There are a lot of signature weapons in games. Guns in games are probably the most prolific genre there is. Picking the right weapon can make all the difference. With all the endless choices, we tried to find weapons that were either iconic for a game or character, or weapons that are unique enough to be noticed by gamers when they come back for seconds. After all, most every gamer has a weapon that they prefer to use in their favorite games. Guns are no exception. These are the 10 guns that we think highly of, for reasons all our own. If you have a gun in games that you like, let me know in the comments section.
10. Betelgeuse
Final Fantasy XII
The signature weapon of Balthier, this is a gun that is much cooler looking than powerful. In fact, guns in that game are the most useless weapon. However, this weapon has a cool factor all its own. Given the fact that Balthier is a pirate, there is something so outlaw-esque about this gun. It was the reason that I always wanted to have him keep his weapon style – because it just looked so cool on him. This is definitely style over substance, but even soon, the substance is quite something.
9. Ebony and Ivory
Devil May Cry
Like the weapon above, there is SO much cool factor with these two iconic pistols. They are the one of the signature weapons of Dante, second only to the sword, Oblivion. With Dante’s skill in gunplay, he is able to dance and use his guns in a way that is completely ridiculous, but you can’t help loving. Seemingly unable to run out of bullets, they were weapons that the player uses the way they were meant to be – as secondary weapons. Something to back up your sword. Given the combo-centric nature of combat in the Devil May Cry series, use of these two weapons, which are not especially powerful, must be done with careful consideration. Especially if you want to keep your score up.
8. Ripper
Dead Space
Dead Space is probably the only game that glorifies just how gory it can be. To be efficient at killing necromorphs, you must learn to strategically dismember them. A grotesque are that one learns to use well, if you want to not have to spend all your credits on health packs. And when it comes to doing that with efficiency, it doesn’t get much better than the Ripper. Originally designed to be used when exploring planets, to cut down any plant life that may be blocking a person, the Ripper is re-purposed by Isaac Clark as a combat weapon. And boy does it do well! Using kinetic energy to hold a spinning saw blade out in front of the user of the weapon, it can slice and tear through human or undead flesh like it’s nobody’s business. Arguably the most useful weapon of a very unusual game.
7. Spinfusor
Tribes
Tribes is a unique game. There is absolutely no plot. It is a multiplayer-only game which is based on the idea of insane movement. For real, the pace of this game is fast, very fast. Jetpacks and ground boosters mean that everybody is moving fast across the board. The Spinfusor is a neat combination of a sniper rifle and a rocket launcher, sending a spinning projectile that looks like a sawblade shooting at a target. It is a weapon that a very skilled person uses well. To be able to hit an airborne target with it, is a rare pleasure. Aside from the mortar, the Spinfusor is iconic in the series, and a very cool gun to boot.
6. Portal Gun
Portal
Not all guns have to be exclusively for killing. Some guns can have all sorts of purposes. In the cases of the iconic weapon from Portal and Portal II, they can be used to solve puzzles. This weapon can create a portal between places, with one firing option creating the first portal, and the other creating its companion. With it, you can link two places where the gun can fire. The protagonist of the series uses it to solve puzzles set up by the villains of the series, along with random situations that she finds herself in. This weapon cannot be used offensively, but its iconic nature, not to mention the fact that it has become the source of a lot of funny pictures. My favorite is the Portal Christmas tree.
5. Cerberus
Final Fantasy VII
Another iconic gun, this is the main weapon of Vincent Valentine. A three-barreled weapon, it has a quality about it that could just be so much more awesome! Alas, this weapon only ever got to shine in a very sub-standard game, Dirge of Cerberus. Still, this weapon is very cool. Should cool factor make it get this high on the list? I think so, especially if there was potential for something better. If Square Enix ever wises up and gives us a proper remake of Final Fantasy VII, they should give the battle system a little bit more dynamic action, so we can put that gun to use in more interesting ways. I loved how it was used in Advent Children, firing under the cloak-form that Vincent was using. Little touches like that would go a long way to making this gun a lot more versatile. As it stands, I get the feeling that a round from this would blow through a tank. Just sayin’.
4. Cerebral Bore
Turok II: Seeds of Evil
It kills me that the reboot of this franchise was so terrible. The Turok games were violent as fuck, totally unapologetic and had some of the most interesting guns ever. For real, it was actually a close one between this weapon and the vomit arrow from Turok Evolution. However, the Cerebral Bore took it. The gun fires a round that strikes into the skull of the target. Once it hits home, then the fun begins. The round drills through the skin and bone and then starts spewing out brain tissue as it bores into the brain. Once in the center, it explodes, taking the head off and leaving a bloody stump where it stood. The problem with this gun and its effects is that it was back in the days of the N64. Square pixels and gore that didn’t look very realistic. Admit it – if you had a chance to see this weapon in high def with modern effects, you would be all over that. It would be so revolting, but you wouldn’t be able to help but enjoy how disgusting it is. That kind of potential, I like it. Hey Nintendo, when you’re done making almost no games for the Wii U, how’s about you do not a reboot of Turok, but a remake. That would do us fine.
3. Gravity Gun
Half Life
Since the main character of this series is a physicist, it only makes sense that the most interesting weapon in the game should put physics to work. This is a gun that can pick up and launch projectiles at enemies. The neat thing about this is that it is only limited to your imagination. You can launch tons of stuff at enemies. When you can pick up a saw blade and carve a foe in half, that is just the sweetest feeling.
2. Arm Cannon
Metroid (Series)
It was a tough choice between this weapon and the arm cannon from Megaman. However, it is the cannon of the Power Suit that made the cut. The biggest reason is because of how versatile the weapon is. My favorite version is the Metroid Prime version. The cannon has the basic shot, a charged shot. It can be augmented with TONS of different weapons. In Metroid Prime 3, it becomes even more versatile. It can be given different elements, different energy sources from different dimension. It can even fire raw phazon energy. Given that it’s only one gun, the fact that it has this many functions makes one wonder if the entire suit its connected to is just the same. You only ever get to play around with a couple of the suit’s functions. A pity we didn’t get to see how much it could handle.
And the greatest weapon in gaming is…
1. The BFG
Doom
Come on! What did you think it would be?! It’s the mother-effing BFG! The Big Fucking Gun! The ultimate demon destroying device that can blow up almost any hellspawn in one hit. Not only that, but the immense splash damage means that you can clear entire rooms of them with a single shot. Firing a massive oozing stream of energy, nothing stands up to this gun. The BFG – the ultimate weapon of mass destruction.
Until next time, a quote,
“He would be like, ‘that’s not a knife, this is a knife!’ Then I would be like ‘yeah, and this is a gun, bitch!'” -Dave Chappelle
Peace out,
Maverick
Lucien Maverick's Den 