Gun Kata

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Admittedly, Christian Bale controls pretty good.

I just want to shoot him. If I can feel like I actually shot the bullet, all the better.

I’ve played first person shooters for years now. While I am not even remotely good at the electronic sport, I continue to fancy it, because there is almost nothing more rewarding than feeling your bullets flatten into an unassuming n00b’s skull.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it one thousand more times before I am dead: I love realism. I am always going to pick a game that plays like Rainbow Six over a copy of Halo. Why? I love the way a gun feels when held by a human.

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That explosion is huge! Run! RUN!

I’m not a gun nut. I have a healthy respect for the activity, but I have never fired a gun into a poster at the range, or the head of a SWAT memeber. The latter should be obvious.

While I have no idea what it is like to shoot a gun, I have an idea about the weight of a rifle or handgun. Coupled with the fact I’ve witnessed them being fired at a local shooting range, I have been able to discern how real guns react as best I can.

There is recoil. Sweet, satisfying recoil. Try mimicking this through a gamepad, and you’re stuck with an ample amount of vibration. If you happen to be using a PC, chances are you feel nothing, and have to get by with simple shakey-cam action. It is not ideal, but it still adds to the experience.

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I actually loved FEAR 2. It was the first PC game I bought after 4 years of abstaining from the platform.

The amount of recoil seems to make or break a game for me. While there is satisfaction in murdering someone in an arcade shooter, it feels more earned and more honoured if done in a more simulated fashion. You almost savour the kill in a more detailed shooter. In a more arcade-like experience, you kill. Move on. And forget about it instantly.

You need that feeling of power, and neither the Halo or FEAR franchises can truthfully deliver that, since their mechanics are based more on edge-of-your-seat entertainment. There is a place for that, obviously, but it isn’t in this house.

My question to you then, is this: what style of FPS do you prefer, and what continues to draw you in?

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Written by Adam R.

This author procured a media pass for E3 under false pretences, and no longer writes for Critical Gamer.

7 comments

  1. wtf …. this is what 12 year olds believe

    hurr realism, next he will write about how hardcore mode is good because its realistic.

  2. “While I have no idea what it is like to shoot a gun”

    Stopped reading right there.

  3. wtf are you talking about? recoils?

    yes I love gun recoils when you fire me, like FEAR 2 and Killzone 2, don’t forget Modern Warfare

  4. Ashen Victor /

    I’m not into realism per se, just as long as the game is immersive and remains true to it’s own “realism”. Out of all the shooters I’ve played I believe Killzone 2 has the best feel. Despite it’s sci-fi setting the guns have weight, recoil is good and the camera moves with a certain heft which for lack of a better word feels real. The grimy arenas and great character animations help too. I’m playing alot of Mag these days, and while that too is a good game it’s got nothing on Killzone’s “realism”.

  5. Machete /

    I like all kinds of shooters for different reasons. Realism is definetly one that I have weak spot for. Games like Operation Flashpoint have always appealed to me. I love the tension of that realism creates when you don’t have a set percentage of health. If you take one centre of mass, you’re dead. That’s not to say I don’t enjoy the outrageous and hilarious situations that games like Halo create, on the contrary. I think Battlefield Bad Company 2 has done a really good job of bringing the two together. You have your tactical realism elements, as well as totally insane aracde moments, like driving an ATV strapped with C4 into a tank. I also find that sound in a video game plays a huge part in the realism for me. BFBC2 does this perfectly, with gunfire becoming almost deafening when fired in confined quarters, and after firing an automatic weapon outdoors you can hear the sound ecco in the distance.

    I use real firearms often and can tell you that there is nothing quite like actual recoilin the gaming realm. The closest thing that has ever come close would have to be the days when I used to play Time Crisis 2 at the arcade. You had the recoil of the slide which made it feel almost real. While not quite as substantial as a 9mm recoil, it did prove more than a .22 caliber pistol. Not to mention you’re atually pointing a weighted handgun which brings a whole new element, your arms getting tired from constantly aquiring targets. The only thing that wasn’t very realistic about the whole game was that it was an arcade shooter. It would take several centre of mass shots to take down a target, not to mention the over the top boss battles. All in all though, If I could have one arcade game in my house, it would be Time Crisis 2 for sure.

  6. ScopeBiter /

    I know whatcha mean! I ignore the fantasy shooters for the realistic ones. I, however, am an active shooter — everything from .22 to .50BMG. I’ve used military simulators that made me drool and would pay big money to have a similar peripheral for the PC. Until that day, I would suggest going to the range and renting some guns.

  7. i think you need to see a shrink.
    you sound like your getting too “immersed” in your gaming.

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