Weapon upgrading isn’t exactly a staple of Resident Evil, but it is an iconic and beloved mechanic that’s managed to pop back up every once in a while. Resident Evil Village brings weapon upgrades back, but not exactly better than ever. Weapon upgrades in Resident Evil 4 were designed in such a way that late-game weapons weren’t inherently better than early-game guns. Upgrading ensures there was merit in any weapon, along with granting them unique effects.
This isn’t the case with Resident Evil Village, where newer weapons are often clearly better than their predecessors. Smart players can periodically upgrade their weapons and trade them in for a newer model when appropriate. The Duke’s Emporium is a very player-friendly shop and any weapons players upgrade will have their selling value raised.
By fully upgrading a weapon and then selling to the Duke, players can put the money towards a brand-new gun with immediate upgrades. That said, it’s not wise to give up weapons right away. Resident Evil Village can be challenging on a first playthrough, so it helps to know which guns to hold onto and for how long.
Updated On January 26, 2022, by Jason Wojnar: Resident Evil Village ended up being one of the more memorable experiences of 2021. It was more than just Lady Dimitrescu, too. The entire experience and where it leaves the series at its end makes it one of the best survival horror games in recent memory. The story of Resident Evil Village is not over yet, either. Single-player DLC is on the way, though details are currently sparse.
When the DLC comes out, people will likely play through Village one more time. It will help to know what items players can let go of and when is a good time to do so. One good thing to know, though, is that when players sell a weapon, they can buy it back at any time from the Duke with all the upgrades the player previously purchased. It will be more expensive, though, adjusted according to how many upgrades it has. Additionally, it cost more than what it was sold for, so it is not a good way to save money and is more just a way to get some cash after a weapon is obsolete.
Note: The stats for the recommended guns have been included.
LEMI Handgun (After Castle Dimitrescu)
Ethan's starter pistol, the LEMI Handgun, will be his primary weapon heading into Castle Dimitrescu. Although naturally on the weak side, the LEMI makes up for its shortcomings with a high clip count and a decent rate of fire. While it might be tempting to keep the LEMI upgraded and hold onto it, the Handgun starts losing its value by mid-game and never quite recovers.
The fact of the matter is that the LEMI’s damage output is too low for any encounter beyond the Lake, and even that’s pushing things. Players should definitely sell the LEMI once they find the M1911. The Stronghold in particular is a nightmare waiting to happen for anyone still using the LEMI. To find the M1911, head to the Workshop area of the Village after leaving Castle Dimitrescu and enter this code into the safe in the northwest house: 070408. Players should trade in the LEMI immediately after acquiring the M1911 and use the profits for upgrades.
M1911 Handgun (At Heisenberg’s Factory)
The M1911 will be a good friend until the last act. Enemies in the Factory are just too sturdy for the M1911’s damage output. The V61 Custom Handgun unlocks after finding the Duke inside Heisenberg’s Factory and is the strongest pistol in the game.
The V61 Custom Handgun costs 180000 Lei to purchase, but the M1911 should be upgraded enough that trading it in should cover the costs. The V61 might not be quite as good without the upgrades, but it is ultimately a much stronger handgun than the M1911 and will be very useful for the final set of fights. These are the V61's stats:
|
Level 1 |
Level 6 (Fully Upgraded) |
|
|---|---|---|
|
Power |
200 |
250 |
|
Rate of Fire |
0.38 |
0.15 |
|
Reload Speed |
3 |
1.8 |
|
Ammo |
12 |
27 |
There are other pistols players unlock after beating Resident Evil Village for the first time, but V61 remains the best handgun to have. Even if players toy around with some bonus guns, the V61 should always remain in their inventory.
M1897 (After House Beneviento)
The M1897 is found early on in the adventure during the first encounter with the Lycans. It is on the table in the house where there is a hole in the floor. It looks like a classic pump action shotgun and is as a useful friend to the player as any shotgun is in a Resident Evil game.
However, it becomes immediately obsolete once Ethan discovers the W870 TAC Shotgun, which can be found shortly after completing the House Beneviento segment. After completing that segment, there is a house previously covered by vines. Even though the M1897 becomes irrelevant, it is worth upgrading a little because players do have to hold onto it for a while before the W870 comes along.
W870 (Heisenberg's Factory
Just like with the V61 Custom Handgun, meeting the Duke inside Heisenberg’s Factory unlocks the SYG-12 Shotgun for purchase, making the W870 a thing of the past. The SYG-12 Shotgun costs 180000 Lei, but is easily the best Shotgun in the game.
Be sure to have saved up enough money to buy all the best weapons at this point, because it will cost a pretty penny. If players only have enough money for either the SYG-12 Shotgun or the V61, it is recommended to buy the latter because ammo is more plentiful for the pistol. The SYG-12 should be the next item on the shopping list, however. These are the SYG-12's stats:
|
Level 1 |
Level 6 (Fully Upgraded) |
|
|---|---|---|
|
Power |
1160 |
1680 |
|
Rate of Fire |
1.4 |
/ |
|
Reload Speed |
3.5 |
2 |
|
Ammo |
10 |
20 |
M1851 Wolfsbane Magnum (New Game Plus)
The W1851 Wolfsbane Magnum is the strongest gun players are going to find during their first playthrough, but it’s also missable. If one manage to unlock the M1851 Wolfsbane, Use it during bosses and when Ethan is in a bind and during bosses. Feel free to upgrade it too, but just know that something better comes along with New Game Plus in the form of the STAKE.
The STAKE is a hyper-powerful Magnum and might very well be the strongest gun in Resident Evil Village. It packs a wallop, has a high clip count for a Magnum, and has a generous rate of fire. The price is beyond expensive, but an upgraded Wolfsbane will eventually cut the difference. These are the STAKE's stats:
|
Level 1 |
Level 6 (Fully Upgraded) |
|
|---|---|---|
|
Power |
2000 |
4500 |
|
Rate of Fire |
1.3 |
0.8 |
|
Reload Speed |
2.7 |
1.7 |
|
Ammo |
10 |
20 |
Resident Evil Village is available on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC, and Google Stadia.