The remake of Resident Evil 4 is out now, and for new players jumping in for the first time, the village of Valdelobos has a lot of hidden surprises in store. While fighting off hordes of murderous villagers will be the standard activity players can expect, exploration and puzzle solving play just as an important role in Resident Evil 4 as well. As such, players should keep an eye out for important items among the chaos, as one key weapon is easy to miss, making the game much harder than it needs to be.
Players who have already checked out the demo for the Resident Evil 4 remake will be familiar with the sequence involving the chainsaw-wielding enemy and the onslaught of villagers chasing down protagonist Leon Kennedy. This can be an overwhelming segment as it throws players right into the thick of combat without much hesitation, but this shouldn't distract from the fact that there is a crucial item located very close by. In one of the houses located in this part of the village lies the series-staple shotgun that's a must-have this early in the game since it can come in handy as the game's difficulty ramps up.
Resident Evil 4 Players Shouldn't Miss the Early-game Shotgun
The shotgun has been a staple throughout the Resident Evil series since the very first entry. As an upgrade to the starter handgun, the shotgun is a crucial weapon to survival, but can often be tricky to acquire. Resident Evil 7 has players solve a weight puzzle, where taking the shotgun from its mount results in the door to its room locking, barring players from obtaining it until they find something to replace it on the mount. Resident Evil Village has its shotgun sitting out on a table in East Old Town, but it's surrounded by Lycans and requires the bolt cutters to access.
By comparison, Resident Evil 4's shotgun is fairly easy to obtain, but its location isn't necessarily as obvious as in past entries, meaning players might miss it initially. The shotgun is located in the upstairs portion of a large house on the village's left-hand side when standing at the entrance. While it looks like it's mounted on the wall as part of a weight puzzle similar to Resident Evil 7, players can grab the shotgun without worry of it springing any traps.
What makes this weapon so easy to miss is the emphasis the game places on other elements in the village that would lead the player away from its location. Players running around avoiding the infected villagers and chainsaw fiend are likely more focused on surviving than scouring every nook and cranny of the village and its buildings. Even once the bell tolls and the villagers return to town hall, the game directs players onward towards the lake after a call from Hunnigan, meaning players who don't stick around to explore the aftermath will likely miss their earliest chance to grab the shotgun.
Luckily, other shotguns are available later in the game, such as the ones sold by Resident Evil 4's Merchant. However, those cost valuable currency that could be otherwise used for upgrading the first shotgun that can be obtained for free. Grabbing this weapon early will also help ease the difficulty of upcoming battles, meaning that players who don't want to worry as much about the game's more challenging elements should make sure they take the time to get this shotgun while they can.
Resident Evil 4 is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.