Firearms are powerful but scarce, especially early in the game. They are best reserved for emergencies, dealing with human enemies, or taking down powerful infected like Volatiles. Types include:
- Pistols: Low damage, high rate of fire, common ammo. Good for headshots on weaker infected.
- Shotguns: Devastating at close range, wide spread. Excellent for crowd control or taking down armored enemies.
- Rifles: High damage, accurate at range. Ideal for picking off human enemies or specific infected weak points.
- Submachine Guns: High rate of fire, good for sustained damage but chew through ammo quickly.
Ammo: Ammo is extremely limited. Scavenge carefully and craft it when possible. Always aim for headshots to conserve ammo. The noise generated by firearms will attract nearby infected, including Volatiles at night, so use them judiciously.