KnucklesI actually prefer to use my bare fists for beating people up :-), but if you're truly mad at someone, it's a satisfying sound to hear how the metal cuts their face. Needless to say, your punches are more powerful with knuckles on.
Melee weapons
Screwdriver
Only useful for drilling doors off vehicles.
Hammer
Don't make me laugh!
Knife
Same as screwdriver - not really worth your attention. You have to be really close to your target to use the weapon.
Meat cleaver
Just like the knife - useless.
Machete
Almost as useless as the meat cleaver, but it does more damage.
Baseball bat
Much better, thank you. This weapon really has a great swing and packs a great punch. The only drawback is that you can't sprint with it.
Chainsaw
Great fun to use, but a little clumsy. However, for taking out a group of people, it's second to none. Your wanted level will increase very quickly, through, since it's not exactly quiet like the other melee weapons. You can't even run let alone sprint with this heavy mother either.
Katana (samurai sword)
Definitely the most annoying weapon in the game. The range to your target determines what Tommy does with it, and a swing or strike seems to take forever. Wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole.
Golf club
Almost as good as the knight stick. You can sprint with this one, and has even greater swing than the baseball bat. However, the range to your target is a little more important to land a good blow than with the knight stick.
Knight stick
Now you're talking! This is the only melee weapon I care to carry. Great for knocking down car-thieves, great for pummeling people that annoy you and what's more: you can sprint with it. Just two hits will kill anyone.
Standard equipment for police officers.
Hand guns
Pistol (semi-automatic)
Better than nothing, but it packs no power at all.
Standard equipment for police officers and gang members.
.357 six-shooter
Much better, thank you. Takes out everybody with one single shot! The range is not bad either for a hand gun.
Hand grenades
Grenades
Standard fragmentation hand grenades equipped with a timer. Great fun, but practise is needed to know your range.
Radio triggered grenades
Even more fun! Can only be obtained at Phil's Place after completing the Phil Cassidy missions. Throw one and trigger it when you feel like it by a radio detonator.
Molotov cocktail
Arguably the funniest weapon available in Vice City, and also very unique! Would you believe I once took out a Rhino (tank) with the aid of just two (2!) of these beauties? Unfortunately, you can't buy these and only pick them up in one location.
Shotguns
Shotgun
A great weapon if you have multiple bad guys up close. It also makes a very satisfying sound. However, it does take an awfully long time to reload and people need to be hit twice to buy the farm..
Stubby shotgun
Handles like the shotgun, but this one shoots off five shots instead of three.
S.P.A.S. 12
Apart from the mini gun, there is hardly any weapon capable of putting down multiple baddies close by in a hurry. This baby only needs to be reloaded for each 12 rounds fired.
Sub-machine guns
Tech-60
This packs an absolutely MISERABLE punch. You need to pump some ten bullets into your target before he/she goes down. The only advantage with this one is that you can run while firing.
Mack
Althrough much better than the above mentioned gun, and although it has a great sound, it still doesn't pack a sufficient punch.
Uz-I
Now we're getting somewhere. The Uz-I fires with the fastest frequency of all the sub-machine guns, and it does some descent damage at the same time.
Standard equipment for S.W.A.T. teams.
MP
One is tempted to feel that the Uz-I is the best sub-machine gun, since it has a higher firing frequency. However, there's a reason why the FBI agents prefer the MP. It does INCREDIBLE damage for a sub-machine gun. Most people drop after only two hits, and it even packs enough punch to rip people's heads off, if you aim carefully. I recommend picking one up as soon as it becomes available at the Ammu-Nation in Downtown.
Standard equipment for FBI agents.
Assault rifles
Kruger
There isn't much difference between the M4 and the Kruger, except the M4 has a slightly higher frequency, range and damage than the Kruger. However, make no mistake - the Kruger is a great weapon.
M4
A very scary piece of hardware! Apart from weapons in the Berserker category, this is certainly the best weapon available. Incredible damage, unlimited range and fast loading. No wonder it's the soldiers' choice.
Standard equipment for soldiers.
Berserker weapons
Flame thrower
It's great fun to toast a group of gang members using this baby, but it's so heavy you can only walk with it, and it's useless for anything that isn't up close.
Rocket launcher
Advantage: complete destruction of anything it hits! The only weapon that can take out the police helicopter in one shot.
Disadvantage: completely useless if your target is even near you and it's very heavy too. Also, the rocket takes time to reach its target.
Machine gun
Taking out groups of people with this fabulous badass is great fun. One bullet: presto!
Mini gun
No competition: this is by far the best weapon in Vice City. I consider it inexpandable in some missions. For taking out both vehicles and people at any range, you can always count on the mini gun. Also, it needs no reloading, since it uses a cartridge belt.
Sniper rifles
Sniper rifle
Far inferior to the .308 sniper. Reloading this one is painfully slow but the crosshair is much better than the one on the .308.
.308 sniper
By far the best sniper of the two. It has a seven shot magazine, so you only need to reload for every seven rounds fired. Its laser dot scope is not very good at long range, through.