How To Open Resident Evil 2’s Special Weapons Case (& What’s Inside)

Resident Evil 2 Remake‘s Special Weapons Case offers useful upgrades to anyone who can unlock it. Available to both Leon and Claire, it’s a great example of how the game locks its best rewards behind its most devious puzzles. To unlock the case, you’ll need to brave the dark zombie-infested halls of the Raccoon City Police Station to find the right items.

The Special Weapons Case is located in the Underground Stairs in the Underground Facility area. You’ll come across this area after collecting the Police Station Medallions in Resident Evil 2 Remake and opening up the hidden passage. However, the case can’t be unlocked until later when you have the S.T.A.R.S Badge.

How To Find The S.T.A.R.S. Badge

Statue Manipulation

The S.T.A.R.S. Badge isn’t lying in the open for Leon and Claire to collect. Instead, you will need to follow a specific set of steps, beginning with progressing the story to the appropriate point.

If you’re playing as Leon, progress the game until you enter the Boiler Room (in the northeasternmost corner of the map) and retrieve the Club Key, which is taped to the whiteboard in the back.
If you’re playing as Claire, progress until you enter the Private Collection Room (south of the Chief’s Office on the second floor, east wing). Inspect the Lovers Relief to retrieve the Heart Key.

These moments come fairly early on in Resident Evil 2‘s campaign as early parts of the Raccoon Police Station chapter. Once you’ve gotten the appropriate key, you’ll need to take the following steps to complete another puzzle:

Grab the Red Book from the Library on 2F. It can be found on the table near the Blue Spade Door that leads back into the main hall.
Head to the Art Room. This is also on 2F and can be accessed through the Blue Spade Door in the Waiting Room.
Pick up the Statue’s Left Arm from the table and combine it with the Red Book.
Place the Left Arm with the Book on the statue. This releases the Scepter.
Examine the Scepter in your inventory and remove the Red Jewel.

In case you don’t already have it, you’ll need to obtain the Bejeweled Box, which actually contains the S.T.A.R.S. badge. Its location differs depending on which playthrough you’re on:

If playing as Leon on your first run, the Bejeweled Box is in the Observation Room, which is adjacent to the Interrogation Room on the east wing of the first floor.
If playing as Claire on your first run, the Bejeweled Box is located in the back of the Interrogation Room. Watch out for a jump scare from a Licker as you leave.
If on your second run as either character, the Bejeweled Box is located in the Shower Room, which is in the northwest part of the second floor.

Now, open your inventory, select the Bejeweled Box, and choose “Combine.” Select the Red Jewel to place it into the central slot, unlocking the Bejeweled Box to reveal the S.T.A.R.S. Badge.

You can then examine the S.T.A.R.S. Badge in your inventory to reveal a USB, which can be plugged into the computer in the S.T.A.R.S. Office (the large, T-shaped room in the west wing of the second floor). This unlocks the armory, allowing Leon and Claire to claim the Lightning Hawk magnum pistol and MQ-11 SMG, respectively. Make sure not to discard the badge.

How To Unlock The Special Weapons Case

Long-Awaited Rewards

Leon's Lightning Hawk gun from Resident Evil 2 — Leon’s Lightning Hawk gun from Resident Evil 2

To open the Special Weapons Case, examine the S.T.A.R.S. Badge in the inventory and retract the USB. Head to the case, which can be found in the Underground Stairs (Lower) area of the Underground Facility, right next to the door to the Sewers.

You can then insert the Badge into the case to open it. Your chance to do so will come when you are attempting to solve the chess puzzle in the Sewers. Use the Sewer Key to open the Worker’s Break Room and access the Underground area again.

Leon receives a Long Barrel for the Lightning Hawk, a potent upgrade that reduces recoil and increases damage. Claire receives a Suppressor for the MQ-11, which reduces recoil, spread pattern, and noise. The noise reduction means that gunfire from this weapon no longer alerts Lickers or Mr. X.

Other Upgrades

Hiding Place

There is another crucial upgrade that will become available as soon as you have gotten your hands on the Sewer Key. This lets you revisit the RPD after opening the Special Weapons Case in the stairs, as you now have the T-Bar Valve Handle to reopen the secret passage.

Using the T-Bar, open the door in the Lower Waterway.
Take the elevator behind it up to the Workroom, and pick up the roll of film on the table.
Head into the hallway and use the Sewer Key to unlock the Workers’ Break Room.
Inside is a cabinet — push it aside to reveal a secret passage, and head through it to get to the Hidden Room.
Use the T-Bar again to open the door here, granting you access to the Main Hall once again.

This time, you should not have much trouble with Mr. X from the Resident Evil 2 Remake, and you will be able to make your way to the Darkroom, which is in the west wing of the first floor, near the West Office and Safety Deposit Room. You must now develop the film you received labeled “Hiding Place,” which will show you where to find two new items.

First, in the S.T.A.R.S. Office:

Head back to the S.T.A.R.S. Office (second floor, west wing) and into the smaller office within.
As Leon, you’ll find the Red Dot Sight for the Lightning Hawk Pistol, which improves the speed of lining up shots, in one of the drawers on the desk. You can equip this alongside the Long Barrel for reduced recoil and improved damage.
As Claire, you’ll find the High-Capacity Mag for the MQ 11, which increases the SMG’s capacity to 50. You may wish to combine this with the Suppressor, which reduces the MQ 11’s recoil and the sound of gunfire.

Next, in the Press Room:

Head to the Press Room (first floor, east wing).
Check the northwest corner of the room to find a table with a radio on it. Open the drawer.
As Leon, you’ll get 400 Fuel for the Flamethrower.
As Claire, you’ll find seven Needle Cartridges for the Spark Shot stun gun.

With both of these in hand, you can pick up the main quest where you left off. This will ensure you have the best upgrades heading into the final few stages of Resident Evil 2 Remake.