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Xbox exclusive back in 2013, Scorn and its First-Person Survival Horror elements are available in full display through intricate puzzles and intense action. The weapons in particular complement Scorn's philosophy to disturb players through emphasized body horror that translates to every aspect of gameplay.
The combat in Scorn is rather unique, leaning into survival more than action as ammo can be extremely limited for the four distinct weapons players may find along the course of the main narrative. Conserving resources pairs with slow, methodical planning to overcome Scorn's myriad of disgusting enemies. Even with new weapons being unlocked later in Scorn to make certain encounters more manageable, no tool in the game acts as a crutch for players to lean on, a stark contrast to a weapon such as the Infinite Rocket Launcher from Resident Evil 3: Remake.
As Scorn becomes more difficult after some progression, there are some enemies that are easier to defeat with certain weapons in comparison to others. However, in line with the pacing of Scorn, weapons take a good amount of time to switch between, once again incentivizing players to be careful in every dangerous encounter. Despite the puzzles that make up other sections of story Acts in Scorn, enemies are varied enough to warrant quick thinking when circumstances become dicey.
Finding Every Weapon in Scorn
During the main story of Scorn, the four weapons that are available are not named, for the purposes of this explanation they will be called the Flesh Prod, the Pistol, the Shotgun, and the Grenade Launcher. The truly Gigeresque world of Scorn reflects in these instruments of flesh and bone that oftentimes are just as discomforting as the enemies. Players are able to find each weapon near certain puzzles that define an Act of Scorn, but the systems in place for the weapons are hardly similar.
Stab Enemies with The Flesh Prod
Located near the beginning of the game, the Flesh Prod is given to players right after they exit from the main elevator during Act 1. The display the Flesh Prod sits on lies directly in the center of the room which sees two pathway corridors to the player's left and right. Perhaps more than any other weapon, the Flesh Prod s Scorn as a perfect Halloween game through its repulsive piston that stabs into fleshy enemies before recharging after two extensions. Thankfully, the Flesh Prod has unlimited ammunition, making it a great weapon for players to fall back on should they run out of resources.
Stay at a Safe Distance with The Pistol
Found in Act 3 of Scorn near the Elevator Puzzle, the Pistol acts as the player's first long-range weapon against hard-to-approach enemies. The first weapon players find that needs ammo to operate, the Pistol holds six shots before needing to reload. The animation for reloading the Pistol takes plenty of time, but players who the 14-minute gameplay trailer for Scorn will recognize the importance of using every shot necessary against tougher foes.
Defeat Bosses with the Shotgun
The Shotgun lies near the Maze Puzzle in Act 4, upon an armory rack embedded into a wall. Three slugs of fired bone shrapnel deal devastating damage to enemies in Scorn in a close-range burst before players need to reload. The most challenging opponents throughout the desolation of Scorn's world are capable of being reduced to a pulp through the Shotgun, making it the most effective weapon for taking on the various bosses in later parts of the story.
Solve Puzzles with the Grenade Launcher
The final weapon in Scorn, the Grenade Launcher comes from one of the first bosses of Act 5, acquired directly from its corpse. Scorn adds more similarities to Doom: Eternal with the Grenade Launcher, which fires a biomechanical bomb that explodes after a slight duration. Definitely the weapon with the least ammunition in the game, players must backtrack to the defeated boss to obtain more shots from small racks inside the remains of the former enemy. The Grenade Launcher does provide aid through the puzzles towards the end of the game, but disappointingly comes into the player's possession when there are no more minor enemies to fight.
Overall, the smaller enemies in the game are best dealt with using the Pistol or Flesh Prod, while larger foes are better handled using the Shotgun. The Grenade Launcher may be essential for traveling through the endgame of Scorn, yet players should also be aware that the weapon inflicts damage on the player if not handled with some attention. The reliance on the weapons of Scorn is certainly different from other run-and-gun titles such as Wolfenstein or retro FPS Dusk, but players that find each are able to defend themselves all the same against the monstrous horrors that desire nothing more than to tear them apart.
