A popular remake of Capcom's acclaimed 1998 horror classic , 2019’s Resident Evil 2 made fans of the franchise fall in love with the game all over again. Following the same narrative storyline and setting, RE 2 introduced new mechanics and thrills for returning gamers and newbies to the series.
As guns will essentially keep Leon and Claire safe from those bloodthirsty zombies and bio mutants, gamers must find and upgrade the best guns possible if they are to survive Raccoon City. Both main characters have distinctive campaigns, and this extends to Leon and Claire having an arsenal of weapons that are unique in their story.
W-870 Shotgun (Leon)
The W-870 shotgun is a 4-round shotgun that does high damage to common zombies and several advanced bio-mutants such as Lictors. Able to blast the head of any zombie off, the gun is extremely useful in close range and tight environments, the shotgun is a must-have for any player opting for Leon’s playthrough.
The gun is located in a Safety Deposit Room on the first floor of the police station’s west side, but it requires a keycard. The keycard (Weapon Locker Card) can be found in the 2nd Floor Art Room over on the east side. The W-870 will be behind a locked grate once players swipe the keycard and gain access. Players should upgrade the shotgun with the following:
- Long Barrel: As players move towards the sewers with Ada Wong, this upgrade can be found in Kendo’s Gun Shop. The upgrade boosts power and increases the clip size to 8-rounds.
- Stock: Located in the Upper Sewers, Treatment Pool Room within a safe. The combination code can be seen on the right part of the safe. The upgrade makes it easier to shoot faster.
Lightning Hawk (Leon)
A 7-round magnum that’s perfect for popping off shots against the undead, the Lightning Hawk is considered to be one of the most powerful guns in Leon’s arsenal. The gun devastates common zombies and is effective against boss enemy types.
To acquire the gun, players will need to find and examine a S.T.A.R.S Badge. It can then be used to gain entrance to the S.T.A.R.S Office located on the second floor of the police station. What follows is a back-and-forth puzzle that ends with the player acquiring the Lightning Hawk in the armory. These upgrades bring the best out of what is already an extraordinary weapon:
- Long Barrel: Found in the Underground Facility. A glass case can be seen down the stairs where players can slot their USB badge into the case to collect this upgrade. The Long Barrel increases overall damage and reduces recoil.
- Red Dot Sight: In the Workroom located in the Upper Sewers, players must find the Hiding Place Film Roll. Players can use a T-Bar crank to gain access to the Darkroom from the sewers via the Underground. Once the film is developed, players can go back to the S.T.A.R.S Office and check the drawer behind the desk. The Red Dot allows players to aim very quickly.
JMB Hp3 (Claire)
The JMB Hp3 is a 15-shot handgun that is exclusive to Claire’s story. The weapon is more reliable than the SLS 60 pistol that Claire starts with. The gun also comes with a laser sight so players know that it’s time for some serious business, especially during an S-Rank run.
The gun can be found on level B1 of the Parking Garage by looking at the worn key found in the box near the Firing Range. Players then have to open the police car boot within the main parking area to access the gun. The pistol can be upgraded with the following:
- High Capacity Magazine: Located in a safe within the Waiting Room on the second floor of the police station, the upgrade extends the clip size capacity to 26 rounds per magazine.
GM79 Grenade Launcher (Claire)
Like the shotgun is to Leon, the GM79 is effectively Claire’s signature weapon. The launcher can deliver three types of damage (explosive, fire, acidic), making it a versatile weapon against anything, even Mr.X. However, ammo for this weapon can be quite limited.
The launcher can be located in a very similar fashion to Leon whereby the player must acquire the weapon card key found in the 2nd Floor Art Room and then head on over to the Safety Deposit Room. There, the GM79 will be behind a locked grate once players have swiped the keycard. The weapon comes with the following upgrade:
- Shoulder Stock: Residing in a locker within the room next to Chief Iron’s Office on level B1. The upgrade can be acquired via access from the parking garage. The upgrade gives each shot a more stable trajectory.
Resident Evil 2 is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.