Resident Evil 4

I already spent well around 3 hours getting the first 9 S rank and am dreading the last three.

Best advice I got from someone on this website (I forget who you are, otherwise I'd give credit.) Just pace yourself. Do one or two challenges at a time. If you just can't beat a challenge, put the game down, do something else. Then come back the next day with a fresh mind.

Challenge 4-A was the bane of my existence for two days. Then today I woke up, got it first try.

Don't forget that to reach S rank it's not necessary to shoot deadeyes.

4C I had to switch to the shotgun when the targets were on the ceiling, but everything else was just spot on.

I'm getting over 8,800 on 4A and still not getting to bonus time

Missed deadeye is a cause of the problem or not all pirates were shot. Or both :)

You're both incorrect ^

The bonus round prerequisites are at the bottom when you're choosing with stage you want to play.

"Shoot all pirates in 20 shots or less" is how you get the bonus round. Has nothing to do with score, or the skulls.

👍🏾

I'm surprised this isn't the highest ratio achievement of all, even getting NG S+ on professional is easier than this.

Yes this is very hard, but it's doable if you're determined. Heck, I got the S rank on 4-C having missed 15 targets because I got no score penalties and I hit the skulls pretty well. Some of the strats from the video didn't work that well for me, but if that happens you can usually just come up with something else to compensate for what you're having an issue with. Especially on the ones with multiple guns, you can often swap which gun you're using for what.

The saving grace of this one is that 4-C gives an S even without reaching the "bonus time" range at the end, as getting that is.... unreasonable. Hitting all targets for 4-C is a great way to lose your sanity. No one in their right mind should even try that in my opinion. Just shoot away at the targets in 4-C following videos on getting rhythm. Not letting a couple of misses get you down. I missed at least 5 targets I think, obviously no "bonus time" because it requires all targets. Still got an S. With just a couple of skulls hit. So I fell VERY far short from anything perfect. Don't try to perfect 4-C. Okay can be good enough there.

Other than that for the other levels : just pay attention to what the bonus time requirement is at the bottom of the card. Sometimes it's all pirates, sometimes all pirates in less than x shots. If you're doing well but not getting to the bonus time, check the requirement, chances are you just need to use less shots via penetrating shots or via shotgun spread.

Don't lose your mind in getting every single skull. They help with the score but they are not strictly required for S ranks. Instead try to find a rhythm per round and if your run gets ruined by going too diligently for skulls, just focus on hitting at least the normal targets instead in that round and see where that leads you. If that is not enough, go for the skulls you feel confident in getting and if needed, go for small improvements from there via more skulls and/or quickness.