The Resident Evil 4 Remake has many differences compared to the original game, and some players may notice ammo is often less readily available. Players must instead learn to craft much of their ammo from gunpowder and other resources, with the Resident Evil 4 Remake testing players' ability to manage their inventory and survive in the classic survival horror game.
Although it is possible to get unlimited ammo when completing the game under certain conditions, most players must deploy various strategies to save ammo to stand the best chances of surviving. Saving ammo is also crucial for players who want to get Resident Evil 4's Minimalist Trophy Achievement, awarded to players who complete the story using only knives and handguns. Fortunately, there are some handy tips to save ammo to help.
10 Kick Open Padlocked Doors
Beginner Resident Evil 4 Remake players might unknowingly waste ammo by shooting padlocked doors to open them instead of using Leon's knife, which breaks the lock in one slice. However, there's a better way to open locked doors that help preserve ammo and knife durability.
Kicking padlocked doors three times opens the door, wasting zero ammo. The same principle applies to breaking barrels, opening most boxes, and for some puzzle activities like the Grave Robber request. Kicking doors takes slightly longer, so it's best avoided in a tight squeeze, but otherwise, there's no reason not to.
9 Use Headshot And Follow-Up Takedown Attack Combos
In many cases, shooting enemies in the head stuns them, enabling Leon to follow up with a crushing kick takedown when the melee attack arrow marker appears, and it is one of the most effective combat strategies. This method also helps preserve valuable ammo, so players aren't wasting it in follow-up shots.
Target enemies individually using this strategy and save bigger guns or explosives for more hostile situations like swarms of enemies. It's also crucial to learn enemies' weak spots, and getting Resident Evil 4's bioscope sensor will enable players to identify other enemy weaknesses like Regenerator parasites.
8 Consider Buying The Bolt Thrower
Resident Evil 4 Remake's Bolt Thrower is, in some ways, a handy new weapon to have on hand, as its retrievable bolts can help players save ammo. Players can simply pick up bolts shot from enemy corpses to re-use. The Bolt Thrower is a crossbow-style weapon with other advantages that support a stealthier gameplay approach.
Early in the game, players might want to consider buying the bolt thrower to help conserve ammo but may want to consider its drawbacks when deciding whether it's worth buying.
7 Use Environmental Obstacles To Floor And Finish Off Enemies
One of the oldest Resident Evil tricks in the book is to finish off zombies and other enemies with a knife when there are down, saving a ton of ammo. Leon can do the same with Resident Evil 4's Ganados while using the level design advantageously.
In the village, there are many obstacles like fences to leap over, and Ganados also climb them. Shoot them mid-climb, so they topple over and quickly finish them off with a few knife swipes or using its deadly takedown.
6 Lure Enemies Into Explosive Traps
It's best to look out for environmental hazards to turn into weapons like red explosive barrels or wire traps, which can be a lifesaver when groups of enemies attack. Mark their location and lure enemies towards them as needed to blast big groups to bits, saving a good portion of ammo and reducing possible health damage. Be careful not to get caught in the blast and duck under explosive wire traps as necessary.
Players can also use certain weapons and objects to make effective environmental traps against stronger enemies, such as the Resident Evil 4 chainsaw sisters trick.
5 Look Out For Stealth Attack Opportunities
Playing the stealth game is also a great way of conserving ammo, so it's a good idea to look out for opportunities to perform stealth attacks with Leon's knife as an alternative to the Bolt Thrower. Crouch and slowly sneak up behind enemies to perform a well-timed stealth attack from behind that takes down most enemies in a single move.
Watch how enemies patrol instead of jumping in guns blazing to perform silent kills that don't draw more enemies into an area, reducing the need for more bullets.
4 Max Out The Knife And Learn To Parry
Players learn to parry in Resident Evil 4 Remake early on in the game, but it's easy to forget to use the ability and rely solely on guns instead. A successful parry also momentarily stuns enemies, allowing a small window for a follow-up finishing move, so it's a great way of avoiding wasting ammo altogether.
Repairing and upgrading the knife is also critical for long-lasting durability, with upgrades possible to prevent it from breaking completely, such as the maxed-out Primal knife, enabling players to go full-on Rambo for longer.
3 Choose Weapon Upgrades Wisely
When choosing weapons to upgrade first in Resident Evil 4, if saving ammo is a priority for players, choosing to upgrade or tune up a weapon's power is often wise as it can enable players to kill enemies in fewer shots.
Upgrading a weapon's ammo capacity is also a sensible choice, as players can get more ammo for their buck before having to reload again. Upgrading weapons is expensive, and choosing what to upgrade somewhat depends upon players' priorities and playstyles, but choosing weapons with decent ammo stats is often ideal.
2 Learn Which Weapons Work Best Against Different Enemies
As players progress through the game, they'll gradually learn which weapons and tactics work best against different enemies. For instance, a sniper rifle like the Stingray can take down Chapter 8's face-hugger-style mobile parasites in a single shot, compared to other weapons like the SMG or SG-09 R handgun that use significantly more ammunition.
Learning which weapons work best against different types of enemies is vital to avoid wasting unnecessary ammo, especially during boss fights, as it's sometimes other equipment like flash grenades that may perform best, such as when fighting Mendez.
1 Use Charms To Boost Ammo
Obtaining and equipping Resident Evil 4 Remake's charms to Leon's inventory case is another handy way to maximize ammo, as some boost ammo crafting capabilities. Ammo-conscious players might hope for ammo-related ones like the Don Jose or Soldier with Hammer charms, increasing handgun ammo crafting capacity by 15 and 20%.
Taking part in shooting ranges and searching chests for hidden tokens is essential to get silver or gold tokens for charm rewards like ammo boosts, as well as helping players improve their shooting skills to help players save bullets and take down enemies in John Wick style.
Resident Evil 4 Remake is available now on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.