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This page is rather stubbly and could use some expansion. Are you a bad enough dude to rescue this article?

To do: Check out everything in the videos by Boundary Break and Slippy Slides. For example, who's the guy watching the final battle?

To do: Document the Gamecube Preview Disc Playable Demo version of this game (ex. different sound effect, an item called onyx stone not appearing in final game) more regional differences. source

I'm sure you boys didn't just tag along so we could sing "Kumbaya" together at some Boy Scout bonfire.

Then again, maybe you did.

Early Pre-rendered Graphics#

Present in the Cmn folder are early versions of the pre-rendered graphics. Some of these are just sketches.

Early	Final
※ファイルのアップ画像のみ - *File Upload Image Only
湖の写真 - Picture of the Lake
猟師の地図 - Hunter’s Map
r11d / ルート分岐の地図 - Route Fork Map / r11e

Additionally, there are two concept sketches that don't correspond to any pre-rendered graphics in the final game. These are not present in the Cmn folder and can only be found in the Eng folder.

f15b・8代目城主のメモ２ - 8th Castellan's Memo 2

Resident Evil 4 includes only a single memo from the castellan.

Preservation of Earlier Translations#

The pre-rendered backgrounds of some of the game's various notes feature earlier versions of their translations, occasionally with wonky English.

In each instance, the line breaks in the final translation have been altered to match the text in the pre-rendered image for easier comparison.

Chief's Note#

As instructed by Lord Saddler, I have the agent
in confinement, alive. Why keep him alive.
I have not a clue as to his intentions.

However, I would think he’d keep them away
together, not confine them together in the
same room like he has.

I don’t expect Luis would trust a stranger
but if perchance they cooperated together,
the situation could get a bit complicated.

If for some reason, an unknown third party is
involved, I don’t think they’d let a chance like
this slip by.
But maybe it’s all Lord Saddler’s ploy - leaving us
vulnerable so that this third party to surface
if they even exist that is…

It’s an unlikely possibility, but if the prowler is
already amongst us, then our plans could be foiled.
I guess the Lord thinks it’s worth the risk,
if we stop whatever conspiracy is at work.

At any rate, it’s the Lord’s call, we have
no choice but to trust his judgment on this.

As instructed by Lord Saddler, I have the agent in
confinement, alive. Why keep him alive?
I do not fully understand what the Lord's intentions are.

I would, however, think he'd keep them
separate; not confine them together
as has been ordered.

I don't expect Luis would trust a stranger,
but if by chance they did cooperate,
the situation could get a bit more complicated.

If for some reason, an unknown third party is
involved, I don't think they'd let a chance like
this slip by.
But maybe it's all Lord Saddler's ploy — leaving us
vulnerable so that this third party will surface,
if they even exist that is...

It's an unlikely possibility, but if a prowler is
already amongst us, then our plans could be ruined.
I guess the Lord thinks it's worth the risk,
if we're able to stop whatever conspiracy is at work.

At any rate, it's the Lord's call. We will
trust his judgement as always.

Castellan's Memo#

Save those that have sinned with
    the power of the
Las Plagas and cleanses their souls
creating
    a world without sinners.
The way it was meant to be.

Los Illuminados

To save those that have sinned with
the power of the
Las Plagas and to cleanse the their souls
creating
a world without sinners.
The way it was meant to be.

Letter from Ada#

Dear Leon

Once a Plaga egg hatches, it's nearly impossible
to remove from the body. But if it's before
it hatches, then it can be removed by medication.

If all fails you might be able to get it out by
surgery before it turns to an adult. But it won't
be an easy one. There's a high chance you
won't survive the operation.

As far as I know the girl has been injected with the
egg before you. Her time is ticking.
You should prepare yourself for the worst
case scenario.

From Ada

Once a Plaga egg hatches, it's nearly impossible
to remove it from the body. But if it's before
it hatches, then it can be neutralized by medication.

If it does hatch you might be able to get it out by
surgery before it turns to an adult. But it won't
be easy. There's a high chance you
won't survive the operation.

As far as I know the girl was injected with the
egg before you. Her time is ticking.
You should prepare yourself for the worst
case scenario.

Unused Cinematic#

Watch on YouTube

Only present on the GameCube versions during Chapter 3-2, there's a cinematic that never got used that was to be the introductory cutscene for the wingless version of the Novistador enemy in the sewers. For whatever reason, the cinematic's trigger was moved far out of the sewers' play area. It's possible to trigger it through an out of bounds glitch or No-clip code, however. The trigger was removed in all later versions of the game.

Unused Ladder#

Watch on YouTubeThere is an invisible functional ladder that goes unused in the final version of the game. To get to it you must have an Action Replay and a No-clip code.

During Chapter 5-3 just before the knife fight with Krauser, Leon would normally have to take the elevator up to him. However beyond the fenced out area below the platform above, there are two steel pillars with an interactable "CLIMB UP" icon between them, though with no visible ladder. This ladder may have been the way you needed to go to get to Krauser in early versions of the game, but later was changed to an elevator. The ladder only takes you to about the height of the second platform that Leon and Krauser fall onto during their QTE fight.

Not sure if this ladder trigger was removed in later ports, but is present on the all regions of the GameCube version of the game.

Unused Japanese-Only Fixed Camera Angle#

Watch on YouTubeThere is an unused camera angle in non-Japanese releases that is still accessible via a no-clip cheat code.

In Chapter 4-1 where you play as Ashley, in the area where the Armoured Knights and sliding plate puzzle are, all the way down to the last room and on the right hand side wall of the statue you get the “Salazar Family Insignia” there is a table and chair. Walk right into the table and chair and then the camera angle will change to a more original Resident Evil fixed camera angle that follows your player.

This leftover camera angle is fully present in every Japanese version and port of the game, as the entire Ashley segment is played with traditional Resident Evil camera angles, but was changed to the normal over-the-shoulder view for the rest of the world for unknown reasons.

Unused Cage#

In Ashley's segment, in the room where you insert the crest to escape, there is an unused cage above the stand that has no function.

It is possible it was meant for a trap at some point but was later removed and the cage door was just left there.

Unused Developer Picture in Background#

Immediately after Mike's Chopper is shot down during chapter 5-4 and entering the next area, there's a strange 2D texture showing what appears to be a human character just standing out in the distance, viewable in game without cheats by aiming a Rifle with a Scope attached towards the building in the distance. This figure appears to be based on a photograph of someone working on the game, and goes completely unused in the rest of the game

Regional Differences#

This page or section needs more images. There's a whole lotta words here, but not enough pictures. Please fix this.

Japanese Version#

The Japanese version is heavily censored in general:

• Headshots don't offer any splashing heads anymore. The sound of the explosion is not heard and pieces of the head fly around. This censorship also affects enemies on the ground.
• A headshot animation was completely deleted. With a shotgun or the sniper rifle the head can be shot in pieces in a very swift manner. This does not throw enemies immediately to the ground in the Japanese version; instead, they stumble around for a little while without their head (note that the headless body can still attack Leon).
• Plagas headshots are also censored. The parasite does not explode anymore; instead, it splashes just before the body fades. The “Plopp” sound of the exploding parasite can only be heard when the body hits the floor. The bloody stump can be seen only for some very few seconds in the Japanese version.
• The animation of Leon being decapitated if he is one-hitted by the chainsaw-armed maniac has been removed – the chainsaw cuts through Leon's neck but the head stays there like nothing happened.
• The Japanese version lacks Ashley’s wagging breasts when she is moving.

Other Changes:

• An Easy mode is available.
• It is possible to blow up the huge boulder in the mine area (Chapter 4-2) with a rocket launcher instead of using dynamite.
• The audio in cutscenes in gameplay (that isn't enemy comments) is still in English, so the Japanese version forces subtitles.
• The Japanese version has longer loading times.
• As mentioned above, only the Japanese version uses a fixed-camera angle during gameplay of Ashley's segment.

European Version#

• Like in the Japanese version, an Easy mode is available and it is possible to blow up the huge boulder in the mine area (Chapter 4-2) with a rocket launcher instead of using dynamite.

German Version:

In terms of violent content, the European versions are identical to the North American version. This is with exception to the German version of the game.

• The German version is missing Assignment Ada and The Mercenaries mode. This is presumed to be because the two modes were just senseless killing. However, the HD re-release on Steam brought the two modes back into the German version.