The substantial number of weapons in Rage 2 are scattered throughout the world; here’s where to find all of them. Rage 2 is an open world shooter with a wide variety of objectives to tackle across its expansive wasteland setting. While some objectives are more rote and repetitive than others, some are interesting and exciting, with the highlight being the hidden Arks.
In the lore of Rage, Arks were hidden underground for years and years prior to the apocalyptic asteroid collision that turned Earth into the Mad Max-inspired landscape of the game. They’ve now resurfaced, and it’s up to the player character, Ranger Walker, to open them up and claim the goodies inside. Every Ark contains either a new weapon for Walker, or a new Nanotrite Ability to wreak havoc upon bandits, mutants, and other assorted undesirables. Part of what makes the open world of Rage 2 so compelling is the knowledge that a new Ark might be just around the corner.
The average player will likely find many, but not all Arks during a 15-20 hour playthrough of Rage 2. It’s easy to finish the game without finding them all, so it’s up to players to decide whether they want to consult this guide and increase the number of weapons they possess early on, or take their chances and let their odyssey through the wasteland allocate what it will. With that in mind, here are the locations of every weapon in Rage 2!
Sidewinder Pistol & Ranger Assault Rifle
The player starts out with the pistol, and the rifle is acquired early on during the tutorial. They’re basic projectile weapons, but remain effective throughout the entire game. The Assault Rifle will likely remain most players’ go-to medium/long range weapon, while the pistol’s burst fire makes it a close-range powerhouse when low on shotgun shells; likewise, its single-shot mode serves a similar purpose when low on rifle ammo.
Combat Shotgun
The final of the three guns, which are automatically given to Ranger Walker, is the Combat Shotgun. It’s acquired early during Rage 2’s story while doing John Marshall’s first mission. (There’s a reason Lily encourages Walker to go see him first.) The Combat Shotgun is delightfully powerful, and it gets even better when upgraded with the Far Shot mod, which decreases its bullet spread, leading to better range and even more damage on close targets. When aimed, the shotgun fires a single pellet with significant kickback. And be sure to choose the Speed Loader upgrade over the Magazine Capacity; the reload speed is so fast it more than makes up for the six-shot magazine size.
Smart Rocket Launcher
If ammo for this particular weapon wasn’t so scarce in Rage 2’s open world, the Smart Rocket Launcher would easily be a go-to main weapon. It’s so powerful that it vaporizes most enemies with a single rocket. However, its true strength lies in its secondary fire, which splits the rocket into multiple mini-rockets that can then lock-on to multiple targets. Those rockets create a massive wall of explosions which can impact the frame-rate on even the best systems. The Smart Rocket Launcher is located in the Strongbox Ark, in the Torn Plains. It’s just a little bit north of the Chazcar Derby track, and south of the Old Mall.
Grav-Dart Launcher
The Grav-Dart Launcher is a weapon that’s more for fun than practical use, though it can certainly create a spectacle if used in conjunction with explosives or heights. First, the Launcher shoots darts into an enemy with the right trigger, and then the left trigger causes said enemies to be pulled into wherever the gun is pointed when the left trigger is pressed. It’s a bit like the Magnet Gun from Red Faction: Armageddon. The combat is so fast in Rage 2 that the Grav-Dart Launcher is more of a novelty than a viable weapon, much like the series’ iconic Wingstick, but it’s still a blast to use against small groups of weaker foes. To find the Grav-Dart Launcher, head to the Needle Falls Ark in The Wilds. It’s to the southwest of Dreadwood, the main settlement of the region.
Firestorm Revolver
Similar to the Grav-Dart Launcher, the Firestorm Revolver is more of a fun way to torture enemies than a weapon that can be relied on for high-level encounters. The right trigger fires incendiary slugs, and the left trigger detonates them. Like the Grav-Dart Launcher, the “time-to-kill” on the Revolver is just too slow for it to be functional in most encounters - that is, except for its Overdrive mode. All weapons have an Overdrive mode which supercharges their firepower, but the Firestorm is one of the few that significantly changes the weapon’s fire mode. In Overdrive, the Firestorm Revolver’s slugs detonate on impact, making for a much stronger and more entertaining spectacle. Look for this one in the Dank Catacombs Ark in the Sekreto Badlands, to the northeast of the region’s Mutant Bash TV location.
Hyper-Cannon
Rage 2 doesn’t have a dedicated sniper rifle weapon, though the Ranger Assault Rifle can usually take care of business at medium-long range. After all, this is the type of game that favors holding the trigger down until everything is dead more than lining up precise shots and behaving efficiently. The closest Rage 2 comes to a true precision weapon is the Hyper-Cannon. It can be fired from the hip, but aiming charges up a powerful shot which can pass through multiple enemies. It can be used to snipe enemies from long distances, but its penetrative power makes it a reasonable alternative to the shotgun when swarmed by multiple mutants at close range. The Hyper-Cannon can be found at the Greenhaven Ark in the Wilds. It’s the northern-most Ark in the game, and it’s defended by a giant mutant boss encounter, so come prepared!
Charged Pulse Cannon
The standard Assault Rifle has an impressive fire rate and excellent stopping power, but it can’t hold a candle to the wicked might of the Charged Pulse Cannon! This laser gun can turn enemies into smoldering skeletons, which is as gross as it is satisfying. The only downside is the overheating mechanic, but that can be dealt with by firing in small bursts and investing in upgrades, which make the weapon even more tactical and fun to use. Players looking for the Charged Pulse Cannon can find it in the Shrouded Vault Ark located in the eastern area of the Dune Sea region. It’s one of the more out-of-the-way Arks, and only inquisitive explorers are likely to find this one without a little outside help.
Premium Weapons
The final two weapons in Rage 2 are the BFG-9000 and the Settler Pistol. The Settler Pistol was a pre-order bonus, and the BFG-9000 is only available to those who purchased the Deluxe or Collector’s editions of the game. The Settler Pistol is a reward for completing a pre-order exclusive mission, “Cult of the Death God.” This mission becomes available after doing the first mission for John Marshall in the town of Gunbarrel.
The BFG-9000, meanwhile, is pretty much delivered to the player without any context. Upon first leaving the walls of Vineland, the player will receive a message indicating the location of the classic Doom weapon. Then, it’s as simple as waiting for the meteorite to crash land. Inside, only for premium players, is one of the most legendary guns in the history of gaming.
Rage 2 is a sandbox of destruction, with endless bandit camps full of raiders and other bad guys. While the average player can conquer the wasteland with little more than the Assault Rifle and Combat Shotgun, it can be even better to bring justice to the untamed past-apocalyptic frontier using a variety of exotic weaponry. Now, go out there and find those guns!
Next: RAGE 2 Guide: Tips, Tricks, & Hints to Know Before You Play
