Wesker is on the loose and is attempting total global saturation of the Uroboros virus in Resident Evil 5, and it’s up to Chris Redfield and Sheva to put a stop to it. With an army of the infected standing in their way, players will have to outfit Chris and Sheva with an arsenal of weapons to survive in Capcom’s long-running action-horror franchise.
Like all games, some weapons are better than others, and some are just downright useless. Whether it’s an over-priced firearm or a niche weapon with no room to stick around, every weapon has its place, be it in the hands of the player, or left to rot in the item shop.
23 Stun Rod
An alternate melee weapon to the combat knife, the Stun Rod offers an electrical shock to enemies that get too close.
Compared to using a regular melee attack or gunfire, the Stun Rod is a fun novelty but far from practical in the field. It’s available to purchase after Chapter 3-2 and costs 3,000 credits.
22 Long Bow
The Long Bow is exclusive for Sheva to use, and is only available to purchase, for 50,000 credits, after fully upgrading the S75 sniper rifle. The bow has no aiming sight or reticle, forcing the player to eyeball targets and adjust based on observation alone.
It is a niche weapon that is kneecapped in its functionality and serves as a fun joke weapon for players to use in future playthroughs and is otherwise expensive to acquire and nearly useless compared to other weapons.
21 S75
The S75 is the first sniper rifle the player will gain access to, found in the northeast corner of the port in Chapter 2-1 or available to purchase for 2,000 credits. It is slow to fire but decently powerful and serves the player well as an early to mid-game distance weapon.
With the availability of stronger weapons and upgraded precision arms in the latter half of Resident Evil 5, players are better off selling or storing the S75 as alternatives become available and the S75 struggles to keep pace with stronger enemies and larger hordes of infected.
20 H&K PSG-1
One of two semi-automatic sniper rifles in Resident Evil 5, and the last one the player can acquire, either in Chapter 5-3 or in the shop later on for 4,000 credits. The PSG-1 has a better fire rate and more precise scope than the S75, but deals medium damage and is weaker in total damage stats than the earlier Dragonov SVD.
Combined with its later appearance in the game and the player likely having one of the other two sniper rifles upgraded by this point, the PSG-1 is given little room to breathe and keep pace.
19 S&W M29
The first Magnum pistol the player can find is available in Chapter 3-1 or in the shop for 4,000 credits. It is a hard-hitting and slow-firing weapon, and like most Magnums, is best reserved for boss enemies and special enemy types.
Ammo for Magnums is also rather rare and expensive, forcing players to hold onto it for emergencies. With stronger Magnums available through the upgrade tree or later acquisition, the M29 can maintain relevance but doesn’t demand the player’s inventory space.
18 M92F
The starting pistol for the game, and the one most often seen in cutscenes. The M92F can be upgraded with decent damage and an outlandish magazine capacity if players commit their hard-earned points to its upgrade tree.
The pistol has several alternatives the player will gain access to over the course of the game, offering perks and alternate stat sets that can render the M92F obsolete unless the player fully commits to upgrading it.
17 P226
The P226 has good damage for a standard pistol but starts with a lower capacity than the M92F. Made available to purchase after Chapter 4-2 for 4,000 credits, the P226 shows up well after the P8, inside the final third of the main campaign.
The P226 can be a good pistol if well upgraded, but it comes a bit too late to justify itself in the player’s inventory compared to other handguns.
16 VZ61
One of the first full-auto weapons the player can find is in Chapter 1-1. The VZ61 has low damage and blows through ammo quickly, which could drain a player’s precious ammo resources in the early game if they aren’t careful.
Other Submachine Guns and Assault Rifles will become available to the player later on, which will quickly render the VZ61 all but useless, even with notable upgrades being put into its stats. If the player is having trouble fighting mobs of infected early on, this may be the best time to use the VZ61.
15 Jail Breaker
The Jail Breaker has solid damage, good reload speed, and can be upgraded to have an excellent magazine capacity to create a close-range fire hose to deal with special infected, bosses, and hordes of lesser infected with ease.
Its greatest flaw is appearing at the beginning of Chapter 6, near the game’s end, leaving little time for players to get used to and upgrade the weapon to meet its potential, making it a good weapon for repeat playthroughs as opposed to first-time runs.
14 SIG 556
The SIG 556 is accurate, fast to reload, deadlier than non-upgraded Submachine Guns, and is good for dealing with small hordes and special enemies at decent distances. Unfortunately, the gun is acquired in Chapter 5-2, right after players can find the stronger AK-74, reducing this weapon’s functionality.
In spite of this, the SIG can pack a punch without demanding too much be spent on upgrades, so players will at least have options available to them for their rifle of choice as they battle to reach Albert Wesker.
13 M93R
The M93R is a burst-fire variant of the M92F, unlocked for purchase at the cost of 30,000 credits when that pistol is fully upgraded. The weapon deals considerable damage for being a pistol and has solid reload speeds, but suffers accuracy issues due to firing in bursts.
The weapon can become quite deadly when upgraded and used properly but is extensively expensive to unlock, purchase, and upgrade compared to other weapons that are much cheaper overall that fill similar roles.
12 Hydra
A three-barreled shotgun with slow reload speed, heavy recoil, and high damage, available for 30,000 credits once the Ithaca shotgun is fully upgraded. For dealing with heavy hordes of enemies or special infected that get too close, there’s hardly a better weapon to have.
Its extreme cost and slow use keep it down from being overpowered, and many players may never get to use it due to its unlock requirements and the time it takes to reach that level in-game.
11 Ithaca M37
The first shotgun players can get ahold of in Chapter 1-2, and will carry the player well through the main game if the M3 and Jail Breaker are passed over. With a few upgrades, the weapon’s pump action can be made far quicker, and the damage dealt can be greatly boosted for dealing with tight spots the player finds themselves in.
While it can be out-paced by its peers, the Ithaca packs a mean punch that allows it to stand strong in case players end up sticking by it up to the end.
10 S&W M500
An improved Magnum revolver, available for 30,000 credits once the M29 is fully upgraded. The M500 carries extremely high base damage, high recoil, and a slow fire rate, only marginally improved with upgrades.
The weapon is best used dealing with bosses and special infected, and is the definition of a hand cannon, rewarding the time and financial investment the player makes in acquiring it with deadly results.
9 Dragonov SVD
The first semi-automatic sniper rifle the player can find, available in Chapter 2-2 or being purchased for 4,000 credits. Upgrading the SVD will grant solid magazine capacity increases and damage boosts, making it deadly in medium and long-range situations.
If long-distance damage is what players need, the SVD is the best route for players to take.
8 Grenade Launcher
If ever there were a need to clear an entire room, then players need to look no further. The Grenade Launcher is available in Chapter 4-1, or in the store for 5,000 credits. It cannot be upgraded, but it has half a dozen different forms of ammo for the player to use, including incendiary and flash grenade ammo.
It’s not the most expensive, and it packs a multipurpose punch that players are willing to give up the item slots for it and its ammo will be well rewarded for doing.
7 Gatling Gun
An expensive and hefty weapon, the Gatling Gun is available to buy for 50,000 credits upon fully upgrading the VZ61 Submachine Gun. The weapon is massive and forces the player to move at a snail’s pace, in addition to a brief wind-up before the weapon begins firing.
For repeat playthroughs or a desire to leave a trail of destruction one horde of infected at a time, the Gatling Gun is ready and able to oblige.
6 Rocket Launcher
The tried and true means of blowing something up at a distance. Available in Chapter 3-1, or spending 10,000 credits in the store, the Rocket Launcher deals 30,000 points of damage with every rocket, more than enough for entire hordes and hefty boss health bars.
It’s big and expensive, but it’s all but a one-stop shop for dealing with enemies as quickly and thoroughly as possible.
5 H&K MP5
The best Submachine Gun in Resident Evil 5, excellent for peppering enemies with solid damage and good magazine capacities. With just a few upgrades, the MP5 can deal over 70 damage with 65-round magazines, allowing the weapon to maintain usability in combat for most of the game without having to constantly sink points into upgrading.
Available early into Chapter 2-1 or in the shop for a measly 2,000 credits, the MP5 is an affordable workhorse weapon that can do right by the player, so long as they keep themselves stocked on ammo.
4 L. Hawk
Not the strongest up-front, but deadly and affordable for what it has to offer. Available in Chapter 5-3, or for 5,000 credits in the store, the L. Hawk is cheaper to acquire than the M500 and has greater penetration potential, allowing the L. Hawk to be a solid Magnum for the mid-to-late-game for players trying to avoid spending too many points.
The L.Hawk is powerful for the price and good at dealing with most threats that justify using the rare ammo Magnums fire.
