Overview
This is my recommendation of weapons to carry around on NORMAL mode, in your first playthrough and my thoughts about the others I decided not to use:1 – Line Gun: I used the Line Gun as my main weapon and killed almost every enemy with a single (barely) well aimed shot (after upgrades) but some enemies required two shots (these biped, dark necromorphs usually needed 2 shots). Sometimes you can kill 2 or more enemies with a single shot!!!. For me it was the best weapons in the game, deserves to be upgraded all the way up. It also has a mine launcher, good against that “wall mounted” necromorphs, swarms and other situations. The only problem for me is that ammo it VERY expensive and comes is low quantities, so you must select some “ammo saving” weapons to carry together with this.2 – Force Gun: A great panic weapon, sends foes flying around (if they survive). Some enemies may die with one shot using this, other are almost immune, don’t know why. You can also throw more powerful necromophs away to select another weapons or just run away to a better aiming spot, if you find yourself surprised by an gang of enemies! It must be used very closely, though, to be damage effective. It has a grenade launcher too, pretty nice against more distant foes. Oh, and the ammo is cheap and you find in good quantities!3 – Ripper: I also carried the Ripper as a ammo saver tool. Very good against lone enemies and SHOULD be used in “easy” situations to save ammo. Ammunition is found in great quantities and you need one, maximum three shots per necromorph, depending on you aim and the enemy. You can also use it as a cheap pea shooter against distant foes with its secondary fire, a nice extra.4 – Contact Gun: The Contact Gun is not very reliable because: 1 – it needs to charge 2 – ammunition comes by one every time you found it 3 – it has a relatively thin contact area. This means you must aim well or you’re done. BUT the damage is fantastic and the shot sometimes hits others behind. You can also just aim in the center of necromophs and they will die anyway, no need to destroy limbs. Its aim is perfect too, so you can kill very distant enemies like a sniper with a single shot. Good against bosses, resilient enemies and these tall necromorphs that fall apart as octopus thingies. If you are calm and like hand cannons, this one is a very fun, powerful tool to have around.Below are the ones I decided not to take with me, but you may find them cool/good enough to carry around. What I think about them:5 – Plasma Cutter: a very good weapon and the first one you get. It is great against single enemies, but bad against crowds. it acts like a magnum gun from FPS: a very powerfull pistol. If you upgrade it, it sure can become a hand cannon. Also, it is a very satisfing, fun gun to use. It is very good at saving ammo, so you may take this one in place of the Ripper if you like (or both!)6 – Pulse Rifle: I didn’t like this one. It is very underpowered when you get it. I tried it a lot and realised my non upgraded plasma cutter was much better than this. You also must aim well with it, since its damage has no “area of effect”, obviously. People say this can become very powerfull after upgrades, just so you know, but it was the weapon i find the least satisfing to shoot in the entire game.7 – Flame Thower: I really wanted to like the flame thrower, but I coudn’t. You shoot, you expend a great amount of fuel and the enemies keep hitting you! If you use it, use short burst, as enemies appear to not take damage as you keep the button pressed (don’t know if it is like that or not). It is useful against swarms, though. Some people like it, so maybe if you upgrade it it may be worth it. It is fun to use though.IMO, there is REALLY no best or worst weapon in the game. I think if you upgrade them they become good enough. It’s all a mater of taste in the end, the guns you find cooler and more confortable to use (and about your selection of weapons to carry around, since they have pros and cons). The game is well designed, so I think even the first weapon you get (the almighty plasma cutter) can become a very effective main weapon! Search around the web, even the Flame Thrower has its fans (alot of people like the Rifle, I am an exception I think)!For the beginner I say: choose the weapons you think are more fun to use first. Then think on the situations they are useful and if at least one of them is efficient in saving ammo. Even if you make a “bad” selection, if you are playing on NORMAL, I can’t imagine you having much of a problem.