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Entering the Castle marks the second act of Resident Evil 4 Remake. This is where the game takes on a tone much more similar to the very first title in the series; a sprawling, decadent mansion filled with strange devices and hideous monsters. There are plenty of new enemies to face, and even the basic Ganados have completely different gear than before!
The Castle's inhabitants don't exactly roll out the welcome mat, so the game only gets more challenging from here. Keep this guide ready, and you'll be able to survive whatever Los Illuminados throw at you, and even complete some Challenges for extra unlocks along the way!
This guide contains minor spoilers.
Updated April 28, 2023: This guide now includes a video walkthrough of Chapter Seven for Resident Evil 4 Remake.
How To Survive The Catapult Bombardment
The Merchant is in the room ahead and to the right as soon as the mission starts. If you're quick, you can shoot the crows outside his room for some extra cash. Unlike the crows in earlier areas, these birds will only drop items if you hit them while they're airborne. Check behind the building to find a hidden room with a Vintage Compass, and if you picked up Mendez's false eye before leaving the burning warehouse, you can also sell it for twelve thousand pesetas.
When you're ready, go up the stairs and use your binoculars to get a good look at the castle gate. Continue along the path, turning right when you reach the closed portcullis. The hallway beyond will lead to a chapel, where a Plaga will burst from a lone cultist. This is a new subspecies which can take a lot of damage unless you are able to shoot into its open mouth. Have a Flash Grenade ready to destroy the parasite quickly, then smash the vases behind the altar for some extra cash.
Go through the door behind the altar and to the right and continue along the path, smashing any barrels that you find along the way. You'll come to a set of stairs outside; at the top you'll be attacked by a small group of cultists with crossbows. Kill the one at ground level, finishing him off with the knife to prevent him from spawning a Plaga, then run up the stairs to the right.
The inhabitants of the castle will start bombarding the area with a catapult. Wait around the corner at the top of the stairs, and after a catapult shot lands shoot the red barrel on top of the arch to the left. The explosion will kill the catapult operator.
Run across the courtyard, killing the Ganado blocking your path. There's another on the stairs, and a third will appear from behind you in an attempt to capture Ashley. The main door at the top of the stairs is locked, so take a right toward the towers. When you come to a fork, turn right again to get some cover from the remaining catapults.
Loot the barrels, then carefully enter the room at the end of the corridor. A Ganado is lurking inside the door and to the left, with a morning star that can deal heavy damage. He also spawns a Plaga upon dying, so be ready!
Take the bridge across to the next tower, fighting any Ganados you encounter along the way. Take the counterclockwise route around the edge and shoot the weight below you when you can't go any further. This will bring a cannon to the top of the tower, which you can use to destroy the main doors and any remaining catapults. You'll also receive the Overkill Achievement / Trophy if you kill a Ganado with the cannon.
Look for white dots while aiming the cannon - these indicate where you need to shoot to take down catapults!
Be sure to destroy all the catapults, including the one all the way to the right, to give yourself breathing room. When the coast is clear, loot the dead Ganados and go through the door that you blasted open. It's also worth taking the time to jump through the hole in the tower roof to reach a hidden area with some Blue Medallions and an Elegant Bangle!
How To Escape The Audience Chamber
When you reach the center of the main hall, you'll meet the lord of the castle, Ramon Salazar. He'll send a group of Ganados after you, including two armed with shields. If you have a Hand Grenade, throw it into the center of the group as soon as the fight starts. Next, turn around and kill the Ganado sneaking up on Ashley from behind. Once Ashley is safe, finish off the rest of the enemies.
If you don't have a grenade, shotgun blasts or rifle rounds are the best way to quickly destroy shields.
When the Ganados have been dealt with, check the sides of the room for extra items then send Ashley over the wall to the left. She'll unlock the nearby door from the other side. Before you squeeze through the crack in the wall beyond, turn right to find several smashable vases and a treasure chest containing an Elegant Perfume Bottle which you can immediately sell to the Merchant.
When you go through the crack, look to the left and shoot the cask hanging from the ceiling to drop a Ruby. Smash the wooden barriers in your way to pick up the gem and open the cupboard behind it for some ammo.
Turn around and follow the corridor down to the dungeon. Get the Red Herb under one of the torture implements to the left, then take the left-hand door to the cells below. At the far end of the right-hand cell you'll find a body that has the Dungeon Key, which you need in order to move forward.
How To Defeat The Garrador
After collecting the key, walk back toward Ashley. You'll be dropped into a room with a berserk Garrador. Garradors are blind but have excellent hearing - move slowly while crouched to make as little noise as possible.
The corridor leading away from the Garrador's cell has several chains dangling from the ceiling. The monster will break free when you're about halfway down; keep moving, and duck to the left or right immediately upon entering the next room; you should be able to avoid the Garrador as he charges.
Avoid the chains in the room to move around, staying clear of the Garrador while he's swinging his claws around. When you have a chance, attack the Plaga emerging from his back, then move somewhere else before he can retaliate. Stealth attacks with the knife are best for this, and if you manage to take him down using only the knife you'll earn the Never Heard It Coming Achievement / Trophy. If you don't have enough knife durability to pull this off, use a shotgun, rifle, or the new Broken Butterfly magnum to deal the most damage per shot.
In any case, once the Garrador is dead you can safely turn the squeaky crank to open the gate leading back ot the main dungeon. There, you'll reunite with Ashley and can use the Dungeon Key to continue forward.
How To Solve The Treasury Puzzles
Climb the ladder beyond the locked door and make your way clockwise around the room. Pick up the Green Herb on the bookshelf and shoot the Clockwork Castellan to the left of it. There's also a Spinel on the crate across from the bookshelf. When you're ready, enter the door at the far side of the room to reach the Treasury.
The main area of the Treasury is locked by a plate depicting a snake, a deer, and a bird. Pull the cord to the left of the plate to ring the deer gong, then shoot the bird gong in the far left corner through the gate and the snake gong on the right side. Shooting any other gongs will reset the puzzle, resulting in wasted ammo.
When all three gongs are rung, the door will open. Go inside and take the Bloodied Sword, then check the reliefs by the other door. Each has a slot for a replica sword, including the one you just picked up, but they're in the wrong order.
From left to right, place the swords as follows:
Relief | Sword |
|---|---|
Knight Standing Alone | Iron Sword |
Knight Kneeling Before The King | Golden Sword |
Knight Slain In Battle | Bloodied Sword |
Knight's Grave | Rusted Sword |
The next room has three crates along the far wall - the one in the center has a viper inside, so beware!
Beyond the Knight's Door, take a right and open the chest at the end of the hall. Take the Gold Bangle inside, then proceed through the next door. You'll find yourself on the balcony over the main hall; start by ringing the fish gong to your left, then walking all the way to the end of the balcony and unlocking the ladder so that you can easily come and go.
With that done, jump across the chandeliers to the other side of the room - Ashley won't follow you. Ring the Snake Gong to your right, then drop through the hole in front of you to pick up a previously-inaccessible treasure, the Golden Hourglass. Visit the Merchant if you'd like, then climb back up via the ladder; since both the Snake and Fish Gongs are rung, the gate to the carpeted staircase should now be open.
How To Survive The Water Hall
Smash the vase on the left side of the stairs and go through the double doors at the top. Check the cupboard immediately to the right for some ammo, then head down to the ain part of the room. After a brief cutscene, smash all the vases in the area and unlock the wooden double doors under the stairs to easily return to the main hall.
Follow the red carpet down the hall and through the door at the end. If you stand in the threshold of the door without moving forward, you can snipe the two crossbowmen at the far end of the room before triggering the upcoming fight.
Try to stay under the balconies on the left and right sides of the room while fighting the ground-based enemies; this will give you cover from the crossbows above. Be extremely careful when you line up shots on the crossbowmen, as it's very easy to get shot by the others while you're targeting one.
When it's safe to do so, go to the far left corner of the room and drop to the lower level. This gives you a good vantage point to snipe four or five Ganados, but at least two will spawn Plagas. Your goal is to reach the angel statue with the Halo Wheel, which can be inserted into the pedestal to the right to lower the stairs back to the upper level.
When the stairs are lowered, a new wave of Ganados will appear, including replacement crossbows. Fight them off using the same strategy as before, then insert the Halo Wheel into the pedestal at the center of the room.
The center pedestal will lower the main staircase, letting you reach the next area of the Water Hall. Check the side passages where the crossbowmen were stationed to find vases with pickups, including a Spinel. Turn the wheel at the far end to reveal part of the bridge forward. Reload all your weapons and boost Ashley up the wall on the left that's spattered with black paint.
Check for ammo and resources along the railings and the edge of the fountain before starting the next fight!
Ashley will move toward the nearest wheel and start turning it; shoot the Ganados approaching her while watching your back for assailants on the ground. Grenades are great for clearing the ground level, while pistols, magnums, and rifles are best for protecting Ashley.
If a Ganado gets too close to Ashley, she will freeze - be sure to kill her pursuers before that happens, or you'll have to shoot them while they're trying to carry her away.
When she's done with the first wheel, Ashley will take a counter-clockwise route around the room to the second wheel. As soon as she finishes there, she will jump back down to the ground level (assuming she can get there).
When all three wheels are turned, the path forward will open. If you have shotgun shells left, reload and be ready when the door opens - a flock of crows is just on the other side that can yield some items if you shoot them. On the far side of the fountain, boost Ashley through the hole to the left of the door so that she can open it from the other side, then continue onward. A cutscene will trigger shortly, ending the chapter.