Resident Evil 4 – List of Non-Glitch Skips and Timesaves

List of some non-glitch or intended skips and timesaves in each chapter.

Non-Glitch Skips and Timesaves List

All credit goes to Varaki!

General

Rocket Launchers can be used to one shot any boss or enemy, including both of the Chainsaw Sisters and both of the Giants at once if they are close enough to each other.

A multitude of attachable mines can be placed around the spawn point of bosses or enemies that allow setup to one shot or deal heavy damage instantly, such as the first Garrador encountered while he is still chained up (mines placed in his path), the Chainsaw Sisters before they break the wall (mines placed on the lightbulb facing the wall), and Mendez before the fight is initiated (mines need to be placed on the floor between the blue barrels and directly above the barrels on the beam).

Chapter 1

Village Fight Skip

Using the rifle (only possible in New Game+), snipe the church bell located in the background of the Northwest behind the village. This rings the bell and immediately ends the section.

Quickly Unlocking the Barn with the Wooden Cog

Upon entering the farm section with the locked gate and missing wooden cog, you can approach the large house to the right of the typewriter house and shoot the lock on the back door using openings available on both sides.

Chapter 3

Village Dogs Skip

The dogs can be skipped entirely when re-entering the village. After freeing the wolf in the trap and heading through the gate, an enemy will be scouting you out, visible in plain sight from an upper rock platform. If this enemy is killed as he attempts to flee, the dogs will not be triggered.

Chapter 7

Cannon Counterweight Skip

When you first ascend the spiraling outside staircase, before the catapults, the counterweight for the cannon can be shot through the window.

Garrador Skip

After falling through the floor, the Garrador is chained in front of you for a limited amount of time. Run out into the corridor and look behind you to where the Garrador will run. You can either place an attachable mine here or throw a flashbang to stun him long enough for you to use the crank and make it to the ladder without a fight. The Garrador also will not hear you using the bolt thrower.

Chapter 8

Sun & Moon Puzzle Skips

In the first tower, pull the first switch, climb up the ladder, and throw a grenade through the locked gate to the bottom right to destroy the counterweight and open the gate.

In the second tower, throw a grenade through the locked gate to the bottom left to destroy the counterweight and open the gate.

Chapter 9

Goat Head Bridge/Lever Skip

In the section with the goat head across a lever-controlled bridge, either shoot an attachable mine by the lever or throw a grenade by the lever and then sprint straight ahead to trigger the enemy at the right time (about 55-60% across the bridge), and the enemy will explode or be stunned and will be unable to lower the bridge using the lever, allowing you to skip this fight entirely. However, enemies will still spawn on your way back across the bridge after obtaining the goat head.

Ashley Clock Time

While playing as Ashley, the time on the clock can be set immediately. The time varies based on the difficulty:

  1. Assisted/Standard: 11:04
  2. Hardcore/Professional: 7:00

Chapter 11

Dynamite Skip with Rocket Launcher

If you’re alright with wasting a rocket launcher, you can shoot it at the rock wall where the dynamite normally goes to skip that entire section.

Dropping the Giants Into the Lava

A classic from the original game. Using the lever, you can drop the Giants into the lava, killing them instantly. It is recommended to use a flashbang to stun them long enough to use the lever, as you need to hold it down for a few seconds.

Breaking Dr. Salvador’s Minecart

Whenever you encounter Dr. Salvador in the minecart section, shoot the cart he’s riding in as many times as you can, especially when he appears on the left, and then the right in the first section with enemies. When he appears again after a while, some more shots to his cart should cause it to break and he will no longer be an issue.

Chapter 12

Salazar Statue Head Early Destruction

The explosive on the back of Salazar’s mech/statue is visible as you proceed up towards it and the head is turned around. Shooting it will destroy it early and prevent it from breathing fire and blocking your path.

Clock Tower Rising Platform Spike Ball

Hitting the lever to release a spike ball and then immediately dropping down and hitting the rising platform lever will cause the spike ball to hit and kill the staff-wielding Zealot that is triggered and runs up the stairs.

Salazar’s Golden Egg Weakness

Throwing 2 Golden Eggs at Salazar’s head will instakill him. Using 1 Golden Egg alone does about 70% of his health. Golden Eggs can be found in Chapter 4 on an island in the lake (meant to be sold to the Merchant for a request) and the other after backtracking to the throne room in Chapter 12 (meant to be used to deface the portrait for a request).

Chapter 13

Wharf Laser Turret Skip

After arriving on the island, the first area with enemies can be skipped. Once you run ahead into the open area and are spotted by the enemies, a cutscene will play of a brute coming in. Run up the stairs and onto the platform and shoot the brute’s gun until it flames to disable it, forcing him to eventually melee you. Get as close to the turret laser wall as possible so the brute will attempt to melee you. When he does, he will step forward into the laser wall and it will trigger, shooting the brute. As soon as the brute starts getting shot, run through the laser wall and past his body, with the door now being available to open. If you’re having trouble with this, ensure that you are as close as possible to the laser wall, and all the way up onto the platform and not on the stairs as the brute may not be able to reach you.

Chapter 14

Ashley Drops Bridge on Regenerador

In the sewer section with the metal bars where Ashley holds the bridge for you, a Regenerador will spawn a short amount of time after the lever is flipped to restore power. If you can make it back to Ashley without her getting taken and the Regenerador is still chasing you, she will let go of the bridge when the Regenerador is on it to drop it below.

Wrecking Ball Skip

Throwing a few grenades at the damaged wall will allow Ashley to destroy it with the wrecking ball immediately rather than after multiple hits.

Chapter 15

Anti-Air Turret Skip

The Anti-Air cannon can be disabled immediately by throwing one or a few heavy grenades at it.

Sanctuary Laser Turret Skip

The laser turret blocking the path to the sanctuary can be skipped similar to the one in Chapter 14, except this time with a Novistador behind you as you are right up against the laser wall, baiting it to charge or attack you, and it will get hit by the turret. When the turret activates, run past the laser wall.

Chapter 16

Prevent Saddler from Destroying the Bridges

Saddler can be delayed or entirely prevented from destroying the bridges in the lower area as long as you stay on the first platform of the fight and do not drop down. When Saddler jumps away to the top of the tower, he will return to you on the first platform and will not destroy the bridges as long as you have stayed here and have not dropped down.

Egor Opleuha
About Egor Opleuha 7691 Articles
Egor Opleuha, also known as Juzzzie, is the Editor-in-Chief of Gameplay Tips. He is a writer with more than 12 years of experience in writing and editing online content. His favorite game was and still is the third part of the legendary Heroes of Might and Magic saga. He prefers to spend all his free time playing retro games and new indie games.

9 Comments

  1. Chapter 14 wall skip works perfectly on hardcore and below, however, professional it seems to not work. I’ve tried rocket launcher and heavy grenades.

  2. I don’t know if this is confirmed but the Wharf Turret skip on Chapter 13 doesn’t work anymore. I did a professional run with Infinite RPG and the Brute just stood there, He moved away when I flipped turret switches but he will just stand around and look at you, not even shoot.

    I think it’s due to the patch that involved door skips

  3. This is not a skip as in a time saving trick, but it makes a difficult situation a little easier: Chapter 13, you can shoot the hanging sacks in the freezer room from outside and have the Regenerador come out without getting locked in the room with it. So you have more space to fight it or can get locked in the room without it.

  4. the Matilda cannot hit locks whilst equipped with it’s stock. It must be the base handgun, otherwise it is held in the wrong position.

  5. During the encounter with the bella sisters you can unlock the chainlink gate without routing through second floor, just walk into the gate until Leon holds his handgun close to the chest & fire, you can reliably hit the lock. Save yourself the trouble of walking around.

    This same skip can be used at the farm to hit the lock more reliably, as opposed to shooting through the windows.

  6. Regarding Chapter 9’s goat head bridge skip, I felt uncomfortable trying to find the sweet spot that lets me sprint into the trigger before the grenade goes off.

    So, what I like to do instead, is to aim my grenade (without throwing) and then just walk forward until I hear the enemies become alerted. This leaves enough time to then throw a nade on reaction as soon as you hear that louder blabbering.

  7. I think you can also skip the doggos when coming back to the village if you unlock the door on the house to the right and head inside (the one with a mine right next to the cow barn) They’ll spawn but they won’t get to you.

  8. more on the mine cart section: when you exit out into the open air, there’s a very hard to hit explosive barrel riding on a minecart above you. if you manage to hit it, salvador’s cart will be substantially damaged when you see him.

  9. i never fought saddler in any run. i just bought a rocket launcher in the end of the game and shot him with it and that was in my first second third fourth and fifth run. the only time i didnt do it was when when i was doing theminimalist achievement lol

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