Let’s be real for a second. Resident Evil Zero is the black sheep of the classic RE family. It’s clunky. It lacks item boxes. You have to manage two characters who seem determined to get stuck on corners while a giant centipede tries to eat them. Yet, there is something incredibly satisfying about mastering it on the PS4, especially with the HD cleanup. If you’re looking for a Resident Evil Zero walkthrough PS4 players can actually use to survive Hard mode (or just get through the Ecliptic Express without crying), you’re in the right place. We aren't just talking about where the keys are. We're talking about the inventory management nightmare that defines this game.
The Ecliptic Express Is a Tutorial in Pain
The game starts on a train. It’s iconic. It’s also a narrow hallway of death. You play as Rebecca Chambers, a rookie who apparently carries a chemistry set but can't take more than two hits, and Billy Coen, a convict with more health and a lighter.
The first big mistake? Splitting them up too early or giving Rebecca the heavy lifting.
Billy is your tank. Always. In this Resident Evil Zero walkthrough PS4 players should remember that Billy has a higher defense stat and can push heavy objects. Rebecca is squishy. However, she’s the only one who can mix herbs.
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When you get to the roof of the train to fix the power, send Rebecca. Why? Because the game is going to trap her. If Billy gets trapped, you lose your muscle. Once you’re in the dining car, you’ll encounter the first boss: the Stinger. It’s a giant scorpion. Don't waste your grenade launcher rounds here if you can help it. Aim down with the shotgun. The head is armored, but the legs and underbelly are soft. It’s a rhythm game, basically. Shoot, wait for the flinch, shoot again.
The Item Box Problem (And How to Fix It)
This is where most people quit. There are no magic teleporting boxes in Resident Evil Zero. If you drop a shotgun in the basement, it stays in the basement.
My advice? Pick a "hub" room. In the Training School—which is the main meat of the game after the train crashes—the main hall with the typewriter is your best friend. Drop everything there. It’s central. It’s safe-ish.
What to Carry and What to Dump
You only have 12 slots total between two people. That is tiny.
- The Hookshot: You will hate this item. It takes up two slots. You need it on the train, and then you don't need it again until much later in the Laboratory/Factory area. Drop it in the main hall of the school immediately. Do not carry it.
- Ink Ribbons: Don't carry them. Leave them next to the typewriter.
- The Grenade Launcher: Billy should keep this. Use Acid rounds for hunters and Fire rounds for the Leech Men.
Speaking of Leech Men, they are the worst. Honestly. If you see one and you don't have fire, just run. They stretch, they explode when they die, and they take way too much handgun ammo to kill. Use Rebecca's flame rounds or molotov cocktails (gasoline + empty bottle).
Navigating the Training School
The Training School is a maze of doors requiring elemental medals and animal-themed keys. To get the Fire Key and Water Key, you’ll be doing a lot of back-and-forth.
One specific puzzle that trips everyone up is the animal statue puzzle in the late-school area. You have to light the torches in order of the "predator/prey" hierarchy. It goes:
- Deer
- Wolf
- Horse
- Lion
- Snake
- Eagle
If you mess it up, the fire resets. It’s a bit of a logical leap, but once you do it, the path to the basement opens.
The Basement is a Trap.
Once you go down there, you’ll face Eliminators. These are the fast, annoying monkeys. They have a tiny hit box and love to stun-lock you. If you’re playing on the PS4 version, use the manual aim (R1 + Analog) to snap to them. Don't let them surround you. If one jumps on Rebecca, she's basically orange-health instantly.
The Mid-Game Slump: Laboratory and Church
After the school, you hit the Church. This is where the Bat boss lives. This fight is notorious because the auto-aim on the PS4 version loves to track the tiny baby bats instead of the big one.
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Pro-tip: Stand in a corner. Wait for the big bat to swoop. Use the shotgun. Don't even bother with the handguns here; you'll just waste ammo.
Once the bat is dead, you use that dreaded Hookshot to get into the upper reaches of the Church. This leads to the Laboratory. You’ll find the locker key and eventually the "Stripper" (the battery) to power the elevator.
Resident Evil Zero is a game of logistics. You aren't just a survivor; you're a glorified mover. You’ll spend 20% of your time fighting and 80% of your time moving piles of items from one room to the next. It’s tedious, but there’s a weird Zen-like flow to it once you stop fighting the system and start working with it.
The Final Stretch: Treatment Plant
The Treatment Plant is the final gauntlet. You'll reunite Billy and Rebecca (assuming they got separated in the gondola/dam area).
The boss here is the Queen Leech.
Phase 1: Just unload. Use everything. Magnums, Grenade Launcher, whatever you have left.
Phase 2: This is the "escort" phase. Rebecca has to open four valves to let sunlight in while Billy distracts the boss.
As Billy, your job isn't necessarily to kill the Queen—you can't yet. Your job is to stay in her face so she doesn't swat Rebecca. Run in circles, take a shot, move. If you have any healing items left, give them all to Billy. Rebecca is stationary while turning the valves, so she’s a sitting duck if the boss turns around.
Critical Tactics for the PS4 Version
The HD Remaster on PS4 added a "Wesker Mode" and some updated control schemes.
- Modern Controls: You can move with the analog stick without using "tank" controls. This makes dodging zombies way easier, but it can make the fixed camera angles jarring. When the camera flips, keep holding the stick in the same direction to maintain your path.
- Save Management: Because there are no item boxes, your "saves" are also your inventory checkpoints. If you save after dropping a vital item in a room you can no longer access, you are in trouble. Always keep a backup save from an hour prior.
- The Map is Your Best Friend: On the PS4, the map (Touchpad/Share button) actually highlights items you’ve dropped or seen. If you’re lost, look for the little colored icons. If it’s red, it’s an item you left behind.
Why People Struggle With This Walkthrough
Most guides tell you to be efficient. I’m telling you to be a pack rat. The biggest hurdle in a Resident Evil Zero walkthrough PS4 run is the "Leap of Faith" items. You don't know you need the Hookshot until you're three floors away from it.
Keep the following items in your "Hub" room at all times:
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- The Hookshot (Until the Treatment Plant).
- Empty Bottles (Mix them with Gas as soon as you find it).
- The Chemical Bottle (Rebecca’s unique item).
- At least two full stacks of Shotgun Shells.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Run
To actually finish the game without pulling your hair out, follow this specific workflow:
- Clear the Train: Get the briefcase, get the two cards, and kill the Scorpion. Stop carrying the Knife immediately—it’s useless.
- Establish the Lobby: Once you hit the Training School, the main hall is your home. Move every single item from the crash site to this room. Yes, it takes three trips. Do it anyway.
- Prioritize Fire: Use the Grenade Launcher with Flame rounds for the Leech Men in the school's second floor. They guard the most important keys.
- Save the Magnum: Do not use the Magnum on anything except the final boss and maybe a stray Hunter if you’re cornered.
- The Hookshot Rule: Only take the Hookshot when you are specifically heading to the Church roof or the final Laboratory lift. Otherwise, leave it on the floor.
Resident Evil Zero rewards patience and inventory planning over raw shooting skill. It’s a puzzle game disguised as a survival horror. If you treat your inventory like a Tetris board, the credits will roll before you know it. Keep Billy in front, keep Rebecca's health high, and never, ever trust a man made of leeches.
Next Steps:
Go back to the Training School and ensure you haven't left the Grenade Launcher in the 2F room after the Centipede fight. Check your map for any red icons in the basement—those are likely the herbs you'll need for the Lab. If you've already reached the Treatment Plant, focus on consolidating your ammo into Billy's inventory for the final Queen Leech encounter.