Navigating the dangerous environments of Resident Evil 4 Remake requires players to carefully manage their inventory while hunting for valuable upgrades. Among the most elusive collectibles scattered across the game are the single-use small keys, which are essential for unlocking hidden drawers containing lucrative treasures. Finding every key allows players to sell rare items to the Merchant, securing enough currency to upgrade weapons before facing tougher boss encounters.
Discovering Key Locations Throughout the Village
The initial chapters of the game introduce players to the rural village region, which holds five hidden keys in total. You can locate the first key inside a small box located in a house in the south within the dangerous Valley area during chapter two. Another early key rests on a table inside the dining room of the Village Chief Manor, waiting for thorough explorers to pick it up.
As you progress into the third and fourth chapters, the remaining village keys become accessible near major landmarks. A key is hidden inside a drawer in the small shack adjacent to the building where you collect the boat fuel at the Fish Farm. Finally, players can grab a key from a cart at the Forest Altar and another on a table right next to the ornate Church altar.
Locating Hidden Keys Within the Grand Castle
Once Leon and Ashley escape the village, the narrative transitions to a massive castle structure containing three additional keys. The first castle key appears during chapter eight in a small room right after you successfully solve the intricate Lithograph Puzzle. Players should search carefully as a strange insectoid creature will scuttle across the wall to indicate you are in the correct hallway zone.
The seventh key is located upstairs in the Grand Hall area within a wooden cupboard along the corridor leading toward the Armory. The final small key of the game can be retrieved at the very beginning of chapter twelve inside a briefcase located next to the gondola system. Collecting this final item ensures you have the necessary tools to unlock the remaining high-value rewards before moving to the isolated island.
Unlocking Locked Drawers and Selling Valuable Treasures
Each small key you collect corresponds to a specific locked drawer that contains a unique piece of treasure. For instance, the keys found in the village open containers yielding a Vintage Compass in the Village Square and a Gold Bar inside the Lakeside Settlement house. Utilizing the keys immediately helps clear inventory space while filling your pockets with valuable items that have no other practical survival use.
In the castle section, using these keys unlocks even greater rewards from the remaining locked drawers scattered around the map. Opening the drawer in the Audience Chamber provides another heavy Gold Bar, while the drawer inside the Bindery contains a Brass Pocket Watch. Selling these fully completed sets to the Merchant maximizes your profit margins and ensures your firearms are sufficiently powerful for the final chapters.
