Highlights
- Not all games use typical weapon maintenance mechanics; some take a unique and sensible approach to weapon durability.
- Realistic games like Kingdom Come: Deliverance and Red Dead Redemption 2 require players to maintain their weapons to ensure they don’t become dull or jam in combat.
- Games like S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat and Way of the Samurai 4 emphasize the importance of weapon maintenance in high-stakes environments to prevent a player’s demise.
Many players groan once they find out about the weapon maintenance mechanic in the games they’re playing. This irritation is understandable, especially with most titles not doing a great job of justifying this mechanic. More often than not, a weapon in a degraded condition is nothing more than an annoying trek back for the player to a blacksmith who will repair said weapon, making it functional once again.
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Thankfully, not all games use the same uninspired mechanic when it comes to weapon durability. There are many instances of games letting players engage with the concept of weapon durability in a unique and sensible manner. These instances are few and far between, which is why the ones that do stand out end up being quite memorable, especially in the open-world genre.
5 Kingdom Come: Deliverance
Players Have To Angle Their Blade Properly On The Grindstone To Sharpen And Maintain It
Kingdom Come: Deliverance
- Released
- February 13, 2018
- Developer(s)
- Warhorse Studios
Realism was a major priority in Kingdom Come: Deliverance, and this showed in most aspects of the game. Henry certainly is a blacksmith’s son with no combat prowess, and players need to invest a few hours in the game before this character is competent enough to deal with a band of lowly bandits, let alone well-armored soldiers.
If Henry’s weapon lost its edge, then players had to sit down at a grindstone and physically move the blade so that it was at the right angle to be sharpened by the grindstone. If players were incompetent here, then the blade could get even duller.
4 Red Dead Redemption 2
Weapons Will Rust With Overuse And A Lack Of Care
Red Dead Redemption 2
- Released
- October 26, 2018
Red Dead Redemption 2 is an immersive game that focuses on making the experience feel as realistic as possible, which some people found to be detrimental to the overall experience. Still, the work put into fleshing out the animations of the game and packing it full of detail should be lauded.
The gunplay in this game feels responsive, and Arthur is encouraged to take care of his weapons as much as possible by either using gun oil or bringing the gun to a specialist. Neglecting a firearm can lead to it jamming in the middle of combat, which is an undesired outcome for obvious reasons.
3 S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call Of Pripyat
If Weapons Aren’t Repaired By A Technician, They Can Jam And Misfire
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Call of Pripyat
- Released
- February 2, 2010
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
The S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series is one of the most underrated open-world FPS games that fans should check out if they want to enjoy more hardcore experiences. The games are certainly not for the faint of heart, with the gameplay being pretty challenging and forcing players to learn with every death.
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Taking care of one’s fun in such a hostile environment is a must, especially since a badly-maintained weapon can spell a person’s doom in a high-octane firefight. If players don’t their gun to hit for less damage and jam at inopportune moments, then bringing it to a specialist is important.
2 Way Of The Samurai 4
Players Can Invest In Their Weapon But Need A Blacksmith Regularly To Keep It In Tip-Top Shape
Way of the Samurai 4
- Released
- March 21, 2012
- Developer(s)
- Acquire
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure
A highly underrated series that more fans should check out if they love unique sandbox games with branching narratives, it’s a shame that Way of the Samurai has never attracted anything more than a niche audience. Players would love the reactive nature of the sandbox and how the multiple endings encourage replayability.
In each Way of the Samurai game, players must upgrade and maintain their weapons at all times. The latter is especially important if players don’t want their powerful, upgraded blade to break in combat, which is nothing short of a death sentence for players.
1 Dying Light
Weapons Can Only Be Repaired A Few Times Before They’re Rendered Completely Useless
Dying Light
- Released
- January 27, 2015
Dying Light combined parkour and action gameplay to make for a great time as players try to survive in a post-apocalyptic setting where a single misstep can lead to their doom. While there are times when this game can feel stale, the unique combination of gameplay elements helps Dying Light stand out as a fairly engaging title.
Weapons are handled rather uniquely in the game, with weapons breaking down pretty frequently. However, there’s only a set number of times that a weapon can be repaired before it’s lost for good, which is pretty realistic. While the loot creep means that players will find bigger and better weapons in no time, the addition of this mechanic is still appreciated.
