Critical Hit

Critical hits, headshots, or critical headshots are a gameplay mechanic used in many third and first-person shooting games as well as Resident Evil. Throughout the series the term "critical hit" is used in weapon and item descriptions despite the fact that term is used mainly in role-playing games.

Critical hits mostly affect zombies, Crimson Heads, Ganado, and Majini but in some games also affect Cerberi, Hunters, and Chimeras. However, in recent games a headshot can spawn a Plaga from a Ganado or Majini.

Some bosses throughout the series have specific weak points that cause greater damage if struck. However, these may not neccesarliy be considered critical hits.

Handguns are capable of critical hits even in the older games but it was left simply up to chance. In Outbreak, Jim Chapman's peronal item Coin increases his chances of landing a critical attack anywhere from %15 to %45. In Outbreak File # 2, his Lucky Coin can boost it by an additional %5. In games such as Resident Evil Zero, adding the Handgun Parts to a handgun gives it a higher chance of landing a critical hit.

Shotguns almost always cause a critcal hit in the older games if aimed upward directly in front of a zombie (see above picture). In Resident Evil 5, an upgrade called Critical X can give the same affect to shotguns such as the jail Breaker.

Rifles, like in many FPS games, can cause a headshot almost instanty on Ganado and Majini.

In REmake, the defense item Flash Grenade (exclusive to Chris' scenario) can cause an instant critcal hit on zombies, Crimson Heads, Hunters, Cerberi, and chimeras whenever used. The player can shoot the grenade before it goes off but either way it can cause damage to Chris if he's too close.

More powerful weapons, such as the various magnums and rocket launchers throughout the series can just obliterate regular enemies; destroying not only a zombies head, but its arms too. The Custom Shotgun from Resident Evil 2 has a similar affect.

In Umbrella Chronicles and Darkside Chronicles, part of the player's score at the end of a chapter is determined by how many critical hits have landed. In those games critical hits only affect zombies and crimson heads. The reticule flashes red when a critical hit is possible in-game.

Up until RE0 if a zombie grabbed a player character by the legs their skull would get stomped or they'd have their head kicked off. This resulted in an instant death.

In some fashion even the player characters are vulrable to critical hits. Many enemies have powerful, rarely used attacks (such as a Hunter or Licker's lunge) that can put a character in the Danger status or even orange Caution. Enemies in RE4 and RE5 with chainsaws (such as Dr. Salvador/ Super-Salvador, Bella Sisters, and Chainsaw Majini) can instantly decapitate characters if they get too close. Both versions of The Executioner in RE5 can instantly put characters in the Dying status with their primary axe swing. Although really throughout the series there have been many enemies and bosses with instant-kill moves (such as Nemesis, Wesker, Krauser, the Reaper, etc.).