RESIDENT EVIL 2 100% guide

There are 58 files in total. Leon A holds 40 of them, Claire A adds 12, Leon B adds 4, and Claire B adds the last 2. Progress is saved to Records the moment you pick a file up. The achievement text says "read," so open each file once when you collect it; it costs nothing.

The pause-menu Records show your running total out of 58, but not which files are missing, and the Files menu only lists what you've picked up on the current save. Tick files off in the Collectibles checklist at the end of this guide as you go; it lists all 58 in route order, so a 57/58 can be traced to the exact file.

Files that people often miss:

• To any survivors, on the 3F hallway wall
• Ada's two inspection files, which only exist during Ada's segment
• Sally's and Tom's diaries, which only exist during Sherry's segment
• the ID Wristband notice on the Lab reception whiteboard, which only highlights when you're right next to it
• the Lab computer inboxes you can only use after upgrading the wristband

Jill's letter in Gun Shop Kendo isn't one of the 58; it's for Chasing Jill.

There are 15 Mr. Raccoon figures. Shoot or knife each one; destroyed figures stay destroyed across every save, run, and character. Leon A has 11 of the 15, and each one is pointed out in the route below with its exact spot. The Break Room figure is Leon A only among the first runs (Claire doesn't enter that room until her 2nd Run), and the Sewer Entrance and Incinerator figures are Leon-only.

Claire A adds three Claire-only figures and either 2nd Run adds one more. The achievement unlocks when the 15th is destroyed, which in this route is early in Run 3.

Open all eight dial safes and locks in one run. Leon A visits all of them. Player reports suggest locks opened in different runs also count, but that isn't confirmed, so treat one run as the guaranteed way. The codes are the same in every scenario:

• West Office desk, left lock: NED
• West Office desk, right lock: MRG
• West Office safe: Left 9, Right 15, Left 7
• Shower Room (2F men's locker room) locker: CAP
• 3F hallway locker: DCM
• Waiting Room (2F) safe: Left 6, Right 2, Left 11
• Sewers Control Room locker: SZF
• Treatment Pool Room safe: Left 2, Right 12, Left 8

The two portable safes don't count toward this one. The last two locks are in the Sewers: the Treatment Pool Room safe, reached early in the Sewers, and the Control Room locker, which needs the flyer from the Workers' Break Room. The eighth lock you open completes the achievement.

Every scenario contains all eight locks with the same codes. If you miss one, open it in a later run, and if the achievement still doesn't pop, open the full set in that run.

Unlocks automatically when you reach the police station after the opening streets.

Combine any two items, such as two Green Herbs or gunpowder. This pops within the first few minutes.

Marvin gives Leon a Combat Knife in the Main Hall. Kill any enemy with the knife. The easiest way is to shoot a zombie's leg off, then knife it on the floor until it stops moving. The knife has durability, so pick up spares as you find them.

With the knife equipped as your sub-weapon, let a zombie grab you and press the sub-weapon button to stab it. Any counter with a knife, hand grenade, or flash grenade counts. This usually pops naturally early on.

Pick up Wooden Boards and use them on any taped window. The first boards turn up on the 1F east side, and the Reception corridor window is a good first target.

The roll-top desk in the West Office has two dial locks. The left one is NED and the right one is MRG. Inside is a High-Capacity Magazine for the Matilda. Combine it with the gun right away for this achievement.

The first Mr. Raccoon is on the high cabinets along the north wall of the West Office. Destroy it with any weapon, including the knife.

The West Office safe opens with Left 9, Right 15, Left 7. You don't need the clue file first. Inside is the first Hip Pouch.

Picking up the first Hip Pouch unlocks this. Leon A has all six pouches, and the next ones are on 3F and in the Underground.

The portable safe on the towel stand in the Shower Room counts. Rotate the dial and press confirm when a light holds; the pattern is random for each player, so solve it by trial and error. It holds a Spare Key, one of the two keys you need for Hip Pouch #4.

Throw a Flash Grenade at a Licker. The Licker in the 2F corridor on the way to the S.T.A.R.S. Office is the earliest one. Get past it, grab the Flash Grenade inside the S.T.A.R.S. Office, then step back into the corridor and throw it near the Licker. The achievement unlocks when the flash stuns it.

Place all three medallions in the Main Hall statue. The statue then lowers into the secret passage to the Underground Facility.

Turning on the Generator Room power releases zombie dogs around the Kennel and garage. Shoot a dog while it's mid-leap; a shotgun blast as it jumps works best. Any zombie dog or Licker counts, and Claire gets another chance on the streets behind the RPD in Run 2.

Mr. X starts hunting you through the RPD after you put out the helicopter fire. Save first, then aim for his head. A single well-placed headshot or a grenade blast can knock the hat off; you don't need to stagger him to a knee. A shotgun or Lightning Hawk makes the shot easier. The achievement unlocks the moment the hat comes off, and you can reload afterwards to get the ammo back.

Solve the jail power panel, take the Parking Garage Key Card, and leave the garage to unlock this.

As soon as Ada lets you into Gun Shop Kendo, check the small wooden stand on the shop's west side, just behind the shelf with the Shotgun Long Barrel. Read Jill's letter to unlock this. If it doesn't pop, read the letter again from your Files. Only Leon visits the shop, and this route only returns there in Run 3, so get it now.

After the alligator chase, once Ada drops the ladder, turn around: the Sewer Entrance Mr. Raccoon is on a small ledge in the right corner behind debris. Shoot it before you climb.

Unlocks when Ada's segment ends and control returns to Leon.

Develop the "Hiding Places" film from the Workroom in the RPD Dark Room to get two photos.

1. Use the Sewers Key to open the Workers' Break Room. You don't need to touch the Rook Plug for this.
2. Push the taped lockers aside to reveal a hidden lift.
3. Ride it up into the secret room under the Goddess Statue.
4. Use the T-Bar to open the door into the Main Hall.
5. Develop the film in the Dark Room.
6. Pick up the two hidden items: one in the S.T.A.R.S. Office private office desk, and one in the Press Room desk.

The achievement unlocks when you collect the second item. While you're back in the RPD, pick up any lock, file, or Mr. Raccoon you still need, then return the way you came: the Main Hall door, the secret room, and the hidden lift down to the Workers' Break Room.

Make a manual save at the Monitor Room typewriter after placing the chess plugs. This fight is Stage 2 G in the crane room.

1. Wait under the vent while G punches through the ceiling.
2. When he tears the door open, run to the crane platform.
3. Press the crane switch once to send the container out.
4. Shoot his shoulder eye hard until it turns deep red. That color is the real sign he's ready. As a rough guide, that's two to three knockdowns on Assisted and about four on Standard.
5. When he's down in the container's path, press the switch again to bring it back onto him.

The achievement unlocks when that first return hit finishes him. If he survives it, reload; a second hit fails the requirement.

Unlocks when you ride the cable car out of the Sewers.

Hip Pouch #6 completes your inventory and unlocks this. It needs all six pouches in one run, so if you missed one earlier, collect them all in a later non-Hardcore run.

Kill three enemies with a single hand grenade. In the Lab Lounge, several zombies lie close together; throw the grenade once they get up and bunch. A flash grenade won't work. If this doesn't happen here, the start of Run 3 gives an easy second chance.

Equip a hand grenade or flash grenade as your sub-weapon. Let a zombie grab you, counter so the grenade goes into its mouth, then shoot the grenade before it detonates. Do this whenever you have a spare grenade.

Defeat Super Tyrant with at least 5:00 left on the countdown. Don't stop to loot on the way down. On the platform, stagger him repeatedly with the shotgun, Lightning Hawk, and hand grenades. Once he's taken enough damage, Ada throws you a rocket launcher; one shot finishes him. If the timer is under 5:00 at the kill, reload and try again.

Unlocks when Leon's story ends. Finishing Leon A also unlocks Claire's 2nd Run.

You have 60 seconds from the moment Sherry wakes in the bedroom.

1. Turn around and take the stuffed doll from the chair.
2. In the inventory, examine and rotate the doll and pull its zipper to get the missing picture block.
3. Put the block in the toy box puzzle by the door and complete the picture.
4. Take the scissors.
5. Cut the tape on the cardboard panel and crawl through.

The starting layout of the blocks is random, but the finished picture is always the same. If you fail, quit to the main menu and pick Continue; the puzzle stays the same and the timer resets. Practice the solution on your first attempt, then reload and do it at speed. The achievement unlocks as Sherry crawls out of the bedroom.

Unlocks when Sherry's segment ends and control returns to Claire.

After the self-destruct countdown starts, save at the item box room before the final fight. Defeat Stage 4 G with at least 4:00 left. The game hands you a minigun; pour it into the eyes on his chest, then finish him with the grenade launcher (acid rounds if you have them) and any hand grenades. Reload and retry if the clock is under 4:00 when he goes down.

Unlocks when Claire's story ends. Finishing Claire A also unlocks Leon's 2nd Run.

S rank as Leon on Standard or Hardcore. Finish Leon B on Standard in under 3:00:00. Pause when you step away, since the clock runs in menus and stops only on the pause screen. If you die, load a save rather than taking Continue. The achievement unlocks on the results screen, and your first S rank also unlocks the infinite Samurai Edge for later runs.

Complete Ada's whole segment using only the EMF Visualizer. Don't fire her pistol, don't throw anything, and don't use any other item as a weapon. There's no forced fight.

• Hack the fan and door controls in order.
• In the maze room, hug the outer wall past the zombies. A couple of bites are fine as long as you don't die.
• During the Mr. X chase, keep moving toward the next hack.
• After the Incinerator and the ID wristband, the timed hacking sequence is the last step.

The achievement unlocks when Leon regains control after the closing cutscene. If you slip, reload your save.

Finish any 2nd Run to see the true ending. The 4th Survivor is now unlocked in Extra Modes.

Finish the run without using any recovery item to heal: no Green Herbs, mixtures, or First Aid Sprays. Assisted refills your health to Caution over time, which is what makes this practical. A Blue Herb used only to cure poison is reported not to break it, but avoid it unless you need it.

Never open an item box, not even to store something. That means no infinite weapons, since they live in the box.

• Grab the Hip Pouches that are on or near your route for the extra space. 2nd Run placements differ from the first run: there's one on the Main Hall reception desk right at the start, and none in the 3F West Storage Room. A Waist of Space is already done, so skip pouches that need a detour.
• Use key items until the game lets you discard them.
• Leave weapons you don't need on the ground, because you can't throw weapons away once you're carrying them.

Finish in 14,000 steps or fewer. Your current count is at the bottom of Records. A B run on Assisted leaves enough margin if you route efficiently: expect roughly 10,700 steps by the start of the final G fight, about 3,300 under the limit. Never pick Continue on the death screen, since it keeps the steps you took after your last save; load a manual save instead.

Claire B adds the last two files: Leon's Memo in the S.T.A.R.S. Office and Leon's Note on the T-Bar Handle table in the Treatment Pool Room. The achievement unlocks with the 58th file. If Records shows fewer than 58, compare the Collectibles checklist against what you've ticked off; the missing file's scenario tells you which run to replay. If Records and your checklist disagree, reopen a file you already have from the Files menu before replaying anything.

S rank as Claire on Standard or Hardcore. Start a New Game as Claire on Standard and finish in under 3:30:00. The infinite Samurai Edge from Run 3 removes most ammo worries, and the infinite Combat Knife is useful too. Skip side rooms you don't need for progress, and use the same death rules as Run 3. The achievement unlocks on the results screen.

Finish any Leon scenario on Hardcore. There's no rank or time requirement. The achievement unlocks when the story ends.

Finish any Claire scenario on Hardcore. As with Leon, completion is the only requirement.

Play as HUNK from the Sewers to the RPD front gate. You have a fixed loadout and nothing to pick up, so every bullet and herb is what you start with. There's no difficulty setting, and the achievement unlocks when you reach the gate.

• Run past almost everything. Zombies can't hit you while they're getting up, dogs and Lickers can't follow you through doors, and Lickers can't follow you up stairs.
• At the start, craft shotgun shells from the gunpowder.
• Save the defensive herb mix for a dangerous stretch, such as the 2F West Hallway or the final courtyard. Its damage reduction only lasts a short time.
• Evade the G-adults in the Upper Waterway along the right wall instead of fighting them; use the knife if one grabs you.
• For the Ivies in the 2F West Hallway, spray their bulbs with the SMG. Magnum rounds also work there.
• Save hand grenades for the Underground stairwell and the final courtyard stairs, and don't waste them breaking grabs.
• Mr. X appears inside the station. Flash grenades or headshots get you past him.

Each attempt takes around ten minutes once you know the route, and a death sends you back to the start. If you reach the Main Hall with no shotgun shells or grenades left, restarting is usually faster than pushing on.

Destroy all 10 Mr. Raccoons in The Ghost Survivors. Progress carries across runs, and Training mode counts, so use Training for this.

• No Time to Mourn (4): the route splits at the Workers' Break Room and each path holds one figure, so you need two runs, one down each path.
• Runaway (3) and Forgotten Soldier (2): all reachable in one run each.
• No Way Out (1): you can't walk to it. Shoot it through the back-room doorway by the cooler while zombies hold the door open, early in the run. No Way Out has no Training mode, so this one needs a regular attempt, though you don't have to finish the run.

Exact spots for all ten are in the Collectibles checklist.

The achievement unlocks with the 10th.

Clear No Way Out on its normal mode; Training mode doesn't count. You have to kill 100 zombies in the gas station, and the enemies get tougher as the count rises: armored, poisonous, and mutated types join in. Expect several attempts.

• Kill zombies as they come in rather than letting a crowd build.
• Lead groups along the aisles and use the counter as a partial barrier.
• Backpack zombies drop weapons. Grab them.
• Bring down gas-tank zombies where the blast will catch others but not you, and don't let several tanks cluster near you.
• Keep rockets for Pale Heads or when you're surrounded.
• Avoid healing early. Combine herbs into stronger mixes and save them for the later waves.

The achievement unlocks when the scenario clears.