2) Flak Cannon – Unreal Series
From the concussive snort of shrapnel shooting from its snout, to the burning hot embers pinpalling around the room as it leaves scattershot destruction in its wake, the Flak Cannon is poetry in motion.
Part shotgun, part launcher, it has made an indelible mark on the Unreal series since its debut in the original 1998 game, and it remains a highlight of every subsequent sequel.
It’s visceral, bloody-minded entertainment and I love it.
1) Gravity Gun – Half-Life 2 And Episodes
Half-Life 2 is a seminal shooter and a work of art, but the entrance of the gravity gun during its sixth chapter – Ravenholm – elevates the game to demi-god status.
Even thirteen years on, the ability to manipulate objects in the world and pelt them at enemies brings with it a kind of visceral joy and Ravenholm is an appropriate stage for the gravity gun’s bow; an abandoned mining town home to the long undead.
Explore its treasures and you’ll find all manner of impromptu weapons waiting at the ready. Just then, with your gravity gun poised and buzzsaw suspended above its electrical tendrils, a shambling monstrosity lurches into view and the cruel brilliance of it all snaps sharply into focus.