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Bioshock – How to Use All Weapons

We breakdown all the weapons in Bioshock, and where they excel the most.
This article is over 8 years old and may contain outdated information

All of the weapons in Bioshock and how to use them are an important part of the game. The main protagonist, Jack, is given a wide arsenal of weapons to use as he makes his way through the Splicer filled streets of Rapture, the underwater city. In this guide we take a look at all the weapons in Bioshock and how to use them that he can pick up along the way, as well as point out some of the ways that players can utilize them effectively.

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Wrench

The first weapon that Jack acquies, and the only melee weapon in the game, the Wrench is going to be one of the most used pieces of equipment you find. It works well in tandem with Plasmids like Winter Blast and Electro Bolt, and is a great way to take enemies out while saving ammunition.

Pistol

The second weapon that Jack finds, and the first of the many ranged weapons in the game, the Pistol is an excellent choice for those looking to do moderate damage, while still being able to remain on the edge of the battle. It has moderate damage to start with, and a low magazine size. However, both these stats can be upgraded later in the game.

Machine Gun

Similar to a Tommy Gun, the Machine Gun is the second ranged weapon that Jack picks up in Bioshock. It has heavy recoil, low accuracy, and moderate damage. It should not be used in long range situations, and instead should be used to clear enemies that are getting too close for comfort.

Shotgun

One of the guns that you will spend a lot of time using, the Shotgun is the Jack of all trades. While the gun is fairly ineffective at long range, the high damage in short range situations makes it perfect for taking out large groups of Splicers in the many confined areas you come across in Rapture.

Grenade Launcher

This one is pretty self-explanatory. The Grenade Launcher is the fourth ranged weapon in the game, and it is a makeshift contraption that fires grenades with high damage outputs and a wide radius for splash damage. The big weakness here is the low ammo capacity and the very slow rate of fire. But, nothing says victory better than blowing your enemy’s body parts all over the room.

Chemical Thrower

Much like a flame thrower, the Chemical Thrower is a weapon designed to spout out a continuous stream of chemical substances. It features several different types of ammunition, however the slow reload time and extremely hard to find ammunition make it a fairly uncommon weapon of choice.

Crossbow

All of the weapons in Bioshock and how to use them are an important part of the game. The main protagonist, Jack, is given a wide arsenal of weapons to use as he makes his way through the Splicer filled streets of Rapture, the underwater city. In this guide we take a look at all the weapons in Bioshock and how to use them that he can pick up along the way, as well as point out some of the ways that players can utilize them effectively.

Wrench

The first weapon that Jack acquies, and the only melee weapon in the game, the Wrench is going to be one of the most used pieces of equipment you find. It works well in tandem with Plasmids like Winter Blast and Electro Bolt, and is a great way to take enemies out while saving ammunition.

Pistol

The second weapon that Jack finds, and the first of the many ranged weapons in the game, the Pistol is an excellent choice for those looking to do moderate damage, while still being able to remain on the edge of the battle. It has moderate damage to start with, and a low magazine size. However, both these stats can be upgraded later in the game.

Machine Gun

Similar to a Tommy Gun, the Machine Gun is the second ranged weapon that Jack picks up in Bioshock. It has heavy recoil, low accuracy, and moderate damage. It should not be used in long range situations, and instead should be used to clear enemies that are getting too close for comfort.

Shotgun

One of the guns that you will spend a lot of time using, the Shotgun is the Jack of all trades. While the gun is fairly ineffective at long range, the high damage in short range situations makes it perfect for taking out large groups of Splicers in the many confined areas you come across in Rapture.

Grenade Launcher

This one is pretty self-explanatory. The Grenade Launcher is the fourth ranged weapon in the game, and it is a makeshift contraption that fires grenades with high damage outputs and a wide radius for splash damage. The big weakness here is the low ammo capacity and the very slow rate of fire. But, nothing says victory better than blowing your enemy’s body parts all over the room.

Chemical Thrower

Much like a flame thrower, the Chemical Thrower is a weapon designed to spout out a continuous stream of chemical substances. It features several different types of ammunition, however the slow reload time and extremely hard to find ammunition make it a fairly uncommon weapon of choice.

Crossbow

The final ranged weapon of the game, and one of our personal favorites, the Crossbow fires single bolts with high damage outputs that are effective at any range. The really nice thing about the Crossbow, however, is the fact that many times your bolts will not break upon impact, allowing you to pick them back up and use them again. The Crossbow has a very high ammo reserve, but that is tempered down by the fact that it can be extremely hard to find bolts throughout the game.

Players can upgrade many of the weapons listed above at the Power to the People stations, allowing them to increase stats like range effectiveness, damage output, and more. These weapons are all found under normal progression, so it shouldn’t be too hard to come across them as you make your way through the grime-filled streets and alleyways of Andrew Ryan’s underwater city, Rapture.


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