In all the games I’ve played (one exception being Half-Life, but that’s different) I really don’t like using crossbows and avoid doing so at all costs. I don’t really know why that is, but to me they don’t seem to fit the setting of games like Elder Scrolls or Gothic. I love using regular bows, however. Maybe crossbows feel too modern for me? I don’t really know anything about medieval weapons or when they were invented.
What about you? How do you feel about crossbows in these types of games or do you have a similar weird thing you just don’t like and refuse to do in video games?
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Crossbows are much older than you think:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_crossbows
Saying that, you’re free to play as you prefer, what’s the point of playing if you don’t enjoy it? I personally never play with bows myself.
Yeah, it’s not a conceptually big leap to go from bows to “why don’t we put in a stick to keep the bow drawn rather than doing it ourselves?”. Crossbows can be more complex than that, but fundamentally that’s the concept.
and crossbow games are older than you think, check out this: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forbidden_Forest_(video_game)
I can still hear the music from this game in my head.
Crossbows were very common for most of the middle ages. If you’re okay with bows in medieval games, you should be okay with crossbows. They were used heavily around the same time. Personally I really enjoy crossbow in Mount and Blade Warband, a medieval warfare sim. But that’s because I usually go Rhodok.
Maybe you should give this game a go to see if your opinion changes
Ah, if only I had a wiimote
You could probably play it on PC with a mouse. Nobody will care except Nintendo
Yes, but will it change my mind about crossbows? I always assumed that these games which were specifically designed with the wiimote in mind are not really worth playing with a mouse. I never tried any, so I could be wrong
I’m not sure. It depends on what feels “wrong” to you about using crossbows.
Could it be that it doesn’t have the same loop of acquire target > buildup to shot > shot because the buildup part is after the shot instead?
It does add to the weapons complexity in that you have to plan differently and more deliberately compared to the myriad of bow gameplay out there.
But the fun part is, Link’s Crossbow Training doesn’t have any of that. It’s just an on-rails shooter in Twilight Princess’s set pieces where your crossbow acts like a repeater with infinite ammo. So if that sounds like it could break the curse, it might be fun. But it’s also far away from actual crossbow mechanics, so whatever.
I never use crossbows either, but mostly because they’re usually slow and frustrating to play with. I’m sure I’ve used a good crossbow before, but I can’t think of any. Especially since Link’s crossbow training is one of few Zelda games I’ve missed
Edit: actually dishonored had a good crossbow
Deus Ex, too.
Haven’t played it, but that makes sense. Maybe crossbows are just particularly suited to stealth games.
They were funny in Battle Field 3. Players would get really mad because it was humiliating to get taken out by an underpowered secondary weapon.
Also, it had unlockable additional bolts: sniping bolt, explosive bolt and a scan bolt, making it possible use the skills otherwise reserved for other kits/classes, which could be handy even if they were less powerful.
God I forgot how fucken CASH battlefield 3 was.
According to Wikipedia, the first crossbows were used in the 7th century BC. By the medieval period that these games are based on, crossbows would definitely be well-known weapons.
hmm yeah i don’t generally use crossbows either. i feel in a lot of games they’re strong but then their cooldown or reload time is super slow and takes you out of the action to load up another shot. at that time i’ve probably switched to another weapon.
mount and blade comes to mind. ill use a crossbow as i approach people on horseback but once i’m in the thick of battle its swapped out for some lance or another long pointy boi. even then id only be using the crossbow if i didn’t have a bow available to me.
edit: except in i think age of empires 2. those chinese cho ko no ku ??? units are bomb as hell
My mind also raced to Age of Empires 2. I love crossbows and arbalester, especially the Britons. Just a big ball of units sending a clear message across the map: stay away!
I really didn’t like that crossbows were a direct upgrade to the archer unit line. At least Britons still had the longbowmen.
I much prefere the AoE4 aproach where archers and crowsbowmen are different unit lines.
It seems to be historically accurate at least: Wiki:
“The crossbow superseded hand bows in many European armies during the 12th century, except in England, where the longbow was more popular”
That said, I can understand your point. Aoe is not (and doesn’t need to be) historically accurate. How is it integrated in AoE4?
How is it integrated in AoE4?
They are two independent units.
Archers are availible earlier, cheaper and do bonus damage to light infantry while the crossbowmen do more damage to heavy units.
The problem with Mount and Blade 2 is that throwing spears are superior to crossbows for mounted combat anyways.
I think they fit very well in the Gothic/steampunk sort of setting of Dishonoured, great for sneaking.
The only game I recall playing where crossbows were a weapon class of their own, and not just another type of gun, is Witcher 3.
I completed the game, and the two large DLCs, and the crossbows were completely pointless. Magic, swords, and even fists were used regularly, but the crossbows just gathered dust. I unlocked and levelled up pretty much everything in that game, and still, the crossbows were pointless.
They’re the only weapon you can use underwater and they’re also good for knocking flying creatures out of the air.
But, but, what about the crossbow in Jedi Knight? It’s so powerful!
Never played it, but my biggest problem is with medieval fantasy type games, as I said in the post, I was fine using a crossbow in Half-Life. That said, I will not care if a crossbow is more powerful, I’ll use a regular bow instead if available
Wasn’t that the weapon that fired 3 green shots at once in formation? I found it too cumbersome to be used effectively.
I’m the opposite. Crossbows make for a slower paced battle with punchier attacks - which I tend to preferm
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