Which is the most consistantly most powerful weapon in gaming: Shotguns or Fire axes?

[triggrhappy94]

This isn't a question of which would win in a fight, but which tends to be the most powerful weapon in video games. Both are staples of horror-survival and zombie games.

So, which do you guys feel is consistantly the most powerful, most devastating weapon in gaming?

 

[Hero in a half shell]

Are there many games where a Fire Axe features prominently? Because I really can't think of any (apart from this one [http://www.amazon.co.uk/Avanquest-Software-Fireman-Sam-Nintendo/dp/B003RWTIMY])

As for the Shotgun I can think of half a dozen games off hand where it not only features, but is really powerful, Heck, it was the staple gun in DOOM (Halo, Virtually any zombie game, Battlefield, Fallout, Borderlands, Tomb Raider, Hitman...etc.)

 

[JaceArveduin]

Hmm... Not sure, but I know in New Vegas the shotguns probably end up more powerful, but Knock-Knock is so much fun...

 

[triggrhappy94]

Are there many games where a Fire Axe features prominently? Because I really can't think of any

Mostly zombie games. The fire ax makes the best weapon in Dead Rising 2.

 

[The Abhorrent]

For games in general?

Swords

A staple of a fantasy RPG... well, every one of those. Not to mention it's quite popular in other genres too, occasionally cropping up in science fiction from time to time; Star Wars and light sabers being the quintessential example, including all of it's spin-offs. Heck, the dreaded/popular/hated/whatever Energy Sword from the Halo franchise could be another clear case.

Probably goes all the way back to King Arthur and Excalibur, or something. Anyhow, swords have always had a mystique to them; this has led to them becoming insanely popular in all forms of media. This is compounded by the fact swords have a very high tendency to be found in the hands of the protagonist (the hero) of the story; who often tend to be among the most rounded (or out-right most powerful) of the cast.

---

Between shotguns and fire axes? Meh, not really my concern.

 

[Dirty Hipsters]

Shotguns tend to not be all that powerful in games since game physics tend to decide that all video game shotguns shoot magical pellets that disappear into thin air after 10 feet. They may always, or almost always be one hit kills under the right circumstances (the enemy is close enough to rub their scrotum on your face), but outside of instances when the enemy is within throttling distance shotguns in games tend to be absolutely useless, and worse than their real life counterparts.

 

[Keoul]

The only game I ever remember having a fire axe was dead frontier, and in there a silent melee weapon was a must, that was just my personal favorite.

But since it's not in any other game I'm going with a shotgun.

 

[skywolfblue]

For games in general?

Swords

I'll third this. There's a lot of games with exceptionally powerful magic swords. You average shotgun or flaming axe doesn't steal souls, call dragons, or banish demons.

 

[ObsidianJones_v1legacy]

Left 4 Dead 2 (and then Left 4 Dead when Valve just ported the whole thing over)
Various Silent Hills
Dead Rising
I remember burying an axe like thing into someone in a GTA game, but that could have been a mod.
there are a few axes out there.

I am personally a Melee person. Once you know the script of an ai, it's usually easy to juke them out. So going with the choices, I'd say an Axe.

But, I think the most powerful thing in all of Video Games is the 14 year old Girl, especially if she's wielded by a Japanese Developer. She will call down things that give Dragons nightmares.

 

[TheVampwizimp_v1legacy]

Did no one else read the title and think, "Well, shotguns are usually pretty powerful, but I don't think they could beat an axe that's also on fire."

Anyone? Fire axe? An axe that's on fire? Like, magical fire of death? No?

No one?




Okay.

 

[Gethsemani_v1legacy]

For games in general?

Swords

A staple of a fantasy RPG... well, every one of those. Not to mention it's quite popular in other genres too, occasionally cropping up in science fiction from time to time; Star Wars and light sabers being the quintessential example, including all of it's spin-offs. Heck, the dreaded/popular/hated/whatever Energy Sword from the Halo franchise could be another clear case.

Probably goes all the way back to King Arthur and Excalibur, or something. Anyhow, swords have always had a mystique to them; this has led to them becoming insanely popular in all forms of media. This is compounded by the fact swords have a very high tendency to be found in the hands of the protagonist (the hero) of the story; who often tend to be among the most rounded (or out-right most powerful) of the cast.

---

Between shotguns and fire axes? Meh, not really my concern.

You don't even need to go to mystique to find the reason why swords are popular. Historically, a sword has been a pretty hard thing to craft well and it was expensive to make. It was thus a weapon mostly held by nobility and professional warriors (Knights, Samurais etc.) and those armies that could mass produce them (the Roman Legions for example) were often highly professional. Among the norse during the "viking era" it was an important sign of prestige to be wielding a sword, simply because most couldn't afford it, so you were either rich or good enough to have killed the previous owner. Later in history, around the renaissance, there were even laws passed that forbid anyone except nobility from wearing or using a sword.

No wonder a weapon with that much social prestige and significance has ended up being one the most important visual short-hands we have for signifying the hero.

 

[Aaron Sylvester]

I would actually say Assault Rifles : /

AK47 was a staple of old-school CounterStrike, no pro was a pro without knowing how to work that weapon.

M16 and M4 variants are very prominent in current-generation shooters...CoD, Battlefield, Spec Ops, etc etc.

You just can't beat the precision, range and automatic/burst fire capability of assault rifles! Shotguns and axes be damned!

 

[Evil Smurf]

The Pyro from TF2 uses a fire axe.

Shotguns shoot so they win.

 

[AVeryClassyCat]

In Killing Floor it depends on what perk you are. I'm partial to the shotgun class (support), but even then one of the most used loadouts for support involve two shotguns and a fire axe or katana. Lots of people play berserker in the game since it can basically handle anything and the fire axe is a staple in their loadout at higher difficulties. I guess it's good that you don't have to reload an axe, and while the melee class is pretty awesome I'd put my money on shotguns at least in that game.

It's hard to answer this generally though because shotguns are a category of gun that have plenty of variety versus one specific melee weapon.

 

[DarkhoIlow]

Shotguns are way more fun and meaty when you shoot them compared to trying to hit someone with a fireaxe.

That's my point of view as well and on top of that, shoguns are awesome.

 

[Apollo45]

Snipers. One-shot kills like the shotgun, but effective from a distance like... none of the above. Snipers win.

Except in MW2. Then it's tactical knives.

 

[Ed130 The Vanguard]

Between those two?

Shotgun!


Unless nerfed to hell the Shotgun is your weapon of choice!

 

[Amethyst Wind]

Of those two? Shotgun is more powerful but fire axe is more fun.

Although in Silent Hill it was damn near impossible to hit anything with the axe.