Despite there only being 8 guns that players can use to wipe out the hordes of enemies that await them in Trepang2, each one is still extremely unique in its own right, and while some are much more versatile and reliable than others, no weapon is completely unusable in this game with each one packing a serious punch, especially when attachments are also involved.
The truth is, though, as players venture further into the campaign or reach the higher rounds in the Combat Simulator maps, every second becomes incredibly precious as large groups of enemies swarm the player from each and every corner, so in order to stay alive, it's always good to pick up a weapon that has a wide spread and is capable of picking up multiple kills before a reload rather than worrying too much about accuracy.
The fast-paced nature of this frantic FPS really shines when players are making full use of the strongest weapons and throwables to make them completely unstoppable, scratching that action itch that Doom Eternal and F.E.A.R executed so well.
8 MK23 Pistol
- How to unlock: Complete the mission Site 14 on any difficulty.
It may be unlocked early on, but the MK23 pistol really can't do too much on its own, which is why it only really becomes as viable as the other guns when used as an akimbo. The pistol does admittedly have high stopping power, but the rate of fire is incredibly slow. The burst attachment will add a three-round burst which makes it much better at handling small groups, but will still burn through the measly 13 bullets in little to no time.
Overall, while it's great to use in early missions of the campaign to improve accuracy, the pistol becomes a crutch for the player once they reach the mid-game, so it can be best to switch it out when available or head to the Workbench to install a few attachments.
7 DMR
- How to unlock: Complete the mission The Pandora Institute on Normal difficulty.
The DMR can be extremely menacing on maps with long sight lines, such as Brutalism and Auditorium in the Combat Simulator, but for the majority of maps that are much more narrow and close-quartered, it can end up being a little too cumbersome and unreliable. With that said, though, it is still an extremely fun weapon to use for any player looking to execute a few flashy kills with pinpoint precision.
For a little extra accuracy, the 3.5X scope and attached laser will make sure that every shot counts, which is very much needed considering it only holds 10 bullets until the fairly lengthy reload animation.
6 Kriss Vector SMG
- How to unlock: Complete the mission Site 14 on any difficulty.
The Vector SMG possesses a deadly level of accuracy and can pump out bullets incredibly quickly, knocking down rows of enemies with ease. Pair this with one of the fastest reload animations in the game, and the SMG makes quick work of enemies that can be found in small groups, such as on the mission Jorvik Castle.
If it wasn't for the 30 bullets, this gun would be a must-use for the entire game, but as the enemies begin to separate a little more in later missions, requiring the player to be much more accurate with their shots, the SMG starts becoming a little too wild in its recoil, especially if it doesn't have a laser-equipped.
5 Grenade Launcher
- How to unlock: Complete the mission Jorvik Castle on Normal difficulty.
For any players who don't want to be hyper-focused on hitting the most precise shots possible during their playthrough, the grenade launcher will prove to be an extremely fun weapon to use which is more than capable of taking down large groups of enemies with each explosion, of which there are four until the launcher needs to be loaded again.
It's also extremely useful for dealing with riot shield enemies who attack in large waves on missions such as Horizon HQ, but considering the frag grenade and rat bomb can do much of the same thing, and the extremely slow reload, the grenade launcher is still overshadowed by some other weapons.
4 Bolt Gun
- How to unlock: Complete the mission Jorvik Castle on Hard difficulty.
The bolt gun is essentially a much faster version of the grenade launcher in its fire rate, reload animation, and aim-down-sight speed, and although unlocking it can definitely be a challenge, the player's efforts are handsomely rewarded since this is definitely the most fun weapon in the game to actually use.
Each shot has a massive damage radius capable of knocking down massive groups, and the two-second delay between the pull of the trigger and explosion means players could even use it as a mine thrower when they know they're about to be rushed around tight corners. If players time their shot well enough, they can even take down an enemy with the impact so that the reinforcements get caught in the explosion seconds after.
3 VHS-D2 Assault Rifle
- How to unlock: Complete the mission The Pandora Institute on any difficulty.
As soon as players complete the second campaign mission, The Pandora Institute, they will gain access to one of the most reliable weapons in the game. The VHS-D2 Assault Rifle can easily eliminate swarms of enemies without even needing to change a magazine.
The rate of fire is incredibly responsive, allowing players to only pull down the trigger just as much as they need to so that no extra ammunition gets wasted. Despite this, though, it still manages to remain accurate so long as players guide the reticle downwards to counteract the upward recoil. The best way to use this gun, which is guaranteed to result in absolute carnage, is to dual-wield two of them at once since the reload is so fast that players can shoot without even needing to stop at all.
2 Minigun
- How to unlock: Complete the missions Jorvik Castle and Iron Dragon Data Center on Hard Difficulty.
Despite having a slow startup, the minigun will easily clear a path once it's fired up, possessing the highest fire rate in the game alongside 200 bullets that can turn any enemy, no matter how defensive they are, into minced meat with just a few shots. Unlocking the minigun is one of the hardest challenges in the game, but there really aren't any situations where it's bad, with the only drawback being the painfully long reload time.
The essential attachments that should always be equipped to this weapon are the bayonet, just in case enemies get a little too close for comfort, and a laser sight to help maintain the wild accuracy of this portable turret.
1 Spas-12 Shotgun
- How to unlock: Complete the side mission Unidentified Structure on any difficulty.
When looking up videos of people completing Combat Missions on Extreme difficulty in Trepang2, nearly all the time, they will be using the Spas-12 shotgun as their primary weapon, and the biggest reason for this is because of how much damage spread and bullet penetration it provides, being able to earn multi-kills with a single pull of the trigger.
The pump action grants players a second or two to place their shot carefully before firing, but considering there are 8 bullets before a reload, it makes it easy to pre-fire around corners on small maps like Cafe and Supply Depot. When dual-wielding the shotgun with incendiary ammo installed, it almost makes the game feel unfair with how simple it becomes to take down targets, not just up close, but from afar too, thanks to the lack of drop-off damage.
Trepang2 is currently available on PC.
