Resident Evil 2 Guide: How To Get The Shotgun & Grenade Launcher

There’s only one of you and countless victims of various viruses in Resident Evil 2, meaning that you’re going to have to be scrimping for every piece of ammo you can get. After a while, however, the default pistol will only take you so far — you’re going to need some better firepower. That’s where the Shotgun and Grenade Launcher come in handy in Resident Evil 2.

The Shotgun, officially named the W-870, is only usable by Leon, and the Grenade Launcher, officially named the GM 79, is only usable by Claire. The latter probably has the better half of the deal as the Grenade Launcher is a life-saver towards the end of the game, but a headshot with the Shotgun is more than enough to help Leon dispatch of most enemies.

It’s important to note that this guide to help you find the Shotgun and Rocket Launcher in Resident Evil 2 is only intended for your first run — the location of the keycard changes in the 2nd run to a place where you will just naturally bump into it. Likewise, you may have to make some progress in the story before you can acquire either weapon due to certain areas being locked off.

First off, you need to find the Art Room, which is located on the east side of the Police Station on the second floor. For reference, it’s right near where the helicopter crashes near the start of the game.

Once you’re in the Art Room, approach this table and pick up the keycard (I stupidly took a screenshot for this guide after I had picked it up). This is the same room you will need to help you unlock the MAG and Uzi in Resident Evil 2, though that’s a far more convoluted task.

Here’s where the Art Room is on the map for reference.

Once you have the keycard, you need to venture on over to the east side of the first floor of the Police Station and enter the Safety Deposit Room, which is where you will also find the terminal to unlock the “lesser” lockers but will need the two missing buttons beforehand to unlock them all; one of them contains a vital Hip Pouch.

The weapons are located at the far end of the room behind the biggest locker, weirdly enough called Weapons Locker. Simply walk up to the locker, use your keycard, and then take the respective weapon along with some ammo.

Here’s where the Safety Deposit Room is on the map for reference.

Here is the Shotgun but with some added modifications that can be found the further into the game you progress.

“8-round capacity 12-gauge pump-action shotgun. Its sturdy steel action makes this popular model reliable and easy to control.”

Here is the Grenade Launcher but with bells and whistles that can be found the further into the game you progress.

“Single-round break-action grenade launched capable of firing both flame and acid rounds. Great for area damage, but slow to reload.” 

Happy hunting/hiding in desperation because you’re out of ammo again.

From our Resident Evil 2 review:

“Resident Evil 2 is, quite simply, one of the best remakes of all-time. Capcom have nailed their new vision of a classic just like they did back in 2002 by modernising a decades old game to feel like something completely fresh. Whether you want to take a trip down memory lane or are just experiencing the disconcerting decadence of the police station for the first time, Resident Evil 2 is the first essential purchase of 2019.”