In the world of entertainment, the sci-fi genre is well-known for its innovation, from its creative storylines, to extraordinary characters and peculiar everyday objects. Another source of innovation in the sci-fi genre is weaponry. Numerous sci-fi films, games, and books depict wars, where some of the most ingenious and creative types of weaponry are used.
Over the years, the gaming industry has let sci-fi fans wield some incredibly cool weapons, that are either awe-inspiring for their incredible power or so bizarre that they make for some hilarious gameplay.
7 Plasma Cutter - Dead Space
The Plasma Cutter is one of the many features of EA's original Dead Space that has since become iconic. The innovative tool was originally designed for mining, though Isaac Clarke uses it to his advantage in the horror game to take down enemies.
The Plasma Cutter has two different modes of fire and is very accurate, making it a great starter weapon in the game. The weapon is particularly good for dismembering enemies limb by limb, which is a key gameplay mechanic in the terrifying sci-fi release. The Plasma Cutter has numerous different designs throughout the gaming series, though every one of them is great fun to use and far cooler than a generic handgun.
Fans of the Dead Space franchise recently received some good news, as the original Dead Space is being remade.
6 Lancer - Gears of War
From one weapon that is great at decapitating enemies to another, the Lancer assault rifle from Gears of War captured the attention of the gaming industry as players were universally shocked when they first saw the gun's built-in chainsaw slice an enemy apart. Whereas the chainsaw death animation in Resident Evil 4 was effective at frightening players, the one in Gears of War was effective at making players feel extremely powerful.
Another strength of the Lancer is that it created some incredibly intense battles in single-player and especially multiplayer, as if two characters simultaneously swing their chainsaws, they will be locked in a button-mashing battle to survive. These chainsaw duels were some of the most adrenaline-pumping bits of gameplay to come out of the seventh generation of home consoles.
5 Groovitron - Ratchet and Clank
Not all sci-fi weapons have to be deadly killing devices, as evidenced by the Groovitron from the Ratchet & Clank series. As the name suggests, the weapon fires out a disco ball that plays some groovy music that enemies can't help but dance along to. The weapon is ideal for occasions when the player is surrounded by enemies.
For those who like the sound of Ratchet & Clank's Groovitron and want to check out similar weapons, then the hilarious Dubstep Gun from the utterly bizarreSaints Row 4 is worth a look. Like the Groovitron, the Dubstep Gun forces those unfortunate enough to be caught in its blast radius to spontaneously dance.
4 Portal Gun - Portal
The Portal Gun isn't just one of the most innovative sci-fi weapons in gaming, it's one of the most innovative and wonderfully executed creations in the history of the sci-fi genre. As the name suggests, the Portal Gun lets players create two portals, which they can move between to move traverse areas with ease.
Initially, the Portal Gun appears to just be a handy tool that lets players solve a series of puzzles. However, as the first game progresses, players will soon use the gun to destroy enemies, and eventually, take down GLaDOS in one of the most memorable boss fights to ever come out of the puzzle genre.
3 Gravity Gun - Half-Life 2
The Half-Life series is beloved for its innovation and creativity, so it should come as no surprise to see the franchise feature on this list.
The Zero Point Energy Field Manipulator (more commonly known as the Gravity Gun) lets players pick up, carry, and launch various items. The tool was designed for lifting heavy and/or dangerous objects, though players in the Half-Life series will use it to kill enemies in incredibly creative ways.
2 Lightsaber - Star Wars
The lightsaber is an obvious choice for this list, given that the sci-fi weapon is a household name in homes all over the globe. Lightsabers are energy swords that can deflect bullets and slice through enemies with ease.
When the first lightsaber battle between Obi-Wan and Darth Vader was shown on the big screen, audiences were in awe and many wished they could wield such an incredible weapon themselves. There are numerous Star Wars games that let players do just that, with Jedi: Fallen Order and Force Unleashed making lightsaber combat particularly satisfying.
1 BFG 9000 - DOOM
The BFG 9000 officially stands for Bio Force Gun as according to the 2005 DOOM film, although that certainly isn't what it's known as among the gaming community.
The BFG 9000, like many weapons in the DOOM franchise, makes players feel incredibly powerful and able to take down any demon that stands in their way. In most DOOM games, a single blast from the BFG 9000 can clear an entire room of enemies, and significantly drain a boss' health bar.
The one downside of the BFG 9000 is that it usually only has one shot and is well-hidden in many of the games. As such, players need to choose when to use their precious BFG ammo wisely and pray that they don't waste the shot.