TL;DR
- The Override Key is in the Chemical Storage room in the ARK — to the northeast of Bioweapon Repository 02
- It’s on a glowing green terminal at the end of the room
- Two zombies guard it — be ready before you grab the key
- Once you take it, the lights go out — new enemies spawn on the way back
- Return to the Dump Control Room and slot the key into the power activation console
- This frees Leon and also unlocks the Magnetic Key on the wall nearby
- Lickers are blind — sneak past them using slow movement and avoid stepping on broken glass
After a dramatic sequence that lands both Leon and Grace in serious trouble, you’ll find yourself playing as Grace inside the ARK. Leon is trapped in the Dump with no power and no way out. It’s up to Grace to navigate through a lab full of Lickers and zombies to find the Override Key and restore power to the Dump Control Room. Here’s the exact path and what to watch out for.
What Is the Dump Control Room Override Key?
The Override Key is a quest item that restores power to the Dump Control Room. Without it, the control panel does nothing and Leon cannot escape. Once Grace slots it into the activation console, the power comes back on, the machinery blocking Leon’s path moves, and the Magnetic Key unlocks on the wall — which you’ll need for the next section.
Step 1 — Get Out of the Dump and Reach the Lab Entrance
After the cutscene, Grace starts in the Dump. Walk through the trash heaps forward along the path. You’ll reach a raised platform — Leon will boost Grace up from below.
From there, walk forward through the darkness until you hit a dead end. Turn left into the vents, crawl through to the end, and drop down below. You’re now back inside the ARK.
Take the stairs up to reach the Dump Control Room. Interact with the control panel — no power. There’s a door on the opposite side of the room. Go through it and follow the linear corridor up the stairs to reach the Lab Entrance.
The Lab Entrance has an item box and a typewriter. Use them. This is your base for this section. Despite the save point, this is not a safe room — enemies can and will reach you here, so don’t let your guard down.
Step 2 — Navigate Through the Sterilization Chamber
From the Lab Entrance, head east through the only available path. This takes you into the Sterilization Chamber.
Lickers are inside. They are blind — they cannot see you — but they react to sound. Two things will get you killed here:
- Stepping on broken glass on the floor — it makes noise and instantly alerts them
- Running or moving too fast — Lickers track sound, not sight
Move slowly. Hug the walls. Watch the floor. If you have Bottles of Acid, they kill Lickers in a single hit and are worth saving for this section. Hemolytic Injectors also work.
The Sterilization Chamber safe is also in this room if you want to grab it — it’s on a shelf counter in the northeast corner. See our Sterilization Chamber safe code guide for the combination and rewards.
Step 3 — Pass Through Bioweapon Repository 02
Once through the Sterilization Chamber, you’ll enter Bioweapon Repository 02. There’s a long hallway ahead. Keep checking the ceiling — Lickers also cling up there and will drop down if they hear you.
There’s a zombie at the far end of the hall. Deal with it quietly if possible before pushing further into the lab.
Step 4 — Get the Override Key From Chemical Storage
Head northeast from Bioweapon Repository 02 into the Chemical Storage room.
There are two zombies in here. Take them out before going for the key — you don’t want to be grabbed from behind while at the terminal.
The Override Key is glowing green on the control terminal at the end of the room. Interact with it to pick it up.
As soon as you take it, the power goes out. The whole facility goes dark. New enemies spawn between you and the Dump Control Room. Don’t panic — the path back is the same one you came through, just now with additional threats.
There’s a shortcut available: look for a green door in the hallway that skips part of the lab area. Watch the stairwell carefully — a Licker often appears there on the way back. Use Acid on it immediately if you have any left.
Step 5 — Return to the Dump Control Room and Use the Key
Navigate back down through the Lab Entrance and into the Dump Control Room.
Find the power activation slot on the console and slot the Override Key in. A cutscene plays. Power is restored. Leon is free.
After the cutscene, look at the north wall of the Dump Control Room, opposite the terminal you just used. The Magnetic Key is now sitting in a glowing green case on the wall. Pick it up — you’ll need it to open the large locked doors in the Lab Entrance and Bioweapon Repository 02 for the next part of the ARK section.
Tips for This Section
- Bottles of Acid one-shot Lickers — save at least one or two for the stairwell on the way back
- Molotov Cocktails one-shot standard grey zombies — useful for the Chemical Storage fight
- The Lab Entrance item box lets you offload heavy items before pushing into the lab
- After the power goes out, move quickly but carefully — new enemies spawn near your return path
- The Magnetic Key is easy to miss — it’s on the north wall after the cutscene, not in your inventory automatically
More guides for Resident Evil Requiem:
- Sterilization Chamber safe code
- How to get the Mechanic Jack and open Rusted Shutters
- How to open the Emergency Exit door (Rec Room)
- How to get a gun as Grace in RE9
- VIP Suite puzzle — hourglass and double helix solution
- RPD Scavenger Hunt puzzle solution
- All BSAA Container locations and rewards
- How to collect all 3 detonator parts
- How to get generator fuel in RE9
- BSAA Container Key location
- Basement safe code
- Examination Room safe code
- Bar & Lounge safe code
- Joint Plugs basement locations
- East Wing Keycard location
- West Wing Keycard location
- How to open Level 3 doors in RE9
- How to open the Isolation Ward
- How to open the Pantry in RE9
- How to break open warped closets
- Corpse Puzzle in the Examination Room
- Organ Transport Box — how to open it
- Level 1 ID Wristband location
- Antique Coins — Care Center Parlor prizes
- Care Center Fuse location
- Chairman’s Office puzzle box
- How long to beat RE9
- PC requirements for Resident Evil Requiem
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