Back in 2014, developer MachineWorks and publisher Bethesda Games banded together to release Wolfenstein: The New Order. A soft narrative reboot of the classic first-person shooter, this game is technically the third entry in the new Wolfenstein series, beginning with 2001's Return to Castle Wolfenstein and followed by 2009's Wolfenstein. In Wolfenstein: The New Order, players take control of BJ Blazkowicz, a veteran of WWII who awakens from a vegetative state in 1960 to discover that Hitler's Nazis won the war and now control most of Europe and the United States.
BJ has access to a wide variety of weaponry on his quest to dismantle the Nazi regime. While he starts out with standard-issue armaments from the WWII era, he eventually stumbles upon experimental Nazi weaponry that will tip the scales in his favor. These weapons are doled out incrementally throughout the campaign, with some being capable of carrying players through the whole game, while others lack some necessary punch.
11 Submachine Gun
The item players will be equipped with during the game's prologue, the submachine gun is easily the most basic weapon in the game. There's not much to it, just point and shoot.
The main issue here is that the SMG simply doesn't have any significant benefits. It doesn't do anything poorly, but every other weapon in The New Order outclasses it in some regard. Add to that the inability to dual-wield this gun, and that it quickly burns through the same ammo type as the (far superior) Handgun, and there's a clear reason why BJ's ally Fergus Reid recommends ditching it for the first Nazi weapon players come across.
10 Assault Rifle
Luckily, the first weapon players will come across is the assault rifle, the standard issue weapon for Nazi soldiers in The New Order. The Assault Rifle immediately earns its keep during the prologue set in 1946, and an upgraded version found in 1960 becomes the standard weapon players use for most of the game.
The Assault Rifle employs heavy rounds, which means players aren't burning through ammo for their trusty Handgun when using it. It has better range, capacity, and damage output than the SMG, and makes for a great all-purpose weapon throughout the campaign. It also comes with an under-barrel grenade launcher, which is invaluable when BJ is outnumbered.
9 Double-Barreled Shotgun
While it is the lesser of two shotguns in The New Order, the Double-Barreled Shotgun still pulls its weight. What it lacks in ammo capacity it makes up for with its huge damage output at close range.
Effective use of the Double-Barreled Shotgun requires patience and timing on the player's part, as they only get two shots before they'll have to reload. However, one well-placed blast from this weapon will take out any standard enemies in the game, as long as players get in close before firing. It can also take out aerial drones with a single shot. This weapon works best when used with a divide and conquer mindset.
8 Tesla Grenade
This special-use grenade is a piece of Nazi technology that releases a burst of electric energy when detonated. It comes with the added bonus of being able to stick to both surfaces and larger enemies, making it useful for clearing out Nazis hiding behind cover.
The main function of the Tesla Grenade is as a rudimentary EMP. It is very effective at damaging machine enemies, which are some of the toughest to defeat with bullets alone. However, it will also disable any of BJ's energy-based weapons if he is caught in the blast, making it a potential detriment if used recklessly.
7 MG-60
Picture a minigun, now give it lasers, and bolt it to the ground – that's essentially what players get with the MG-60. They're Nazi turrets placed around the game's levels that will make life very difficult for BJ when he's spotted.
However, BJ can turn the tides by ripping these turrets out of the ground and firing them back at the Nazis. These weapons are excellent for crowd control, but against large enemies like the Supersoldaten, they aren't as effective as players might expect. They slow BJ's mobility to a crawl and leave him wide open to incoming fire. Using them sparingly is the best way to maximize their potential.
6 Handgun
Both in 1946 and in 1960, BJ will have his trusty Handgun from the outset. This weapon has good accuracy, even when dual-wielding or hip firing, and can take out most standard enemies with a single headshot.
The upgraded version of the Handgun adds a burst fire mode which expands the weapon's versatility, making it equally useful in firefights as it is in 1-on-1 shootouts. During the Lunar Base mission later in the game, players can find an all-white version of the Handgun that comes readily equipped with a suppressor. While this version lacks the burst fire option, it adds an extra tool to the player's already deadly stealth capabilities.
5 Fragmentation Grenade
This weapon needs no introduction. These standard-issue Nazi grenades can be found on every level from the beginning of the campaign. They can be thrown quickly with a tap of the Grenade button, or aimed more precisely to ensure they hit their intended target.
The Nazis will be throwing grenades of their own, but a quick reaction shot can kill them in the process, causing them to drop the grenade at the feet of their comrades. BJ can unlock perks that allow him to throw enemy grenades back in their direction, and better withstand getting caught in the blast of his own explosives.
4 Knife
No matter players' gun of choice, anyone who prefers a stealthy approach will use their knife more than anything else. BJ will begin the game with this weapon, and even if he is captured or cut off from his allies, he'll always have his knife available.
Stealth in The New Order is simple and yet extremely engaging. It is endlessly satisfying to sneak up behind Nazi soldiers and down them with a quick blow from the knife. Many encounters in the game can be cleared without firing a single shot using nothing more than some careful movement and this deadly close-quarters weapon.
3 AR Marksman
Initially, this weapon will be players' only option for a long-range gun. It is a semi-automatic rifle with an equipped scope. A well-placed headshot on any standard enemy is enough to kill them with a single round. However, once the bullets start to fly, the AR Marksman simply can't keep up with the vast enemy numbers.
That is until players unlock the gun's Plasma Mode upgrade. This gives the AR Marksman an energy-based alt-fire, turning it into an automatic laser rifle. The Plasma Mode upgrade makes this one of the most versatile weapons in The New Order, able to handle Nazis at long range, large groups in close, and machine enemies that are resistant to standard bullets.
2 Automatic Shotgun
In terms of pure damage output, there is no better weapon in The New Order. Only available after the Eisenwald Prison level, many players will find the large magazine, high fire rate, and quick reload of the Automatic Shotgun to be indispensable going forward.
This weapon's only downside is that it can burn through shotgun ammo, which is harder to come by than other ammo types. This is particularly a factor when dual-wielding two Automatic Shotguns. However, the tradeoff is that it turns BJ into a runaway train of close-range damage. Even tougher enemies like Supersoldaten and Guard Robots, and many of the game's bosses, will have trouble withstanding an assault from this weapon.
1 LaserKraftWerk
Early in the game, players will receive the Laser Cutter, a tool used to cut through environmental obstacles that get in BJ's way. While it can be used as a weapon at this stage, its damage and range are virtually nonexistent.
In the London Nautica level, about 75% of the way through the game, BJ will come across the LaserKraftWerk. It's a gun that boasts all the environment-clearing ability of the Laser Cutter while also acting as a self-recharging laser rifle; the only energy weapon in the game that can recharge itself. Upgrades only further this weapon's offensive abilities, granting it automatic fire, an auto-targeting system, a flash bang-like strobe effect, and the ability to reflect its lasers off of surfaces. There is, simply put, no better weapon in the game for taking down BJ's toughest opponents.
Wolfenstein: The New Order is available on PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.