Skip to main content

How to solve the Castle Sword puzzle in Resident Evil 4 remake

The castle section of the Resident Evil 4 remake is one of the most diabolical. Aside from being visually distinct from the previous village area, this location is full of tougher enemies and deadlier traps. Once you’ve managed to escape from the dungeons and up into the castle proper, you will be blocked by a gate beside some images of a knight in different situations. Something is off about all of them, and one part missing entirely. This is the sword puzzle, but it isn’t as straightforward as you might assume looking at it. Here’s how to solve the Sword Puzzle and make your way into the Audience Chamber in Resident Evil 4.

How to solve the Castle Sword puzzle

Leon aiming at a gate with animal symbols on it.

The first thing you’ll notice about this puzzle is that there are four murals of the knight, but only three swords to pick up in this room. The last sword is behind another locked gate, but this one you can open. The gate has three animals on it, an eagle, deer, and snake, which correspond to three different plates. As each one is activated, the symbols on the gate will light up to show you’re on the right track. The deer can be activated by pulling the chain beside the gate, while the second two are on the other side of the gate to the right and need to be shot.

After all three bells have been rung, the gate will open and you can go in and grab the final sword.

Leon looking at murals of a knight.

Remove all the other swords off the wall, and place them in the correct spots based on the situation being depicted. Here’s which sword goes with which mural:

  1. Knight standing — Iron Sword
  2. Knight being knighted — Golden Sword
  3. Knight fighting — Bloodied Sword
  4. A grave — Rusted Sword

With all the correct swords in their place, Leon and Ashley are free to continue on through the castle.

Editors' Recommendations

Jesse Lennox
Jesse Lennox loves writing, games, and complaining about not having time to write and play games. He knows the names of more…
Resident Evil 4: how to deface Ramon’s portrait
Leon looks at a portrait

Resident Evil 4 has a couple of requests worth taking on to help you trade for some sweet loot, but "The Disgrace of the Salazar Family" is perhaps the most satisfying. The note to start this quirky sidequest can be found hanging right by the gondola at the beginning of Chapter 12, and it asks you to deface the portrait of Ramon Salazar in the throne room of the castle. It's an odd request for a survival horror game, but if we're being frank, the little jerk has it coming. We'll tell you where to find his portrait and how to deface it.
How to find and deface Ramon's portrait
Ramon's portrait is found in the throne room of the castle, which means you'll need to do a bit of backtracking through some areas you've previously visited. You'll also run into a handful of challenging foes as you pass through the areas leading back to the throne room, so be prepared to put up a fight.

When you finally reach the throne room, you'll find Ramon's portrait hanging on the left wall of the room – a much smaller portrait compared to the others found on the back wall. Your first instinct may be to start slashing away at it with your knife or shooting bullets into his smug face, but the way to complete this request is actually a little more fun and juvenile than that.

Read more
Resident Evil 4: how to solve the Cave Shrine puzzles
A series of symbols in a circle.

There are a lot more optional -- and mandatory -- moments of exploration available to plyers in the Resident Evil 4 remake. One of the best examples comes in Chapter 4 when you are given the ability to move about the lake freely on your boat. Whether you found it by accident or got stuck while going along the main path, you will eventually have to solve two Cave Shrine puzzles in order to get your hands on the Church Key you need to move the story forward. If you found the altar the key is held on, you are likely at a loss as to where to go or what to do. There aren't a ton of places around the lake you can visit, but you can save a lot of time by letting us navigate you to the correct spots and lead you through these Cave Shrine puzzles in Resident Evil 4.
How to find and solve the Small Cave Shrine

The first location you're going to is at the far northeast end of the lake and is called the Small Cave Shrine. Make your way inside and you will come across a panel with a circle of buttons with unique symbols. Your goal here is to figure out which symbols to press, and in what order, to unlock the way to the key item you need.

Read more
Resident Evil 4 lock codes: how to solve the Village Chief’s Manor combination lock puzzles
Leon Kennedy walking in the Resident Evil 4 remake.

In the world of Resident Evil 4, it isn't just the existence of viruses and parasites that turn normal people into crazed zombies that differentiates it from our own reality. In this ream, most homes and buildings don't just simply lock their doors, but secure them using obscure puzzles, such as the one you will find early on when you reach the Village Chief's Manor. This small home has two major roadblocks preventing you from moving on and pursuing your goal of finding the president's daughter. While there is a clue to the first puzzle, it is still somewhat cryptic and easy to miss, while the second is much less clear on what you're even being asked to do. Don't let these early puzzles stump you for too long -- use our help in solving the Village Chief's Manor puzzles in Resident Evil 4.
How to solve the cabinet lock puzzle

After entering the manor and dealing with a lone enemy in the bathroom, the first puzzle you need to solve is on the ground floor. Around the back of the house, down the hall with a Red Herb, is a large cabinet. The lock has three symbols you need to correctly align to open, and those symbols include things such as wheat, animals, babies, and birds. You won't be able to guess this one, so instead, you need to go up to the second floor and examine a book on a table in the hallway. This document, called "Illuminados 4:3, spells out the solution. The important part is the middle paragraph with the highlighted text that reads: "The old farmer, his finest crop./ The Slight swineherd, his stoutest pig./ The beggarly grandam, her own beloved babe."

Read more