Ruins

Resident Evil 4 guide · Fighting through the military ruins

Leon navigates the Cliffside Ruins on the Island in Chapter 14 to reach the Amber laboratory facility. The area is filled with fortified military Ganados guarding narrow paths and lower subterranean caverns. Progression requires eliminating soldiers, avoiding or defusing tripwire explosives, and taking a ladder down into the ruins before crossing over to the next complex.

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Clockwork Castellan: In the Cliffside Ruins basement room, look upward through the ceiling rafters directly above the doorway leading out toward the Specimen Storage passageHow: Shoot the bobblehead figurine perched on the wooden crossbeam overheadMissable because: Lost once you pass the point of no return at the end of Chapter 14.Velvet Blue: In the Cliffside Ruins subterranean basement, hang right at the ladder to enter the dark archway and look up at the stone ceilingHow: Shoot down the small silver lantern hanging from the ceiling and collect the dropped gemMissable because: Lost once you leave the area and progress past Chapter 14.Crystal Cross: In the Cliffside Ruins open combat area, dropped directly by the Boar-masked Brute wielding a war hammer who ambushes youHow: Defeat the Brute and pick up the treasure from his corpse before exitingMissable because: Lost once you jump down into the next area and advance past Chapter 14.

Achievements here

You Used to Be a Good Guy MissableDefeat Major Jack Krauser during your final knife and mutated combat encounter in Chapter 14.

Achievement guide and roadmap →

Key fights

Jack Krauser (Ruins Guerrilla Gauntlet & Final Duel)

Enemies: Jack Krauser

Threats: Explosive compound bow, TMP automatic fire, flash and frag grenades, proximity laser tripmines, ceiling drop ambush, sweeping kick combo, and mutated blade arm lethal thrusts/overhead slams with an impenetrable wing-shield guard

Weaknesses and resistances: Parrying his blade attacks/kicks with the Combat Knife, magnum/shotgun shots to the exposed legs during wing-guard, and vulnerability to heavy knife slash combos during stuns

Tactics: Use concrete pillars as cover against bow/TMP fire, disarm or bait proximity traps, parry his telegraphed QTE charges, climb to the upper catwalks in the final arena to maintain spacing, stagger his unshielded legs, and follow up with knife executions

Rewards: Fighting Knife, complete access to the Ruins exit path, and progression to Chapter 15

Enemies

Soldier Ganado

Weak to Head

Uses crossbows, flash grenades, and riot shields to defend the fortifications.

Brute (Hammer)

Weak to HeadSteal / drop Crystal Cross

Wears a bull mask and wields a massive war hammer; uses unblockable heavy swings.

Tips

Look for laser-tripped explosives fixed to doorways and walls throughout the trenches; either crouch beneath them or shoot them from a distance to eliminate nearby enemies.
A sniper rifle equipped with a high-power scope makes taking out the elevated crossbow guards across the cliffside far easier before dropping into the lower ruins.

Not listed for this area: secrets, shops and people.

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