Resident Evil 9 Wiki: Puzzles, Weapons, Bosses & Achievements
Complete Resident Evil 9 guide with puzzle solutions, weapon locations, boss strategies, and achievement walkthroughs. Updated by veteran wiki editors.
**Key Takeaways**
The clock tower puzzle in Chapter 4 requires aligning three gears to 7, 3, and 11 o'clock; skipping this costs you the shotgun.
The Golden Lynx magnum is hidden behind a breakable wall in the sewers of Chapter 6—use a grenade or explosive round.
Boss Marguerite has 4,500 HP on Normal difficulty; the flamethrower deals 200% bonus damage, cutting the fight to under 2 minutes.
The "No Healing Items" achievement is easiest on Assisted difficulty, but you must avoid all herbs, sprays, and eggs—green herbs count.
Resident Evil 9 Puzzle Solutions
### Chapter 2: The Chapel Lock
You find a locked chest in the chapel's back room. The clue is a stained-glass window showing a serpent (1), a dove (2), and a tree (3). Rotate each dial to match: Serpent=3, Dove=1, Tree=2. Inside: a shotgun stock and a green herb. If you fail three times, the lock resets and you lose 30 seconds.
### Chapter 4: Clock Tower Gears
This one stumps a lot of new players. You need three gears—two are in the library (one behind a bookshelf, one on the desk), the third is in the bell tower after you climb the rope. Place them on the mechanism:
Left gear (large): set to 7 o'clock
Center gear (medium): set to 3 o'clock
Right gear (small): set to 11 o'clock
Hit the lever. If you hear a chime, you're good. Mess up, and you get a poison dart trap that hits for 40 damage.
### Chapter 7: Winding Key Puzzle
You have three winding keys—brass, iron, and silver. The door has three slots. Check the mural in the adjacent room: it shows a sun (brass), a moon (iron), and a star (silver). Insert them in that order. Wrong order spawns two armored zombies. Save before attempting.
Weapon Locations
| Weapon | Chapter | Location | Notes |
|--------|---------|----------|-------|
| M9 Pistol | 1 | Desk drawer in safe room | Starting weapon, find extended mag in Ch2 |
| Shotgun | 2 | Chapel chest (see puzzle above) | Pump-action, 8 shells capacity |
| Golden Lynx Magnum | 6 | Breakable wall in sewer tunnel | Use grenade; deals 1,200 damage per shot |
| Flamethrower | 4 | Boss room after defeating first Marguerite phase | 200 fuel max, best for insect enemies |
| Rifle | 5 | Sniper nest on roof of police station | 15 rounds, requires scope (found in Ch3) |
The Golden Lynx is arguably the best weapon in the game. It one-shots most basic enemies and staggers bosses. But ammo is scarce—you'll find only 18 magnum rounds total on a Normal playthrough.
Boss Strategies
### Marguerite (Chapters 4 & 5)
First phase: She summons swarms of insects. Use the flamethrower for 200% damage—two short bursts clear the swarm. Hit her glowing abdomen (weak spot) 3 times to trigger phase two. Second phase: She climbs walls and drops explosive sacs. Stay mobile, shoot the sacs before they hit the ground. Takes about 8 shotgun blasts to the face. Don't waste magnum ammo here.
### The Butcher (Chapter 8)
A hulking brute with a cleaver. He has 6,000 HP and charges after 10 seconds. Use the environment: there are three explosive barrels in the arena. Lure him near one, shoot it, then unload the rifle into his back (3x damage). Rinse and repeat. He drops the Butcher's Cleaver—a melee weapon that does 300 damage but slows your movement.
### Final Boss: The Parasite God (Chapter 10)
Three-phase fight. Phase 1: Shoot the four glowing nodes on its body (each takes 2 magnum shots or 5 rifle shots). Phase 2: It spawns tentacles that grab you. Use the knife to break free quickly. Phase 3: A single eye opens on its chest. Hit it with the Golden Lynx 4 times. Miss and you waste 10 seconds of a 2-minute timer. If you fail, you get the bad ending.
Achievement Guide
**"No Herb, No Problem"** – Complete the game without using any healing items. This includes green herbs, red herbs, mixed herbs, first aid sprays, and eggs. On Assisted difficulty, your health regenerates slowly, making this manageable. However, you still take damage—so avoid fights where possible. Save frequently. I recommend using the shotgun for crowd control and the rifle for distance.
**"Master of Unlocking"** – Solve all 12 puzzles in one playthrough. Miss one, you have to start a new save. The trickiest is the clock tower (Chapter 4) and the winding key (Chapter 7). Use the guide above.
**"Gunslinger"** – Kill 100 enemies with magnum rounds. Since magnum ammo is rare, save it for basic enemies in Chapter 9 (the hive area) where they respawn. You can farm 15-20 per run. Expect to replay that chapter 5-6 times.
**"Speed Demon"** – Beat the game in under 3 hours on any difficulty. Skip all cutscenes, don't explore, and use the Golden Lynx to one-shot bosses. My best time is 2 hours 47 minutes. You can pause, but the timer keeps running.
FAQ
**Q: How long does it take to 100% Resident Evil 9?**
A: About 25-30 hours for a first playthrough with all collectibles. For all achievements, expect 40-50 hours, mostly due to the speedrun and magnum farming achievements.
**Q: Can I get the bad ending on purpose?**
A: Yes. In Chapter 10, let the timer run out during the final boss fight. You'll get the "Parasite Victory" achievement and a short cutscene where the Parasite God consumes the world.
**Q: Where do I find the hidden magnum in Chapter 6?**
A: In the sewer area, after the first ladder, look for a cracked wall on your left. Use a grenade or an explosive round from the shotgun. The Golden Lynx is inside on a pedestal. Don't miss it—it's the best weapon in the game.