Resident Evil 4 Remake: How to Unlock Special Accessories

As in the other games in the series, the stellar Resident Evil 4 Remake offers a variety of costumes to deck both Leon and Ashley out in – from the classic pinstripe suit to some truly outlandish getups if players are willing to splash out on the DLC. However, where Resident Evil 4 Remake stands out from the rest is in its Accessories. These snazzy extras offer not only a fun new way to customise the main characters on a second or third run-through, but can also grant some truly game-changing boons. 

There are 20 Accessories in total, but only five apply a bonus when equipped. The others are purely cosmetic. So, whether you are here to play dress-up and headshot Ganados in the most ridiculous getup you can assemble, or are hoping to boost the attack power of Leon’s trusty knife, here are Resident Evil 4 Remake’s Accessories and how to unlock them.

Accessories, along with other unlocks such as Costumes and Bonus Weapons, can be found in the “Extra Content Shop”.

Normal Accessories

Accessories, special or otherwise, can only be unlocked after completing the main story at least once. Most Normal Accessories simply require the player to play through Resident Evil 4 Remake‘s main story on any difficulty, after which they will be available to purchase from the “Extra Content Shop”. Others are tied to a specific difficulty level, or even to achieving specific end-game rankings. As players will have beaten the game at least once already, they should have accumulated plenty of CP to start shopping.

There are 15 Normal Accessories to unlock and, as mentioned previously, they are purely cosmetic. They serve no real purpose other than the thrill of changing up Leon and Ashley’s look to something incredibly silly or stylish. The best part is, as the game’s cutscenes are real-time, Accessories don’t just appear in gameplay. Watching Leon talk down to Ramon Salazar while looking like he got lost on his way to a fancy dress party never gets old.

Silly or stylish, the choice is yours with Normal Accessories.

Special Accessories

Far more difficult to unlock, but 100% worth it for the bonuses, Special Accessories may look a little more “out there” than their Normal counterparts. But don’t let their appearances fool you, the bonuses granted by equipping any of them can completely change the flow and feel of the game.

There are 5 Special Accessories to unlock in Resident Evil 4 Remake, each with its own unique bonus effect. As the challenges required to unlock them can seem quite insurmountable at first, unlocking and equipping one Special Accessory (as well other in-game bonuses, such as special weapons) obtained at a lower difficulty level can make subsequent playthroughs on higher difficulties a breeze.

It may look a little silly, but it will save your life.

How to Achieve an S+ Rank

As you will have noticed, each of these Special Accessories requires the player to achieve an S+ Rank on various different difficulties in order to unlock. For those who have already finished the Main Story once, such a Ranking should not be too difficult to achieve, so long as they factor in enough preparation and perseverance.

The most important factor to remember is the fact that an S+ Rank cannot be achieved on New Game +. In essence, this means players will have to start a New Game with a fresh save in order to stand a chance of earning one. Which of course means gun upgrades and items collected reset to zero. The good news is any of Resident Evil 4 Remake’s Bonus Weapons and Accessories already unlocked from the “Extra Content Shop” are all available for use. So players should ensure they equip their strongest weapons (especially those with Infinite Ammo unlocked) and Accessories before heading out on an S+ run.

Here are the S+ Rank requirements for each difficulty:

• Assisted – Complete the Main Story in under 4 hours
• Standard – Complete the Main Story in under 5 hours
• Hardcore – Complete the Main Story in under 5 hours 30 minutes
• Professional – Complete the Main Story in under 5 hours 30 minutes and save fewer than 15 times.

The best of the best.

Equipping Accessories

Once unlocked, each Accessory must first be purchased with CP from the “Extra Content Shop” on the Main Menu. Once purchased, players can then enter the “Bonuses” tab on the Main Menu. From there, players will be able to find and equip any unlocked Accessory on either Leon or Ashley with the click of a button. (The Special Accessories’ bonus effects will only apply to Leon.)

To see how their new threads look in action, players need only hop back into the game, where they can enjoy the fun of showing off their new wardrobe to the eager hordes of Ganados and cultists.

With the powerful bonuses granted by these fashionable Accessories at your fingertips, each subsequent playthrough will turn what was once a harrowing and tense survival-horror experience into a joyful and delightfully camp romp of an adventure. Of course, you can always unequip them if you start to miss the scares.

And for everything else Resident Evil 4 Remake, keep your eye on KeenGamer.