The Schockhammer - Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus
Wolfenstein 2’s Schockhammer already snuck its way into our list of 2017’s best gaming guns, so it’s really no surprise to see it crop up here too. With a rotating barrel and two different firing modes, the Schockhammer is a real work of beauty, and one that’s worth celebrating for many more years to come.
While a version appeared in 2014’s The New Order, Wolfenstein 2’s edition of the gun improved every aspect, from animations and audio to the physical kickback you'd feel when firing. Those rotating barrels just add something, y’know? Of course, in true Wolfenstein style you can dual-wield the weapon, and with one of these in each hand you’ll be popping Nazi heads like there’s no tomorrow. We think you’d be hard pressed to find a more cathartic method to relieve stress while gaming — and yes, we’ve played Flower.
ZICS-C Shotgun - Shadow Warrior 2013
2013’s Shadow Warrior reboot took us by complete surprise when it turned out to be really flipping good. FPS games don’t often do melee well, so it was especially unexpected that hacking through hordes of demons with a katana as Lo Wang felt so damned good. Considering how special the sword was, any weapon that could tear our attention away for more than a few minutes deserves some credit. The ZICS-C Shotgun turned out to be only weapon to reliably achieve that feat and then some. Shadow Warrior’s two-barrel beasty was satisfying enough on its own, but one of the gun’s upgrades doubled its output to four unholy barrels of death. One stage further and you could unload the whole package at once, demolishing any demon foolish enough to get in your way. Tasty.
