As a passionate survival horror gamer since Resident Evil first terrified Playstation gamers in 1996, I eagerly await new entries to replay the tense action and thrills. The recent Resident Evil 4 remake expertly recaptures the original game’s balance of scary and crazy engaging gameplay. I jumped at the chance to replay Leon’s mission to rescue the president’s daughter from a sinister cult in stunning modern graphics.
One aspect of RE4 I loved revisiting was the side quests sprinkled throughout its creepy locales for bonus rewards. In particular, completing the multi-part pest control assignment provides worthwhile Spinels, a special in-game currency. In this guide, I’ll cover how to take on these extermination jobs based on my experience fully completing them.
Introducing Valuable Spinels
Spinels provide a great way to upgrade Leon beyond progressing the main story as they unlock:
- Weapon Improvements – Upgrade damage and capacity for all guns
- Health Items – Purchase Green and Red Herbs
- Treasure Maps – Reveal locations of hidden collectibles
- Accessories – Special stat boosting items to aid Leon
Obtaining a few Spinels comes from advancing the plot, but the pest control questline generates bonus Spinels to splurge on weapons. Completing all 3 assignments rewards 9 total Spinels:
| Pest Control Quest | Spinels Earned |
|---|---|
| Chapter 2: Pest Control | 3 |
| Chapter 9: More Pest Control | 3 |
| Chapter 14: Even More Pest Control | 3 |
With mindful purchases, these 9 Spinels make a sizable difference in aiding Leon’s survival!
Chapter 2: Exterminating Pests in Abandoned Factory
Your first pest control job activates after spotting the quest notification close to the Typewriter saving point and Merchant location right outside the Abandoned Factory in Chapter 2.
After interacting with prompt, I quickly realized the quest involved hunting down 3 bothersome rats roaming around the factory interior.
Now I faced two challenges here:
- Locating the Elusive Rats – These critters try fleeing when approached
- Eliminating their Evasive Movement – Must corner them to land lethal damage
Luckily, their scrabbling Provides auditory cues to pinpoint their location. I used my spatial audio headset to directionally track them down.
For attacking, blasting them instantly with the shotgun works great thanks to wider spread shot. However, conserving handgun ammo proves more efficient here.
The following map displays the exact locations where I discovered each troublesome rat within the multi-floor factory:
As shown in the map, the first vermin hid along the curved U-shaped corridor on the upper northwest side. After landing successful strikes while it attempted fleeing, I eliminated the first threat.
The second rat patrolled along the pipe section in the main factory chamber. I listened closely to noises echoing in the large room before discovering and sniping it from above on the walkway.
The final critter constantly scurried close to the large furnace area, which heavily obscured spotting it. By employing patience and vigilantly scanning, I finally cornered and exterminated the last rodent.
Dispatching all 3 public nuisances completes the job, rewarding Leon with 3 Spinels from the Merchant!
Chapter 9: Eliminating More Pests in Salazar’s Castle
The second pest removal assignment appears in Chapter 9 within Salazar Castle near the door to the Dining Hall.
This time the quest shifts to an imposing gothic castle, prodding players to hunt down rats scrambling through the regal architecture. The intricate layout with winding, dimly lit corridors provides an engaging maze-like challenge.
However, the echoing stone halls certainly amplifies the rodents’ scrabbling, making pinpointing their location easier. I used my surround sound headset to directionally track each vermin down.
The following map documents where each crafty rat concealed itself among the castle’s halls and chambers:
The first rodent patrolled right outside the Dining Hall along the front hall before retreating. I managed to corner and skewer it with my knife after missing my initial shotgun blast. That teaches me to use ammunition more scarcely moving forward!
The second critter lurked in the path towards the Arsenal room. My torch proved essential to spotting it sneaking within the dark passage. Some careful knife slashes quickly exterminated this crawler.
Lastly, the third rat dwelled within the Library area, initially encountered with Ashley. Revisiting the room as Leon after the hostage situation allowed me to systematically sweep and discover the final rodent near the upstairs bookcases. My precise handgun shot easily pierced its tiny frame, completing the contract.
After the successful eradication, the Merchant compensated me with another 3 Spinels!
Chapter 14: Eradicating Even More Pests on the Island
The final pest removal assignment takes places during Leon’s infiltration of the mysterious Island research complex in Chapter 14. Traveling to the Waste Disposal region, I located the Trader to find the quest giver note posted nearby machinery by his room’s entrance.
This exterminating job proved more intense since 4 creature pests now must meet their maker within the claustrophobic metallic corridors. Thankfully most clustered together instead of separately roaming distant arena sections.
Utilizing spatial audio and visual cues allowed me methodically locate then eliminate the quick critters. The following map shows the scattered locations on my sweep through the environments:
The first varmint patrolled the Disposal Plant Foyer where Ganados sprung their earlier ambush. Quick reflexes allowed me to blast it before the scrambling pest bolted through the exit door.
Ashley assisted next by operating the bridge allowing access across the hazardous waste pool. Peering down the right walkway, I discovered another rodent and cleanly dispatched it.
Venturing across the metal bridge path and circling to the supervisor’s office walkway revealed the third critter lurking in corner. My rifle scope easily targeted the pest for clean elimination.
Finally, as I powered up the generator, the nearby movement caught my eye. The last remaining troublemaker met its demise at the barrel of my smoking gun, wrapping up my contract.
Returning to claim my reward, the Merchant gleefully provided another 3 Spinels for my work exterminating those invasive creatures!
Recommended Upgrades From Spinels
With 9 total Spinels earned from skillfully completing this lengthy assignment, I focused my purchases on:
- Firepower Upgrades – Increased handgun and shotgun damage for 2 Spinels
- Green Herbs – These health items become very scarce later on for just 1 Spinel a piece
- Treasure Map – Reveals locations of hidden collectibles worth 1 Spinel each
I avoided wasting Spinels on common ammo drops or basic weapons like the second free pistol. Instead, I invested Spinels into rarer upgrades and items providing more value in strengthening Leon.
Below displays how upgrading my arsenal with a few Spinels significantly bolstered my firepower:
| Weapon | Base Damage | Upgraded Damage | Spinels Spent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Handgun | 0.4 | 0.7 | 2 |
| Shotgun | 1.0 | 2.0 | 2 |
| Total | 1.4 | 2.7 | 4 |
As shown by the table, only 4 Spinels doubled my damage potential, giving a tremendous advantage surviving the campaign! Saving Ashley and escaping the island’s monstrosities became far less daunting with sufficient firepower.
The remaining 5 Spinels went towards purchasing Green Herbs for healing and useful Treasure Maps. These proved instrumental aids alongside my upgraded arsenal in conquering the game on Professional Difficulty!
Conclusion
The Resident Evil 4 remake delivered such an immersive return to one of survival horror’s most beloved entries. I loved revisiting tense encounters like facing cultists, Regenerators, Garradors, and U3 boss with the brilliant graphical overhaul. Alongside spectacular action pieces, progressing side content like the pest control quests provided satisfying supplemental challenges.
Methodically tracking down critters through the original game’s most iconic environments made for thrilling diversion between major story beats. Successfully demonstrating my expertise exterminating those quick vermin netted extremely valuable Spinels. Carefully investing my earnings into Leon’s capabilities directly enabled besting the remake’s tougher difficulty. I highly recommend all players take time completing additional content like pest control for big rewards!
I sincerely hope this extensive guide from a passionate RE4 fan assists you in prevailing against the remake’s horrific encounters. Please share any other tips on useful spinel purchases or conquering challenging sections in the comments below!
