First Person Shooter Weapons: Top 9!
SportsFirst person shooter games are usually the most popular and highest rated games. They are certainly some of the highest profile titles out there. But they have brought some of the biggest technological advancements in game engines thanks to that.
Another thing that they have brought over the years is a plethora of interesting and iconic weapons.
Weapons, weapons and more weapons? Well not really!
Some of the weapons are more complex and interesting than something to destroy enemies with. So I thought it would be fun to make a list of my top 9 and why they have stuck in my head for so long.
So, going into number 9…
#9 – The BFG9000 (Doom)
From the first moments that I played Doom I wanted a PC. I only had one wraith at the time, so that was a big jump! I was completely enthralled with the main gun and since I was just in college I found the acronym hilarious.
But let’s face it, this weapon doesn’t just destroy things. It’s pure hype and that’s why we all love it.
#8 – GEP Gun (Deus Ex)
Representing brute force methodology that was not designed for this game, we have the GEP missile launcher from Deus Ex. There were plenty of moments in the game where you ran into a troublesome robot that couldn’t be taken out by the riot bar, reassured. , or even fired from a distance. They did nothing! However, in these situations, the GEP pistol was your friend.
Most of the other weapons and tools were sneaky, but if you just wanted to blast your way through explosions, you needed one of these.
#7 – The Gravity Gun (HalfLife 2)
Physics in games has been with us for quite some time and it’s nothing spectacularly new. However, when this weapon was introduced, it was not as widespread.
It didn’t redefine physics in games, but it took the whole idea to a new level. Instead of just picking things up and stacking boxes, you can defend and attack using radiators, refrigerators, TVs, and anything else you want! However, he wanted more power! Give me the power to pick up cars and throw them into buildings! Ahem, enough of that.
#6 – The Shotgun (Doom)
Shotty has been our trusty sidekick in just about every first-person shooter (yes, the unreal flak launcher is a shotgun, thanks). He has appeared in many guises and guises, but he is always a powerful single shot, with accuracy that is always terrible except at close range.
Although generic, it is also versatile and, for many, the constant weapon of choice.
#5 – The Rocket Launcher (Earthquake)
The series of earthquakes gave us many things. Without the Quake 2 engine, Half-Life might not have existed, for example. However, the gift that Quake really gave us was the ability to Rocket Jump.
This was not the first time the rocket launcher had appeared on our screens, as it existed in Doom and Duke3D, as well as many other games. After all, how could it not be? However, it was Quake who refined it, polished it, and prepared it for our future.
If you’re not familiar with rocket jumping, I suggest you play the trials of the recent browser game Quake-Live, where rocket jumping is essential to progress.
#4 – The Lightsaber (Jedi Knight series)
My friends and I had played the very good game Dark Forces. Inside which you had all the famous weaponry from the Star Wars saga like the Imperial blaster rifle, the Tuscan crossbow, etc… However there was one big omission.
We all wanted to run around with lightsabers, cutting off the arms of Imperial soldiers, and generally forcefully suffocating the world. However, we were out of luck until the sequel was released. And how fantastic it was! It’s not perfect by today’s standards, but it really was excellent for its time. It was probably the main reason to buy a new PC at the time and I was glad! If you haven’t yet swung a lightsaber in some kind of cyber-arena, I highly recommend any of the recent Star Wars fps games!
#3 – Discus Thrower (Tribes)
When Tribes came out, I was still on a dial-up connection and thus racking up huge phone bills as I rocketed through the world of Tribes. The discus launcher is really the iconic weapon of this series and was the bread and butter weapon of any veteran of the tribes. In a way, it’s a stylish rocket launcher.
Soon (or probably now by the time you read this) instant action will launch the original tribes (not the second one, sadly) and we can all bask in their glory once again! Shazbot!
#2 – Portal Gun (Portal)
I’m cheating again! Yes, this is obviously not a weapon, but rather a tool from the fantastic fps puzzle adventure, Portal.
First, if you haven’t played this, then do the following. Stop reading, get Steam (if you don’t already have it), buy Portal, play. Honestly, there is no reason in the world for you not to play this. It is not the best FPS in the world but it is the best alternative FPS made to date.
So why is the portal gun so good? How can you even ask! I dare not even give a rough description of its functionality here. if you don’t know, follow the instructions above. For those of you who know, well… you get it.
#1 – Crowbar (Half Life Series)
Lever, I choose you!
Well, I’m a fan of Half-Life. I will not deny or apologize. This is the iconic weapon of the series and has been retained throughout the series despite the appearance of the Gravity Gun. Once again, I chose this for what it represents rather than its effectiveness in the game.
If you see the silhouette of someone holding a crowbar… well, it could be someone about to break into your house, but it’s more likely Gordon Freeman. This weapon fits the character and to me it represents the best game series ever made.