Castle Battlements

Resident Evil 4 guide · Fighting El Gigante

In Chapter 8, Leon must navigate the Castle Battlements while an Armored El Gigante bombards the pathways from a distant tower by hurling massive debris. Leon must duck behind cover, drop down into the lower fortification levels, and raise a counterweight cannon to clear rubble and defeat the giant. Once the cannon is raised to the top level, Leon can aim and fire it directly at the giant to eliminate the threat and blast open the exit gate.

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Treasure: Ornate Necklace: In the Castle Battlements (Chapter 8), start from the switch that flips between sun and moon gates, drop down through the hole in the floor in the central tower, and look against the wall for an ornate treasure chestHow: Open the ornate treasure chestMissable because: Point of no return when completing Chapter 12 / taking the clock tower elevator to the Sanctuary.Clockwork Castellan: In the Castle Battlements (Chapter 8), head to the southwest outer tower where the armored El Gigante throws boulders, climb up onto the roof walkway, and look on top of the stacked crates and sandbags at the dead-endHow: Shoot or knife the bobblehead figureMissable because: Point of no return when completing Chapter 12 / taking the clock tower elevator to the Sanctuary.

Items

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Handgun Ammo: In various breakable wooden barrels placed along the sheltered corridors beneath the battlementsHow: Smash the wooden barrels

Secrets

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Destroying the counterweight holding the lower platform allows a second cannon to rise all the way to the exterior roof level, turning a defensive puzzle into an offensive weapon against El Gigante.

Key fights

Armored El Gigante Castle Ramparts Siege

Enemies: Armored El Gigante, Zealots, and Wooden Shield Zealots

Threats: Throwing massive boulders with heavy area-of-effect damage, debris blockages, and Zealots pinning Leon in chokepoints

Weaknesses and resistances: Armored body invulnerable to standard small arms until exposed; completely vulnerable to direct hits from the heavy stone-mounted cannon

Tactics: Navigate rampart corridors using overhead stone shelters for cover from incoming rocks, dispatch Zealots blocking the ladders and narrow walkways, raise the counterweighted cannon from below, and fire directly into El Gigante to kill him instantly

Rewards: Safe passage across the battlements, progression to the next castle wing, and the "Overkill" trophy/achievement (in the Remake)

Enemies

Armored El Gigante

Weak to Cannon fire

Pelts Leon with boulders from afar; cannot be damaged effectively with standard firearms, requiring a direct hit from the battlements cannon.

Zealot

Weak to Head, exposed PlagaSteal / drop Random resources or Pesetas

Patrols the interior and exterior walkways, attempting to grapple Leon or push him into the giant's bombardment zones.

Shield Zealot

Weak to Exposed feet, explosivesSteal / drop Random resources or Pesetas

Carries wooden shields that block frontal fire; vulnerable to shotguns at close range or rifle shots to the exposed legs.

Tips

Time your sprints across open roof sections right after a volley of debris shatters, as the giant takes several seconds to ready another boulder.
You do not need to fight every Zealot on the upper open walkways; the giant's flying debris will crush them if they are caught in the impact area.
Aim the raised cannon directly at the Armored El Gigante first to kill it instantly, then swivel the cannon to destroy the reinforced exit gate.

Not listed for this area: shops and people.

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