Barotrauma is one of the most exciting and simultaneously terrifying horror titles in recent years. Pitting players against an array of hideous alien enemies as well as hostile humans, gamers have to work together with their crew if they want to stand a chance at surviving the incredibly hostile world that Bertram has created.
Not only that, but players need the best weapons they can get their hands on. Fortunately, the game is far from short on weapons and offers players a wide arsenal with a variety of classes to choose from. For beginners who may want some tips on how to survive, here are the best weapons in Barotrauma.
10 Boarding Axe
The humble Boarding Axe packs far more of a punch than many players give it credit for. In addition to having a far greater range than the Diving Knife, the Boarding Axe also inflicts more Lacerations than other melee weapons in Barotrauma. It has a respectable Severance Chance to boot.
What's more, the Boarding Axe is very versatile. It deals enough Structure Damage that players can often use it to cut through submarine or wreck walls faster than many other weapons or tools, including the Plasma Cutter, allowing players to help their friends out in a pinch. For this reason, and many others, Barotrauma is up there with the best horror co-op games to play with friends.
9 Handcannon
Barotrauma's answer to a revolver on steroids, the Handcannon is a hefty, powerful, two-handed firearm that is useful when dealing with small to medium-sized creatures in the game. These creatures are often horrifying, and part of what makes Barotrauma is about as scary as some of these classic survival horror titles. Players will want something powerful to deal with them.
To obtain the Handcannon, a Captain with the Big Guns talent will need to craft it. The Handcannon cannot be purchased from any of the Outposts in Barotrauma, making it one of the rarer firearms in the game. Still, it's worth going to the effort of obtaining this powerful weapon just for how easy it makes dealing with enemies.
8 Alien Pistol
The downright bizarre-looking Alien Pistol is one of the trickier weapons to obtain in Barotrauma. Players have to retrieve it from Alien Ruins (aliens, naturally, are a mainstay of plenty of survival horror classics). However, if they manage to do so, it's more than worth the effort. The Alien Pistol is a powerful automatic weapon that inflicts both Burns and Deep Tissue Injury on its targets.
With that being said, players need to be careful using the Alien Pistol for long, as it also inflicts Psychosis on its own user. If playerscan use this weapon safely, it's fantastic for stopping a variety of enemies dead in their tracks.
7 Riot Shotgun
One of the most effective weapons for close-range combat in Barotrauma is the Riot Shotgun. The weapon deals large amounts of damage and players can use a range of different kinds of ammunition with it. This makes it a versatile and dependable option for dealing with dangerous enemies effectively.
Another handy feature of the Riot Shotgun is that it comes with a Flashlight slot (as do many two-handed weapons in Barotrauma). This means that players can insert a flashlight into the slot and use the weapon in the dark.
6 Rapid Fissile Accelerator
Basically a handheld nuclear laser gun, the Rapid Fissile Accelerator fires beams of energy at targets, dealing massive amounts of damage. This weapon can only be crafted by Engineers that have unlocked the Nuclear Option, so it's not possible to purchase the Rapid Fissile Accelerator at any outposts.
The gun uses different kinds of Fuel Rods as its ammunition, so players should wear the PUCS if possible while using it. Failure to do so can result in the player developing Radiation Sickness if they are exposed to any explosions the weapon causes. That's a fate more terrifying than any heart attack-inducing jump scare could ever be.
5 Coilgun
Coilguns are one of the most versatile and effective types of submarine weapons in Barotrauma. Players can equip coilguns with different kinds of ammo. They have a fairly impressive rate of fire, making them excellent for both offense and defense, especially when attacked by monsters or other kinds of hostiles. That experience can be so terrifying, it puts Barotrauma on par with some truly scary horror titles. Armed with Coilguns, though, players should feel a bit safer.
One of the few downsides of coilguns is that they tend to be less effective at dealing with larger targets and armored enemies. Still, their versatility and efficiency in other areas more than makes up for this.
4 Europan Handshake
One of Barotrauma's most effective knives, the Europan Handshake is an upgraded version of the standard diving knife. In addition to a 1.1x Damage Multiplier, it also inflicts Morbusine Poisoning on its target.
This makes the Europan Handshake a great option for dealing with tougher enemies with larger health bars. Because it is a one-handed weapon, players can wield a second weapon while using the Europan Handshake, or use two Europan Handshakes. This only adds to the versatility of the knife.
3 Flamer
While players need welding fuel in order to use a flamer, it's worth it for the damage and effect that this weapon can produce. The Flamer does massive amounts of damage, and the fire it produces will often spread organically, making this a great tool for dealing with larger, more terrifying groups of enemies as a last resort.
With that being said, the flamer does produce, well, flames inside the submarine. This can be problematic, so players should have a fire extinguisher nearby if they're planning on using the weapon.
2 Stun Gun
If players find themselves wanting to stun another player or enemy in Barotrauma, they'll likely want to do so from a distance if at all possible. After all, dealing with hostile human enemies is incredibly tense. Stun guns make this a reality, and are also one of the most accessible weapons in the game as any player can craft them.
Players can use stun guns both to incapacitate hostile human players to handcuff them or slow down enemies to make them easier to eliminate. And, it's possible to do so from a safe distance with a stun gun.
1 Stun Baton
This weapon, while being one of the most basic in all of Barotrauma, is also one of the most effective. Any player can craft the stun baton, and its stun effect makes it incredibly useful in dealing with rogue enemies and other players alike.
The stun baton deals a decent amount of damage and, if loaded with charged batteries, can also induce Incremental Stun on both smaller Creatures and hostile humans. Stun batons are fantastic for dealing with griefers and aliens alike, and every player should try using one at some stage.
Barotrauma is out now on Mac, PC, and Linux.