While Ganados and Las Plagas were the main enemies in the original Resident Evil 4, the remake makes other infected creatures more prominent without adding too many species. In fact, the only new monster in the game is Brute, which seems to be a replacement for J.J., the minigun soldier.
The Ganados in the RE4 remake are still divided into three groups: Villagers, Zealots, and Combatants (Soldiers). And Las Plagas shows up in three developmental stages: Guadana, Mandibula, and Arana. However, they are all revamped. As such, even veteran Resident Evil players may need a few tips for defeating them in the remake.
All Enemy Types
With the addition of Brutes, the Resident Evil 4 remake now has 11 distinct types of enemies. Here's the complete list of all enemies in the 2023 remake.
Ganado
- Weaknesses: Headshot, Melee
- Strengths: Can use tools
In the RE4 remake, Ganados are zombified villagers controlled by Guadana-type Las Plagas. The term Ganado translates to cattle or livestock, referring to the creature’s mindless devotion to Lord Saddler. Unlike most other mutations, Ganados are vocal and can utter basic sentences in Spanish.
How to Kill Ganados
Kill them by shooting their brains. Because Ganados keep their human forms, they have human-like weaknesses. Headshots and explosives, therefore, are the best options for defeating them.
Chainsaw Man
- Weaknesses: Headshot, Melee
- Strengths: Chainsaw attack
The Chainsaw Man, also called Dr. Salvador, is a Plagas-infected villager with a covered head and a chainsaw. He first attacks Leon in Village Square, but there are multiple other encounters throughout the campaign. Although the origin of his creation is unclear, Salvador is likeky a failed test subject of Los Iluminados’s experiments.
How to Kill the Chainsaw Man
Multiple headshots and spin-kicks can defeat El Salvador. His strength comes from his chainsaw that blocks bullets and instakills Leon. Though this can be dangerous, the player may parry his attacks by pressing the LB (L1) button at the right time.
Bella Sisters
- Weaknesses: Headshot, Melee
- Strengths: Chainsaw attack
Also known as the Chainsaw Sisters, the Bella Sisters are a pair of chainsaw-equipped Ganados. They are the female version of El Salvador (Chainsaw Man), with the only difference being their attack strategy. The sisters tend to surround the player and restrict their movement.
How to Kill the Chainsaw Sisters
The Bella Sisters share the same strengths and weaknesses as Dr. Salvador. To beat them, the player will need to land multiple headshots or melee attacks. Since the sisters attack simultaneously, a good strategy would be to mark them with explosive bolts.
Las Plagas
- Weaknesses: Flash grenade
- Strengths: Speed, Bladed Tentacles
Las Plagas is an ancient parasite excavated from a cave by Los Iluminados. It has the ability to latch onto a host’s spinal cord and control its brain with its tentacles. Since Las Plagas develops inside the carrier, it comes in three forms: Guadana, Mandibula, and Arana.
- Guadana is the initial phase of Las Plagas’s growth. It has a bladed tentacle that slices enemies.
- Mandibula is the second stage of Las Plagas’s development. It has a large mouth that chops off the enemy’s head.
- Arana is a fully grown Las Plagas. It has spider-like legs and can change its host at will.
How to Kill Las Plagas
All three forms of Las Plagas are weak to Flashbangs. When Flash Grenades are unavailable, the player can defeat them by shooting their shiny organs. Mandibula’s specific weakness is its mouth; aim here for extra damage.
Colmillos
- Weaknesses: Flash Grenade
- Strengths: Fangs, Speed
Colmillos are Plagas-infected dogs with sharp fangs. They are common guardian animals in the Village section and attack the player in two different ways. They may either pin down Leon and bite his face, or strike him with a bladed tentacle that sticks out of their backs.
How to Kill Colmillos
The Plagas-infected dogs are weak to flashbangs. To defeat them, the player must either shoot their fangs or throw a Flash Grenade at them.
Brute
- Weaknesses: Headshot, Melee
- Strengths: Heavy Attack
Brutes are Minotaur-resembling Ganados in the Resident Evil 4 remake. They have the body of a human and the head of a bull or hog, and are often equipped with heavy weapons.
How to Kill Brutes
Despite their armor-like appearance, Brutes’ heads are not bulletproof. The player can easily take them down with heavy shots to the head, melee attacks from behind, or long-range explosives. Press B (Circle on PlayStation) to dodge a Brute’s hammer swings in between delivering attacks.
Garrador
- Weaknesses: Blindness, Hyperacusis
- Strengths: Claws, Heavy attacks
A Garrador is a blinded mutant with large steel claws attached to its hands. It has no sensation whatsoever and blindly attacks any noise sources, which is why Zealots have chained them to the walls in the Castle Dungeons.
How to Kill Garradors
Due to their hyperacusis, Garradors are sensitive to noise. Therefore, the ideal way to defeat them is by sneaking behind them and knifing the Plagas on their back. The player can also shoot these creatures’ backs to uncover the parasite and follow up with a flashbang to finish them.
Killing a Garrador using only knives rewards the player with the Never Heard It Coming trophy/achievement .
Zealot
- Weaknesses: Headshot, Melee
- Strengths: Can use tools, may have shields
Also called the Cultists, Zealots are monk-looking guardians of the Castle. Like other Ganados, they are infected by Las Plagas and are controlled by Summoners and Lord Saddler. Compared to villagers, Zealots have more advanced battle tactics and may carry protective items like wooden shields, making them harder to take down.
How to Kill Zealots
Except for shielded ones, all Zealots are weak to headshots. They share the same characteristics as Village Ganados, the only difference being their more advanced strategies. The player can quickly kill Zealots with two to three headshots or explosives. Shielded Zealots require heavy weaponries like shotguns or grenades.
Summoner
- Weaknesses: Headshot, Melee
- Strengths: Psychotic influence, can summon Plagas
A Summoner is a red-robed goat-headed priest in Los Iluminados with the ability to summon the Las Plagas inside Zealots. It can sing demonic verses that trigger the parasites, forcing them to become even more aggressive.
How to Kill Summoners
The best way to kill Summoners is a close-range battle. Because Summoners lack efficient battle skills, they tend to run away and hide, which makes them prone to melee and stealth attacks. The player could also use a rifle to hunt them down from a distance.
Armadura
- Weaknesses: Flash Grenade, Blue Light
- Strengths: Bulletproof body
Better known as suits of armor, Armaduras are anthropomorphic knight armor. A Guadana-type Las Plagas inhabits inside these suits, moving the arms and legs with its tentacles.
How to Kill the Armadura
To beat an Armadura, the player will need first to expose their Plagas. To do that, they must shoot the tentacled entity around their necks and then kick their helmet. This will open up their parasite, which can be destroyed with flashbangs or guns.
There is no way to kill Armadura while playing as Ashley. All she can do is stun them with the blue lantern light.
Novistador
- Weaknesses: Headshot, Melee
- Strengths: Camouflage, Flying
A Novistador is a Plagas-infected bug that’s been induced with human DNA. It looks like a giant insect with glowing green eyes and multiple limbs. But what makes these creatures deadly is their ability to blend in with the environment through cryptic coloration.
How to Kill Novistadors
A camouflaged Novistador dies with a single headshot. But to kill an awakened one, the player will need to either shoot them 2 to 3 times or shoot them once, follow up with a kick, and knife them on the ground. Note that Flash Grenades do not take Novistadors down; they only stun them.
Combatant (Soldier)
- Weaknesses: Headshot, Melee
- Strengths: Armor, Heavy weaponry
Combatants or Soldiers are militant Ganados, often wearing bulletproof suits, vests, or helmets. The player first comes across these Ganado variants on the Island, where they have created military bases with heavy weaponries such as turrets and rocket launchers.
How to Kill Combatants
Technically, Combatants are no different from Village Ganados. They have human-like weaknesses and die with headshots. But the player should avoid shooting their armored parts and, instead, focus on the unprotected areas.
Regenerador
- Weaknesses: Plagas
- Strengths: Regeneration, Elasticity
A Regenerador is a mutated human fused with multiple Las Plagas parasites. It is a regenerative creature that recreates all its missed limbs in a few seconds — hence the name.
How to Kill Regeneradors
The only way to kill a Regenerador is by shooting down all its Plagas. To do that, the player will need to either randomly shoot all parts of its body or equip the Bioscope Sensor and sharpshoot the parasites in its torso.
Iron Maiden
- Weaknesses: Head Plagas
- Strengths: Thorns
An Iron Maiden is a mutated Regenerador with a spike-covered body. Unlike a Regenerador, an Iron Maiden has only one living parasite in its head, which makes it explode upon dying.
How to Kill Iron Maidens
To defeat an Iron Maiden in the RE4 remake, the player will need to destroy the Plagas in its head. A power shot with a magnum is often enough to take an Iron Maiden down. But any mid-range gun would do the trick.
Iron Maidens explode upon dying, throwing all their spikes at the player. After shooting their Plagas, take cover.
All Enemies That Didn’t Make It into the Remake
The only missing enemy types in the remake of Resident Evil 4 are J.J. and U-3. The former, J.J. was a giant mutant equipped with a minigun; the latter, U-3, was a scorpion-looking underground monster.
The Resident Evil 4 remake is available now for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.