The world of gaming is a vast one, but one of the popular genres with the most influence on video games was undoubtedly Sci-Fi. From some of the deadliest alien species known to humans to weapons capable of destroying entire worlds, there are no limits to what Sci-Fi game creators can come up with.
Although some of the bad boys on our list pack quite the punch, we won’t focus on interplanetary weapons of mass destruction today. Instead, we’ll be taking a look at some of the most iconic Sci-Fi weapons in gaming history. Some of the entries on our list are devastating, while others are quite practical or even outright silly. But one thing is certain — all of these weapons are unforgettable!
8 Sci-Fi Weapons From Video Games Everyone Remembers Fondly
Here are our picks for the eight most memorable Sci-Fi weapons in video gaming in no particular order:
1. BFG 9000 (Doom Franchise)
Is there a better way to start our list than with the BFG from the Doom franchise? This big boy is literally called a Big F*ckin’ Gun! This annihilator of demons first appeared in the original Doom (1993) and was a revolutionary weapon at that time. In fact, players loved it so much that it was featured in every single Doom title from then!
This huge blaster is recognizable by its bulkiness and giant green balls of plasma for bullets. A single shot from this monster was enough to disintegrate any non-boss demon in the game! Once you get your hands on the BFG, you’re ready to rip and tear!
2. Gravity Gun (Half-Life 2)
Every old-school gamer knows and loves the Half-Life franchise; some love it for the gameplay, others for the memes, but the biggest gaming connoisseurs love it for its weapons! Perhaps one of the most iconic ones is the infamous Gravity Gun, officially known as the zero-point energy field manipulator.
What does this weapon do? You can probably already guess — defy the laws of physics! Aside from allowing the players to go bonkers by hauling objects at their enemies left and right and picking up and throwing live foes around like ragdolls, this weapon is pure and crazy fun! Hell, you can even pick up pure energy and condense it into a ball with which you can disintegrate enemies! Oh, and did we mention it also has a more practical purpose? You’ve guessed it — it’s Gordon’s trusty puzzle-solving companion!
However you decide to use the Gravity Gun, you’re in for one heck of a time!
3. Farsight XR-20 (Perfect Dark)
Are you sick and tired of wall hackers when playing shooter games online? If that’s the case, you’re going to experience severe PTSD from Farsight XR-20! One has to wonder who on Earth would think that adding this weapon into the game and allowing it in multiplayer was a good idea!
What does Farsight XR-20 do? It’s a sniper rifle with homing bullets! Yeah… but wait — there’s more. This gun is literally an in-game wallhack since its X-ray scope can see through walls. Scary enough? Not quite… Farsight XR-20 can also shoot through walls!
If you get your hands on this gun, you’ll have buckets of fun camping a far-side corner of the map, shooting down enemies like pigeons! But be warned — if you happen to be on the receiving end of this bad boy, you’d better pray that the one wielding it doesn’t have many bullets!
4. Fatman (Fallout Franchise)
Fatman is an iconic weapon to the Fallout franchise and has been present in each of the Fallout games since fans loved it! Fallout’s post-apocalyptic world is a dangerous place, but nothing is as deadly as this big boy! Hell, not even the player themselves is safe from it!
What is it that makes the Fatman so powerful? Perhaps it’s the fact that this weapon is literally a portable nuclear bomb! That’s right — this rail-like gun launches miniature nukes at foes and is capable of devastating entire hordes of enemies in a single shot. So be warned — handle this gun with care if you want to remain in one piece!
5. The Omni-Tool (Mass Effect Franchise)
Omni-tools come in many shapes and forms throughout the Mass Effect franchise — from blades capable of cutting even through the thickest of carapaces to computer hacking tools and lasers with surgical precision. Just as the name implies, the Omni-tool is a versatile weapon and a tool that helps players throughout their journey. This multi-functional gadget can cut up aliens, scan computers, and even includes a minigame you can play to pass the time! Although the Omni-tool can’t necessarily wreak havoc on swarms of enemies, it is unique enough to have made this list of best Sci-Fi weapons in gaming.
6. The Redeemer (The Unreal Franchise)
The Redeemer is the ultimate weapon of the Unreal franchise. The gun is so beloved that it has earned itself a spot in all the game’s installments. This doomsday weapon of mass destruction packs quite the punch as it can immediately kill any players unfortunate enough to find themselves in its blast radius (which is pretty large, if we might add!).
This ultimate death machine is bulky and rare, but once you get your hands on it, it does its name justice! Aside from its incredible firepower, the best part of this bad boy is that you can remotely control the rocket it fires and squeeze it in the most unexpected of places! Did your enemies fortify themselves inside a building? Have no fear; the Redeemer is here!
Be warned, though — this weapon is NOT suited for close-quarters combat unless you want to join your foes in the afterlife!
7. Portal Gun (Portal Franchise)
Although the portal gun is not considered a deadly or destructive weapon, it’s undoubtedly one of the most memorable ones on our list! Can you imagine anything more powerful than the ability to create portals and travel incredible distances in a matter of seconds? We bet there’s no gamer out there who hasn’t wished for an ability like that!
And if you think that the portal gun is too tame for this list — think again. The weapon is as powerful as its wielder — if you’re imaginative enough, you could use it to destroy things all the time. Just recall how Portal 2 ended, and you’ll see its hidden potential!
8. The Bane (Borderlands 2)
Although it’s quite challenging to pick a single weapon out of over 17,000 different weapons Borderlands 2 has, we have to argue that none is more memorable than The Bane! This gun is also known as “the most annoying gun in the world,” and for a good reason.
Players get this Hyperion weapon as a quest reward after a lengthy quest chain in which they search for the legendary cursed weapon, The Bane, all across Pandora. Cursed, you say? Precisely — and not in a good way!
What’s unique about this weapon is that the gun reduces the player’s movement speed to a crawl when wielded and lets out the most annoying screaming sounds you can imagine when you shoot it! Although Bane’s destructive power is nothing to write home about, this gun’s unique curse is what makes it one of the most memorable Sci-Fi weapons of all time!
How did you like our list? What were your favorite entries? Are there any other weapons you’d add to it? Tell us in the comments below! Until next time, happy shootin’!