No More Room in Hell, Shotguns. Close and almost personal.

Shotguns are as much a symbol of the zombie apocalypse as the zombies themselves. Can you blame them? A shotgun up close with the right ammunition would shred a zombie to bits. They can still fire at a distance, though not as accurately as rifles. Of course, one of the dominant reasons for shotguns being used is their availability in stores, at least in the US. Hunting shotguns would be very easy to get ahold of. Since a lot of shotguns can cross-share ammunition it’s all the more incentive to have one. How do they look in No More Room in Hell though?

This article is a part of our series of No More Room in Hell guides.

Also, take a look at a supplement to this guide, which includes statistics for all the guns mentioned in this article.

Your bread and butter, 12 Gauge Shells.

Shotguns in No More Room in Hell

There are currently (v.1.04) four shotguns available. They all share the same ammo type (12 Gauge shells) and all of them are more or less equally effective when it comes to dispatching single or even multiple zombies. Shotguns are a response to big hordes of zombies. When they are scrambling on a stairwell, forcing their way through a door or following you around, shotguns can take out multiple zombies, as long as they stand close enough together. The problem with shotguns is that they are one of the most commonly found firearms during Survival rounds. This means ammo will run out quickly. Although supply drops could bring in some ammo it is likely it will bring in even more shotguns as well.

Remington 870

Remington 870 with 12 Gauge pack and Flashlight next to it.

If you ever felt you need a whole lot of punch in your shotgun, combined with decent ammo capacity, the Remington 870 is your answer, in No More Room in Hell that is. Unlike the other shotguns it sports a massive 9 shell capacity. It makes for an excellent emergency weapon when you have to dispatch a horde of zombies. The problem could arise when you run out of ammo. Reloading the Remington back to its full capacity would take much more time than any other shotgun. Overall though, the Remington is a good choice, as a main or backup weapon. It might have a slightly low rate of fire but if used correctly it will be your zombie-killin’ buddy.

Winchester Super X3

The Super X3. Note the characteristic red body colour.

In my previous gameplay video I criticised the Super X3. Today I am slightly more keen to use it. What is so special about the Super X3? Unlike all the other shotguns it does not have to be “reloaded” after each shot. This means you can fire off all six shells with quick mouse clicking, taking out a big horde at close proximity faster than all the other shotguns. It does have only a capacity of six shells though, making it look like a Mossberg 500 but with a much higher rate of fire. It is a good emergency weapon, since you can quickly fire off a lot of shells. At the same time you could waste your ammo when you forget to aim properly. Remember, aim for the heads, and pull the trigger (multiple times).

Mossberg 500

Mossberg 500

When you look at the previous two shotguns you might think the Mossberg 500 is the “Average Gun”. It has a six shell capacity, like the Super X3, and has to be “reloaded” after each shot, like the Remington. Does this make it an inferior shotgun? It is still a shotgun, which means it is as effective in zombie killing as the previous two. It might lack the rate of fire or capacity of its brothers but it will defeat a horde when used properly. Anybody using the Mossberg has to remember to aim and keep the right distance to the zombies. It might not be the best weapon, but it is certainly a good weapon.

Beretta SV10 PERENNIA

Beretta SV10 PERENNIA

If you went duck hunting you would take this shotgun. The problem is that in this case the ducks are zombies that charge toward you, and do not run away. The Beretta has the same firepower of the other shotguns but it has one major flaw, a two shell capacity. In the heat of the moment instead of firing off shells at zombies you will be reloading. It might be a good weapon when you have plenty of space to move around in, but during an emergency it will become your downfall. It might have a good rate of fire but once you fire those two shells you will have to reload. Another problem with the Beretta is that when you find it in the “wilds”, before any Supply Drop comes in, it is likely it will have only one shell or none at all. Unlike the other shotguns, which will always have a few shells in them, the Beretta could end up being used as an improvised club.

Summary

Shotguns offer good firepower, even if most of them suffer from a low rate of fire. There is an interesting choice of shotguns, allowing a player to decide between capacity and rate of fire. As mentioned before your main concern will be ammo. It’s enough if there are two shotguns on the map for all the 12 gauge shells to disappear. Since more shotguns often appear in Supply Drops it will not help the shortage in any way. All in all though, if you must fight a zombie with something the shotgun is not a bad choice. Perfect for hordes and close encounters.