5 games with the best weapon arsenal (and 5 with the most forgettable weapons)

Games become memorable due to many factors, including story, characters, and unique themes. Some titles, however, are remembered for offering players a unique arsenal of weapons that remain fresh in their minds years after release.

Alternatively, a number of games feature forgettable weapons that can hardly be remembered after a playthrough. This does not mean that these titles are bad, but they could have been enhanced by the addition of some quirky or unique weapon that would have left a lasting impression.

Disclaimer: This listicle is subjective and solely reflects the writer's opinions.

---

Bloodborne and 4 other games featuring exceptional weapons

1) Dead Space Remake

Dead Space Remake has garnered praise for its creepy creature designs, atmospheric levels, and well-crafted story. However, one other reason the original game is revered to date is the iconic Plasma Cutter. Chopping off necromorph limbs to prevent them from savagely attacking Issac is one of the most important things players have to do.

Apart from Plasma Cutter, Dead Space Remake offers a bunch of robust weapons like a Pulse Rifle, Ripper, Flamethrower, Contact Beam, Line Gun, and Force Gun. While this may seem too little, each of the aforementioned weapons is potent in dealing with the necromorphs in USG Ishimura.

---

2) Doom (2016)

Doom’s (2016) reboot revitalized the first-person shooter genre with an exhilarating combat pace and on-the-fly gun switching to deal with enemy waves. A significant part of its success can be attributed to the unique weapons that players can use to mow down demons, the most popular being BFG 9000.

Players can use the Chainsaw to cut the demons in half, blow them up with the Shotgun (fires in two modes), fire bolts/lasers from the Gauss Canon, or unleash a barrage of bullets using the Chaingun. Every weapon can help players even the odds as long as they keep switching their tactics and use the best picks against elite enemies.

---

3) Bloodborne

The weapons in Bloodborne are as unique as the gothic setting of Yharnam. Newcomers to souls-like games will be surprised by the transforming weapons called Trick Weapons. These include a Hunter Axe that can be extended in length, a Kirkhammer, which is a sword in its original form but transforms into a giant hammer, and more.

Players will face threats in every corner of Yharnam, and these Trick Weapons are the only respite from hectic combat scenarios. Bloodborne maintains From Software’s reputation of pitting players against otherworldly bosses and creatures. It does, however, provide the aforementioned weapons along with many others to defeat foes.

---

4) Half-Life 2

Half-Life 2 is one of the most beloved games of all time, and many avid fans still discuss its lore and weapons. While the first game has a great arsenal of weapons, it is Half-Life 2 that expands upon the universe and offers more tools. A majority of fans consider the crowbar to be an iconic weapon.

Half-Life 2 consists of the Gravity Gun, which allows players to pull any object towards them and propel it toward their enemies. There are also other standard guns like the 9mm Pistol, Submachine Gun, AR2 Rifle, Shotgun, and Crossbow.

Half-Life 2 adopts a quality-over-quantity approach, thereby rendering a memorable gunplay experience.

---

5) Devil May Cry 5

Capcom ditched the reboot version of Dante and focused on the fan-favorite version in Devil May Cry 5. Apart from Dante’s signature charm, the weapons are also equally memorable. There are three playable characters in the game: Dante, V, and Nero. Each of them has their own set of weapons.

Dante equips swords like Rebellion, Sparda, and Devil Sword. Players can also wield a bike called Cavaliere as a weapon and execute extremely stylish combos with Dante. Nero can equip the Red Rose sword, Blue Rose revolver, and Devil Breaker attachments for his arm. Meanwhile, V can command his animal companions to defeat demons.

---

Sniper Ghost Warrior 3 and 4 other games with lackluster weapons

1) Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint received some backlash owing to bugs at launch and tons of microtransactions. While it does have a robust gameplay loop that warrants playing the game at least once, its major letdown is the lack of any memorable weapons.

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint was expected to have grounded weapons. This is because it is more reality-oriented and has no fantasy elements. However, standard weapons like rifles, shotguns, and light machine guns rarely managed to strike a chord with players, leading them to abandon the game sooner.

---

2) Sniper Ghost Warrior 3

Sniper Ghost Warrior 3 enables players to approach combat scenarios in three major ways: as a stealthy ghost, by defeating foes from long distances as a sniper, or by rushing into the battle like a warrior. While this helps in varying the gameplay experience, the arsenal of weapons offered is a major letdown.

Though on paper, there are tons of weapons in each category, like Battle Rifles, Pistols, Bows, Shotguns, and Sniper Rifles. The best guns are the ones that belong to the Sniper Rifles category. The rest are mediocre and are liable to remain in obscurity.

---

3) Watch Dogs 2

Watch Dogs 2 features one of the best hacking mechanics in video games and expands upon its predecessor. Players can hack most of the infrastructure in the game’s rendition of San Francisco and take down enemies with Marcus’ (the protagonist) makeshift pool ball-yoyo hybrid termed Thunderball.

However, the weapons in the game are mediocre at best since they are overshadowed by the hacking mechanics. The only great weapons are the 2EZ Stun Gun and the aforementioned Thunderball.

The lack of great weapons can be attributed to the fact that Marcus is only a hacker and not a killer, so the inclusion of guns would be an odd decision.

---

4) Evil Within 2

Evil Within 2 is one of the most underrated survival horror games with excellent creature design. Players are given access to weapons like the Handgun, Flamethrower, Assault Rifle, and Sawed-Off Shotgun.

While these weapons are extremely potent in defeating enemies, they are quite forgettable with no unique perks. They lack appeal as they don't possess any alternate fire modes, perks, innovative designs, or any other gameplay aspect to set them apart from weapons in other games.

While this doesn't hinder the overall game experience, players are liable to feel a void in terms of the availability of interesting weapons.

---

5) Mafia 3: Definitive Edition

Mafia 3: Definitive Edition features a great story with stellar voice acting and is undoubtedly one of the best non-racing games with great car mechanics. It falls short in the weapons department despite featuring options that are faithful to the time period (the 1960s).

Players step into the shoes of Lincoln Clay to exact revenge on Sal Marcano, a mob boss. They can thwart the businesses of each underboss in the city of New Bordeaux by destroying properties and defeating enemies. However, guns like the Barker 390 and the Hartman. 30 are the only memorable weapons in the game, while others pale in comparison to Lincoln’s brutal takedowns.

---

Though weapons aren't the only indicators of good games, they can surely harm the potential of an otherwise robust title. Players inclined to explore more about weapons can check out this article outlining some of the most iconic weapons in games.