Similar to the Resident Evil 2 remake, RE4’s remake needed to step up the game when it comes to puzzles. The puzzles in the classic games were all surprisingly easy, often with solutions in less than five steps. As a single-loop solution, it is often derided in the RE community as sliding.
But the remake definitely delivered, not just because it has better puzzles, but more puzzles. Some solutions still have easy solutions, but you’re unlikely to figure it out on the first run. Many of them are similar to the original’s puzzles, but have been dramatically improved.
8 sword puzzle
This first is in Chapter 7, right after hitting the first Garrador. It’s similar to the original sword puzzle where you did the good old gold and silver switcheroo. The classic era of the series tended to puzzle a lot of that, and the remake definitely improved on that.
To get one of the swords, you must first shoot all the symbols corresponding to the marked door, and this is important because you’ll do this later. Then you have to look at the four pictures and choose the sword that goes best with one. It’s a relatively short puzzle, but it’s a nice facebreaker after killing Garrador.
7 restaurant puzzle
In Chapter 9 you will find another puzzle unlocked in the classic game. It’s the Dining Hall puzzle. In the 2005 original, I had to read a few hints to learn that shooting the red wine bottle was the correct solution. But many people didn’t read the hints at all and just shot at the picture until it was solved.
The remake version of this puzzle really demands your attention. You will need to look at two pictures to determine if the two table seats are correct. It’s pretty fun figuring out where items are properly placed, and the puzzles are way better than the original.
6 crystal ball puzzle
The first puzzle in the original game is the Crystal Marble puzzle in the chief’s house and is very easy. You just hit and leave and that’s it. It’s better in the VR version, but even better in the remake. Instead of pressing four commands, it rotates the entire ball.
You really have to turn it around and get it at the right angle to make the drapery perfect. Sure, it can be tricky at first, but once it’s worked out, it feels great. The puzzles are still very simple, but much more fun than the classic games.
5 cave temple puzzle
You’ll need to get two stone heads to get the Church Tabard later in town. So you have to do two cave shrine puzzles in both head positions. These are really neat. You have to match various symbols in different places in the environment to figure out which symbol to push into the device.
Similar to many of the puzzles in Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, it’s also a lot of fun. One of the shrines has a truckload of enemies that you’ll want to take down before solving the puzzle. All in all, these are a lot of fun and these types of puzzles are always enjoyable.
4 church puzzle
Another puzzle improved from the original game is the Church puzzle. It’s actually one of the best of the classic games and requires more thought than most others. However, the remake has surpassed it due to its complexity. Instead of creating three circular images and combining them into one, they are already combined.
This can make the puzzle quite challenging at first, but you will learn as you try to solve it. It might take a while on the first run, but once you’ve done it and you’re pretty close to saving Ashley, it’ll be very satisfying. It’ll be interesting to see if Separate Ways’ reverse kill puzzles make a comeback as the inevitable DLC.
three Fallen Idol Puzzle
This is one of the few puzzles that mirrors the original game as it has a two-level solution. But that’s only in easier mode and you won’t realize it on the first run. Hardcore mode starts with even more shuffled pieces and turns them into real tile puzzles.
This is the second most difficult task in the game and can take several minutes. You really have to think and plan your movements here so that all the pieces fit into the right place at once. When you finally solve it, it’s a relief, and you’ll be rewarded with a Corrupted Idol treasure, one of the better treasures you’ll find in the town section.
2 Salazar family puzzle
The RE4 remake introduced side quests, one of which asks you to return to Salazar’s throne room at the end of the castle section and deface his portrait. There are also lots of merchandise in this room and some nice easter eggs referencing the original. The thing is, you might not know how to deface a portrait.
You can stab them and blow them up, but that’s not the solution. The little clue here is one of the treasures you’ll find throughout the room, a golden egg. Any type of egg must be used to deface the portrait. Pretty clever. This is probably the most unique side quest in the entire title.
One electronic terminal puzzle
The island section features the game’s most difficult puzzle set, and these are the three electronic terminals. It’s challenging enough in the easier modes, but the hardcore mode has 11 of them. This is a wire connect puzzle and the hardcore mode makes the puzzle not only more complex, but even more complex.
You really have to think here, because trying brute force will take forever. Of all the puzzles in the game, this one takes far longer than the Fallen Idol. You will have to try many combinations, but once you solve them you will feel amazing. That feeling can’t escape any puzzles in the original game, and that’s a step in the remake’s puzzles.