Viper Hunter request - Resident Evil 4
Vipers are slithering hither and thither in Resident Evil 4, but our guide will teach you how to capture them safely and exchange them for treasure.
Like most video game NPCs, the merchant in Capcom's Resident Evil 4 remake prefers to let players run his errands for him. Fortunately, knowing how to solve the Viper Hunter request and other tasks for the merchant will net you spinels that you can trade in for better treasures. This guide walks you through how to begin the side quest and where to find three vipers.
Starting the Viper Hunter request
You begin the Viper Hunter request in chapter 3 by picing up the note near the merchant's stall just outside the town hall. Your goal is to kill three vipers and bring them to the merchant at any of his locations. Vipers are scattered throughout Capcom's Resident Evil 4 remake; our guide will take you to the first three you can find, allowing you to complete this side quest in record time.
You pick up where chapter 2 left off, in the Village Chief's Manor with the Insignia Key in your possession. You can leave the manor via the side door--the same way you entered--but if you go through the front door, you'll unlock it from the inside, creating a quicker way inside when you return later (and you'll want to return later).
Follow the map back to the Village Square, where the game's first mob attack took place. As you make your way to the locked building, the tower in the distance will fall. Go between the houses to the east to find a ladder leading into a sewer passage. Follow it to the surface, then crouch: There are a couple of Ganado nearby, and you can execute them with stealth kills to avoid alerting the others.
Use the Insignia Key to unlock the building. Upon entering, approach the shelves to your left. There's a smashable crate, but don't break it just yet! A viper is hiding inside. When you smash a crate or barrel where a viper is hiding, you'll hear a soft hiss a moment before the viper strikes. It won't poison you if it makes contact, nor will you lose much life, but at this stage of the game, every hit point counts.
There are two ways to deal with vipers. Smash the crate and run clear of the snake before it can launch itself at you, or immediately shoot or stab with your knife to kill them. If the viper gets loose, track it on the floor and shoot it with your handgun or use your knife to slash it.
Make your way through the building. Outside, you'll find another merchant's stall and a blue note detailing the Viper Request.
How to solve the Viper Hunter request
You need to kill and return three vipers to the merchant. If you've followed along so far, you should have one. Another viper can be found after making your way along the path that runs parallel to the church. You'll come to a walkway suspended high above caves and rivers. There's a hut on your left. Enter the hut and smash the crate on the table. Remember to either get out of the snake's path or kill it before it strikes.
To bag your third viper, head toward the Fish Farm, where you can also make lots of progress toward completing the Merchant's "Destroy the Blue Medallions 2" request. You'll find snakes aplenty here, slithering through the water. Shoot or stab one to collect it. The next time you return to a merchant's stall, open the Sell menu and give him your vipers for 1,000 pesetas each. He'll also give you spinels that you can use in the Trade menu.
The Village is one of three central areas in Capcom's Resident Evil 4 remakes, and there are plenty of merchant requests to undertake. Head over to our Shacknews Resident Evil 4 strategy guide to read up on others, such as dealing with the savage mutt stalking the Village Square.
