Resident Evil

SPECIAL NOTE: Pausing the game does NOT pause the timer. The clock will still run while paused. See "Quick FAQ" in first post for more info and read below.

Completing this achievement will also unlock "Racing and Pacing" (complete game in under five hours).

This achievement can be unlocked on any difficulty, however receiving the Infinite Rocket Launcher requires normal (Mountain Climbing if your first run) or higher. 

To even consider tackling this achievement (especially on normal or higher) you need a pretty clear idea of what your objectives are and how to best reach them in a faster time, skipping all unimportant rooms. For me, I chose Jill's campaign because of several shortcuts to the situation.

1. The V-Jolt. It works well on Plant 42 and there's no fight after, just a scene with Barry killing it.
2. Barry's Magnum. This one-shots the Tyrant in the facility and in addition, you do NOT need to fight the Tyrant again on the helipad. As soon as you fire the signal flare, the helicopter comes to pick you up.
3. The Grenade Launcher. This thing is a godsend on Yawn, the Crimson Elder and Hunters. Specifically on normal, it takes three shots for the Crimson Elder, and roughly 5-6 on Yawn's second battle (you do not need to defeat the snake first encounter). However, I rarely used it on the Hunters at all. In fact, it wasn't until the caves that I busted it out. Which comes to point four.
4. The Assault Shotgun. Obtaining this weapon is optional if you have the regular shotgun, but I like it due to the 10 round clip and faster shooting (plus I feel like it's stronger than the regular, probably not true). Oh and the look. Anyways, I was picking up shotgun ammo and defense items like crazy so even with killing off a few zombies and Hunters in the mansion I ended up with around 40 shots left before the end of the game. BTW Chris can get it too but, Jill can get it sooner.

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Now with that out of the way, for newcomers to this game in particular I recommend running through a few times on Normal or whatever difficulty you wish to get a feel for where everything is in the game. If you want the rocket launcher, I recommend runs on normal. Get familiar with how to avoid combat (running around zombies instead of fighting them) as well as their locations. Remembering how many enemies are in each area is useful information when faced with your actual speed run.

Once you know the game pretty well, you're going to want to practice paths (or jump straight to the speed run if you wish). For me, having never sped-run this game before but having played it many times since 2002, I would reach a location where I decided to save and then pulled up the map (or consulted an old strategy guide I have with a map in it) to plot out where I needed to head, how many enemies I might run into that I left alive and figure how long it would take to advance to the next part of the game. 

Some rules of thumb from me:

• Unequipping your guns will allow you to move slightly faster and be more agile. I'm in personal belief (though I might be wrong) that your "grab" box shrinks when you aren't carrying something like the shotgun or rocket launcher, making you a smaller more nimble target to grab.
• Always take the time to save Richard with the Serum. If you want the assault shotgun that is.
• Avoid rooms you do not have to enter. If you're playing as Jill, you won't need the magnum revolver in the Graveyard so avoid the room where you get the Windcrest entirely. That's just one of many.
• Pick up shotgun and grenade launcher ammo as it becomes available in rooms you need to visit. If there's a room you know has this and it's not too far out of the way with little problems to your run, go in to grab the stuff.
• Pick where you wish to save. Here are my personal saves:
  • A little around the time I grabbed the armor key.
  • Before facing Yawn the first time
  • Lisa Trevor's Cabin
  • The Residence
  • The save room under the library with the stairs and all those pictures... after returning from the residence (having killed the first hunter and the one outside that room).
  • The Caves
  • Area just before the Lisa Altar fight.
  • Labs upon entry.
  • Second save area in labs after picking up the empty fuel capsule.
  
  There was one more save somewhere in the middle of that but...here's my total for the game:
  
  https://instagram.com/p/wZ9Yovu7QF/
• After you save, spend some time plotting out your next area of movement. If you have a map handy (either online or otherwise), use it to study an efficient route to complete this area s fast as possible. Remember, after the save you can spend as much time as you need plotting out inventory, what to do, and simply quit out of the game when you're ready and reload the save to get to running.
• Manage your inventory in a wise fashion. Most speed-runners tend to avoid guns and ammo. My inventory mainly consisted of the following:
  • Assault Shotgun
  • Shotgun Ammo
  • One healing item (typically a green herb)
  • Key Item
  • Key Item
  • Key Item
  • Key Item
  • Key Item
  
  Sometimes those key item slots were empty, or swapped out for the grenade launcher where I needed it. Save your Acid Rounds for Hunters, use regular explosive rounds on Crimson Elder and Yawn then Incendiary rounds (should take about 2) for Black Tiger. I think I used some shots elsewhere but I forget with what. Oh right, the first Yawn fight. I'll get to bosses here in a second.
• Always remember to get rid of the Ink Ribbons and unnecessary items after you reload a save. Just shove them in the item box, or if you've used them all up, even better. Get rid of the Square Crank after initially draining the pool, pull it out to fill the pool up after you're ready to go in the caves and ditch it again. Keep the Hexagonal crank until you grab the Cylinder and then get rid of it.

Yawn - First Encounter - I highly recommend having a save before this fight simply due to the fact of how easily he can poison you. If you get poisoned, that's wasted time running back to the Serum room just to get cured. As soon as it starts, run forward and you should pass on the left hand side of him. From here I always ran straight to the Death Mask, then moved one screen to see where he was at. Yawn is rather tricky when he decides to attack, sometimes it's straight forward that you can dodge, other times he rears his head in a way to catch you off guard. Just try to learn his pattern and lure him around for a bit. I personally fired off two incendiary rounds into him and let Richard do the rest of the damage until the "fake death." After that you are going to want to run to the other end and lure Yawn away for enough time to grab that Assault Shotgun. Alternatively, if you don't want the shotgun, just grab the death mask and leave.

Yawn - Second Encounter - Grenade launcher with explosive rounds. Around 5-6 shots should do him in but first move behind the bookshelf and get some distance between you and the snake for a clear shot. Keep luring him around there and taking shots if you wish but I caught him on a hissing animation allowing like 3-4 shots to finish this boss. Note: YOU CANNOT BE POISONED IN THIS BATTLE, just killed.

Crimson Elder - With the grenade launcher, as soon as he stands up just fire a round at him. Every time he stands fire a round, should only take three. Sometimes the second blast won't knock him down so go ahead and finish him off with the third.

Zombies - Zombies are tenacious and a single bite on normal to Jill will knock her down one health status. From fine to yellow caution, then to orange caution and finally danger. Not a lot of breathing room. If you ever come up to a zombie with his back turned to you, running on the side he's least facing (left or right) will almost always mean you can zip passed him without being grabbed. He'll spin around in an attempt but won't succeed. If you're facing a zombie, you can "bait him" a bit by standing still then backing up a second. If used on a corner of a wall, this will be useful in allowing you to jet passed him after his failed grab attempt. It won't always work though, at least in my scenario that's where the defense items come in. A lot of speed-running videos skip these but I say grab them, they don't take up inventory space and it only takes a second to pick one up if it's in your path. As Jill, these items are the Dagger and Battery Pack for the stun-gun. You don't have to finish the zombie after it's been stabbed, unless you really need to kill it. But those are far and between finally, if you have a wide enough space you can probably run passed a zombie easily enough without being grabbed. If there's an obstacle in the room that requires them to walk around it and you have a free opening, use that to get around the thing.

If you must kill a zombie, use the shotgun and go for a headshot (aiming up when they're just about on you). It won't always connect with a zombie near others but, if it does, no worries of a crimson.

Crimson Heads - Dangerous, fast, and annoying. You shouldn't have many of these to worry about aside from the one in that hallway filled with swords where you got the Golden Arrow. You won't be visiting this area much, if you wisely plan around avoiding that place. They're like zombies but faster, they tend to swipe (which can knock a status down in your health) and grabbing has the same result. BTW, avoid at all cost being bitten from behind. Most enemies will take two chunks of your health. You shouldn't have to worry about burning any zombies either, as you're speed-running and any you don't blow the head off of will stay down if you're moving through the area fast enough. Shotgun works well against them, even if it's just to slow one down.

Cerberus - Only one Cerberus has to die in this game and he has a dog collar on. Just use the regular shotgun on him to end it quickly and avoid his buddy. All other Cerberus have a delay before they decide to chase you, so use this time to run passed any in the area. In regards to the Cerberus hallway, ALWAYS enter from the Gallery. Doing so will only crack the glass but none will break through.

Giant Spiders - Just run. Any you see you never have to kill. These include the two in the Residence, just run to the book downstairs (if you need to use the save upon first entering the Residence to figure out what numbers you'll need on the V-Jolt door and then reload after) and back up (grab those shotgun shells too). The one who climbs from the ceiling will probably be on the ground, just run straight and you should dodge any poison, then run passed it into the door. The spiders in the basement you can just plain run by easily, including the one waiting for you at the exit. Well, mine was being an idiot so he was "searching" despite me being right in front of him. The two with Black Tiger can be ignored. 

Black Tiger - Two incendiary should do the trick. Make sure to run to the left or right as soon as the fight starts, as he charged me with the first blast and knocked me on my ass. But I got him with the second round. Before this fight make sure to bring your own knife if you wish or use the one here to cut the webbing, do it fast enough to avoid the other two spiders.

Hunters - assault Shotgun for the ones in the mansion. I always kill the one you first face, then the one outside the save room below the stairs. There's another upstairs but he can easily be ran by. Other than those three, with my path, I didn't run into any others. That includes the one who can break into the Original Zombie Hallway (with Kenneth's body), considering I entered that hallway not from the basement but from the crow-cage room. Other Hunters such as those in the caves...you can run passed the one in the Enrico area, then kill the two afterwards with acid rounds (1-2 shots a piece). No others to worry about.

Chimera - Assault shotgun. two to three shots a piece and with ammo to spare, they are a joke. You only need to kill the ones in the first area where you put the Fuel Capsule, even then just the ones on the path to that location. All others can easily be ran passed. 

Tyrant - Aim Barry's 44. Magnum and fire. If you didn't save anyone else, you can leave without a second fight on the helipad. Those other five shots can be used however you wish. 

Lisa Trevor - Avoid-avoid-avoid. The first encounter, I shot her twice with the assault shotgun until the tentacles popped out then I ran passed her. The second one in the caves I just ran the other way. In the final fight without Barry to distract her, she didn't do much to hit me. She got me once but, nothing to worry about. If you need to, try to knock her off with Barry's 44. It can be done. Otherwise, just dodge and push the statues. I highly recommend saving before this fight though just in case you fall off. 

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I hope this helps! As far as recommended paths, I highly suggest any speed-runner's video for an hour and half. Just follow those paths.

Here's my recommendation for a path later on - 

1. When you get back from the residence, go through the door leading to the save room (Barry's fixed this but you could enter from that location anyways) and save.
2. Head up the stairs and passed the Hunter in the hallway leading to the fireplace room. Go through this room to the moving wall puzzle, then down the hole and into the basement. Turn on the power and head up the elevator.
   • I will note to you now you NEVER have to unlock the kitchen door with the sword key.
3. Once you've gone up the elevator, grab the battery and unlock the door leading into the sword-hallway which had the Golden Arrow. You may either run down this hallway or go out onto the balcony overlooking the dining room. Quickly run into the opposite door here if you choose to, but either way you need to get into the hallway above the serum save room.
4. Go into the room here with the moving Eagle and pick up the Red gem. Your goal now is to get to where you grabbed the Armor Key. Exit the room, go to the door at the end here and pass into the sword-hallway. Avoid anything that's alive and head up the passed the armor key trap.
5. Head into the big library, kill Yawn and grab the book with the Wolf Medal in it. Head back and go straight leading into the crow cage stairwell. Move to Kenneth's hallway and immediately into the dining room (shouldn't even see a hunter). Go over to the main hall from the dining room then through the final helmet key door...grab the box, get the spencer key out then head back to the main hall.
6. Go outside through the back door towards the graveyard, open the gate where you did a puzzle involving pictures in a crow-hallway and back into the lobby outside of Spencer's office. Open that up, grab the object you need, then head back out towards the residence.

With that I avoided pretty much all the Hunters in the mansion aside from three (two I killed, one I dodged). 

I know this is a long solution but I hope some of this can help you. A final note is that if you don't make the three hour deadline, you can still probably get the five hour one thus unlocking the Samurai Edge. With that gun, you can have an easier time with infinite ammo to do the three hour run.