After spending dozens of hours clearing every Leon/Claire scenario, S-ranking runs, and messing with PC mods, I eventually ended up with a single notepad file full of codes, routes, and “don’t do this again” reminders. This guide is basically that notebook, cleaned up: every critical safe and locker code, how to prioritize weapons, where Mr Raccoons tend to hide, and which PC mods are actually worth your time.
If you follow the steps below, you can comfortably clear the RPD on Standard in about 3-4 hours, keep enough ammo for the late game, and stop Mr X from turning every hallway into a panic attack. I’ll also point out a few mods and PC tweaks that made replaying RE2 Remake in 2026 feel completely fresh again.
Core Survival Habits That Change Everything
1. Stop Shooting Every Zombie
My first run, I tried to clear every corridor. Bad idea. The station has a finite amount of ammo, and zombie health is slightly randomized, so sometimes one head pops from a single bullet and sometimes they tank six or more.
What finally worked was treating ammo as an emergency tool, not a broom:
Use bullets when a zombie is blocking a tight doorway, staircase, or puzzle area you’ll visit repeatedly.
Learn to stagger: two quick shots to the legs, then run past while they kneel.
Leave “hallway ornaments” alone if you can safely hug a wall and slip by.
Use grenades only on dangerous groups or tough enemies like G-adults.
If you reach the second half of the RPD with 40-60 handgun rounds and a decent stash of shotgun/GL ammo, you’re in great shape for the rest of the game.
2. Use the Map Like a Checklist
RE2’s map is quietly one of the strongest tools in the game. I used to rely on memory until I realized I was leaving upgrades behind.
Red rooms = still missing at least one item or unsolved interaction.
Blue rooms = fully cleared; you can stop worrying about them (for now).
Items you walk near are auto-marked on the map even if you don’t pick them up, which is huge when you’re dodging Mr X.
Broken windows that can be boarded are shown as little white rectangles on the walls.
Between objectives, take ten seconds at a typewriter to scan the map and plan a small loop: hit a red room or two, unlock a safe/locker you now know the code for, then retreat to a safe room.
3. Always Carry a Defensive Item
Flashbangs, frag grenades, and combat knives are more than damage tools: they’re extra lives. When a zombie grabs you, a quick prompt lets you jam one into them and avoid a lot of damage-or an instant kill from tougher enemies later on.
Knives can be recovered after killing the enemy but lose durability each time.
Grenades stuck in a zombie’s mouth will blow on their own, or you can shoot them for an immediate explosion.
Flashbangs are priceless for blinding Mr X or lickers when you get cornered.
I try to keep at least one defensive item on me at all times and stash extras in the item box instead of hoarding ammo I can’t currently carry.
Screenshot from Resident Evil 2
4. Don’t Destroy Items Just to Free Space
Inventory panic is real early on, and my worst habit was discarding boards, extra knives, or flashbangs thinking I’d never need them. I regretted every single one later.
Follow these rules instead:
Take the extra minute to run back to a safe room and use the item box.
Only discard items that show a red checkmark in the inventory-those are key items that have served their purpose.
Keep at least a couple of boards, especially while you’re still mostly in the RPD.
5. Board Up Windows Strategically
This is the big one I underestimated. Every unboarded window in key corridors is a lottery ticket for future zombies. Once they pour in, some hallways become absolute nightmares with Mr X chasing you.
Prioritize windows on the first-floor west side, where you backtrack constantly.
Board windows near save rooms and puzzle hubs so your “safe” loops stay safe.
Use the map to spot any remaining boardable windows you missed.
Spending three boards early can save you a full clip of ammo and a lot of health later.
6. Examine Every Key Item
Any time you pick up something that isn’t ammo or a healing item, go into your inventory, select it, and hit Examine. Rotate the 3D model and look for interactive points.
Keys show which doors they open and eventually gain the red checkmark once done.
USB dongles, badges, and boxes often have hidden switches or compartments.
Some puzzle items only reveal their true use after examining them properly.
I’ve wasted so much time hunting for “missing items” that were literally inside something I hadn’t examined yet-don’t repeat that mistake.
Critical Safes and Lockers – Exact Combinations
The game marks safes and lockers on your map, but it never gives you all the codes cleanly. These are the ones I always jot down at the start of a new run.
Screenshot from Resident Evil 2
RPD Safes
West Office safe (1F, Leon & Claire)
Combination: Left 9, Right 15, Left 7
Reward: Hip Pouch (extra inventory slots).
Waiting Room safe (2F, near Art Room)
Combination: Left 6, Right 2, Left 11
Reward: Leon – Muzzle Brake (Matilda); Claire – Extended Mag (SLS 60).
Sewers Safe
In the Sewers Treatment Pool Room:
Treatment Pool Room safe
Combination: Left 2, Right 12, Left 8
Reward: Leon – Shotgun Stock (W-870); Claire – Reinforced Frame (SLS 60).
Lockers and Desk Locks
Men’s Locker Room locker (2F Shower Room) – CAP
3F hallway locker (near stairs) – DCM
Sewers Control Room locker – SZF
Leon’s desk (West Office)
Left lock – NED
Right lock – MRG
Portable safes have randomized solutions, but solving them gives you spare keys for the Safety Deposit Room—those unlock extra inventory goodies like more hip pouches and shotgun shells. Always worth the tiny puzzle.
Best Weapons to Prioritize (Leon & Claire)
I’ve tested a lot of weird routes, trying to rush side weapons or hoard ammo for late bosses. This is the loadout path that felt consistently strong for both characters.
Early-Game Must-Haves
Handgun (default): Use for leg shots and finishing blows. Don’t waste upgrades you find for it—Matilda with the muzzle brake feels much better.
Shotgun (Leon) / Grenade Launcher (Claire):
Once you find the Weapons Locker Keycard in the Art Room, circle back to the weapon locker near the Safety Deposit Room on the 1F west side and grab your main power weapon.
Use these for:
Lickers (one or two solid hits).
Groups clogging narrow corridors.
Enemies around Mr X when you need them down fast.
Mid-Game: Getting the Lightning Hawk (Leon) and SMG (Claire)
The mid-game magnum (Leon) and SMG (Claire) are your high-damage tools for bosses and late-game threats.
Leon – Lightning Hawk magnum
You’ll eventually reach the Observation/Interrogation Rooms. In there is a box containing the USB Dongle Key. Examine it to reveal the USB plug, then head to the S.T.A.R.S. Office on 2F. Plug it into the PC, unlock the armory case, and claim the Lightning Hawk.
Tip: Examine the dongle again afterward to turn it into a badge for another hidden upgrade later.
Claire – SMG (MQ 11)
Claire’s version is obtained from the same S.T.A.R.S. Office armory with the dongle. Once you have the SMG, treat its ammo as mid-tier: better than handgun, weaker than GL rounds, great for quickly finishing stubborn zombies or shredding plant monsters in the lab.
How I Use Each Weapon Type
Handgun: Leg shots to stagger, headshots only on lone zombies.
Shotgun / Grenade Launcher: Big threats, lickers, tight groups, Mr X rescues.
Magnum / High-Caliber: Boss weak points and end-game emergencies. I often finish the game still holding a handful of magnum rounds—that’s fine.
Knife: Defensive only unless it’s the infinite version; don’t stand and slash normal zombies unless it’s totally safe.
Mr Raccoon Collectibles & Why They’re Worth It
There are Mr Raccoon toys scattered through the campaigns—small bobblehead mascots that rattle and squeak when you’re close. Destroying them all in the main story nets you the Infinite Combat Knife, which is huge for future runs.
You’ll find them in common spots like the RPD shooting range, tucked in corners of hallways and offices, and hidden in later areas like the lab.
Listen for the faint rattling sound; if you hear it, stop and scan shelves and high spots.
Use a single handgun bullet or a quick knife slash if it’s safe; don’t waste shotgun shells on them mid-fight.
I recommend grabbing Mr Raccoons as you naturally explore on your first run, then cleaning up any you missed on a later scenario when you’re more comfortable with the layout.
Dealing With Mr X Without Panicking
My first experience with Mr X was just sprinting in circles until he punched my skull in. Once I understood his rules, he became more of a moving obstacle than a true horror.
Screenshot from Resident Evil 2
He follows sound. Gunshots draw him in your direction. If you’re trying to give him the slip, use knives and quiet dodges instead.
He won’t enter true safe rooms. Typewriter/save rooms and a few story-critical locations are off-limits to him. Learn which ones and plan them as “breather points.”
Listen for his footsteps. Heavy thumps and door sounds tell you if he’s above, below, or nearby.
Use loops. Corridors like the RPD’s main hall + east side form circles. Don’t be afraid to run a full loop to get behind him instead of trying to squeeze past his punches.
Flashbangs are get-out-of-jail cards. If he corners you, a flash in his face buys several seconds to break past him.
I almost never waste real ammo on Mr X except to briefly stun him when he’s blocking a narrow choke point. You can’t kill him during normal sections, so treat him like a timed trap.
PC Tweaks & Mods Worth Your Time
On PC, RE2 Remake has quietly become one of my favorite “tinker” games. There are two things I recommend setting up before you dive deep into cosmetic stuff: a mod framework and basic control fixes.
Use a mod framework. Community tools like the RE2 Mod Framework or RE Engine loaders make installing and toggling mods much easier. Always match the version to whether you’re running the DirectX 11 build or the ray-traced build—many older mods still only support DX11.
Fix mouse and camera behavior. If you play with keyboard + mouse, look for control-fix mods (often bundled with frameworks like REFix / REFramework) that address mouse acceleration and weird camera speed changes when aiming up or down.
Once that’s handled, here are the mod categories I’ve actually stuck with:
Camera mods
First-person camera and classic fixed-camera mods make repeat playthroughs feel like entirely different games. Fixed-camera especially turns familiar hallways back into genuine jump-scare territory.
UI / visual mods
Classic-style health bars, retro RE2 UIs, or simple FOV tweaks can make the game more readable and nostalgic without breaking balance.
Gameplay tweaks
There are mods that make Mr X smaller and sillier, or even remove him entirely if you just want a chill exploration run. On the flip side, some mods boost enemy counts for a pseudo-hardcore experience.
Cosmetic character mods
Crossover outfits (from other franchises or older RE titles) are purely cosmetic, but they’re fun once you’ve beaten the game a few times.
Whatever you install, back up your saves, and avoid overloading your first blind playthrough. I like to do one vanilla run, one “optimized” run with control/UI fixes, and then start layering in wild mods.
Wrapping Up: Putting It All Together
Resident Evil 2 Remake hasn’t changed much since 2019, which is actually great for guides like this—you can rely on these codes, routes, and tricks staying valid. If you:
Use your ammo sparingly and rely on stagger + dodging,
Systematically clear safes and lockers with the combinations above,
Prioritize shotgun/GL and Lightning Hawk/SMG upgrades,
Snag Mr Raccoons as you go for the infinite knife reward,
And learn a couple of safe loops to dance around Mr X,
then the RPD and beyond stop feeling like a hopeless maze and start feeling like your playground. From there, PC mods and challenge runs are just icing on the cake.
If I could tell my past self one thing before that first terrified Leon A run, it would be this: play slowly, think like a scavenger, and let the map and codes do the heavy lifting. Do that, and you’ll have more than enough ammo and tools to handle whatever Raccoon City throws at you.
