Weapons are like snowflakes, no two are alike. Wait, scratch that. Most weapons in games are so similar there’s arguably no difference between them. There are of course exceptions to this and I’m happy to run through some of them with you.
I am listing my Top Ten Weapons from games, now these weapons may not be the most powerful but they are the ones that have stood out to me over the years.
So strap in, lock and load and prepare for this week’s Top Ten.
No. 10
Thunder Hammer – Warhammer 40K Space Marine
I might be a little biased here as I do love the 40K games. That being said, you can’t tell me that out of the wide range of weapons available in the games that the Thunder Hammer doesn’t top them all. The massive electrified sledgehammer makes short work of anyone that gets too close.
No. 9
Shrink Ray – Duke Nukem
The Shrink Ray in Duke Nukem doesn’t do any damage by itself. What it will allow you to do however, is shrink enemies to the size of action figures and simply stomp on them. The sheer absurd and impractical nature of the weapon speaks to the simpler times of the Duke. Hail to the king baby.
No. 8
Fatboy – Fallout 3
War never changes, and neither do rocket launchers. In Fallout 3 you can use the absurdly powerful “Fatboy”. And if you load this sucker with a mini nuke you better aim far away, it is a fantastically destructive weapon and you may find more than the odd piece of collateral damage.
No. 7
Custom Shotgun – Resident Evil 2
It’s a safe bet that in a zombie game one of your best friends will be your trusty shotgun and it is certainly the case in Resident Evil 2. Your Boomstick will carry you through the apocalypse and it asks for so little in return, until the later stages of the game when you can find the custom shotgun kit. You put this puppy on your shotgun and your it transforms from a helpful handheld weapon into a weapon of mass decapitation. The power of the Custom Shotgun is staggering and will send your character hurtling backwards with the recoil. Hell yeah!
No. 6
Lancer – Gears of War
What’s not to love about the Lancer? It’s a machine gun with an amazing rate of fire and it packs a punch. The best thing about the Lancer isn’t the fire power, oh no, it’s got a CHAINSAW bayonet! There’s just something special about ripping your foe into bloody chunks.
No. 5
Gravity Gun – Half Life 2
I’m sure this will be on every top ten weapon list that has been made since Half Life 2 was released in 2004. I think it deserves a place on my list simply because of its uniqueness. The formula has been copied since but at the time it was mind blowing to be able to pick up almost any item lying around the world and turn it into a weapon.
No. 4
Flak Cannon – Unreal Tournament
I think we can all agree that shotguns are pretty good weapons in most games, but what is cooler than a shotgun? Shotguns with ricocheting rounds and an explosive fire mode of course, and that’s exactly what you get with the Flak cannon. This gun gave me ultimate bragging rights every time I picked it up so it’s only fair to give it the recognition that it deserves.
No. 3
Handgun – Halo
The original Halo Combat Evolved Handgun is, without exception, the most over-powered weapon in any game of its generation. Not only did this gun have enough fire power to take on even the most badass of enemies, not only did it have a scope and pin-point accuracy but it was also the very first weapon you get in the game. There was not a situation that the Handgun couldn’t cope with, just so long as you keep it loaded.
No. 2
Gunblade – Final Fantasy VIII
The Gunblade from Final Fantasy VIII is possibly the coolest weapon I have ever laid my eyes on. It is a kick ass sword with a built in revolver. ‘Nuff said.
No. 1
BFG – Doom
Okay, this is probably an obvious choice but I can’t help but remember the awe I felt when I first witnessed the BFG in action. For its time it had huge fire power, excellent range and would make sure anything in the direction you were facing would die. I remember the giddy feeling when the abbreviation was first explained. This was the start of unique and new weapon configurations. And yes, it is a Big F**king Gun.
So there it is folks, Tickles top ten weapons. They may not be the best killing machines the gaming industry has to offer but each and every one of them has that, “je ne sais quoi”, that something special that has made them eternally endearing