Capcom has released the free Mercenaries DLC for the Resident Evil 4 remake. This arcade mode allows players to rack up a high score in many of the game’s most iconic areas while playing as Leon, Luis, and other characters. The mode itself is extremely difficult, especially if you’ve never played Mercenaries in other Resident Evil games. Thankfully, earning an S-rank and unlocking new items in this mode is actually much easier than you’d expect. In this guide, we’ll run through tips for earning an S-rank, along with a list of all unlockables in the Resident Evil 4 Mercenaries mode.
Resident Evil 4 Mercenaries S-Rank Tips
If you plan on earning a high score, you’ll need to build your combo while ensuring you’ve got enough time left to spare. Surviving can be tough, and you’ll need to prioritize getting headshots and melee eliminations to add to your timer. But getting an S-rank is actually easier than you’d expect. Here are five tips for getting an S-rank across each of the three stages.
5. You Don’t Need to Survive
Contrary to what you might think, you don’t need to eliminate all enemies to get the coveted S-rank. Sure, you can take out all 150 enemies and likely earn a high score, but if you’re eliminated prematurely, your score will still save. This means, if you’re only looking to get the S-rank, you can effectively reach the score needed, and then let yourself get taken out so you can quickly move on.
4. You Only Need a 200,000 Score for S-Rank
Speaking of high scores, you only need to earn 200,000 points on a stage to get the S-rank. While this might sound like a lot at first, it’s quite manageable, especially if you reach a combo of around 50 or so.
3. Utilize Dynamite Enemies to Your Advantage
We advise leaving some of the dynamite enemies alive, as they can inadvertently keep your combo going. This is because the dynamite actually damages other enemies, so if you can, make sure to keep at least one dynamite enemy alive.
2. Use Special Abilities for Temporary Invulnerability
As you rack up eliminations, your Special Ability meter grows, eventually leading to a powerful move. While these moves are useful on their own, they have a secret, hidden effect, as well. Right as you use the move, you’re actually invincible for a second or two, which can save you when you’re in a bind. Likewise, it pushes nearby enemies back, giving you a chance to escape and keep that combo going.
1. Experiment with Different Characters
All characters are useful in their own ways, but depending on your playstyle, some might work better than others. For instance, Luis is a much more deliberate character, with a semi-auto rifle and a slower-firing handgun. But his dynamite Special Ability makes it easy to clear out large hordes of enemies. If you’re struggling to earn S-rank, give each character a try and see which one works best for you.
Resident Evil 4 Mercenaries Unlocks
But what’s in it for you? Thankfully, the Mercenaries mode has plenty of unlockables, many of which are relatively straightforward to earn.
Characters
Aside from Leon, each additional character is unlocked by earning an A-rank (100,000 points) on a stage as the previous character. To unlock Luis, get an A-rank with Leon; to earn Krauser, get an A-rank with Luis; and unlocking Hunk requires you to get an A-rank with Krauser.
- Leon
- Luis
- Krauser
- Hunk
Stages
Currently, there are three stages. The Village is available from the start, and each subsequent stage requires you to beat the previous one to unlock them.
- The Village
- The Castle
- The Island
Handcannon
The most important unlockable item in the Mercenaries mode is the Handcannon. To earn this all-powerful weapon, you need to get an S-rank on all three stages, which is actually a lot easier than it seems. Once you do so, head to the Extra Content Shop and buy the weapon for 1,000 CP. It will then appear in your Storage in the main story, which is accessible via a typewriter.
We highly recommend fully upgrading this weapon and getting the Exclusive Perk, which gives you unlimited ammo. This makes the game a breeze, even in the Professional difficulty mode.
