Project Warlock 2 has entered Early Access, which means we have countless demons to slay, various levels to explore, and devious secrets to uncover. Like many games that have come out since the boomer renaissance, Project Warlock 2 aims to bring a modern touch to a classic genre.

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Of course, the fastest way into people’s hearts is to supply them with copious amounts of military-grade hardware generously mixed with magic. Thankfully, the game delivers in droves and guns down hordes of demons with a quad-barreled shotgun that hits just right. With a handful of weapons to pick from, we decided to rank these lead-belchers in order of satisfaction.

Project Warlock 2 is in early access, so new weapons may be added, and old ones may be changed or rebalanced.

5 Claymore

Project Warlock 2 ghouls walking down corridor. Claymore at the ready

The Claymore is likely to be the second weapon you find in Project Warlock 2, and you are probably never going to use it once you swing it a couple of times. It’s not that the Claymore is bad, or that the Claymore is unsatisfying to grip. It’s simply because there are really big guns that exist.

The Claymore, as cool as it looks, simply can’t hold a candle to the destructive might of other weapons. Not only that, but those weapons also have the advantage of range. The Claymore can do a lot of work once upgraded, but let’s be honest here, who would upgrade the sword they don’t use over the guns they do use?

If you want to use this thing, then you need to be prepared to combine it with magic. The Claymore is excellent when used in conjunction with Freeze - especially if you go down the Titanium Core path, as this will eventually unlock Execution. Execution is an instant kill on any frozen enemy. Freeze a horde, and murder them all effortlessly.

4 Rifle

Project Warlock 2 akimbo rifles firing at flying enemies

The rifle is excellent in Project Warlock 2, and it only gets better with time. It is the definition of a workhorse weapon, and you will be using it more than most weapons in the game. It has a high rate of fire, it is shockingly accurate if you feather the trigger, and ammo is plentiful.

The enemy count in Project Warlock 2 is in the hundreds, and having a weapon that can effectively cut down the masses is a must-have. Upgrading it makes it even better, with the Laser path granting a devastating Railgun option. With good aim, you can instantly kill any enemy in the game as you turn their head into mush. The downside is a lower damage output with regular fire.

Go down the Heavy path, and you gain more damage at the cost of some recoil. It’s a bit of a toss-up which is best, but in either case, the Rifle is your bread and butter. If you don’t know what to use in any situation, the Rifle is probably the answer. The skeleton key of guns.

3 Staff

Project Warlock 2 using magic to freeze enemies

Every game needs some sort of super weapon, and in Project Warlock, the Staff is that weapon. Ammo is very limited, damage is bafflingly high. You aim, you fire a single orb, and in most cases, the thing you shot dies instantly. Bigger enemies might need two. When in a pickle, you grip your staff and hope for the best.

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Upgraded, the Staff becomes even more powerful, but the ammo issues that already existed are amplified. You will burn through your supplies in seconds, but the trade-off is mass destruction. Both paths unlock large AOE potential, and both are an absolute hoot to bring to the table.

The Staff really is a great weapon that you don’t use often. The ammo is simply too scarce to use it. You bring it out in emergencies, and that’s about it. If it had a bit more staying power it would easily climb the ranks, but as it is now, it’s middle of the pack.

2 Cannon

Project Warlock 2 Cannon prepared to fire at Shambler

The Cannon is an interesting weapon. Interesting in the sense that it kind of sucks when you first get it. The Cannon fires a solid ball of death that deals massive damage - but it doesn’t explode and it doesn’t penetrate through enemies. Add to that the incredibly slow reload time, and you have yourself a problem.

Those problems go away once you upgrade it. The Super Cannon fixes nearly all of those problems and you can suddenly murder whole groups of enemies if you kite them into a line. The Grenade Launcher path turns it into a weapon of mass destruction. Fully upgraded, you can fire 5 grenades in rapid succession and destroy entire legions. Use Guns Akimbo, and you are firing 10. Beautiful chaos.

You bring the Cannon out when you want something dead. It’s also an excellent combo weapon. Because you reload your guns even when they aren’t being used, you can swap between the Cannon and your Shotgun, or any weapon, and deal monstrous amounts of damage to enemies. This is especially good against bosses.

1 Shotgun

Project Warlock 2 shotgun gibbing enemies

The Shotgun is a weapon that will always make or break a first-person shooter. It will either be the greatest achievement mankind has ever conceived, or it’s the Doom 3 shotgun and you feel nothing by scorn. Project Warlock 2 comfortably rests in the former camp. This Shotgun is one of the best the genre has ever seen.

At base, this is a double-barreled shotgun. You pull the trigger, and the thunderous roar of the exploding barrel deafens you as your opponent is reduced to gory chunks. Upgrade this bad boy and you are in for a treat. Go down the Auto path, and say goodbye to reloading. Just hold the trigger down, and watch as you unleash shell after shell into everything in your way.

Get spicy and upgrade to The Harvester, however, and you will have in your hands the greatest shotgun of all time. This quad-barrelled shotgun is monstrously loud, explosive, and satisfying to use. You walk into a room and you will kill everything in sight. You will be blinded by the overwhelming number of gibs that flood the screen.

Upgrade it to the max, and you can fire all four barrels at once. Only bosses can survive that level of firepower. Combine The Harvester with Guns Akimbo, and now you have eight barrels worth of shotgun, and yes, you can fire all eight at once. The sound this makes is euphoric. The resulting carnage is unfathomable.

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