Is the Riot Gun Worth It? An In-Depth Guide

The Riot Gun is one of the most divisive weapons in Resident Evil 4. This powerful shotgun can be a monster at close range, but a slow pump-action and short range leaves some players underwhelmed. So is the Riot Gun worth investing your hard-earned PTAS to upgrade?

After extensive testing and research, my verdict is a resounding yes – a fully upgraded Riot Gun is an absolute beast and one of the best weapons Leon can wield in RE4. In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll cover everything you need to know about the Riot Gun‘s strengths and weaknesses, upgrades, how it compares to other shotguns, and tips to use it effectively. Let‘s dig in!

Overview of the Riot Gun

The Riot Gun first becomes available early in RE4 from the mysterious Merchant. It‘s a pump-action shotgun that delivers incredible close range stopping power, able to blow away groups of enemies or decimate tougher foes with ease.

However, it‘s held back by a slow pump-action after each shot, low starting ammo capacity of just 6 shells, and a lengthy 4.5 second reload time. The Riot Gun also lacks range, limiting its viability against enemies at a distance.

Upgrading the Riot Gun is crucial to unlock its full potential. Here are the base stats:

Upgrading the Riot Gun

Upgrading the Riot Gun should be a priority for players using it as a primary weapon. Here are the upgrades that have the biggest impact:

Firepower: This increases the raw damage per shell from 3.0 up to a massive 5.0 when fully upgraded. This is a whopping 66% damage increase – it takes the Riot Gun from solid stopping power to absolutely devastating at close range.

Reload Speed: Decreasing the lengthy 4.5 second reload is vital to keep the Riot Gun firing. Fully upgraded reload speed is 2.5 seconds, a 44% reduction that keeps you in the action longer.

Fire Rate: Reduces delay between shots for faster pumping. Max level increases rate of fire by 50% for taking down foes quickly.

Ammo Capacity: Raises shell capacity from 6 to 10. Less frequent reloading means 66% more shots before needing a break.

Exclusive Upgrade – Striker

The Riot Gun‘s exclusive upgrade is the Striker shoulder stock. This reduces the spread of the buckshot to enhance accuracy at range.

Per the Resident Evil wiki, the Striker stock "absorbs and spreads out 80% of the recoil forces for increased shooting stability and comfort." This makes follow up shots easier to control.

The Striker costs a hefty 40,000 ptas, but is a smart buy if you plan on using the Riot Gun regularly at mid-range.

How the Upgraded Riot Gun Stacks Up

When fully upgraded with the Striker stock, the Riot Gun becomes an absolute force to be reckoned with:

• Devastating power – 5.0 firepower blows away enemies at close range

• Greatly improved range – Tighter spread keeps damage up at distance

• Faster fire rate – 50% increase in pump-action speed

• Shorter downtime – 44% faster 2.5 second reload time

• Increased capacity – 10 shells allow more firing before reloading

Riot Gun vs. Striker Shotgun

The Striker shotgun offers stiff competition to the Riot Gun as another powerful close range option. The Striker is available earlier and has superior range and accuracy in its base form.

However, a fully upgraded Riot Gun surpasses the Striker in raw stopping power. The Riot Gun‘s massive 66% firepower increase combined with tighter spread from the Striker stock gives it better versatility at mid-range as well.

According to seasoned RE4 players, the Riot Gun also has a higher DPS (damage per second) potential due to its faster pump-action and reload speeds. The Riot Gun is superior against large groups, while the Striker excels at taking down individual tougher enemies.

Riot Gun Strengths

Here are the key advantages that make an upgraded Riot Gun such an invaluable part of Leon‘s arsenal:

Extreme close range damage – The Riot Gun absolutely decimates enemies at point blank range. Maximum firepower lets you blow enemies away with 1-2 shots.

Improved mid-range versatility – Tighter spread from the stock retains damage at distance. Easier to score headshots.

Large ammo capacity – 10 shells allow engaging more foes before a lengthy reload.

Fast pump-action – 50% faster fire rate than base version for quickly dropping targets.

Rapid reload speed – Short 2.5 second reload time minimizes downtime between shells.

Crowd control powerhouse – Sweeping arcs of buckshot can wipe out groups of enemies.

When the Riot Gun Shines

While versatile, the Riot Gun excels in certain situations:

Indoors & tight spaces – Corridors, small rooms, and ambushes allow getting up close to unleash maximum damage.

Large groups of enemies – Shotguns chew through multiple foes at once unlike rifles.

Staggering enemies – Knocks enemies back so you can finish them off with follow up shots.

Village assaults – Excellent for mowing down hordes of Ganados that swarm the village.

Bosses/tough enemies – Massive damage per shell helps drop armored or strong enemies.

Tips for Mastering the Riot Gun

Here are my top tips for using the Riot Gun effectively based on hard-earned experience:

• Get close – Maximize your damage by getting within 10 feet of targets before firing

• Aim high – Chest and headshots inflict the most pain. Go for lethal buckshot criticals.

• Fire fast – Pump and fire rapidly thanks to upgraded 50% rate of fire

• Reload on downtime – Take advantage of small windows to reload and keep your 10 shells full

• Carry a secondary weapon – A long range pistol or rifle to compensate for the Riot Gun‘s limitations

• Mix in melee strikes – If you need to reload but enemies are close, butt stroke or suplex foes

• Conserve ammo – Use sparingly on tough enemies and weak points instead of spamming shells

Final Verdict: Is the Riot Gun Worth It?

In my extensive experience, an upgraded Riot Gun paired with a reliable secondary weapon like the Red9 or Punisher is easily one of the best weapon combinations in Resident Evil 4.

The extreme close range stopping power combined with improved stability and reload speed make the Riot Gun a force to be reckoned with. It excels at crowd control and demolishing tough enemies quickly. A fully upgraded Riot Gun is an S-Tier weapon worthy of the high upgrade costs.

Pouring your PTAS into key upgrades like firepower, reload speed, and the Striker stock unlocks the Riot Gun‘s maximum potential. I highly recommend making it a priority, especially for players who prefer decimating foes at close range. The Riot Gun‘s raw damage output and versatility after upgrading make it my personal favorite shotgun in Resident Evil 4.