Leon Kennedy needs every advantage he can get ahold of in the Resident Evil 4 Remake. Every dropped coin, precious gem, box of ammo, and upgrade to his arsenal is something players should keep an eye out for to keep pace with deadlier enemies and greater threats.
The Punisher handgun is a fine replacement for Leon’s default, but it’s not something players can shell out cash for or come across in a case on the floor. To get ahold of the Punisher, players will have to do some laboring for the beloved and mysterious Merchant.
A Hard Day’s Work
The Punisher handgun is available in the Merchant’s inventory under the ‘Trade’ category. Weapons and Items in this category cannot be bought directly, instead having to be traded for with Spinels, a currency that can only be earned by completing the Merchant’s Requests, which range from boss hunting to Blue Medallion shooting. In the early stages of the game, when the Requests first become available, most of them are relatively easy to allow players to understand the concept and be rewarded for their efforts. The Punisher pistol itself only costs 5 Spinels, and several Requests are available to complete with ease right before players meet the Merchant for the first time.
One of the Requests, Pest Control, is contained within the small factory right next to the Merchant’s first location, tasking players to kill three rats. With the 5 Spinels worth of Requests completed, players simply need to interact with the Merchant, and the Spinels will automatically be rewarded to the player and added to their inventory. All players need to do now is shift over to the ‘Trade’ section of the Merchant’s shop and select the Punisher pistol. With the transaction complete, players will now have the Punisher pistol to do with as they please. It could immediately be sold back to the Merchant for a hefty sum or upgraded and used alongside the rest of the game’s arsenal to aid Leon’s quest in rescuing Ashley.
The Punisher
The Punisher handgun can prove to be a game-changer that can carry the player well into the late stages of the campaign. Equipped with penetrating ammunition, the Punisher can strike multiple grouped-together enemies in a single shot and can penetrate hand-held shields more effectively than handguns without penetration. The Punisher is also one of a select few weapons that can be equipped with a Laser Sight, which itself can be found in the Trade section of the Merchant’s shop and bought using Spinels.
The Laser Sight grants greater accuracy and emulates the laser sight aiming system of the original Resident Evil 4, making the Punisher an even finer bit of nostalgia for older players. If players are willing to invest in the Punisher’s upgrades to maximize its potential, it quickly becomes a rare instance of an early-game weapon that doesn’t need replacement and a weapon the player will find reliable and life-saving time and time again.
