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ID Software spent most of the 90s inventing and perfecting the FPS genre, with Quake 2 being one of their shining achievements both in terms of legacy and technical prowess. Due to their decade of experience, Quake 2 has a shockingly potent array of weapons, but not all of them are created equally.
That being said, as a general rule, every weapon in Quake 2 has a purpose, and that remained true in the recent Nightdive rerelease, Quake 2 Remastered. In this list, however, we are going to rank them while factoring in raw power and overall usefulness during the main campaign (and its expansions).
For this list, we are not going to include the extra weapons that were included in the expansion packs for Quake 2. Instead, we are going to focus on the core weapon set found in the base game. We are also only looking at Quake 2 Remastered, which means weapons like the Railgun are slightly weaker in this edition.
Finally, we are aware that Quake 2 64 exists with its own weapon quirks, however, these were mostly removed in the transition to the Remastered version. As a result, this list stands as the definitive list (in our eyes) for both Quake 2 and Quake 2 64.
For More Quake 2 Remastered content:
Next Quake | Quake/Doom Mashup | Quake 2 Remaster Has Dropped | Quake 4 Re-Release | Quake 2 Remastered System Requirements | Is Quake 2 On Game Pass? | Does Quake 2 Remastered Have Cross-Play/Cross-Progression? |
Grenade
The grenade isn’t bad, it’s just outclassed by almost every other explosive weapon in the game. Not only that, it is very slow, making it hard to use during a hectic fight, despite its very high damage. Sure, you can instantly kill most low-level enemies, but so can a bunch of other weapons, and they can do it without the risk of self-harm.
The final nail in the coffin for the grenade is the range. Bitterman can’t throw this thing very far, so you are going to struggle to find many scenarios where the grenade is useful. Sure, you can challenge yourself if you want to, but we’re stuck with just about anything else.
Blaster
The Blaster is the weapon you start with when you first start Quake 2. It’s also not that bad in a pinch. It has decent damage against low-level enemies, its range is practically endless, and it’s very accurate. Not only that, the Blaster is the only weapon in the game that has infinite ammo, letting you pull this thing out at any time.
The biggest issue with the blaster is that it’s outclassed fairly early on by the likes of the Machine Gun, and even earlier if you fancy using the bog standard Shotgun for long-range engagements (which is surprisingly easy to do). It’s not bad, it just has the rest of the roster to contend with.
Shotgun
The standard Shotgun is a beautiful weapon. It sounds great, it feels great, and it does solid damage. It can instantly kill any low-level enemy, and it can even do work against some mid-tier enemies in a pinch.
Sadly, the further you get in Quake 2, the less relevant this gun becomes. If you go secret hunting, it can be replaced within minutes of finding it. One of the most interesting features of the Shotgun is its range. This thing fires a super tight spread, so you can pick enemies off from staggering ranges if you fancy yourself a buck-shot sniper.
BFG
Anyone who has played an ID game knows that the BFG is an excellent weapon. Sadly, Quake 2 doesn’t really do the gun justice. After extensive testing, we don’t think the BFG is anywhere near as effective as the BFG found in Doom, and it pales in comparison to BFGs found in games after Quake 2.
It takes too much ammo to use, the damage is lacklustre, to say the least, and it uses Cells. Cells in Quake 2 not only act as ammo but as fuel for your Energy Belt. The more ammo you have in your supply, the harder you are to kill. Every shot of the BFG is not only underwhelming, but it reduces your survivability. Not cool Quake, not cool at all.
Grenade Launcher
The Grenade Launcher is the replacement you have been waiting for. This thing invalidates basic grenades from the moment you pick it up. It deals great damage, it has moderate range, and it can be used to bounce explosives around walls to deal with enemies out of sight.
The Grenade Launcher is a bit too clunky to use in a direct confrontation – especially if Berserkers or Parasites are lurking – but it has a lot of utility. We found ourselves pulling this thing out far more than we thought we would, and we loved it every time it graced our palms.
Chaingun
The Chaingun in Quake 2 is silly. It deals ludicrous damage, but this is mostly down to its hilarious fire rate. Nothing fires as fast as this gun. Heck, if you hold down the trigger, you will burn through every last round in about five seconds. This makes it incredibly inefficient. But does it make it bad?
Absolutely not. Sometimes you need something to die – sometimes you need a lot of things to die – and the Chaingun ensures that. We used this thing to kill every single boss in Quake 2, and we did so without running out of ammo – not even once. This thing is situational but amazing.
Hyperblaster
The Hyperblaster is the only other gun in the game to use Cells as ammo, and this hampers its usefulness. Again, every pull of the trigger will drain your Cell supply and this, in turn, will lower the strength of your Energy Belt. You die very quickly in Quake 2, and this belt could be the only thing keeping you alive later in the game.
Unlike the BFG, the Hyperblaster is actually a very powerful weapon despite its drawbacks. It deals more damage than any other rapid-fire weapon, and it is especially handy against enemies with shields. It acts very much like the Chaingun, although it deals more damage per shot in exchange for a lower rate of fire.
Machine Gun
When you want to engage in long-range combat with low-mid-tier enemies, the Machine Gun is your go-to weapon. This thing has great damage, great range, and doesn’t burn through your ammo anywhere near as quickly as the Chaingun.
This is the thinking man’s weapon. You use this when you want to throw out a lot of bullets, but you want to have some ammo left once you let go of the trigger. You find this early on, and it acts like a bit of a workhorse through Quake 2’s run time.
Rocket Launcher
The Rocket Launcher is the gun you turn to when you want long-range damage delivered in an explosive AOE. This thing does great damage, it fires quickly, and the rocket itself moves at a decent speed.
The only downside to this gun is its limited ammo supply and potential to inflict splash damage to yourself. Be careful when unloading this thing when Berserkers are about because you are going to have a bad time.
Quick side note: in Quake 2 Remastered, always aim for the legs. Enemies often try to duck under your rockets, and aiming low ensures you never miss.
Railgun
The Railgun is near perfection in weapon form. This thing has the power of a Rocket Launcher, its projectile is instantaneous, and it can even pierce multiple enemies. The Rail Gun is pretty darn ludicrous and it gives you a safe way to deal massive damage at a range without relying on explosives.
The only downside with the Railgun is its fire rate. This lowers its DPS quite drastically. It also makes it pretty hard to use against melee enemies since they will recover from the hit stun before you can land a second slug. Despite all of that, however, the Railgun is an absolute blast to play with and deserves the number two spot.
Super Shotgun
This should come as no surprise to anyone. The Super Shotgun in Quake 2 will be your most used weapon. This is your workhorse, and by Shub Niggurath, is it a mighty fine workhorse. We are not exaggerating when we say this is not only the best weapon in terms of versatility, but it’s also the most powerful weapon in the game (bar the BFG).
The Super Shotgun hits harder than the Railgun. It hits harder than two consecutive blasts from the Shotgun. It deals more damage than the Rocket Launcher. The only downside is its short range, but that hardly matters when you consider how fast and close Quake 2 is. Oh, did we mention it fires just as fast as the regular Shotgun? Because it does, and it’s glorious. Use it. Love it. Never let go of it. Reject all pretenders to its throne.
That’s all we have on Quake 2 Remastered for now. Be sure to check out our other guides and lists for more Quake content.
