Best weapons in Alan Wake 2, ranked

In Alan Wake 2, you don’t get a ton of weapons, so it’s important to know which of the ones you do get are the best. 

That’s where we come in. We’ve put together a ranked list of all the best weapons in Alan Wake 2 you can unlock as Alan and Saga, from least to most powerful (in our humble opinion). It’s worth keeping in mind before you read this article, though, that many of the weapons can only be unlocked as you progress the story, so you won’t be able to immediately get your hands on them.

Best Saga weapons in Alan Wake 2

There is a total of five weapons Saga can unlock and use in Alan Wake 2. The majority of these weapons can easily be missed and require solving a combination code to unlock. Here are all Saga’s weapons ranked from our least to most favorite, and where to find them.

5) Pistol

Let’s start with Saga’s Pistol. You start the game with this weapon but, let’s be honest, it’s not great. Often, unless you’re a good shot, you’ll find yourself firing three or four bullets into a Taken before they finally drop.

The positive side of the Pistol, however, is that you will regularly find ammo for it. It’s good to have the pistol in your inventory in case you run out of ammo for your other weapons. My only advice here it to aim for the Taken’s weak spots, or their heads, to make the Pistol as effective as possible.

4) Sawed-Off Shotgun

Early in Alan Wake 2, you may quickly get frustrated by the pistol. Fortunately, you can unlock a Sawed-Off Shotgun.

The Sawed-Off Shotgun is fairly powerful, usually dispersing enemies in two to three well-placed shots, but it takes a while to reload if you’ve not upgraded it, so I advise getting the reload upgrade as soon as you’re able as you’ll likely rely on this weapon for a while.

You can get the Sawed-Off Shotgun by solving the General Store gun case combination lock in Cauldron Lake.

3) Hunting Crossbow

You’ll unlock the Hunting Crossbow later in Saga’s story. This Crossbow is powerful, but you need to be a very good shot for it to be effective. With a well-placed shot on a slower Taken, the crossbow is lethal, but faster Taken can be much harder to hit with this weapon.

In addition, the Hunting Crossbow can only fire one arrow at a time and takes a long time to reload, so it’s best to avoid using it in fast-paced combat. I advise upgrading the crossbow if you do plan on using it regularly.

You can get the Hunting Crossbow by opening the Crossbow Cult Stash in Watery.

2) Pump-Action Shotgun

As soon as you get the Pump-Action Shotgun, it’s time to retire the Sawed-Off Shotgun. This powerful gun fires more shots, is more powerful, and generally quicker to use than its sawed-off counterpart.

It’s a close call between this shotgun and the Hunting Rifle for top place, but having both in your arsenal makes for a lethal combination.

You can get the Pump-Action Shotgun by solving the gun case combination in the Bright Falls Sheriff’s Station.

1) Hunting Rifle

In my opinion, the Hunting Rifle is the best weapon you can unlock for Saga. This gun can take out Taken in a single shot, and I find its crosshairs to be more precise than the other weapons on this list. It also reloads much faster than many other weapons without the need of upgrades.

You can’t get your hands on this powerful weapon until later in Saga’s story, but it’s definitely worth holding back some Manuscript Fragments to upgrade it when you do.

You can get the Hunting Rifle by solving the Wellness Center computer password in the Valhalla Nursing Home.

Best Alan weapons in Alan Wake 2

Alan has a total of three weapons in Alan Wake 2. The troubled writer has much less choice than Saga when it comes to firepower, but fortunately two of these three weapons are unlocked through progression while only one needs to be found. Here are all Alan’s weapons ranked from our least to most favorite, and where to find them.

3) Revolver

Alan’s trusty Revolver. Combined with the flashlight, it makes for some powerful nostalgia. Unfortunately, much like Saga’s Pistol, the Revolver isn’t the most effective gun in Alan Wake 2, and it can take three or four shots to take down Taken with it.

You’ll the Revolver early on, and it’s going to be your main weapon for Alan, so you’ll need to get acquainted with it and consider upgrading it.

2) Flare Gun

The Flare Gun is another familiar weapon for Alan Wake fans. This gun fires an explosive flare that removes the shadows from any Taken in its range, meaning you won’t need to use the torch on them, and can start shooting immediately.

It’s worth keeping in mind the Flare Gun doesn’t actually kill Taken, it’s just very useful, especially if you are being ganged up on by many Taken or have run out of light.

You unlock the Flare Gun during Alan’s We Sing mission.

1) Double-Barreled Shotgun

The Double-Barreled Shotgun is easily Alan’s best weapon. While this shotgun doesn’t have the firepower of Saga’s Hunting Rifle, and isn’t as precise, it does let you take down Taken in a couple of shots.

The Double-Barreled Shotgun lets you fire two shots before it needs reloading, but the reload time isn’t a killer. It may not be the most powerful weapon in the game, but it’s the best Alan can get his hands on. If you want to make this weapon more effective, make sure to grab the Paint the Town Words of Power upgrade. It’s under the Words of War section and increases this shotgun’s damage by 25%.

The Double-Barreled Shotgun can be unlocked at the Oceanview Hotel bar.