Arkham does not hand you an arsenal. You start with a single pistol and have to earn everything else, chapter by chapter, while the water keeps rising around you. This guide breaks down The Sinking City 2 best weapons based on what each one actually does in a fight, not just how it looks on a shelf, so you know exactly which gun to reach for and which upgrades are worth hunting down.
The Sinking City 2 Best Weapons
| Rank | Weapon | Type | Best For |
| 1 | Field Surgeon | Shotgun | Close range fights and cramped rooms |
| 2 | Black Reef Longshot | Rifle | Long sightlines and armored enemies |
| 3 | The Minuteman | SMG | Groups of fast moving enemies |
| 4 | Bucking Bronco | Revolver | Heavy single shots at mid range |
| 5 | Equalizer Mk. II | Pistol | Everyday encounters and saving ammo |
| 6 | Linguist’s Folly | Grenade Launcher | Clustered enemies and crowd bursts |
How We Ranked These Weapons?
There are only five core firearms in the campaign, plus one optional revolver, so this is not a list padded out with filler picks. Every weapon here was judged on three things: how often you will actually reach for it, how well its upgrades scale, and how forgiving it is when ammo runs thin. Community feedback around the release, official gameplay previews, and the in game upgrade trees all point to the same handful of standout choices.
The Field Surgeon
The Field Surgeon shotgun is the first weapon you find outside your starting pistol, and it earns its keep almost immediately. It belonged to a battle hardened medic who saw the worst of the trenches long before Arkham started flooding, and that history shows in how brutally it handles anything that gets too close.
Why it ranks first:
- Deals heavy damage in the tight, flooded corridors that make up most of the game’s combat
- Cutter’s Sturdy Stock rewards you for shooting fleeing or turned enemies in the back
- Cutter’s Tomahawk adds a melee slash attack, giving you an option when you are out of shells
If you can only master one weapon for the pressure moments, this is it. Nothing else in The Sinking City 2 best weapons list handles a sudden ambush as cleanly.
The Black Reef Longshot
This marksman rifle once belonged to a sharpshooter known for taking impossible shots, and the weapon still lives up to that reputation. It punches through multiple enemies in a straight line, so lining up a shot before pulling the trigger pays off far more than spraying and hoping.
Why it ranks second:
- One well placed shot can hit two or three enemies standing in a row
- Keene’s Timeglass slows time while aiming, which is huge for hitting exposed weak points
- Keene’s Widowmaker is built specifically to punish armored enemies later in the story
Save this one for open rooms and long hallways where you have room to line up your shot instead of scrambling for cover.
The Minuteman
The Minuteman is a submachine gun with a reputation for chewing through ammo just as fast as it chews through enemies. It was carried by a gunman who never felt like he had enough bullets on hand, and once you feel how quickly the magazine empties, you will understand why.
Why it ranks third:
- Sustained fire keeps multiple moving targets under pressure at once
- Doyle’s Cold Blood slows anything it hits, buying you space to reposition
- Doyle’s Hot Streak extends the magazine so you spend less time reloading mid fight
This is the weapon to pull out the moment a fight turns into a swarm rather than a single threat.
Bucking Bronco
Unlike the other firearms, the Bucking Bronco is not handed to you automatically. This large caliber revolver is tied to the optional Holloway Manor side content, bundled with the Premium Edition or sold separately, and it fills a role none of the other guns quite cover.
Why it ranks fourth:
- Hits harder per shot than the standard pistol without needing rifle level positioning
- Works as a strong middle ground when you want stopping power without burning rifle rounds
- Worth tracking down early since it is easy to miss if you skip the side content
If you want a complete loadout, do not skip the quest tied to this one.
Equalizer MK II
Your starting pistol was built by a man obsessed with precision, and while it never becomes the flashiest option, it stays useful from the first chapter to the last. It is the gun you fall back on when a shotgun blast or grenade round would be wasted on a single, manageable threat.
Why it ranks fifth:
- Reliable accuracy makes it perfect for routine, controlled encounters
- Voss’s Compensator improves aim stability under pressure
- Voss’s Target Grip adds a timed shot mechanic that rewards precise trigger pulls with bonus damage
It will not win a straight damage contest against the shotgun or rifle, but it is the one weapon you will never run out of reasons to carry.
Linguist’s Folly
This experimental grenade launcher belonged to a man with an unsettling fondness for explosions, and it shows in how the weapon is built. It is not something you use every fight, but when a room fills up with clustered enemies, nothing else in The Sinking City 2 best weapons list clears space faster.
Why it ranks sixth:
- Explosive rounds are the only real answer to grouped enemies bearing down at once
- Pyre’s Squid Barrel knocks enemies down on impact, giving you breathing room
- Ammo is expensive to craft, so this stays a save it for emergencies pick rather than a daily driver
Keep a few rounds in reserve instead of using this the moment you see more than one enemy on screen.
Investigation Difficulty Levels Explained
This is the track that controls how much help you get while piecing together clues, reading environments, and solving the game’s puzzles.
| Mode | Best For | What Changes |
| Breezy | Players who want clean progress through cases | Highlights important information and gives matching evidence clear symbols |
| Brainy | Players who want to think it through themselves | Removes highlights and makes evidence icons look identical |
One thing worth knowing before you pick: neither mode changes the actual answer to a puzzle. Safe codes and physical solutions stay the same on Breezy and Brainy alike. All that changes is how much the game nudges you toward the connection.
It is also worth noting that most of this detective work sits in optional side content rather than the main story path. So even if you set Investigation difficulty to Brainy and get stuck, you are unlikely to get fully blocked from progressing.
The Chthonic Arsenal DLC Weapons
Players who grabbed the Deluxe Edition or the standalone Chthonic Arsenal pack get access to three additional firearms: the Shale Mary handgun, the Breakwater shotgun, and the Tektite Tommy submachine gun. Each one carries its own distinct look and its own set of features layered on top of the base weapon it replaces.
These are not part of the core five weapon roster, so they will not replace your need to find the campaign guns. Think of them as stylish alternates for players who already own the edition rather than a shortcut around the main arsenal.
Weapon Upgrades Worth Prioritizing
Every weapon in the game has two hidden upgrades scattered across E.R.C. Crates, safes, and optional puzzles. A handful stand out as genuinely worth the detour.
| Upgrade | Weapon | Effect |
| Voss’s Target Grip | Equalizer Mk. II | Timed shots deal bonus damage |
| Cutter’s Sturdy Stock | Field Surgeon | Extra damage on back hits |
| Doyle’s Cold Blood | The Minuteman | Slows enemies on hit |
| Keene’s Timeglass | Black Reef Longshot | Slows time while aiming |
| Pyre’s Squid Barrel | Linguist’s Folly | Knocks enemies down on impact |
Grab these before you leave a chapter for good. Every weapon in the game is missable once a chapter closes, and none of your gear carries over into a New Game Plus run.
Tips for Managing Ammo and Weapon Choice
Ammo crafting materials are limited throughout the campaign, so picking the right tool for the moment matters more than always reaching for your hardest hitting gun.
- Match the weapon to the threat – Save the grenade launcher for groups, the rifle for open sightlines, and the shotgun for anything closing in fast
- Avoid fights you can walk around – Every bullet saved is one you will need later
- Check your current weapon and crafting menus for exact damage and reload numbers, since balance can shift between patches
- Prioritize inventory expansions early so you are never forced to drop ammo just to carry more of it
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FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
Q. What is the best weapon in The Sinking City 2?
A. The Field Surgeon shotgun is the strongest all around pick thanks to its close range damage and melee upgrade, though the Black Reef Longshot is better for precision and armored enemies.
Q. How many weapons are there in The Sinking City 2?
A. There are five core campaign weapons, one optional revolver tied to side content, and three additional DLC weapons in the Chthonic Arsenal pack.
Q. Can you miss weapons in The Sinking City 2?
A. Yes. Every weapon is tied to a specific chapter, and once you move past that chapter you cannot go back to collect anything you missed.
Q. Do weapons carry over into New Game Plus?
A. No. A fresh New Game Plus run does not carry your collected weapons or upgrades, so everything has to be found again.
Q. How do you get the Bucking Bronco revolver?
A. It comes from the optional Holloway Manor quest and is included with the Premium Edition or available as a separate purchase.
Q. What are the Chthonic Arsenal weapons?
A. The Shale Mary handgun, the Breakwater shotgun, and the Tektite Tommy submachine gun, all exclusive to the Deluxe Edition or the standalone DLC pack.
Q. Is ammo scarce in The Sinking City 2?
A. Yes. Crafting materials are limited, which is exactly why matching the right weapon to the right fight matters more than always using your strongest gun.
