Resident Evil 4 Remake Minimalist Achievement: What You Need To Do To Unlock It

The "Resident Evil 4 Remake" has made a few changes, and with those come new trophies and achievements. While potential future DLCs can certainly add to replayability, so too can working towards these achievements. But what about the mysteriously named Minimalist Achievement? There's been some debate on just how to get the achievement, and what, precisely, qualifies as a minimalist run. 

There's no denying that the "RE 4 Remake" has some great options when it comes to weapons. However, to get the Minimalist Achievement, players need to limit themselves to using only a handgun or knife during combat. Because the gameplay is quite challenging, this adds a new layer of necessary planning to ensure Leon survives to rescue Ashley. As defeating the bosses (like the hard-to-kill Chainsaw Man) is a challenge with even the best weapons, it's a good idea for players to not dive into this particular challenge right away. Instead, do a few playthroughs to really learn the nuances of each fight, and then attempt to take down the game armed with only a handgun and a knife.

To avoid an accidental mixup (or to stop Leon from giving into temptation and pulling out the game's best pistol), it's a good idea for players to only stock handguns and knives in their inventory. There are specific fights that require players to use other weapons, and, fortunately, those don't count against the achievement. Magnums, however, aren't classed as handguns, so do avoid those.

One of the best ways to get this achievement is to ensure Leon is using the best available handgun — rather than his starter gun, the SG-09 R — and an upgraded primal knife, especially since knife durability has been added to the remake. Get the primal fully leveled up, and Leon won't need to worry about it breaking during combat.

Some players may be tempted to use things like the Cats Ears — giving Leon unlimited ammo — but that does defeat a bit of the challenge of the achievement. Instead, look for a case charm that increases the likelihood of ammo drops to ensure Leon stays as well-armed as possible during the Minimalist runthrough.