The Resident Evil 4 remake has a lot of high-octane action sequences and a few of them also have some unique workarounds that require thinking out of the box. These may not be the most applicable to first playthroughs, but they can save time on repeated playthroughs or for speedruns. One such example is the Anti-Air (AA) Gun skip that appears in Chapter 15.
After you’ve met Mike and worked with him to clear out a couple of groups of enemies, a large AA turret will rise from a building and begin shooting at your helicopter buddy. The typical solution is to fight through all the enemies in the area and destroy it with a mounted machine gun. A couple of quicker methods can achieve the same result a lot faster though. This is how to skip the AA Gun sequence in Resident Evil 4.
How to Destroy the AA Turret with Grenades
One workaround and likely the more viable option for players is to use grenades. This can be achieved by using regular Grenades or Heavy Grenades.
The latter will typically get the job done quicker, although it also depends on where the grenades land. A grenade that explodes on the outer side does less damage than one that lands closer to the middle.
Screenshot by GameSkinny
If you’re trying to do this as quickly as possible, you only need to walk forward and then lob grenades at the large turret. The angle isn’t the best, so the number of grenades it takes might not be consistent.
Expect two to three heavy grenades to do the trick or a mix of a heavy grenade and one to two normal grenades. You’ll know if there’s any damage being done if some black smoke begins to billow out.
You can increase your chances of landing the grenades closer if you position yourself almost directly below the concrete lip above the door. This angle makes it even harder to tell, but aiming so that it just clears the roof makes it more likely that two or even a single heavy grenade will destroy the AA gun.
Screenshot by GameSkinny
For those on a Professional run and trying to conserve their grenades, there is a better place to throw from. Jump off the bridge and head through the tunneled-out area on the right. This will lead to a ladder that takes you behind the building the AA Gun is built on.
There is no annoying concrete blocking your aim and this side is a little higher as well. Throwing from this side practically guarantees that a single heavy grenade will take care of the problem. The only issues with this approach are that it takes a bit longer (still quicker than normal though) and that you’ll trigger the first group of enemies.
How to Destroy the AA Turret with a Rocket Launcher
Screenshot by GameSkinny
The quickest method by far is to just use a Rocket Launcher. Whether it’s a single-use that you bought from the Merchant or the Infinite Rocket Launcher from a New Game+ run, you just have to aim and shoot a single missile to destroy this troublesome obstacle.
Not every speedrun will have room to buy a rocket launcher and the pesetas needed to buy a single-use rocket launcher are likely better used on other things if you’re trying to get an S+ rank on a Professional Run. For those just looking to blow things up and have fun, this is the fastest way to bypass the sequence.
Screenshot by GameSkinny
No matter which method you use, you’ll need to head towards the giant gate afterward to trigger Mike blowing it up. There might be some enemies at your back, but it’ll help you save a lot of time and maybe even some ammo in the long run.
Keep these methods in mind and you’ll easily be able to skip the AA Gun sequence in the Resident Evil 4 Remake. From other sequence skips such as the opening village fight skip to the 24 Island Treasure Locations, you can find everything you need at our Resident Evil 4 remake guide hub.
Featured image by GameSkinny
