Point is, you’ll need to pack some serious weaponry in Cyberpunk 2077 to make any progress, and CD Projekt RED are more than happy to offer up a huge variety.
We’ll be taking a look at all the fancy sci-fi weapons you can use to carve a path through enemies, be they thugs or VIP security guards. The weapons in Cyberpunk 2077 come in three classifications, which primarily affect ranged weapons only - Power, Smart and Tech. Alongside a large arsenal of guns, you will also have access to some melee weapons, as well as deadly cybernetics built right into your body, which mean that being disarmed could be taken literally in some cases.
Weapon Categories
The three weapon types, as mentioned above, apply to ranged weapons because they denote ammunition type, method of firing and attachments. None of the three are objectively better than the others - they all have different strengths and weaknesses and are effective in different situations.
Power
The closest equivalent to contemporary weapons, Power guns still use combustion to launch hot lead into whatever you point the barrel at. They’re primitive, chomp ammo like there’s no tomorrow, but they’re the more common variant of weapon you’ll see due to accessibility. Since there typically isn’t a lot of fancy tech involved, they’re reliable. Don’t mistake them for basic slug-throwers though - they can be enhanced to deal chemical damage, or fire bullets that impact with enough raw force to stagger opponents.
Smart
Fancy and petite, smart weapons exchange raw power for a tactical advantage and all the high-tech upgrades you can fit on a pistol. Fitted with smart ammunition and automatic targeting devices, you don’t need to be an expert marksman to score headshots with these weapons. Ammo types get a little crazier here, with homing rockets and ricochet bullets that bounce off surfaces, allowing you to hit targets around corners or behind cover.
Tech
The name might make it confusing to differentiate these and Smart guns, but Tech weapons won’t aim instead of you. Most weapons in this category are railguns that use a series of high-powered magnets to accelerate ammo, making them even heavier hitters than Power guns, in some cases. Ammunition can be modified to set whatever it hits on fire, or punch right through armor. While there isn’t any handholding when it comes to aiming, you don’t need to rough it with iron sights. Holographic scopes are available for most guns in this category.
Weapon Stats
Weapons have three main stats that determine their effectiveness and performance in combat, as well as additional attributes the number and nature of which change weapon to weapon. You can use these stats to compare weapons, helping you determine the right one for the right battle. Most of these are only relevant for ranged weapons.
Damage per Second: The raw value of damage each successful hit causes. Rate of Fire: The number of times you can execute an attack with the weapon in a second, meaning shots with guns, “swings” with melee weapons and so forth. Accuracy: How likely the bullet will strike where the targeting reticule is pointing at the moment of fire. Range: The effective distance of the weapon. Beyond this distance performance will decrease. Recoil: The force of the weapon’s kickback, which affects aiming and the time it takes for the weapon to return to its original position. Spread: The rate of bullet spread. Penetration: How deep into materials the bullet will penetrate. Important for penetrating armor and cover, and very high penetration weapons can shoot through opponents to harm multiple with a single shot.
Additional attributes may augment damage values by adding elemental modifiers (thermal, electrical, chemical, etc) or alter other factors, like reload speed and accuracy.
Ranged Weapons
Pistols
Federated Arms Vindicator
DPS: 79 ROF: 8 Accuracy: 12 Range: 9 Recoil: 4 Spread: 4 PNT: 22
Militech M-10AF Lexington
Shotguns
Araska “Ronin” HS8
DPS: 90 ROF: 3 Accuracy: 12 Range: 8 Recoil: 6 Spread: 6 PNT: 33
Budget Arms Blunderbuss
DPS: 90 ROF: 3 Accuracy: 12 Range: 8 Recoil: 6 Spread: 6 PNT: 33
Militech Crusher
Automatic Rifles
Kang Tao Type 41
DPS: 87 ROF: 15 Accuracy: 44 Range: 17 Recoil: 2 Spread: 1 PNT: 12
Militech M-31A1 AICW
DPS: 89 ROF: 10 Accuracy: 34 Range: 13 Recoil: 4 Spread: 5 PNT: 15
SMG
Militech M221 Saratoga
Explosive
Militech PDU-5 Mine
Melee Weapons
Nanowire
A glowing multifunctional cable that can be used as a garrote for stealth kills, a whip/lasso for medium-long range melee attacks or as a hacking utility allowing the use of the Cyberdeck at longer ranges. The Nanowire forms a physical wired connection to the target’s cyberware and can be used to disable implants and cybernetics.
Cyber Katana
Though not seen in any of the public trailers, one of the private gameplay screenings included a partially holographic katana that uses magnetic fields to deflect incoming bullets.
Cybernetics
Mantis Blades
Possibly the most iconic cybernetic weapons in the game due to being part of the 2013 reveal trailer, the Mantis Blades are a pair of retractable swords stored inside the user’s arms. When extended, they are attached to independently movable armatures for quick melee kills.
Cyberdeck
Not a weapon per-se, the cyberdeck is still a highly effective offensive tool. This device allows you to hack the cyberware of your enemies, turning their own cybernetic implants against them, or simply disabling them. This is done by installing virus programs called “daemons” which have various effects on the enemy.
Weapon Glitch: disables weapon functionality, either making it less effective or outright inoperable Reboot Optics: temporarily blinds enemies SOS Signal: triggers an internal SOS which attracts another opponent to their location. Useful for sneaking Force Suicide: compels target to shoot themselves with their own weapon Overheat: overloads cyberwear to cause thermal damage Short Circuit: overloads cyberwear to cause electric damage
