The recently released Mercenaries mode in Resident Evil 4 Remake offers players an exciting way to unlock rewards like the powerful Handcannon weapon. As a hardcore Resident Evil fan, I wanted to provide a comprehensive guide covering all there is to know about the Mercenaries rewards and unlockables.
Overview of Mercenaries Mode
For those unfamiliar, Mercenaries mode is an action-packed bonus mode that tasks players with scoring as many points as possible within the time limit by defeating enemies. The more combos you string together and the faster you take out foes, the higher your score.
There are three Mercenaries stages to tackle:
- Village: Fight off hordes of Ganados and Chainsaw Majini
- Castle: Battle Zealots, Garradors, and more in the castle grounds
- Island: Face dangerous Regenerators and Iron Maidens on the mysterious island
You can play as four iconic characters, each with their own weapons and abilities:
- Leon Kennedy: Shotgun and explosive Stingray weapon
- Luis Sera: Powerful magnum and rifle loadout
- Jack Krauser: Lethal bow and knife combo
- HUNK: Submachine gun and neck-breaking physical attacks
As you achieve high scores in each stage, you‘ll unlock the ultimate Mercenaries reward…
Mercenaries Rewards: Handcannon Weapon
The main reward for completing all three Mercenaries stages with at least an S rank is the devastatingly powerful Handcannon weapon.
This handheld cannon packs a serious punch with high damage, piercing rounds, and infinite ammo so you never have to reload. It can blow enemies away in just a shot or two on any difficulty.
While infinitely powerful, the Handcannon‘s base stats are a bit lacking. Here‘s a breakdown:
Handcannon Stats:
- Power: 12
- Reload Speed: 0.46 seconds
- Ammo Capacity: 5 rounds
- Accuracy: 1.80
- Rate of Fire: 0.52 rounds/second
Thankfully, you can improve its performance by spending skill points to upgrade its attributes. This allows you to tailor the Handcannon to your playstyle.
For example, you can boost its ammo capacity to 25 rounds so you rarely ever reload, even with infinite ammo. Or, increase its rate of fire for faster shooting.
Below is a table listing the costs to upgrade the Handcannon to max level across all attributes:
| Upgrade | Level 2 | Level 3 | Level 4 | Level 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power | 40,000 pts | 50,000 pts | 90,000 pts | 120,000 pts |
| Ammo Capacity | 10,000 pts | 15,000 pts | 20,000 pts | 25,000 pts |
| Reload Speed | 15,000 pts | 20,000 pts | 25,000 pts | 30,000 pts |
| Rate of Fire | 10,000 pts | 15,000 pts | 20,000 pts | 25,000 pts |
The infinite ammo perk costs a flat rate of 100,000 skill points if you want to enable it.
So while it takes some investment, upgrading the Handcannon makes it one of the most formidable weapons in all of Resident Evil 4 Remake. It will absolutely shred through any enemy you point it at!
Next up, let‘s take a look at all the playable characters and how to unlock them…
Mercenaries Unlockable Characters
There are four playable Mercenaries characters, but only Leon Kennedy is available from the start. You must unlock the other three heroes by achieving specific rank requirements.
Leon Kennedy
As mentioned, protagonist Leon Kennedy is selectable immediately with no strings attached.
He utilizes his trusty shotgun from the main campaign along with the special Stingray explosive launcher. His Mayhem ability empowers his shots for huge damage.
Leon is straightforward and easy to grasp for beginners while still providing tools for advanced players to excel. I highly recommend starting with him until you unlock the others.
How to Unlock: Available by default
Weapons: Shotgun, Stingray Launcher
Luis Sera
To unlock researcher Luis Sera, you must achieve at least an A rank in any Mercenaries stage while playing as Leon.
Luis wields a powerful magnum handgun for heavy damage and the SR sniper rifle for long-range engagements. His Mayhem covers enemies in proximity mines.
With his slow-firing but hard-hitting weapons, Luis excels at scoring headshots and planning his shots more carefully compared to run-and-gun characters.
How to Unlock: Get an A rank as Leon
Weapons: Magnum, Sniper Rifle
Jack Krauser
Ex-military agent Krauser joins the roster once you secure an A rating as Luis. He employs a vicious bow and blade combo.
The bow allows Krauser to cleanly take out targets from a medium distance, while his knife skills excel up close. Chaining knife strikes builds huge combos.
Activating his Mayhem transforms Krauser‘s blade into the massive Plaga arm from the main story for immense damage potential up close.
How to Unlock: Get an A rank as Luis
Weapons: Bow, Knife
HUNK
Umbrella Corps soldier HUNK is the final unlockable character. To recruit him, achieve at least A rank with Krauser.
HUNK utilizes a fast-firing submachine gun well-suited for crowd control and a brutal neck-snapping physical attack for instant close-range kills.
His Mayhem provides infinite ammo temporarily, letting you go wild with continuous spraying.
How to Unlock: Get an A rank as Krauser
Weapons: Submachine Gun, Neck Breaker
Now let‘s overview the three stages where you can utilize these characters…
Overview of Mercenaries Stages
There are three distinct stages to tackle in Mercenaries mode, each with unique enemies and challenges:
The Village
Mercenaries opens in the familiar village location from Leon‘s early campaign. Here you‘ll face off against crowds of melee-focused Ganados along with dangerous Chainsaw Majini and Brutes.
The key is to keep moving while using the houses, towers, and barricades to manage enemy spawns. Don‘t let the chainsaw foes flank you!
The Castle
After achieving at least A rank in the Village, the Castle stage unlocks. Now you‘ll have to contend with Illuminados Zealots wielding stun rods, shield-bearing Garradors, and spike traps lining the battlefield.
Use the castle‘s closed, tight corners to funnel enemies while watching out for Zealots trying to swarm and stun you from behind.
The Island
The final stage unlocked is the mysterious Separatist Island from Leon‘s endgame. Here you‘ll battle against deadly Regenerators, Iron Maidens, and Novistadors.
While intimidating, these foes are vulnerable to shots when their weak points are exposed. Time counterattacks during their animations while avoiding their instakill moves.
I highly recommend attempting this stage only after upgrading your weapons since the island houses the toughest, most lethal enemies. Come prepared!
How to Unlock Mercenaries Mode
Accessing Mercenaries mode is thankfully straightforward. You just need to download the free Title Update 1.0.4 for Resident Evil 4 Remake. This adds Mercenaries into the Bonuses menu.
The mode can be played from the very start without having to make progress in the main story. Just boot up RE4, install the update, and you‘ll have full access.
However, I highly advise playing through at least a decent portion of the campaign first. Not only will this allow you to better understand the characters and enemies, but upgrading Leon‘s arsenal carries over into Mercenaries.
This gives you a major leg up since a fully upgraded shotgun or magnum will shred foes with ease. Along with additional health, improved weapon handling, and more.
So make sure to dive into Leon‘s journey to get the most out of Mercenaries mode!
Closing Thoughts
That covers everything you need to know about the rewards and unlockables within Resident Evil 4 Remake‘s action-packed Mercenaries mode. From stages to characters to weapons, this bonus mode has a ton of content!
The infinite ammo Handcannon gives players a powerful new tool for dominating any difficulty. And mastering each characters‘ unique playstyle provides engaging replay value.
I highly recommend RE4 fans check out Mercenaries as it‘s a total blast stringing togethercombos and chasing high scores. Plus, the Handcannon makes all that effort worthwhile!
Let me know which character is your favorite to play as so far and what other rewards you hope get added later on!
