Weapons of Resident Evil 4

Many weapons are encountered during Capcom's Resident Evil 4 (RE4). They serve different purposes and have advantages over the other weapons. Weapons play an integral role in the game and have some innovations from the earlier games in the series. Thomas Wilde, who describes Resident Evil 4 as an "overhaul," explains, for example, how players can use the vast array of weapons to "go for headshots now." Capcom even released a special trailer showcasing the weapons. This article provides a table of weapons in Resident Evil 4, as well as their reception and use outside of the game.

Chainsaw controller
Resident Evil 4's weapons are unique in that it is the only game to have had a special-edition chainsaw-controller made for the PlayStation 2 (PS2) version. This controller featured motion sensing (for using the chainsaw) and the ripcord itself doubles as the Start button. The controller is designed for PS2 and PC and therefore comes with a PS2 controller-to-USB adapter, meaning it can still be used on a PlayStation 3. Nuby Tech designed the controller to look like the Chainsaw Man's chainsaw that appears in the game.

Reception
The November 2005 issue of GamePro magazine featured an article on "the top 12 firearms in the game," asserting that "Resident Evil 4 is packed with awesome weapons, but only certain tools can get the job done." Game Informer devoted several paragraphs (as well as an image) of its review of the game to the weapons, noting, for example, "Perhaps one of the most obvious aspects of the game that you’ll notice is its strong focus on action, and this is probably most evident in the game’s weapons. In previous Resident Evil titles, weapons were necessary to stay alive, but came at a cost.  Ammunition was usually sparse and needed to be rationed.  This time around, however, you’ll notice that ammunition is incredibly plentiful." Finally, Game Over Online Magazine applauds the game's "welcome additions of a scoped rifle, the mine launcher from Resident Evil 3, a submachinegun, and a one-shot rocket launcher." One criticism, however, comes from Cerise Magazine. In an article titled "Shotgun vs. Skirt: Gender in Resident Evil 4," Diego Luna decries Resident Evil 4 for not presenting the female lead of Resident Evil 4 as a "gun-wielding" agent compared to the male lead or female characters in other games in the series.

Toys
The game's success has resulted in some spin-off products. For example, many of the weapons listed above have also been adapted to accompany action figure toys based off of the game. The chainsaw that served as inspiration for the controller mentioned above accompanies the figure for Chainsaw Ganada. Other figures come with multiple firearm weapons that appear on the in-game list above.