Chris Redfield looks different in Resident Evil 5. He's bigger. Way bigger. By the time this game hit the PS4 in its remastered form, we already knew the memes about him punching boulders, but playing through it today reveals a game that is much tighter—and often much more frustrating—than people remember. This isn't the slow-burn horror of the Spencer Mansion. It's a high-octane, sweat-soaked sprint through a sun-drenched nightmare in Africa. If you’re looking for a Resident Evil 5 PS4 walkthrough that actually helps you survive Professional difficulty without smashing your controller, you have to stop playing it like a traditional survival horror game.
It's an action game. Period.
The transition from the PS3/Xbox 360 era to the PS4 didn't just bump the resolution to 1080p or smooth out the frame rate to a silky 60fps. It highlighted how precise the combat mechanics actually are. You can't move and shoot, which feels archaic to some, but it’s the core of the strategy. Every shot has to count because the game is designed around crowd control. If you're missing shots, you're dying.
The First Big Mistake: Managing Sheva’s AI
Honestly, the biggest hurdle in any Resident Evil 5 PS4 walkthrough isn't the Majini or the giant bats. It's Sheva Alomar's AI. If you're playing solo, Sheva can be a godsend or a literal vacuum for your resources. Most players give her a machine gun and then wonder why she's out of ammo three minutes into the Public Assembly.
Don't do that.
Give her a rifle. The AI is unnervingly accurate with bolt-action weapons. While you’re up front using the shotgun to create space, she can pick off enemies from across the map with headshots. Also, keep her on "Cover" mode if you want her to stay close and "Attack" mode if you want her to move up. But really, keep her on Cover. It keeps her from wasting first aid sprays on a scratch.
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Chapter 1-1 to 2-3: The Learning Curve
The beginning of the game is a literal trial by fire. The Public Assembly fight is iconic for a reason. You’re trapped in a small house, the Executioner is tearing down the walls, and Majini are coming through the windows. The trick here? Don't kill the Executioner. Not yet. You can, but it wastes ammo you don't have. Just run. Loop around the bus, climb the ladders, and wait for the cinematic to trigger.
Once you hit the marshes in Chapter 3, the game opens up. This is where the Resident Evil 5 PS4 walkthrough becomes about exploration. You need to find those slate pieces to progress, but there are hidden treasures everywhere. Look for the BSAA emblems. There are 30 in total, and they unlock things like the "Classic" Chris costume or the Tribal Sheva outfit. More importantly, they unlock the ability to buy infinite ammo for specific guns once you've fully upgraded them.
Dealing with the Chainsaw Majini
He’s terrifying. He shudders, he groans, and that engine revving is the stuff of nightmares. When you encounter him in the Shanty Town (Chapter 2-1), do not panic. Use the environment. There are red barrels and transformers you can shoot to stun him. If you have a grenade, use it. The key to RE5 combat is the "melee follow-up." Shoot him in the head or leg to stun him, then run up and perform a physical attack. Chris’s straight or Sheva’s kick deals massive damage and, crucially, doesn't use a single bullet.
The Mid-Game Shift: Lasers and Ancient Ruins
By the time you reach the underground ruins in Chapter 4, the vibe shifts. It goes from Black Hawk Down to Indiana Jones real fast. The puzzles here aren't particularly hard, but the "Sunbeam" puzzle in the final room of the ruins can be a headache. You have to move mirrors to reflect a beam of light.
- Start at the top.
- Work your way down.
- Make sure you don't get trapped in the path of the beam—it’s an instant death.
What's interesting about the PS4 version is how much the lighting helps here. On the original hardware, some of these caves were muddy and hard to navigate. On PS4, the contrast is higher, making it easier to spot the glint of a Diamond or an Emerald tucked into a wall. Always look up. Capcom loved hiding gems in the ceiling.
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Boss Strategies That Actually Work
Popham (the giant bat-caterpillar thing) and the Ndesu (the El Gigante lookalike) are the two biggest gear-checks in the game. For Popham, use proximity mines. Lay them in his path, wait for him to crawl over them, and when he flips over, dump everything you have into his pink underbelly.
The Ndesu fight in 2-3 is purely on rails. You're in the back of a humvee with a turret. This is arguably the hardest part of the game on Professional difficulty because you can't heal. You have to prioritize the archers on the sides before focusing on the big guy. When the parasites pop out of his back, that’s your window. If you overheat the gun, you're dead. Tap the trigger; don't hold it.
The Wesker and Jill Encounters
This is where the Resident Evil 5 PS4 walkthrough hits its narrative peak. Fighting Wesker is about stealth, which feels weird in an action game. You have to turn off the lights in the arena so he can't see you. Once it's dark, find the RPG-7. You can actually catch his rockets (yes, he catches them, then you shoot them in his hands).
With Jill, the goal is "don't kill her." It sounds simple, but when she’s doing backflips and shooting SMGs at you, it’s tempting to return fire. Don't. You have to get close and use the "Throw" command. While one player (or the AI) holds her down, the other has to try and pull the device off her chest. It usually takes about 7 or 8 tries.
Weapons: What to Upgrade First
You cannot upgrade everything on a first playthrough. You just can't. You have to be picky.
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- Handgun: The M92F is actually better than the later pistols because it has a massive critical hit chance once fully upgraded. Headshots become instant kills.
- Shotgun: Go for the Ithaca M37 early, but switch to the Hydra once you unlock it. The Hydra’s range is ridiculous.
- Rifle: The S75 is bolt-action and slow, but its raw power is unmatched.
- Magnum: The L. Hawk is fast, but the S&W M500 is the "Handcannon." It kills almost everything in one hit.
The Professional Difficulty Grind
If you’re going for the Platinum trophy on PS4, you have to beat the game on Professional. In this mode, one hit puts you in "Dying" status. You have about two seconds for your partner to revive you before it's game over.
The only way to do this sanely is with infinite ammo. Finish the game on Normal or Veteran first. Fully upgrade the S&W M29 Magnum. Buy the infinite ammo toggle in the "Bonus Features" menu. Now you can walk through the game like a god. Even then, certain sections—like the turret fight in 2-3 or the final Wesker fight—require perfect timing.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Session
To maximize your efficiency in Resident Evil 5, you need to treat the inventory screen as part of the real-time action. It doesn't pause the game. You need to learn the "quick-combine" shortcuts.
- Organize your grid: Put your weapons on the D-pad directions (Up, Down, Left, Right). This allows for instant switching without opening the menu.
- The Reload Trick: Don't reload manually in a fight. Open your inventory and drag ammo onto your gun. This reloads it instantly, skipping the animation. It saves lives.
- Treasure Hunting: Never sell a treasure until you’ve combined it with its matching gems. A plain "Beer Mug" is worth 1,000 gold, but a "Beer Mug" with three colored gems is worth significantly more.
- Farm Chapter 5-2: If you need money, the corridor with the Lickers is the gold mine. Kill them, take their hearts (Lion Hearts), quit, and restart. You can max out a weapon in an hour this way.
The PS4 version of Resident Evil 5 remains the definitive way to play this polarizing entry. Whether you love the action or miss the horror, the mechanical depth is undeniable. Focus on your melee combos, manage Sheva's inventory like a hawk, and remember that sometimes the best strategy is just to run past the enemies you don't need to kill.