Getting the S+ Rank in Hardcore may the most challenging task in Resident Evil 2. Check out this guide on how to get S+ Rank on Hardcore Mode Scenario A, & how to unlock the Infinite Rocket Launcher for Leon.
Story Progression and Walkthrough
| << Previous Part | Current Part | Next Part >> |
|---|---|---|
| Opening ~ Underground Facility | Underground ~ Vs. G 2nd Form | Laboratory ~ Ending |
Resident Evil 2 - Game Mode
Table of Contents
- Underground Facility to Parking Lot
- Parking Lot to Break Room
- Break Room to Parking Lot Card Key
- Parking Lot Exit to Alligator Fight
- Sewers to Acquiring Chemical Flamethrower
- Flamethrower to G 2nd Form
General Tips
Leon (Scenario A) Underground Facility to Parking Lot
Underground Facility to Parking Lot Walkthrough Chart
| No. | Procedure |
|---|---|
| 0 | (Optional) You can save for the first time |
| 1 | Take Elevator to underground facility |
| 2 | Get Frag Grenade at the lower stairs |
| 3 | Trigger cutscene after the fallen locker. Additional tips below. |
| 4 | After the event G to the 1st form match (about 4 to 5 minutes) |
| 5 | Climb up the ladder after fight with G and follow Sherry |
| 6 | Pull the lever to make a bridge |
| 7 | Organize items at the Operator Room |
| 8 | Climb the ladder and go to the parking lot |
| 9 | Examine the Parking Lot terminal at the exit of the parking lot and trigger cutscene |
Underground Facility to Parking Lot Item Location Chart
| No. | Location | Item |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Underground Stairs | Frag Grenade (below the lower staircase) |
| 4 | Machine Room | Green Herb (Map upper left,) Shard grenade (Map upper left, lower right) Red Herb (lower left) Handgun Ammo (Map lower right, lower left, upper left) |
| 4 | Machinery Room - Middle | Gun powder (climb ladder and left room) Green Herb (ladder climb to the left room) |
3. G 1st Form Battle
At this point it will be the first hardcore boss fight. Since HP is significantly more than lower difficulty levels, target its weakpoints. Use Grenades to deal damage as well. Also, it's grab attack can cause instant death, so counter with a knife or grenade.
Use The Combat Knife to Conserve Ammo
When the G1 fight begins, approach it and use the secondary attack using the knife. Air for the arm, torso, head, until it exposes its eyes. After that, G will start to do the pipe swing attacks so avoid and keep distance. The Infinite Combat Knife will be useful for this fight.
Check Out How to Unlock Infinite Combat Knife Here!Leon (Scenario A) Parking Lot to Break Room
Parking Lot to Break Room Walkthrough Chart
| No. | Procedure |
|---|---|
| 1 | After the cutscene, follow Ada to the door |
| 2 | Trigger cutscene at the back of the Jail Area |
| 3 | Get the crank tool from the back desk |
| 4 | Go through the Kennel towards the shooting range. Additional tips below. |
| 4 | Get the metal box (car key) and Shotgun Ammo in the shooting range |
| 4 | Return to the parking lot and obtain the Matilda Stock using the Car Key |
| 5 | Head back to the kennel |
| 5 | Kill the three caged zombie dogs inside the kennel |
| 6 | Obtain the Diamond Key in the Morgue |
| 6 | Kill the zombies next to the entrance with a shotgun before getting the key |
| 7 | Open the cabinet beside the morgue with a tool |
| 8 | Head to the Generator room |
| 8 | Pick up a box of electronic components in the Generator room |
| 9 | Restore power supply (Power supply puzzle: OFF OFF ON ON) |
| 10 | After power restoration, head for the door next to the shooting range |
| 10 | Four zombie dogs will appear, so kill them with a shotgun |
| 11 | When you climb up the stairs at the door, go to the Break Room |
| 12 | Manage items in the Break Room & get the electronic parts on the chair |
Parking Lot to Break Room Item Location Chart
| No. | Location | Item |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jail | Handgun Ammo (room immediately after entering the Jail) |
| 4 | Firing Range | Metal box / Car key (desk immediately after shooting range) |
| 6 | Morgue | Red Herb (the second cabinet from the entrance ) Flashbang (the leftmost cabinet seen from the entrance) |
| 8 | Generator Room | Green Herb (entrance left) Box of electronic parts gun powder (right shelf) |
| 12 | Break Room | Blue Herb (desk) Hand gun ammo (locker) High grade gunpowder (yellow) (locker) Magnum bullet (back room) Electronic Part (chair in the back room) |
4. Kill Zombie Dogs in the Kennel
You need to go through the Kennel twice. After restoring the power supply, the zombie dog in the kennel is released from the cage so it is recommended to defeat them first while caged. Zombie dogs can be easily killed with the shotgun.
Leon (Scenario A) Break Room to Parking Lot Card Key
Break Room to Parking Lot Card Key Walkthrough Chart
| No. | Procedure |
|---|---|
| 1 | Go through the path next to the Break Room room and use the Fire Escape staircase to the second floor |
| 2 | Open the shutter on the second floor with the crank tool |
| 3 | Proceed to the third floor and enter the East Storage Room |
| 3 | Obtain Large Gear in the East Storage Room |
| 4 | Get off the balcony ladder |
| 5 | Go down the stairs next to the balcony and head towards the switch |
| 6 | The boiler room door opens and 2 zombies appear |
| 6 | Break through 2 zombies and get the Club Key on the whiteboard & organize items |
| 7 | Switch the water house near the boiler room, and head towards the Roof and turn on the lever to put out fire |
| 7 | Tyrant appears as you enter the 2F |
| 8 | Go back and lure him to the Roof area |
| 8 | Head back inside and go to the stairs near the Chief's Office |
| 8 | Go down the stairs and head to the Interrogation room |
| 8 | Get the Jeweled box (containing STARS badge) at the Observation room |
| 9 | Return to the Main Lobby and organize items (get red gem / get diamond key / take out club key) |
| 9 | Combine Red Gem and Jeweled Box and get STARS Badge |
| 9 | Examine the Badge and turn it into the USB Dongle Key |
| 10 | Go through the Library to the 2F Linen room |
| 10 | Since there is a Licker in the corridor, move by slowly walking |
| 10 | Open the linen room with the diamond key (discard the key after) |
| 10 | Get the portable safe (unlock this and get the spare key) |
| 11 | Obtain Magnum using USB dongle key at STARS office |
| 12 | Head towards the Armory Storage |
| 12 | Defeat or Ignore Licker in the hallway |
| 12 | Using the spare key in the 1F Safety Deposit Room (203) Get the Hip Pouch |
| 13 | Return to the main hall and organize items |
| 14 | Aim for document room from reception desk |
| 14 | Since there is a Licker in the corridor, move by slowly walking |
| 15 | Open the Records Room with the Club Key and get the tool |
| 16 | Go through the main hall to the library |
| 16 | Make sure to carry the Large Gear |
| 17 | Lower the bookshelf using the tool in front of the bookshelf |
| 17 | Move the bookshelf using the tool and the bookshelf on the left once to the right |
| 18 | Walk over the bookshelves and go to Clock Tower |
| 19 | Put the the Large Gear in the machine to the right |
| 20 | Retrieve the Large Gear and climb the stairs |
| 21 | Get Small Gear and replace it with Large gear. |
| 22 | Put the Small Gear in the machine in front of the stairs |
| 23 | Obtain the box of electronic components |
| 24 | Return to the B1 Jail area and solve the switchboard puzzle. Additional tips below. |
| 25 | Get card key from Ben's corpse |
| 26 | Multiple zombies & Tyrant appears on the way out to the parking lot. Use a flashbang or Frag Grenade to escape |
| 27 | Cutscene occurs when arriving at the parking lot |
| No. | Location | Item |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | East Storage Room | Flashbang (locker on the balcony side) Handgun Ammo(warehouse locker) Shotgun Ammo (shelf immediately on entry) Blue Herb (shelf near the entrance) Large Gear (above the middle box) |
| 4 | Balcony | Blue Herb (In front table) Handgun Ammo (bench near helicopter) Green Herb × 2 (at the end of the staircase) |
| 7 | 2F Hall | Red Herb (as soon as you enter the door) |
| 8 | Observation Room | Box (center desk) Handgun bullet (Interrogation room over the broken glass) |
| 10 | Linen room | High Grade Gunpowder (yellow) Portable safe (above washing machine) |
| 18 | Clock Tower | Green Herb (front of clock tower) Gun powder (back corridor) |
24. Switchboard Puzzle Solution
Leon (Scenario A) Parking Lot Exit to Alligator Fight
Parking Lot Exit to Alligator Fight Walkthrough Chart
| No. | Procedure |
|---|---|
| 1 | Open the shutter with the Parking card key |
| 2 | Go to the gun shop with Ada |
| 2 | Get the Shotgun Long Barrel in the gun shop |
| 3 | Trigger cutscene when you get to the back of the gun shop |
| 3 | Go down the street and go to sewers |
| 4 | Go to the back of the sewer and fight the alligator |
| 5 | Avoid the Alligator in left and right order. Additional tips below. |
| 6 | Control Switches to Ada after the cutscene |
| 7 | Proceed to the path and look up the ladder and use the EMF scanner |
| 8 | Scan the power box on the right side of the ladder |
| 8 | Scan the propeller on the ladder to break the propeller |
| 9 | Climb the ladder, scan again starting with the power supply then the propeller at the exit |
| 10 | Scan power supply switch box |
| 12 | If the cable following the exit door turns yellow, proceed |
| 12 | Proceed to the path and scan the power supply of the elevator (ignore the zombies) |
| 13 | Get Flashbang and Handgun Ammo and head towards elevator |
| 14 | The Tyrant appears after entering the corridor. Scan the power supply to the left of the door |
| 15 | Once you open the door, scan the switch box immediately beside it and turn the power line yellow |
| 16 | Continue to scan the propeller and destroy it and jump off from there |
| 17 | Follow the path and pull the lever at the end of the stairs |
| 18 | Get the bracelelet from a corpse in the open incinerator |
| 19 | A cutscene is triggered after obtaining the bracelet, and you'll be trapped in the garbage incineration facility |
| 20 | Scan the power supply boxes in a specific procedure within 1 minute and escape |
| 21 | When escaping the garbage incineration facility, go north from the door behind the typewriter |
| 22 | A cutscene is triggered as you proceed forward the path |
| 23 | After the cutscene is triggered, the control switches back to Leon |
Parking Lot Exit to Alligator Fight Item Location Chart
| No. | Location | Item |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Gunshop | Handgun Ammo (Inner shelf) Long barrel (front shelf) Gun powder (back shelf) |
| 3 | Sewer | Handgun Ammo (the end of the second path branch) Frag grenade (left after the alligator) |
5. Beware of the Alligator's Second Rush
You can defeat the alligator by avoiding them in order of left → right → left. However, in the second rush, the alligator continuously performs the bite and you will get bitten if you move immediately. Avoid this by confirming first if the the second rush attack has ended and move afterwards.
Leon (Scenario A) Sewers to Acquiring Chemical Flamethrower
Sewers to Acquiring Chemical Flamethrower Walkthrough Chart
| No. | Procedure |
|---|---|
| 1 | Item recovery in the office after the cutscene |
| 2 | Go down from the hall near the office |
| 3 | Go down the path to the control room |
| 3 | You can ignore zombies in the control room |
| 3 | Open key locker (SZF) |
| 4 | Get out of the monitor room through the shaft on the left of the control room |
| 5 | Arrange your items in the Monitor Room |
| 6 | Take the processing pool bridge down and get the tool at the cable car platform |
| 6 | Get the Shotgun Stock from safe (left 2 right 12 left 8) |
| 7 | Get off the stairs on the right of the processing pool |
| 7 | Defeat 2 zombies |
| 8 | Go down the stairs on the left and open the door with a tool |
| 9 | Get off the ladder to the lower waterway (OK not to take the key yet) |
| 10 | Go towards Supplies Storage Room while avoiding G adult form |
| 11 | Get a queen plug at the Supplies Storage Room |
| 11 | Take a spark shot after obtaining King Plug |
| 12 | Collect King / Queen plug and return to monitoring room |
| 12 | Pass G Adult Through the Side While Hitting With Spark Shot. Additional tips below. |
| 12 | Ignore the G adult before the ladder |
| 13 | When you reach the monitor room, install the plug |
| 14 | Item arrangement at the Monitor Room |
Sewers to Acquiring Chemical Flamethrower Item Location Chart
| No. | Location | Item |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Control Room | Shotgun Ammo (right side of entrance on the zombie) Magnum Ammo |
| 5 | Processing pool | Shotgun Stock (safe) Blue Herb (zombies in the back of the safe) Red Herb (cable car platform) Green Herb (under the stairs) |
| 8 | Lower waterway | Green Herb (beside the first corpse descending from the ladder) |
| 10 | Supplies Storage Room | Red Herb (shelves beside entrance) Chemical Flamethrower (room opened with King plug) |
12. Pass Through G Adult Form
The G adult appearing on the way back is blocking the way and gets in the way. Avoid getting grabbed and slip through G when he expels his larvae when it's safe to move.
Leon (Scenario A) Flamethrower to G 2nd Form
Flamethrower to G 2nd Form Walkthrough Chart
| No. | Procedure |
|---|---|
| 1 | Go down the stairs in the processing pool and pull the right lever to the sewers |
| 1 | The G adult coming out from the side can be ignored |
| 2 | Open the door and get on the work lift lift |
| 3 | Defeat the zombies in the work room |
| 4 | Get the Rook plug |
| 5 | Take the plug and turn back the way to the monitor room (you can go on, but there are many zombies) |
| 6 | Solve the plug puzzle in the monitor room |
| 7 | Item arrangement (because it is a boss fight, Flamethrower and grenades are recommended) |
| 8 | Save (second time) |
| 9 | Solve the power puzzle in the main power room (Answer: On, On, Off, On) |
| 10 | When exiting the room, G appears. Additional tips below. |
| 11 | Evade G attack from the ceiling |
| 11 | Break through the shutter and Go past the side of G |
| 12 | Move the crane and defeat G using the crane |
| 13 | After defeating G, Open the door of the garbage disposal and rescue Ada |
| 14 | Head to the cable car to the laboratory |
Flamethrower to G 2nd Form Item Location Chart
| No. | Location | Item |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sewers | Frag grenade (in the direction opposite to the lever) Blue Herb (front door) |
| 9 | Main power supply room | Blue Herb (next to garbage dumpster) Green Herb (before garbage dumpster) Red Herb (beside main power supply) |
| 12 | Water Processing Facility | Handgun Ammo (crane side) Flashbang (crane side) Combat knife (crane side) |
10. G 2nd Form (G2) Fight
Area Near The Switch Puzzle is Safe
G2's attack from the ceiling does not hit when standing next to switch panel. Wait until the attack ceases so you will not suffer unnecessary damage.
Wait Next To The Shutter
Once G2 roars, move to the side of the shutter when it begins to break the shutter. You can slip through the side as it breaks the shutter.
Damage G2 With The Flamethrower
Flamethrower is very effective for the G2 fight. Burning G2 does continuous damage so it's easy to take it down. The once it goes down, use the container to take it down easily.
Check Out Leon Hardcore S+ Rank Scenario A Guide & Tips Part 3 Here!Getting S+ Rank Tips
You Can Stop The Timer by Pausing The Game
S+ Rank must be completed under a strict time limit. You want to take the least number of actions to complete tasks as possible so as not to waste time. Pausing the game (Option Button for PS4, Start for Xbox One) will stop the timer. This gives you time to review solutions for puzzles before doing them.
Check out All Puzzle List - Solutions & Tips here!Defeat Enemies on Frequently Used Paths
In Hardcore mode, if you get attacked twice, it's game over. Try to defeat enemies in frequently used pathways carefully and take time to defeat them.
Pick Up All Ammunition Items
Since ammo is scarce in Hardcore mode, you must have ammunition or gunpowder at all times. When inventory space is insufficient, prioritize ammunition and discard other items.
Quit and Load Save File When Game Is Over
If you die during the game, it's best to just load a save file instead of continuing. Continuing from where you left off adds time to your total playtime.
Use of Infinite Knife Is Allowed for S+ Rank Clear
Although the use of Infinite Guns is not allowed for getting S+ Rank, you can still get an S+ Rank when using the Infinite Combat Knife. This helps easily kill downed zombies and to conserve bullets.
Check out How to Unlock Infinite Combat Knife Here!Recommended Save Points
- G 1st Form Before the Fight (Secret Room Under Goddess Statue)
- G 2nd Form Before the Fight (Sewer Monitor Room After Solving Chess Puzzle)
- G 3rd Form Before the Fight (Laboratory - West Area After Getting the G Virus Sample)
In order to clear S+, you need to keep the number of saves to maximum of 3 times. The recommended points above are before major boss fights with G and instant death situations.
Check Out How To Get The S & S+ Rank - Requirements & Rewards Here!
