7 Most Iconic Weapons In Horror Games

Highlights

• Some horror games feature unconventional weapons, like flamethrowers and foam hands, that offer unique gameplay experiences.
• These overpowered weapons can shift the game’s vibe but may not always guarantee victory against unstoppable foes like Xenomorphs.
• Weapons like the Camera Obscura in
  Fatal Frame
  and the IrisPhone in
  DreadOut
  serve dual purposes, combining combat and puzzle-solving elements.

There’s been a long-standing debate on the internet about horror games and the inclusion of weapons in them. Some people think having weapons in horror games isn’t the smartest mechanic, since it takes away the ‘vulnerability’ of a particularly high-stakes situation — which, in most horror games, is death. Weapons can give players a sense of security, making them believe that whatever is stalking them in the dark can easily be warded off with enough firepower.

While that may be true, these games do not always feature conventional firearms. In fact, some of the most iconic and unique weapons in horror games are far from ordinary guns with regular bullets and ammo. Instead, they showcase the weirdest and funniest renditions of weapons imaginable. Plus, some of these weapons are so heavily overpowered, they make everything else seem mundane by comparison.

7 Flamethrower

Alien: Isolation

One of the primary examples of a heavily overpowered weapon in a horror game that completely shifts the game’s vibe is Alien: Isolation’sflamethrower. Sure, the weapon itself doesn’t do any significant damage to the Xenomorph, but it definitely does diminish the sense of helplessness that dominates the first half of the game.

Players obtain the flamethrower midway through the game after talking to Marshal Waits at his headquarters. From that point on, the game is basically a cool (or hot) breeze. Since the Xenomorph is an indomitable force with no superficial weaknesses, the flamethrower isn’t enough to kill it. However, it provides a perfect escape route for extra careful players who prefer not to take any chances with their progress.

6 Steel Pipe

Silent Hill

A lot of people consider the wooden plank in Silent Hill 2 as the most crucial and classic weapon found early on. However, its damage output tends to fall short against tougher monsters as the game progresses. This is why, instead of the plank, players are far better off with the steel pipe. It’s one of the few weapons in the franchise that’s featured in almost all the releases, and it’s perfect for some high-damage monster-smacking in the early stages.

The pipe’s functionality can clearly be gauged from the order in which it’s acquired. In almost all the games, it’s typically found after some sort of blade weapon and proves to be far more convenient and effective than that. For instance, while a knife might seem like it should do more damage to enemies — and theoretically, it might — in most cases, it’s actually the weaker weapon compared to the pipe.

5 Rocket Launcher

Resident Evil

Perhaps the most destructive, yet the most in-demand Resident Evil weapon is its notorious late-game Rocket Launcher. The Rocket Launcher is a recurring weapon found in almost all the early RE games and their remakes. It’s extremely explosive, does large AoE damage, and might even be risky for the player character themselves due to its high area impact.

What makes this weapon truly iconic is not just its power, but the fact that certain games, like RE3 and RE4, offer it with infinite ammo. While standard Rocket Launchers can be less effective due to their rarity and limited ammo, the infinite ammo versions not only provide endless firepower but are also easier to handle compared to many of the regular weapons in the series.

4 Plasma Cutter

Dead Space

Because Dead Space is set in a very technologically advanced futuristic backdrop, it’s only natural that the game contains some exceptionally innovative items and weapons. The Plasma Cutters are a set of weapons found in the early levels of the series, used as makeshift firearms to deal with less threatening problems. Although these cutters are only low-level weapons with seemingly not enough damage to make a mega-impact, they’re still pretty awesome for what they offer, and dedicated players can rely on them right up until the end of the games.

The most common cutter found in the game was initially a mining tool that was later turned into a full-time defensive arm. It shoots a bolt of plasma at a remarkably high speed and precision, which makes it perfect for long-distance and fast-paced combat. It does, however, require a steady hand and a lot of control from the players in order to be fully effective.

3 Hand Cannon

Dead Space 2 And Dead Space 2023 Remake

The Plasma Cutter may not be the strongest weapon in the Dead Space games, but it’s also just a conventional firearm that’s meant to do what it is designed for. However, there’s another weapon in the series, particularly Dead Space 2 and the 2023 remake, that basically redefines the entire concept of weaponry in a primarily no-nonsense game.

The Hand Cannon is essentially a meme weapon in Dead Space, and is only found after players complete the above-mentioned games on hard mode. The weapon itself is literally what it’s labeled as — a massive red foam hand that shoots ‘bullets’ out of its big foamy index finger. Using the term ‘bullets’ very lightly here, the cannon has a primary fire called ‘BANG BANG’, and a secondary fire called ‘pew pew pew.’ Despite its constitution, it is the most overpowered weapon in the franchise and annihilates any enemy on impact.

2 Camera Obscura

Fatal Frame

It’s ironic how, in a lot of passive horror games, basic objects like cameras and camcorders end up becoming some of the most useful weapons. In the entire Fatal Frame series, the only ‘weapon’ given to the player is a camera known as Camera Obscura. While it comes off as a standard camera, it’s a special device that not only captures invisible spirits and ghosts but also damages hostile ones.

At its core, the Camera Obscura is a combat tool that lets players fight off violent mobs, but it also doubles as a way to communicate with good spirits and find clues, discreetly scattered throughout the map, that are otherwise invisible to the naked eye. By aiming the camera at a ghost, players get to capture it and either damage it or obtain Spirit Points.

1 Cell Phone

DreadOut

DreadOut is an Indonesian survival horror game that plays out like a B-grade horror film and does an absolutely superb job of not making it a bad thing. It basically progresses like Fatal Frame and features a cell phone camera (instead of an actual camera), known as the IrisPhone, used to fend off evil Indonesian mythical spirits and solve puzzles.

The main character, Linda, is a high school student who, along with a group of friends, gets lost in a haunted ghost town. As they explore, Linda starts feeling something off within herself and ends up having to navigate various buildings in the town to make it out unscathed, relying solely on her cell phone to do so.