You’re staring at the rewards screen. You see that "Infinite Rocket Launcher" or those classic STARS costumes just out of reach because you’re missing a handful of blue medallions. It’s annoying. Resident Evil 5 remains one of the most polarizing entries in Capcom’s long-running series, but for completionists, those 30 BSAA emblems are the ultimate gatekeeper. Most people find about 15 by accident. The rest? They’re tucked away in spots that honestly feel like the developers were trolling us.
If you’re hunting Resident Evil 5 emblem locations, you aren’t just looking for a list. You’re looking for the ones you missed while dodging a chainsaw-wielding Majini or trying to keep Sheva from wasting all your herbs. We’re going to break down where these things actually are, focusing on the ones that everyone overlooks.
The Public Assembly and Beyond: Early Game Missables
Chapter 1-2 is where the game stops holding your hand. Most players are too busy dealing with the Cephalo transition or the furnace fight to look at the scenery. But if you backtrack, or rather, look up, you’ll find them.
The first one is basically a freebie, located on the building right before you meet the dying BSAA team. But the one people miss is inside the house with the chest. You have to go under the stairs. It’s dark. It’s small. It’s typical Capcom.
Chapter 2-1 is a nightmare for emblem hunters. The bridge? Simple. You look under it. But the one in the docks area is a pain. You have to stand at a very specific angle near the green herb crates to see it tucked inside a small hut. If you miss the shot, you’re just wasting ammo while the dogs jump at your throat. It’s tucked behind a support beam. Look for the blue glimmer through the window.
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Marshlands: The Open World Distraction
Chapter 3-1 is arguably the worst part of the game for a "speedrun" but the best for exploration. You have a boat. You have a map. You have a lot of crocodiles that want to eat Chris Redfield's legs.
There is an emblem on the starting island. Just look at the telephone pole. Easy. But then there’s the one at the settlement where you find the slate pieces. Don’t just run for the objective. Look under the floorboards of the huts. You literally have to aim the camera through the gaps in the wood. It’s obnoxious.
Then there’s the one at the very top of the watchtower in the village. If you’re playing co-op, have your partner stay on the boat while you climb up. It saves time. Honestly, the swamp is where most people give up on a 100% run because the navigation is just clunky enough to be frustrating.
The Executioner’s Backyard
By the time you hit Chapter 3-2, the game ramps up the action. In the execution ground area, where the tents are set up, go behind the tents. There’s a gap between two of them. Most players just sprint to the crank, but if you stop and look between the canvas, there’s a blue disc staring at you.
Caves and Ruins: The Verticality Problem
Chapter 4-1 takes us into the underground ruins. This is where the Resident Evil 5 emblem locations get vertical. In the area with the crystal laser puzzles—which are classic RE but also kinda tedious—there’s an emblem way up on the ceiling. You’ll need a rifle. Don’t even try to hit it with a handgun; you’ll just burn through 20 bullets and get frustrated.
Wait until you get to the top level. Look across the chasm toward the statues. It’s sitting on the side of a pillar that looks exactly like every other pillar.
- Reach the area with the giant stone statues.
- Go to the bottom floor.
- Look under the stairs you just came down.
- Check the far wall near the green statue’s head.
The ruins in 4-2 are even sneakier. There’s one inside the room with the light beams. You have to wait until you’ve solved the second part of the puzzle. Once the door opens, look back toward the entrance. It’s above the doorway. It’s a classic "hidden in plain sight" trick.
The Laboratory and the Tanker: The Final Stretch
Chapter 5-2 is the corridor crawl. You’re fighting Lickers. You’re dealing with the conveyor belt. There’s an emblem inside a trash can. Seriously. A trash can. It’s in the room right before the conveyor belt starts. If you don't dump the trash, you don't get the trophy.
In Chapter 5-3, during the U-8 boss fight—or rather, just after it—you’ll find yourself in the circular lift area. This one is brutal. You have to shoot it while the lift is moving. If you miss, you have to restart the checkpoint or wait for the lift to come back down, which takes forever.
The Ship (6-1)
This is the peak of the difficulty. The ship is crawling with Gatling Gun Majini.
There are three emblems here.
One is on the radar mast at the very top of the ship. Use a sniper rifle from the starting point.
The second is inside a shipping container. You have to throw a grenade in there. You can’t even see it properly; you just have to know it’s there. This is the definition of "guide-dang-it" design.
The third one is in the room where you find Excella’s briefcase. Check the wall behind the glass.
Why Do These Even Matter?
Collecting these isn't just about the "They're Action Figures!" achievement. It’s about the points. Each emblem gives you exchange points that you use to buy infinite ammo. If you want to tackle Professional difficulty without losing your mind, you need that Infinite M500 or the Rocket Launcher.
Professional mode in RE5 is no joke. One hit and you’re in "Dying" status. You have about three seconds for your partner to save you. Without the gear unlocked by these emblems, that mode is a test of patience that most people fail.
Pro-Tips for the Hunt
First, play on Amateur. There is absolutely no reason to hunt emblems on Veteran or Professional. You’ll just get killed while trying to line up a sniper shot on a distant tower.
Second, use the S75 sniper rifle. It has the best zoom and makes the long-distance shots (like the one on the tanker mast) much easier.
Third, if you’re playing with the AI (Sheva), give her a sniper rifle too. Sometimes she’ll actually spot the emblems for you, though she won’t always shoot them. Mostly, she’s there to carry your extra ammo while you do the heavy lifting.
Actionable Steps for Your Completionist Run
If you're serious about cleaning these up, don't do it during a "serious" story playthrough. Load up your cleared save file and go chapter by chapter.
- Loadout Check: Pack a Sniper Rifle and a Grenade Launcher with Flash rounds (for crowd control while you look).
- Chapter Select: Start from 1-2 and work forward. The game tracks which ones you’ve found, so you can quit to the menu immediately after the "Saving..." icon appears in the corner. You don't have to finish the level.
- Brightness Settings: Turn your in-game brightness up. Some of these are in shadows that are pitch black on standard TV settings.
- Co-op Advantage: If you have a friend, have one person focus on the enemies while the other hunts. It turns a 10-hour chore into a 2-hour breeze.
Once you’ve nailed all 30, go to the "Bonus Features" menu. You’ll see a massive list of figurines and costumes unlocked. Grab the Classic Chris costume and go back through the game. It feels like a completely different experience when you aren't constantly worried about missing a tiny blue circle on a wall three miles away.