Credit: Capcom

In many games in the Resident Evil series, you’re assigned a rank upon completion of the game’s story. These ranks are determined by various factors, such as how long you took to beat the game, how many times you saved, how many healing items you used, and so on, and they serve as both bragging rights and means to unlock certain items. The remake of Resident Evil 4 includes this grading system as well, plus the chance for unlockables. Here’s an explanation of the Resident Evil 4 remake rank requirements.

Resident Evil 4 Remake Rank Requirements Explained

At the end of a Resident Evil 4 playthrough, you are assigned a rank, and the rank you get, plus the difficulty you were playing on, determines which bonus stuff you unlock. Now, the good news is that, unlike some other games in this franchise, your rank isn’t determined by a bunch of invisible factors like saving and healing. You can save and heal as much as you want and still get a good rank (though perhaps not the best rank).

Rather, your rank is determined solely by how long it took you to complete the game. Faster clear times result in higher ranks, while taking your time results in lower ranks (though you should take your time to properly experience everything on your first playthrough). Additionally, you earn separate ranks for the game’s various difficulty levels, and whether or not you’re playing on a New Game Plus or an entirely new save file also factors in.

Resident Evil 4 Ranks and Unlocks

Credit: Capcom

Here’s a list of all the ranks you can achieve in Resident Evil 4, sorted by difficulty level, and the requirements for achieving each:

• Assisted Difficulty
  • B Rank: Beat the game in any amount of time, New Game Plus is allowed
  • A Rank: Beat the game in less than 15 hours, New Game Plus is allowed
  • S Rank: Beat the game in less than 4 hours, New Game Plus is allowed
  • S+ Rank: Beat the game in less than 4 hours, New Game Plus is NOT allowed
• Standard Difficulty
  • B Rank: Beat the game in any amount of time, New Game Plus is allowed
  • A Rank: Beat the game in less than 12 hours, New Game Plus is allowed
  • S Rank: Beat the game in less than 5 hours, New Game Plus is allowed
  • S+ Rank: Beat the game in less than 5 hours, New Game Plus is NOT allowed
• Hardcore Difficulty
  • B Rank: Beat the game in any amount of time, New Game Plus is allowed
  • A Rank: Beat the game in less than 10 hours, New Game Plus is allowed
  • S Rank: Beat the game in less than 5 hours and 30 minutes, New Game Plus is allowed
  • S+ Rank: Beat the game in less than 5 hours and 30 minutes, New Game Plus is NOT allowed
• Professional Difficulty
  • B Rank: Beat the game in any amount of time, New Game Plus is allowed
  • A Rank: Beat the game in less than 7 hours, New Game Plus is allowed
  • S Rank: Beat the game in less than 5 hours and 30 minutes, New Game Plus is allowed
  • S+ Rank: Beat the game in less than 5 hours and 30 minutes and fewer than 15 saves, New Game Plus is NOT allowed

Incidentally, while you can’t use New Game Plus for achieving S+ Ranks, you can use any bonus weapons that you’ve unlocked from the extra content shop. Speaking of which, completing the game with certain ranks and difficulties unlocks special weapons and cosmetic items for you to purchase in the extra content shop with completion points, which are given for completing various in-game challenges. The vast majority of cosmetics are linked to beating the game once on any difficulty, but there are a few that require a certain difficulty and rank:

• Chicago Sweeper weapon: Clear the game on Professional difficulty with at least an A Rank, New Game Plus is allowed
• Handcannon weapon: Clear the game on Professional difficulty with any rank without using bonus weapons, New Game Plus is NOT allowed
• Ashley’s Armor cosmetic: Clear the game on Hardcore difficulty or higher with at least an A Rank, New Game Plus is allowed
• Leon’s Glasses cosmetic: Clear the game on Standard difficulty or higher with at least an A Rank, New Game Plus is allowed
• Leon’s Iron Helmet cosmetic: Clear the game on Standard difficulty or higher with at least an A Rank, New Game Plus is allowed
• Leon’s Knitted Hat cosmetic: Clear the game on Standard difficulty or higher with at least an A Rank, New Game Plus is allowed
• Leon’s Surgical Mask cosmetic: Clear the game on Hardcore difficulty or higher with any rank, New Game Plus is allowed
• Leon’s Flight Helmet cosmetic: Clear the game on Hardcore difficulty or higher with any rank, New Game Plus is allowed
• Leon’s Round Glasses cosmetic: Clear the game on Hardcore difficulty or higher with any rank, New Game Plus is allowed
• Leon’s Gas Mask cosmetic: Clear the game on Professional difficulty with any rank, New Game Plus is allowed
• Leon’s Wolf Tail cosmetic: Clear the game on Assisted difficulty or higher with an S+ Rank, New Game Plus is allowed, increases melee damage
• Leon’s Deer Antlers cosmetic: Clear the game on Standard difficulty or higher with an S+ Rank, New Game Plus is allowed, increases knife damage
• Leon’s Chicken Hat cosmetic: Clear the game on Hardcore difficulty or higher with an S+ Rank, New Game Plus is allowed, increases defense
• Leon’s Cat Ears cosmetic: Clear the game on Professional difficulty with an S+ Rank, New Game Plus is allowed, gives infinite ammo

Theoretically speaking, if you wanted to unlock everything in the game with the fewest possible runs, you would need to complete the game once on any difficulty to unlock Professional, then complete Professional with an S+ Rank. It’s an undertaking, to be sure, so make sure you’ve got the game’s mechanics down to a science in that first run if you want to try it.