Speedrun Tips

Speedrun Tips

Welcome, aspiring S.T.A.R.S. operative, to the ultimate guide for conquering the Spencer Mansion in record time! Resident Evil (1996) offers a thrilling challenge for speedrunners, demanding precision, resource management, and intimate knowledge of its labyrinthine corridors. This section will arm you with the strategies needed to shave precious seconds off your run, focusing on critical path optimization and minimal engagement.

General Principles for Speedrunning

• Know Your Route: Memorize key item locations, door codes, and enemy placements. Every second spent backtracking or fumbling is a second lost.
• Avoid Combat: Most enemies can be bypassed. Learn their patrol patterns and utilize tight turns to avoid their grasp. If combat is unavoidable, aim for quick, decisive kills.
• Resource Management: Only pick up essential items. Healing items should be used sparingly, prioritizing avoiding damage over healing it. Ammunition is for bosses and critical path enemies only.
• Door Manipulation: Opening and closing doors can sometimes "reset" enemy positions or allow for quicker transitions. Experiment with this.
• Save State Efficiency (if applicable): If playing on an emulator or a version with quick saves, practice tricky sections repeatedly to perfect your execution.

Chris Redfield Speedrun Strategy (Any% - Best Ending)

Chris's tougher defense and access to the powerful Shotgun make him a strong choice for speedrunning, especially for beginners. This route aims for the best ending, requiring the rescue of both Rebecca and Jill.

Mansion - Initial Exploration & Shield Key

1. Courtyard & Dining Room: Immediately head through the double doors into the Dining Room. Ignore the zombie.
2. East Wing Corridor (1F): Proceed through the next door, then turn right. Enter the small room with the shotgun shells. Grab the Shotgun Shells.
3. Main Hall (1F): Go back to the Main Hall. Head upstairs to the 2F.
4. West Wing Corridor (2F): Turn left at the top of the stairs. Enter the first door on your right (the Armor Room).
5. Armor Room: Grab the Shield Key from the statue. Exit the room.
6. West Wing Corridor (2F): Continue down the corridor. Enter the door at the end (the Tiger Statue Room).
7. Tiger Statue Room: Push the statue onto the pressure plate. Grab the Jewel Box. Examine the Jewel Box to get the Blue Gem. Exit.
8. West Wing Corridor (2F): Head back towards the Main Hall.
9. Main Hall (2F): Go downstairs to 1F.
10. East Wing Corridor (1F): Head back to the corridor where you found the shotgun shells. Continue past that room and use the Shield Key on the next door (the Art Room).
11. Art Room: Grab the Map of the Mansion (1F) from the fireplace. Exit.
12. East Wing Corridor (1F): Continue past the Art Room, heading towards the Dining Room. Use the Shield Key on the door leading to the Piano Room.
13. Piano Room: Enter. Interact with the piano. Rebecca will eventually play the Moonlight Sonata. After the secret passage opens, enter it.
14. Small Storage Room (behind Piano Room): Grab the Musical Score (optional, but needed for the puzzle). More importantly, grab the Sword Key. Exit the secret passage and the Piano Room.

Mansion - Sword Key & Dog Whistle

15. East Wing Corridor (1F): Head back towards the Main Hall.
16. Main Hall (1F): Go upstairs to the 2F.
17. East Wing Corridor (2F): Turn right at the top of the stairs. Use the Sword Key on the first door (the Study).
18. Study: Grab the Dog Whistle from the desk. Exit.
19. East Wing Corridor (2F): Continue to the end of the corridor. Use the Sword Key on the final door (the Small Library).
20. Small Library: Grab the Ink Ribbon (optional). Exit.
21. East Wing Corridor (2F): Head back to the Main Hall.
22. Main Hall (1F): Go downstairs. Go to the Courtyard.
23. Courtyard: Use the Dog Whistle. Kill the two dogs that appear. Pick up the Collar. Examine the Collar to get the Coin. Examine the Coin to get the Armor Key.

Mansion - Armor Key & Rebecca

24. Main Hall (1F): Go back to the Main Hall. Use the Armor Key on the double doors on the left (West Wing Corridor, 1F).
25. West Wing Corridor (1F): Enter the first door on your right (Small Storage Room).
26. Small Storage Room: Grab the Ink Ribbon (optional, for a single save if absolutely necessary) and the Broken Shotgun. Exit.
27. West Wing Corridor (1F): Continue down the corridor. Enter the door at the end (Medical Room).
28. Medical Room: Find Rebecca. Trigger the cutscene.
29. West Wing Corridor (1F): Exit the Medical Room. Head back to the Main Hall.
30. Main Hall (1F): Go upstairs to 2F.
31. West Wing Corridor (2F): Head to the Armor Room.
32. Armor Room: Swap the Broken Shotgun for the real Shotgun.

Mansion - Plant 42 & Death Masks

34. West Wing Corridor (2F): Continue past the Armor Room. Use the Armor Key on the next door (the room with the Crow).
35. Crow Room: Grab the Map of the Mansion (2F). Exit.
36. West Wing Corridor (2F): Continue to the end of the corridor. Use the Armor Key on the final door (Balcony).
37. Balcony: Push the statue off the balcony.
38. Main Hall (1F): Go downstairs. Go to the statue you pushed. Pick up the Death Mask (No Mouth).
39. East Wing Corridor (1F): Head back to the Art Room.
40. Art Room: Use the Shield Key on the door in the back (Plant 42 Corridor).
41. Plant 42 Corridor: Proceed down the corridor. Enter the first door on your right (Aqua Ring Control Room).
42. Aqua Ring Control Room: Interact with the computer to drain the water. Exit.
43. Plant 42 Corridor: Continue to the end of the corridor. Enter the door (Plant 42 Room).
44. Plant 42 Room: Engage Plant 42. Aim for the core. Use the Shotgun. Rebecca will assist if you saved her earlier.
45. Plant 42 Room: After defeating Plant 42, grab the Death Mask (No Eyes).
46. Plant 42 Room: Exit. Head back through the Art Room to the Main Hall.
47. Main Hall (1F): Go upstairs to 2F.
48. East Wing Corridor (2F): Turn right at the top of the stairs. Use the Shield Key on the first door (Bedroom).
49. Bedroom: Grab the Death Mask (No Nose) from the bed. Exit.
50. East Wing Corridor (2F): Continue to the end of the corridor. Use the Shield Key on the final door (Library).
51. Library: Push the bookshelf to reveal a hidden passage. Enter.
52. Hidden Passage: Grab the Death Mask (No Ears).
53. Library: Exit the hidden passage. Exit the Library.
54. East Wing Corridor (2F): Head back to the Main Hall.
55. Main Hall (1F): Go to the four statues. Place all four Death Masks you have collected. The coffin will open, revealing the Stone & Metal Object.
56. Main Hall (1F): Use the Stone & Metal Object on the double doors at the back of the Main Hall to open the path to the Underground.

Jill Valentine Speedrun Strategy (Any% - Best Ending)

Jill's lower defense is offset by her larger inventory and access to the Lockpick, allowing for quicker access to certain areas. This route also aims for the best ending, requiring the rescue of both Chris and Barry.

Mansion - Initial Exploration & Lockpick

1. Courtyard & Dining Room: Immediately head through the double doors into the Dining Room. Ignore the zombie.
2. East Wing Corridor (1F): Proceed through the next door, then turn right. Enter the small room with the shotgun shells. Grab the Shotgun Shells.
3. Main Hall (1F): Go back to the Main Hall. Head upstairs to the 2F.
4. West Wing Corridor (2F): Turn left at the top of the stairs. Enter the first door on your right (the Armor Room).
5. Armor Room: Grab the Shield Key from the statue. Exit the room.
6. West Wing Corridor (2F): Continue down the corridor. Enter the door at the end (the Tiger Statue Room).
7. Tiger Statue Room: Push the statue onto the pressure plate. Grab the Jewel Box. Examine the Jewel Box to get the Blue Gem. Exit.
8. West Wing Corridor (2F): Head back towards the Main Hall.
9. Main Hall (2F): Go downstairs to 1F.
10. East Wing Corridor (1F): Head back to the corridor where you found the shotgun shells. Continue past that room and use the Shield Key on the next door (the Art Room).
11. Art Room: Grab the Map of the Mansion (1F) from the fireplace. Exit.
12. East Wing Corridor (1F): Continue past the Art Room, heading towards the Dining Room. Use the Shield Key on the door leading to the Piano Room.
13. Piano Room: Enter. Interact with the piano. Chris will eventually play the Moonlight Sonata. After the secret passage opens, enter it.
14. Small Storage Room (behind Piano Room): Grab the Musical Score (optional, but needed for the puzzle). More importantly, grab the Sword Key. Exit the secret passage and the Piano Room.

Mansion - Sword Key & Dog Whistle

15. East Wing Corridor (1F): Head back towards the Main Hall.
16. Main Hall (1F): Go upstairs to 2F.
17. East Wing Corridor (2F): Turn right at the top of the stairs. Use the Sword Key on the first door (the Study).
18. Study: Grab the Dog Whistle from the desk. Exit.
19. East Wing Corridor (2F): Continue to the end of the corridor. Use the Sword Key on the final door (the Small Library).
20. Small Library: Grab the Ink Ribbon (optional). Exit.
21. East Wing Corridor (2F): Head back to the Main Hall.
22. Main Hall (1F): Go downstairs. Go to the Courtyard.
23. Courtyard: Use the Dog Whistle. Kill the two dogs that appear. Pick up the Collar. Examine the Collar to get the Coin. Examine the Coin to get the Armor Key.

Mansion - Armor Key & Chris

24. Main Hall (1F): Go back to the Main Hall. Use the Armor Key on the double doors on the left (West Wing Corridor, 1F).
25. West Wing Corridor (1F): Enter the first door on your right (Small Storage Room).
26. Small Storage Room: Grab the Ink Ribbon (optional) and the Broken Shotgun. Exit.
27. West Wing Corridor (1F): Continue down the corridor. Enter the door at the end (Medical Room).
28. Medical Room: Find Chris. Trigger the cutscene.
29. West Wing Corridor (1F): Exit the Medical Room. Head back to the Main Hall.
30. Main Hall (1F): Go upstairs to 2F.
31. West Wing Corridor (2F): Head to the Armor Room.
32. Armor Room: Swap the Broken Shotgun for the real Shotgun.

Mansion - Plant 42 & Death Masks

34. West Wing Corridor (2F): Continue past the Armor Room. Use the Armor Key on the next door (the room with the Crow).
35. Crow Room: Grab the Map of the Mansion (2F). Exit.
36. West Wing Corridor (2F): Continue to the end of the corridor. Use the Armor Key on the final door (Balcony).
37. Balcony: Push the statue off the balcony.
38. Main Hall (1F): Go downstairs. Go to the statue you pushed. Pick up the Death Mask (No Mouth).
39. East Wing Corridor (1F): Head back to the Art Room.
40. Art Room: Use the Shield Key on the door in the back (Plant 42 Corridor).
41. Plant 42 Corridor: Proceed down the corridor. Enter the first door on your right (Aqua Ring Control Room).
42. Aqua Ring Control Room: Interact with the computer to drain the water. Exit.
43. Plant 42 Corridor: Continue to the end of the corridor. Enter the door (Plant 42 Room).
44. Plant 42 Room: Engage Plant 42. Aim for the core. Use the Shotgun. Chris will assist if you saved him earlier.
45. Plant 42 Room: After defeating Plant 42, grab the Death Mask (No Eyes).
46. Plant 42 Room: Exit. Head back through the Art Room to the Main Hall.
47. Main Hall (1F): Go upstairs to 2F.
48. East Wing Corridor (2F): Turn right at the top of the stairs. Use the Shield Key on the first door (Bedroom).
49. Bedroom: Grab the Death Mask (No Nose) from the bed. Exit.
50. East Wing Corridor (2F): Continue to the end of the corridor. Use the Shield Key on the final door (Library).
51. Library: Push the bookshelf to reveal a hidden passage. Enter.
52. Hidden Passage: Grab the Death Mask (No Ears).
53. Library: Exit the hidden passage. Exit the Library.
54. East Wing Corridor (2F): Head back to the Main Hall.
55. Main Hall (1F): Go to the four statues. Place all four Death Masks you have collected. The coffin will open, revealing the Stone & Metal Object.
56. Main Hall (1F): Use the Stone & Metal Object on the double doors at the back of the Main Hall to open the path to the Underground.