Highlights
- Starting weapons in games can vary in strength, with some being too powerful right from the beginning.
- Iconic weapons like the Hunter Bow in Horizon Zero Dawn and the Buster Sword in Final Fantasy 7 have become synonymous with their respective series.
- The Magnum in Halo Combat Evolved and the Plasma Cutter in Dead Space are extremely powerful early-game weapons that can effectively take down enemies.
When the player is given a weapon to start their adventure in most games, it's usually very weak and largely ineffective, but some are a little too strong for their own good. Some of these weapons have the potential to become one of the best in the game so long as players upgrade them, while others are capable of melting enemy health bars right from the get-go, ensuring the protagonist is already one step ahead of the enemies they're about to face.
This isn't exactly a bad thing though since many of these weapons have gone on to become iconic, with some even becoming synonymous with the series they are featured in. While fans are aware of the many bonus weapons that can be found in most games, it's time to look back at the greatest guns, swords, and bows that have gone down in video game history as some of the most memorable and powerful weapons to be gifted to the player right from the beginning of their journey.
7 Horizon Zero Dawn - Hunter Bow
Players will be able to get a feel for the bow mechanics when playing as a young Aloy during the prologue section of Horizon Zero Dawn, and they will be allowed to use it a lot more freely once the game skips to the present day. Sure, there are other bows in the game that Aloy can acquire, which can turn machines into scrap metal a lot quicker than the regular Hunter Bow, but there's no denying that it's still an extremely powerful early-game weapon that is as accurate as it is deadly.
Nearly every machine enemy in Horizon Zero Dawn has a big glaring weak point that Aloy can aim for to multiply the overall damage being dealt. This simple mechanic means the Hunter Bow already starts strong, to the point where Aloy's spear is more or less useless in comparison.
6 Final Fantasy 7 - Buster Sword
The Buster Sword is so much more than just a big rusty block of steel, it's also a weapon that is symbolic of Cloud's journey toward self-acceptance, which is very much at the core of Final Fantasy 7's story. Since Cloud acts as an unreliable narrator for much of the game, the player isn't initially aware that the mighty blade actually belonged to Zack, and that Cloud had been swinging it around in an attempt to fool himself into thinking that he was Zack all along.
Admittedly, the Buster Sword does start to become a little less viable by the time the player escapes Midgar, but before then, it can wipe out foes incredibly easily, especially thanks to its 96% base accuracy, which can keep up with any enemy, no matter how much they like to dodge attacks. Still, it's undeniable that the Buster Sword is an incredibly iconic starting weapon that has become synonymous with the most popular game in the Final Fantasy franchise.
5 Halo Combat Evolved - Magnum
The magnum in the first Halo game became somewhat of a meme many years after the game was released because of just how devastating it was not just for the first few hours, but for the entire game. In the very first mission of Halo Combat Evolved when the Covenant is invading the Pillar of Autumn, Master Chief is equipped with a small magnum, which may look pretty unimpressive in terms of its appearance, but it is actually one of the strongest weapons in the game.
Grunts will go down with a single shot to the head from the magnum, and it will only take a few shots to melt the Elite's shields. It's for this reason that many speedrunners will decide to stick with the magnum for much of their playthrough since it will kill the majority of Covenant and Flood enemies much faster than any assault rifle or SMG.
4 Dead Space - Plasma Cutter
The reason so many fans of the Dead Space series enjoy running through the entire game with just the Plasma Cutter is because the makeshift device is one of the most reliable weapons in the game for dissecting the Necromorphs thanks to its stopping power and laser accuracy. Rather than simply aiming for the head like with zombies, Necromorphs can only be taken down by tearing off each of their arms and legs, and while the automatic weapons in the game can sometimes struggle to do this without wasting bullets, the Plasma Cutter feels like it was designed with this purpose in mind from the very beginning.
Upgrading the Plasma Cutter throughout the game is still very important to make sure it can keep up with the enemies, but considering it will be able to hold over 20 bullets and tear limbs off with a single shot after the damage has been enhanced, it's well worth saving up a few Nodes to improve it.
3 Doom Eternal - Combat Shotgun
In previous Doom titles, the shotgun was a weapon that was fairly difficult to find due to how powerful and versatile it was, but in Doom Eternal, it's the very first gun the Doom Slayer whips out during the tutorial section. Even just holding the Combat Shotgun instantly makes the player feel powerful, ready to cleanse the earth of the monstrous demons occupying it, and that's before it has even been upgraded.
It's not long after the tutorial that players will be able to make use of the Sticky Bomb weapon mod, which is an extremely handy tool that makes dealing with small groups incredibly easy. If players really want to ramp up the damage though, they should consider throwing on the full-auto modification, which is guaranteed to strike fear in the eyes of any demons who have the nerve to get in the Doom Slayer's way.
2 God Of War (2018) - Leviathan Axe
Many fans have pointed out how the Leviathan Axe that Kratos wields through the entirety of God Of War is emblematic of his change in character, with the weapon being much more subdued and ordinary compared to the menacing and bloodthirsty Blades of Chaos. Additionally, the axe was also a final offering to Kratos by his late wife, which further symbolizes his new attitude of trying to be a caring and loving father as opposed to someone that enjoys killing for his personal gain.
Of course, aside from all the symbolism, the Leviathan Axe is also incredibly fun to throw around and is Kratos' tool of choice when facing down the many monsters that reside in Midgard. The weapon progression system featured in the game means the axe never becomes stale as players can always strive to earn an extra technique or stat buff that could make it that much more lethal to its enemies, capable of dealing with all the fiercest trolls, ogres, and even dragons that the game has to offer.
1 Ninja Gaiden - Dragon Sword
Not many games will have an entire intro cinematic explaining just how mighty and special the main protagonist's starting weapon is, but Ninja Gaiden goes all out when explaining the importance of this blade in relation to the wider plot. In many ways, the entire story centers around this one sword as Ryu tries to unleash its hidden power so that he can finally go toe-to-toe with the vicious Vigoor Emperor.
However, all this talk about how great the Dragon Sword is proven in-game as soon as players are given the freedom to cut down their foes, with it being by far the greatest weapon not just in the first Ninja Gaiden, but in the majority of the games in the series. The main reason for this is that there is no enemy that the Dragon Blade cannot handle due to its lightning-fast slashes and immense power, to the point where there isn't any reason to switch it out for the entirety of a playthrough. The sword also features plenty of combo strings that are difficult to master, but extremely lethal if the player can memorize the correct inputs.