In addition to its groundbreaking gameplay, Resident Evil 4 was also known for its intense boss fights that defined the genre. With the remake’s announcement, fans were quick to speculate what iconic creatures would make it into the new game, and how their fights might be changed or made more intense than ever before.
Lucky for diehard RE4 fans, the remake excluded only one of the boss fights. But it didn’t shy away from revamping all the others and turning them into horror-inducing encounters. The following list details each of the 2023 remake’s boss fights and shares exclusive tips for beating them.
List of All Bosses
Repeated encounters excluded, the remake of Resident Evil 4 has seven primary boss fights: Del Lago, El Gigante, Mendez, Verdugo, Ramon, Krauser, and Saddler.
|
RE4 Boss |
Chapter |
|---|---|
|
Del Lago |
Chapter 3 |
|
El Gigante |
Chapter 4 |
|
Bitores Mendez |
Chapter 6 |
|
Verdugo |
Chapter 10 |
|
Ramon Salazar |
Chapter 12 |
|
Jack Krauser |
Chapter 14 |
|
Osmund Saddler |
Chapter 16 |
Del Lago
A mutated salamander, Del Lago is a lake monster. It lives near the village, feeding off the dead bodies Ganados throw in the water. In the remake of Resident Evil 4, Leon faces Del Lago as the first boss fight at the end of Chapter 3.
How to Beat Del Lago
The Del Lago traps Leon on a boat and tows him around the lake. To kill this monster, the player will need to harpoon its back while evading the obstacles in the water. Leon can’t use his guns in this battle; he must rely on harpoons only.
El Gigante
Also called the giant, El Gigante is the result of B.O.W. Experiments on human infants. As the name suggests, it’s a Plagas-fused titan that eats every moving creature. Leon first encounters one in Chapter 4, Quarry, where a Summoner awakens him. After the initial battle, Leon comes across another El Gigante in the Castle. But this one is armored and much harder to defeat. Also, later in Chapter 11, when Leon and Luis team up, a pair of armored and regular giants attack them in a blasting furnace.
How to Beat El Gigante
Beating regular giants is straightforward: shoot their heads until their parasites stick out. Then focus on shooting or knifing the parasites until they go down. For armored El Gigantes, either use heavy weaponries — like the cannon or blasting furnace — or shoot the unprotected scar on their face until they die.
Bitores Mendez
Previously known as the village’s chief and priest, Bitores Mendez is Saddler’s assistant fused with a unique type of Los Plagas. His parasite turns him into a tentacled creature resembling Los Iluminados’s logo. As the third boss fight in the game, Mendez attacks Leon in an abandoned barn at the end of Chapter 6.
How to Beat Mendez
Mendez’s boss fight has two phases. During the first part, the player should avoid his tentacles and try to shoot the eye on the back of his neck. In the second part, dodge his projectiles and shoot his head while also avoiding the burning woods.
Verdugo
The term Verdugo is Spanish for “executioner,” and in RE4, it's a tall creature with a scorpion-looking tail and claws. In the RE4 remake, Verdugos are Ramon Salazar’s guardians who assist him in the kidnapping and poisoning of Ashley Graham.
How to Beat Verdugo
In Chapter 10, Leon must fight off one of the two Verdugos in the sewers. To kill him, the player must freeze him with nitrogen gas and shoot his weakest spot, his head, while he’s stunned.
Although killing Verdugo grants the Wave Goodbye Right Hand trophy, the whole boss fight is optional. If they wish, the player can avoid Verdugo by running around until the elevator shows up, and they get to escape.
Ramon Salazar
Ramon is Osmund Saddler’s trusted ally who, like Mendez, is fused with an evolved parasite, the Queen Plagas. In the remake, he encounters Leon at the end of Chapter 12, when he shoots him multiple times, including once in the head.
How to Beat Ramon
To kill Ramon Salazar, the player will need to shoot Queen Plagas until she opens her mouth. That’s when they can shoot and stab Ramon’s glowing eye until he gives up. Alternatively, they can also throw two golden eggs at Ramon to kill him.
Jack Krauser
A former US Army soldier and Leon’s commander, Krauser is the sixth major boss in the remake of Resident Evil 4. He first spars with Leon in Chapter 11 when he’s trying to escape the mine with Luis. But later in Chapter 14, the player must fight his mutated form in the Ruins.
How to Beat Krauser
In Chapter 11, the player should parry Krauser’s knife attacks and stab him when stunned. To beat his mutated form, however, they must first break his guard and follow up with power shots of upgraded weapons or the rocket launcher.
Osmund Saddler
As the mastermind behind the excavation of Las Plagas, Osmund Saddler is considered the strongest boss in the entire Resident Evil 4 lore. He carries the largest parasite that turns him into a colossal beast at the end of Chapter 16.
How to Beat Osmund Saddler
The player will need to shoot giant glowing eyes on Saddler’s legs and tentacles to expose his true form. Then they must grab the red rocket launcher that Ada throws at them and shoot him in the face.
Which Bosses Didn’t Make It into the Resident Evil 4 Remake?
The only boss from the original game that’s cut from the remake is U-3. U-3 was a hybrid of human, reptile, and insect DNA kept in underground cellars to protect Saddler’s secret facilities. In the 2005 version, Leon had to fight this creature in Chapter 5, but those who play the remake are spared this battle.
The Resident Evil 4 remake is available now for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.