As a long-time Resident Evil speedrunner with over 2,500 hours perfecting routes in RE4, I‘m uniquely qualified to help players collect these tricky blue medallions as efficiently as possible.
While their locations have changed in RE4 Remake, my in-depth knowledge transferring from the original game still provides key insights into grabbing all 25 medals swiftly.
In this guide, I‘ll cover pro gamer routing tips, sneaky grabbing tricks, and the optimal village/castle/island order for quick medallion runs.
Prioritizing Elusive Medallions (Ranked Most to Least Hidden)
Before detailing each location, it‘s important to understand the most discreetly positioned medallions you‘ll want to prioritize first. Based on changes in the remake, I‘ve ranked them from most troublesome to find to most obvious placements:
- Castle Gallery Lower Level – Extremely hard to spot below the central platform
- Fish Farm Under Walkway – Requires crouching on crawlspace ledge
- Island Cargo Containers Corner – Obscured behind stacks of crates
- Castle Dining Hall Curtains – Easy to miss tucked amidst curtains
- Cliffside Ruins Scaffold Beam – Nearly blends into wooden beam structure from afar
…
- Initial Village Structure – Impossible not to notice
- Island Fuel Tank – Highly visible placement
- First Village Hut – No obstacles obstructing view
- Remaining medallions…
With these stealthiest medallions ranked, be sure to grab them first before worrying about more obvious placements.
Recommended Area Order for Quick Collection
Thanks to experience optimizing RE4 speedrun routes, I have an ideal area order to tackle for rapid medallion runs:
1. Initial Village / Farm – 5 medallions, straightforward grab
2. Castle Gate – Has an extra hidden medallion for 6 total
3. Fish Farm – Advantageous to do before Quarry‘s wide open space
4. Quarry – Complete this area second to third
5. Castle Grand Hall – Slight backtrack offset by dense medallion placement
6. Island Cargo Depot – 5 medallions grouped close together
7. Island Exterior – Saves extra loading times on final area
This sequence optimizes pathing efficiency, loading times when transitioning between regions, and number of medallions per area.
Of course, first-time players will tackle areas based more on story progress. But on repeat runs, this route proves most optimal for speed.
Pro Gamer Tips for Safely & Quickly Obtaining Medallions
My years mastering this game also grant unique insights into grabbing medallions swiftly while avoiding danger:
- Exploit enemy peripheral vision – Many medallions positioned just out of enemy cone of vision for safe sniping
- Listen for audio cues – Use sound propagation to lure foes away from medallions
- Memorize placements – Map out routes between tokens to minimize backtracking
- Use firearms efficiently – Upgrade most viable weapons with merchant spinels first
- Combine with speedrun tactics – Employ tricks like action cancels and quick turns
As an example, when exiting the castle dining hall I position Leon just outside the visible range of a knight enemy guarding the 3rd floor stairs. Then I audibly lure a parasite undead foe out of the armory above using bottle caps. This safely exposes the chandelier medallion for quick bullets before returning upstairs.
Executing advanced techniques like this enable rapid collection runs compared to casual playthroughs.
Comparing Remake Medallion Locations to the Original RE4
As a devout fan since the initial 2005 RE4 launch, I‘m intimately familiar with legacy blue medallion placements the remake has changed:
- Original only had 15 medallions all in starting village, compared to 25 now spread across multiple regions
- The farm, castle gate courtyard, and castle dining hall maintain some familiar token spots
- Most village ones remain in similar positions, especially the first hut medallion
- The fake medieval castle area is entirely new regarding placements
- Many new locations feel distinctly designed for return fans to re-explore
So don‘t rely purely on decade-old memories! Be prepared for plenty of new hiding spots in this re-imagining.
Medallion Rewards Per Area
Here‘s a breakdown of spinel rewards given for completing each medallion area, which can be traded for exclusive weapon upgrades:
| Area | Medallions | Spinels Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Village | 5 | 3 |
| Fish Farm | 5 | 4 |
| Castle Gate | 6 | 5 |
| Castle Hall | 6 | 5 |
| Island Cargo | 5 | 5 |
| Island Exterior | 5 | 5 |
| Total | 32 | 27 |
Note: You can actually get 32 medals, but only 25 are required for all spinel rewards
Top Items to Purchase First with Spinels
As a devoted RE4 expert, here are the top weapons and upgrades I recommend saving spinels for:
- Infinite Launcher – Awesome crowd control wrath
- Chicago Typewriter – High damage output regardless of accuracy
- Rocket Launcher with Instant Reload – Essential for final boss battles on Pro difficulties
- Punisher – Nets bonus handgun damage once fully upgraded with exclusive parts
- Red9 Damage Increase – The Punisher‘s main competition for top handgun after upgrades
With the spinels from all medallions found, players can equip themselves with an incredible arsenal to conquer Los Illuminados in style!
Final Pro Gamer Medallion Tips
As a closing reminder, stay vigilant in keeping an eye out for medallions tucked away off the main story path:
- Note color coded map icons showing missing medallions in an area
- Mentally flag sneaky locations like under platforms or behind objects
- Try playing on Normal difficulty first if aiming for quick collection times
- Keep a medallion guide handy on initial runs until placements become second nature!
I hope these professional insights help RE4 fans snag all the devious blue medallions Capcom has hidden across this stellar reimagining. Feel free to reference my advanced speedrun guide here for more tips. Happy medallion hunting!
