When we shooter players start a new game, the search for “the best weapon” quickly begins, and particularly ambitious players relentlessly research until they have cracked the meta. But what actually makes a weapon really good?
How do I determine what makes a weapon good? I have approached this question from two different angles:
- the analytical aspect
- the subjective perception
That means, in the first part, I look at weapons that were considered “good” at a certain point in a game’s community and what made those weapons stand out. In the second part, I then look at subjective factors that every player perceives differently, but which can still influence the evaluation of a weapon.
Part 1, the analysis: A good weapon has strong values
For a weapon to be good, it must achieve results. Results mean kills. If you struggle to win your battles with an assault rifle, then either your weapon isn’t good or you lack skill. However, I now look objectively at what properties make a weapon good in shooters, distinguishing between PvP and PvE games.
Who writes this anyway?
Dariusz is the shooter expert at MeinMMO. He has thousands of hours in tactical shooters like Rainbow Six: Siege, but plays any other representatives of the genre – including not least arena shooters like Call of Duty or The Finals and PvE games like Helldivers 2 or Destiny.
Damage, rate of fire and Co: What makes a weapon good in PvP
Looking at the current Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, it is noticeable that in the 5 months after release, an assault rifle has been consistently among the most played weapons: the XM4 – a great example of a good weapon.
The XM4 deals decent damage for an assault rifle at short, medium, and long distances. It also has a solid rate of fire, allowing it to hold its own against CQB weapons like submachine guns and shotguns in close quarters. The recoil is also still easy to control at greater distances, allowing you to hit many of the shots fired easily. Plus, even with a magazine extension, the rifle has a moderate reload time.
The conclusion is: The XM4 is a true allrounder. It can be used effectively due to its damage, rate of fire, and low recoil at both short and long distances.
- Above-average damage per second – usually determined by damage and rate of fire
- Large magazine or short reload time
- Low recoil
- Versatility in range – good for short, medium, and long distances (depending on a good mix of damage, rate of fire, low recoil, and a moderate decrease in damage over distance; fits into various loadouts/builds)
However, versatility is more of a plus than a requirement. There are also good firearms that are primarily intended for medium and long-range, and weapons that shine specifically at short distances. But you must use them correctly.
A weapon is good in PvE if it makes you feel powerful
In PvE shooters, you often face larger groups of enemies. For the smaller opponents, weapons that have a lot of ammo or large magazines are often good, eliminating hordes in no time. Here, the damage (per second) can even be secondary.
Weapons that cause splash damage or AoE damage are also often strong – in Destiny 2, for example, the Sunshot (handgun) or the Witherhoard (grenade launcher). Both weapons can deal damage to multiple enemies per shot when used correctly. The purpose of these weapons is to maintain control over the mass of smaller enemies.
When fighting more powerful opponents like bosses, you once again want to deal as much damage per second as possible and maximize short damage phases. It’s no coincidence that the Gjallarhorn has legendary status in Destiny 2. The rocket launcher was even able to pulverize raid bosses.
Again, it’s important: You have to use a weapon correctly. The Witherhoard is not meant to be used against the Witness. Similarly, you shouldn’t fire the Gjallarhorn at a group of Exiles. While it might work, the ideal usage area is different.
Part 2, the subjective perception: A weapon needs kick
When does a weapon feel good? Sometimes there are also weapons that just feel good. Neither the damage nor the rate of fire, precision, or range stands out particularly, yet the guns can always convince.
I personally determine this by 2 characteristics that, however, everyone perceives quite subjectively.
- Reliability – how consistently does it perform well and have no “failures”?
- Has kick – it feels powerful
We will take a closer look at these 2 characteristics now.
A weapon may seem strong but feels like it’s shooting blank cartridges
I can’t support reliability with statistics. Sometimes, a weapon just feels unreliable. One day I can take out every opponent with it, the next they survive with 1 HP – no matter how good or bad the weapon’s stats look on paper.
In Rainbow Six: Siege, I experienced this with the “M500” shotgun from the operators Smoke and Mute. My opponents kill me with it from over 5-6 meters with a single shot, but for me, it’s only good for making holes in walls. A direct hit from 2 meters and my opponent still has half their health points. So, I know how good the weapon is, but I still don’t enjoy playing it. It feels unreliable in gunfights and thus simply doesn’t feel good.
Other weapons may not look as good based on their stats as some alternatives, but feel fantastic to play. You can always rely on these weapons. In Rainbow Six, I think of the MP5. It’s neither the best nor the worst submachine gun, but when I’m not having my best game, I can rely on the MP5.
No kick, no fun
If we’re honest, we probably all want to feel “the kick” when firing a weapon. It must feel brutal and powerful. I want to feel with each shot that a deadly projectile has just been fired. The shot must also sound solid.
The sound of a weapon in a shooter is as important as it is in a car. If a heavy machine gun that even John Rambo couldn’t carry sounds like a nail gun or has the “kick” of a Super Soaker, then I simply can’t call the weapon good.
