The Resident Evil 4 Remake has expanded upon the beloved weapon pool and upgrade potential of the original. Every weapon has an Exclusive Upgrade that's unlocked when every upgrade tree on a weapon is completed. With the ever-increasing cost of each upgrade, unlocking the Exclusive Upgrade can prove time-consuming and extremely expensive.
The Merchant has an alternative to this expensive pathway, an Exclusive Upgrade Ticket, costing 30 Spinels, that can give players the hidden perk without dropping a fortune on the upgrades. With so many weapons and so few Tickets, players should be wise about which weapon to spend this luxury item on.
5 W-870
The starting shotgun of Resident Evil 4, and one that packs a mighty punch. The Exclusive Upgrade for this pump-action icon will double its Power stat by 2X. Even a W-870 without being fully upgraded would become a powerhouse of a weapon with this perk equipped to it. Being a starter weapon, the upgrade path for the W-870 is more affordable than later-game weapons, so players will have to decide if keeping the W-870 to justify the Ticket use is their best decision compared to simply buying the upgrades normally.
4 TMP
The TMP is a compact, inaccurate but staggering SMG that competes for the player's automatic weapon slot. The Weapon's Exclusive Upgrade gives a 1.5X multiplier to Power, making a well-upgraded TMP one of the best damage-for-fire-rate guns in the entire game. With special weapons like the SMGs costing far more to upgrade compared to more standard guns, reaching the Exclusive Upgrade is a notably more difficult experience. If the TMP is already a personal favorite, this upgrade is a non-issue of a decision for players to make.
3 Red9
The Red9 is one of two handguns in the game that can have a stock attached, but upgrades are felt more strongly on it than the Matilda. With a 1.5X Power multiplier Exclusive Upgrade, a stocked Red9 can become a second sniper rifle for players, landing devastating critical shots at a noticeable distance. While it takes up a good chunk of room in Leon's suitcase, the power potential of a fully upgraded Red9 should be considered closely for players hoping to do repeat playthroughs.
2 Killer7
The only semiautomatic magnum weapon in the game, the Killer7's Exclusive Upgrade makes the gun's boom even bigger. Already a hard-hitting firearm that makes short work of most enemies in one or two shots, the Exclusive Upgrade applies a 5X multiplier to the magnum's critical hit rate.
All but guaranteeing a critical hit in a fight that lasts longer than a single magnum shot, the Killer7's expensive upgrade tree makes the weapon even deadlier, but demands the player commit to the weapon as one of the few, if not only, weapon upgrade tree they invest into. The Killer7 is already an alluring and enticing power weapon, and using the Ticket to make it even more alluring with no added cost is a tempting offer.
1 CQBR Assault Rifle
An assault rifle is the kind of weapon Leon wishes he had with him from the get-go. The only full-auto rifle in the game, the CQBR in its base form is already a formidable threat, held back by the rarity of Rifle Ammo more than any of its own shortcomings. Its Exclusive Upgrade is a 1.5X Power multiplier, an outstanding spike in power for the 30 Spinels it takes to earn an Exclusive Upgrade Ticket compared to the tens of thousands of pesetas each upgrade takes to maximize. If players want to make short work of special infected, turret enemies and boss fights without risking blowback from explosives, a maxed out CQBR is exactly what they'll need.