With the Summer release of the next-gen remaster of Resident Evil 2, gamers who may have previously passed on the 2019 horror extravaganza now have the chance to explore the terrors of Raccoon City in its improved form for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. While series newcomers may feel overwhelmed by the wide variety of weaponry and limited inventory space, this beginner’s guide will serve to inform you of where to find each of the game’s guns and how they rank among Leon and Claire’s arsenal. As this is a beginner guide, this article will detail only minimal spoilers.
(Note: This will not include the deluxe edition weapon or the earnable infinite weapons, as they can be found in the item box after meeting certain in-game requirements).
10. Claire’s Spark Shot
Every Resident Evil gun is interesting in its own way and the Spark Shot is no exception. This taser-rifle that electrocutes and stuns its enemies can be found in the sewer section of the game in the Supplies Storage Room with the king and queen chess piece door puzzle. While useful in one on one combat situations, the Spark Shot’s rare needle cartridges, its constant aiming requirement to maintain the electrical current, and the fact it takes up two inventory slots make it the least useful gun in the entire game, despite its uniqueness.
9. 2nd Run Starting Weapons (Leon’s M19 and Claire’s Quickdraw Army)
These are the main handguns used during Leon and Claire’s 2nd run or “B scenario” of Resident Evil 2. They are found in the Guardroom, which is where the Courtyard Key can be found to get into the RPD. While the M19 and Quickdraw Army are not bad guns, with their powerful .45 ACP ammo, they quickly become outclassed by the protagonists’ other weaponry because both lack weapon upgrades. After the RPD section of the game is finished, you will find yourself using these handguns only as a backup to the much better armaments available.
Related: How to Get Infinite Ammo in Resident Evil 2 Remake
8. Leon’s Matilda
Leon’s starting weapon, the Matilda is immediately available in players’ inventories at the very start of the game. While the Matilda is an effective weapon early on, especially when dealing with average zombies, it quickly becomes downgraded as better guns are introduced during the progression of the story. While the Matilda can be extensively improved with weapon upgrades improving the stock, accuracy, and magazine size, this starter handgun serves more as a complementary weapon.
7. Claire’s JMB Hp3
Claire’s JMB Hp3 is a cool, easy-to-aim handgun with a laser-site that can be found in the RPD basement in the trunk of a police car. First, you have to enter the Firing Range, find the Tin Storage Box, open said box to find the Car Key, go directly to the Parking Garage out/to the left, and examine/interact with the key to pop a police car’s trunk, where you can find the JMB Hp3 inside. While the laser-sited handgun is useful in the later sections of the RPD thanks to its high capacity magazine, intuitive targeting, and ability to fire accurate shots in rapid succession, you simply won’t need the JMB Hp3 as frequently in the game’s final two locations.
6. Claire’s SLS 60
Just like Leon’s Matilda, Claire’s starting weapon, the SLS 60 is immediately available in players’ inventories at the very start of the game. What sets the SLS 60 apart from its fellow starting handguns is that it can be upgraded to use “High Powered Rounds” as alternate ammo. These rounds prove themselves valuable despite their rarity, as any zombie that crosses paths with an SLS-60’s high-powered rounds is torn asunder. However, this handgun is yet another example of a gun that loses its luster in the later segments of the game against Raccoon City’s toughest enemies.
Related: Best Resident Evil Games of All Time
5. Claire’s GM79 Grenade Launcher
It’s a testament to Resident Evil 2’s great weapons that a projectile launcher that shoots fire and acid barely squeaks into the top five best guns in the game. The GM79 can be found in the Safety Deposit Room, requiring the Weapons Locker Key Card to access its locker. The Weapons Locker Key Card is found in the Art Room on the table directly in front of you as you enter the room. The GM79 has two firing modes unleashing either flame rounds or craftable acid rounds, with the former being the far superior ammunition. This grenade launcher can be extremely effective in boss fights and when dealing directly with the game’s nightmarish Licker enemies if you choose to eschew the stealth approach when encountering them.
4. Leon’s Chemical Flamethrower
While limited in its efficacy against standard zombies, Leon’s Chemical Flamethrower, found in the Supplies Storage Room of the sewers (the same room where the Spark Shot is located in Claire’s run), is among the most useful guns in the latter stages of the game. This powerful weapon is indispensable for success in the final location of Leon’s campaign for fending off “ivy zombies,” and is essential in two of the final three boss fights.
3. Leon’s Lightning Hawk
A case could be made for Leon’s Lightning Hawk is the most valuable gun in the entire game based on its sheer power. Each shot from the Magnum-style handgun packs an incredible wallop, taking zombies out in a single, head exploding shot, and is possibly Leon’s most strategically sound weapon to use in his final boss battle. However, the extreme scarcity of its ammo won’t allow you to wield the Lightning Hawk frequently, limiting its potential when compared to the top two guns. The Lightning Hawk can be found through an extensive process that slightly varies from the first to second runs which are as follows:
Scenario A
- Grab the Red Book from the Library
- Go to the Art Room and combine the Red Book with the Statue’s Left Arm
- Attach the Left Arm with Book to the statue to receive the Scepter
- Examine the back side of the Scepter and interact with it to reveal the Red Jewel
- Use the Club Key in the Observation Room, you will find a Bejeweled Box
- Combine the Red Jewel with the Bejeweled Box to receive the S.T.A.R.S. Badge
- Examine the S.T.A.R.S. Badge and interact to turn it into the USB Dongle Key
- Go to the S.T.A.R.S. Office, put the USB Dongle Key in the PC
- Interact with the PC to open the locked door and retrieve the Lightning Hawk
Scenario B
- Grab the Red Book from the Library
- Go to the Art Room and combine the Red Book with the Statue’s Left Arm
- Attach the Left Arm with Book to the statue to receive the Scepter (watch out for the Licker that enters the room)
- Examine the back side of the Scepter and interact with it to reveal the Red Jewel
- In the Shower Room, you will find the Bejeweled Box
- Combine the Red Jewel with the Bejeweled Box to receive the S.T.A.R.S. Badge
- Examine the S.T.A.R.S. Badge and interact to turn it into the USB Dongle Key
- Go to the S.T.A.R.S. Office, put the USB Dongle Key in the PC
- Examine the PC to open the locked door to retrieve the Lightning Hawk
2. Claire’s MQ 11
Claire’s MQ 11 submachine gun is the bane of zombie knees everywhere. With a rapid rate of fire and a solid magazine size, this is the quintessential gun in either of Claire’s scenarios. The MQ 11 becomes a primary weapon for boss fights, as crowd control against larger groups of zombies, and is extremely useful against the speedy zombie dogs Claire encounters. What makes the MQ 11 so special is that even without weapon upgrades, none of Claire’s other arsenal even comes close to matching it, and the SMG in its standard form only takes up one inventory slot, leaving players options to carry more healing items or to bring along extra weapons. Similar to the Lightning Hawk, the MQ 11 requires an extensive process for retrieval that differs based on which run you are playing. The processes for finding it are as follows:
Scenario A
- Grab the Red Book from the Library
- Go to the Art Room and combine the Red Book with the Statue’s Left Arm
- Attach the Left Arm with Book to the statue to receive the Scepter
- Examine the back side of the Scepter to reveal the Red Jewel
- Use the Heart Key to open the Interrogation Room you will find the Bejeweled Box (watch out for the Licker that enters the room)
- Combine the Red Jewel with the Bejeweled Box to receive the S.T.A.R.S. Badge
- Examine the S.T.A.R.S. Badge and interact to turn it into the USB Dongle Key
- Go to the S.T.A.R.S. Office, put the USB Dongle Key in the PC
- Examine the computer to open the locked door and retrieve the MQ 11
Scenario B
- Grab the Red Book from the Library
- Go to the Art Room and combine the Red Book with the Statue’s Left Arm
- Attach the Left Arm with Book to the statue to receive the Scepter (watch out for the Licker that enters the room)
- Examine the back side of the Scepter to reveal the Red Jewel
- In the Shower Room, you will find the Bejeweled Box
- Combine the Red Jewel with the Bejeweled Box to receive the S.T.A.R.S. Badge
- Examine the S.T.A.R.S. Badge and interact to turn it into the USB Dongle Key
- Go to the S.T.A.R.S. Office, put the USB Dongle Key in the PC
- Examine the computer to open the locked door to retrieve the MQ 11
1. Leon’s W-870
What can you say? Zombie apocalypses and shotguns go together like peanut butter and jelly. While shotguns may be a cliché weapon for horror games, the W-870 is simply the best gun found in Raccoon City, and surprisingly one of the earliest findable weapons too, serving as Leon’s primary weapon for the vast majority of his campaign. This shotgun can be discovered in the Safety Deposit Room and requires the Weapons Locker Key Card in order to open it (just like Claire’s GM79). The key card is available in the Art Room on the table straight ahead as you enter the room. What separates the W-870 from the Lightning Hawk is that it shares the same strengths as the Magnum handgun without the ammo scarcity. This shotgun at close quarters can take out zombies with a single pull of the trigger, and serves as a vital tool in boss fights and against stronger enemies, while having ample shotgun shell ammo that can be found or crafted throughout Leon’s A and B scenarios. There’s no other way around it, Leon’s W-870 is the best gun in Resident Evil 2, hands down.
