Resident Evil 4 Remake Riot Gun vs. Shotgun: Which Is Better? Answered

No, there isn’t just one Shotgun in Resident Evil 4 Remake. In fact, there are three, and decision paralysis is very much a thing. While you do get the classic W-870 Shotgun fairly early on in the game, it’s not too long before you’re offered another possibly enticing option. If you’re wondering whether the Riot Gun or Shotgun is better in Resident Evil 4 Remake, here’s what you need to know.

Should You Pick the Riot Gun or Shotgun in Resident Evil 4 Remake?

Let’s get straight to the point: you should absolutely stick with the W-870 Shotgun in Resident Evil 4 Remake, and just skip the Riot Gun entirely.

We’re not saying the Riot Gun is bad, it’s just kinda average, and doesn’t really outperform the W-870 in any meaningful way. While the Riot Gun’s base power is higher than the regular Shotgun’s, it’s important to note that the spread is also much tighter. There are pros and cons to this; the pro is that the Riot Gun is better at shooting foes from longer distances, but the con is that it’s weaker in close encounters, and you won’t be able to just blast multiple foes backwards when they’re in your face. And isn’t that the whole point of using a boomstick?

It’s also worth noting that the Riot Gun has slightly higher rate of fire and better reload speed than the W-870, but in our experience, we’ve found that the larger spread on the latter is much more useful. We don’t necessarily recommend upgrading the reload speed and rate of fire on the Shotgun –though that’s really down to personal preference– but we do recommend investing in its firepower to keep it up to snuff. After all, you already have your Rifle and Handgun to deal with long distance foes; you don’t need the Riot Gun for that.

You’ll eventually gain access to the Striker, which was considered the best Shotgun in the original game, and still is in Resident Evil 4 Remake. Now that’s worth picking up over the W-870 and the Riot Gun.

That’s all you need to know about whether you should pick the Riot Gun or Shotgun in Resident Evil 4 Remake. Be sure to search for Twinfinite for more tips and information on the game.