Mass Effect 2: A Guide to Weapons

The weapons of Mass Effect 2 are more similar to those of a normal shooter than those of the original Mass Effect. Players will no longer constantly be running across slightly different variations of the same basic weapon type.

There are still distinct weapon types, however, and a few upgrades to be found along the way. The upgrades available to the player depend on player's class and on the player's actions.

The assault rifle is a great mid-range weapon with a high rate of fire. There are four different assault rifles available. These are versatile weapons which work in a variety of situations.

M-8 Avenger: The basic assault rifle. Fully automatic and decent against anything. It is however surpassed by later upgrades, which are more precise or more brutal depending on your needs.

M-15 Vindicator: A very accurate rifle good for mid to long range combat which fires in 5-round bursts. It lacks full auto so isn't as good at short range encounters. It is found during the Archangel recruitment mission just after reaching Archangel.

M-76 Revenant: Only available to Soldiers as advanced weapons training, the Revenant has an extreme rate of fire. It is among the most deadly weapons at short to medium range and a really good pick for Soldiers. It isn't very accurate, however, so long range combat is out of the question.

Geth Pulse Rifle: Very effective at most ranges, the Pulse Rifle is strong against shielded enemies. This makes it particularly effective against boss opponents, who are often shielded in some way. It is found during Tali's loyalty quest on Hardcore difficulty.

Generally used only for special situations, heavy weapons can have a variety of effects. They use their own category of ammo called Power Cells, which is harder to come across in the game, so make sure to use your heavy weapons only when you need to.

M-100 Grenade Launcher: Found early in the game as part of the story. This weapon can put a lot of heart on multiple enemies, but it is hard to angle the shots correctly. It is often left behind because there are other heavy weapons which are better suited for any situation you might want the grenade launcher for.

ML-77 Missile Launcher: A great weapon that fires guided missiles. Very effective slow-moving armored bosses like Heavy Mechsand Scions, not as great against weak, fast moving opponents. Can be obtained via a research project.

M-622 Avalanche: This weapon shoots Cryo rounds which freeze targets. It can be very effective, particularly on levels where you face hoards of fast-moving Husks, but those who use Cryo Ammo will find it a little redundant. Obtained via research.

M-920 Cain: A freaking nuke launcher. What do you expect? It does a ton of damage but is hampered by slow firing speed and by ammo usage. Its great for clearing blobs of enemies and pretty good against bosses as well. It is obtained via research.

Collector Particle Beam: Gained in a mid-game story mission, the Particle Beam is extremely accurate and does a lot of damage against shields and biotics but not that great against armor. It is good against almost all Infantry and can vaporize an un-armored opponent within a second or two. This is my favorite heavy weapon, although it is less interesting if your character does not already carry another weapon which is good against armor.

Pistols are quite accurate, but their low clip sizes and overall ammo capacity limits their use as a primary weapon. They tend to be good against armor but so-so against biotic barriers and shields.

M-3 Predator Heavy Pistol: The basic pistol, this gun is accurate but low on damage. It is most effective against armor. Most other weapons kill quicker, so its often a last resort, particularly for classes with a large selection of better weapons.

M-6 Carnifex Hand Cannon: Much more powerful than the Predator, the Carnifex can do a real number on armored enemies. It is a suitable weapon for use against heavily armored opponents when you've run out of heavy weapon ammo. The low clip size and low overall ammo capacity still limits its usefulness as a primary weapon. Mordin gives the player the Carnifex.