight for easy shots. Both of these weapons are pretty similar in damage but the Killer7 will feel like a slight but much-needed upgrade.

Stealth - The Bolt Thrower

This is the new stealth weapon that was added to the remake. These shots are completely silent which will definitely matter in some major sections of the game. However, you will not be using the bolt thrower to kill your enemies in Hardcore mode. The traditional bolts do not do much damage, even when fully upgraded. Instead, you will use the Bolt Thrower to open crates silently, especially when fighting the Garradors. Also, it can be used to shoot down treasures instead of wasting precious handgun ammo. Remember, the bolts can be picked up and reused. The only time I utilized it as a weapon was to defeat Plaga emerging from the host’s head. If I was running low on ammo, I would attach mines to the bolts and shoot it at the Plaga, resulting in an instant kill and inflicting damage to other nearby enemies.

Close Quarters - Combat Knife

This should be the first weapon you fully upgrade and it will save your life a multitude of times! Focus on upgrading the durability over power. The knife will constantly break, but it will break much less often if you upgrade its durability to the max. Next, tune-up its power but don’t expect much. It caps at a max damage of 1 but the main reason we want to upgrade the power is to be able to unlock its exclusive perk from the Merchant. The attack speed for the knife will be 1.5x faster, allowing you to take out enemies if ammo runs too thin. The knife is an inexpensive weapon to fully upgrade and should definitely be a focus, along with your handgun.

Body Armor

Why wouldn’t you buy it? It’s not very expensive and it will save your life. It may seem like it gets destroyed quickly in Hardcore mode, but that is the point. It takes the hit so you don’t have to. Repairs can also be discounted if you unlock the Ada charm for your attache case, making it an even better purchase. Trust me, you will want body armor for these boss fights, especially when herbs are low. Not only that but it does not take up any inventory space. 

Do Not Waste Money On The Rocket Launcher

You won’t need the Rocket Launcher! It is expensive and unnecessary if you use your money to upgrade your weapons instead. Just remember, the only weapons you will need to fully upgrade are the handgun and the knife. Everything else you can upgrade its power and basically forget the rest. Some may say that reload speed matters. Sure, but Leon swaps weapons in an instant, reload speeds are not crucial but they are convenient. Other than the handgun of course.

Recipes - Flash Grenades, Mixed Herbs, Attachable Mines

It is a must that you purchase the Flash Grenade Recipe and make sure you always have at least one on hand. This will give you an easy instant kill for ALL plaga types and has gotten me out of many sticky situations. Not only that, but it stuns enemies and allows you to instantly kill them with the knife.

Also, always be on the lookout for yellow herbs since they are the rarest ones to find in the game. Take your time with the campaign, don't just run through it because these herbs can be easily missed. Items do not glare like they used to in the original game and are much less noticeable so be on the lookout! You will need these yellow herbs to mix with a red and green herb. This will allow you to increase your maximum health, which you will need to be near fully upgraded toward the end of the game.

Attachable mines are also a handy tool to have as a backup when dealing with the plagas. One mine can destroy most plaga in one shot so it’s great to have as a last resort or to conserve more precious ammo. You can always craft more mines.

Melee

Use it! Be sure to shoot enemies in the face and ankles to open them up for a melee attack. Leon’s kicks have a large radius of attack and cost absolutely nothing. These also do decent damage to all enemies in their path so definitely take advantage of the melee attacks as much as you can. You might be tempted to use your knife early on in the game, but you should save it until you have upgraded its durability or once you reach Ashley for the first time. You will want a knife handy just in case if an enemy attempts to carry her away.

Always Buy The Treasure Maps

The only way you are going to be able to afford all of these weapon upgrades is by finding and selling all the treasure you possibly can. Be sure to save your gems and strictly use them to insert in larger pieces of treasure. This will maximize your profits and allow you to upgrade and purchase the weapons you want.

Do All The Side Missions

Take your time with the campaign and do as many side missions as you can. I was able to complete all but two side missions and I was able to save a large stack of spinels. I will say that most of the spinel rewards are useless for your hardcore playthrough, but I did find myself trading for some gunpowder, yellow herbs, and diamonds. However, you will be able to purchase tokens for the gun range to allow you to unlock different attache charms to give you a slight boost in your campaign.

I was able to finish Hardcore mode with a B rating, mostly due to the length of time I spent on my first playthrough. It took me over 25 hours but I did take my time with it. I attempted every side mission and sought out every treasure. I did die a lot, but I enjoyed every second of it. I am currently working on my Professional Mode playthrough on my New Game Plus save file. I am running through the game at a much faster pace but it is all thanks to these upgrades. I hope this guide helps you on your Hardcore playthrough and be sure to tell me what you think in the comments below.

Resident Evil 4 is available now for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam.