10 Shooters With Amazing Reloading Mechanics

In a shooting game, it’s usually the sensation of pulling a trigger and the sound of exploding gunpowder that sends a bullet soaring through the air that comes to mind.

Or:

In a typical shooting game, you imagine the feel of pulling a trigger and the roar of gunpowder igniting as a bullet is launched.

Both options convey the same meaning but in slightly different ways.

Yet, once the ammunition runs out from the magazine, a crucial aspect of game mechanics surfaces. While reloading might appear as a commonplace action in shooting games, several games challenge this notion.

Certain games elevate a simple gameplay element into a deeper, strategic, and enjoyable experience.

Nevertheless, it’s quite unusual, and locating such games might prove challenging without assistance. If your proverbial subscription is dwindling, let me offer you a fresh one, so you can continue your gaming spree.

10. Kane & Lynch: Dead Men

Let The Game Do It For You

Usually, reloading has traditionally been a task that requires manual intervention, since gameplay often allows players the freedom to reload their weapon’s magazine after firing a single shot, despite it sometimes being an unwise action.

In contrast, when we talk about Kane and Lynch, a game that’s often considered the underdog in IO Interactive’s collection, the task of reloading is automatically handled for you.

If you’re hiding behind protection or just staying still for some time, the game will automatically assess your ammunition supply. If it falls below a certain level (the ‘low ammo’ limit), the game will automatically reload your weapon, ensuring you’re ready for the upcoming battle.

This is a minor aspect, but it ensures you won’t be surprised or unprepared during an unexpected confrontation or conflict.

9. Pavlov

Authentic VR Reloading

Discussing engaging and authentic reloading features, it’s only fair to bring up the realm of Virtual Reality (VR), given that VR Shooter games often feature immersive and tactile reloading mechanisms.

If you’re searching for the game with the highest level of immersive realism, be sure to explore Pavlov.

As a devoted enthusiast, I’d describe this game as an intense multiplayer tactical shooter that compels players to collaborate, strategize, and outsmart adversaries. It serves as a stark, visceral demonstration of the grim reality that war is nothing short of hellish. However, it becomes downright tormenting if you’re not prepared with your weapons primed and ready.

To ensure safety and efficiency when using your firearm, it’s crucial that you familiarize yourself with its mechanisms, regularly inspect the magazines, understand where each part fits, and identify the important levers and controls.

Maybe they don’t go by that term in the military, but frankly, I’m no expert. However, if you aspire to become one, this could serve as a valuable starting point.

8. Metro Exodus

In Russia, Gun Reloads You

Continuing our exploration of authentic firearm functionality, let’s delve into the heart of Russia, particularly its underground subway networks.

Metro Exodus is an outstanding representative of what we call Eurojank games, standing alongside titles like STALKER and Tarkov. In this game, players must take the time to repair their weapons at a workbench regularly, or they may find themselves in a situation where their gun jams as often as an unlucky musician with too much free time.

In my perspective, this game transcends the typical run-and-gun first-person shooter experience. Instead of just blasting enemies, you’re immersed in a survival environment where even basic tasks like charging your flashlight and finding air to breathe on the surface add layers of challenge. It feels like living through a harrowing Soviet Russia scenario, where the game itself reloads you, not your gun.

7. Enter The Gungeon

Calamatous Co-op Fun

Whether you find it appealing or not might depend on your preference for realism over practicality. But, if you’re engrossed in a small-scale pixel dungeon game such as this one, it’s likely that the pursuit of realism takes a backseat to pure enjoyment.

In Enter the Gungeon, you engage in a lively cooperative shooter experience where an array of distinctive weapons await your selection, each featuring distinct reload periods. But if you possess quick wit and deft reflexes, you can cleverly manipulate the system to gain an edge over challenging bosses.

In this game, when you reload, every one of your weapons gets reloaded simultaneously. If you’re up for a gamble, you can carry a fast-loading, less powerful weapon and a slow-loading, more potent weapon, swapping them frequently to keep both in play. It might seem like cheating, but I won’t tattle if you don’t.

By the way, you’ll also find the Rad Gun with active reload features in your arsenal, which we’ll delve more deeply into later on.

6. Receiver

Shoot Those Turrets!

I strongly advocate for authentic reloading mechanisms, particularly in their animation sequences. Yet, there’s no denying that Receiver may be too intricate for some, potentially coming across as excessive to a majority of players.

In this game, when confronting the Mindkill, you’ll need to manually perform the entire reloading sequence, a task that is typically done with just a single button press.

To effectively use your firearm, you should quickly and smoothly perform these steps: unload your magazine, put away your gun, load new bullets, pick up your gun, reload your magazine, and finally cock your weapon. Essentially, this routine needs to become second nature to you, or else you’re in a precarious situation.

In simpler terms, this implies that instead of blasting through rooms as a fast-firing weapon player might do, you need to consider every bullet and choose the optimal times for reloading. While some may find this method tedious, it certainly offers a distinctive experience, if not anything more.

5. Hotline Miami

No Reloading Is The New Reloading

As a gamer, I’m ready to dive into my unexpected pick – a game where reloading? Forget about it! If you’re familiar with Hotline Miami, you’ve probably yelled at your screen by now. But let me tell you, the lack of reloading in this action-packed shooter is a clever design choice that makes the gameplay truly electrifying.

Each stage in Hotline Miami offers an individual test of skill, requiring either meticulous bullet management or exceptional improvisational skills.

This choice to skip the reloading mechanic means you have to plan out each level as if it’s a puzzle. Moreover, it sets up an engaging risk-versus-reward situation for every foe you eliminate.

Could we manage with a few additional points when needed? Certainly, though it might diminish the appeal of this captivating indie game. Therefore, use your points wisely to ensure they all matter.

4. Hyper Light Drifter

Hack & Slash Is Mandatory

In most video games, possessing guns gives you significant power. To put it another way, if you show up with a gun for a duel involving swords, it would take quite an idiot to emerge as anything but the winner.

The Hyper Light Drifter team likely grappled with a complex issue for quite some time, but fortunately, they devised a solution that turned out to be exceptional when implemented.

As a player, I appreciate how HLD skillfully intertwines the thrill of melee combat with the allure of my powerful weapons. However, the ammunition isn’t just handed out; it must be earned through hacking and brutal close-quarters fighting. This means I need to get close and personal with enemies before I can step back and obliterate them with my charged blasts, making every encounter exciting and tactical.

As a devoted fan, I must confess, striking the right chord between swift slashing and precise shooting isn’t a walk in the park. However, any seasoned HLD player can attest to this game hitting the bullseye with this balance, which is why it has sparked such excitement for its sequel and solidified itself as an indie gaming royalty.

3. Gears of War

The OG Cover Shooter

Among numerous games utilizing the widely recognized active reloading mechanic, one particularly stands out as it was the pioneer in adopting this design. I felt it would be impolite not to acknowledge its significant contribution by incorporating it into my list.

As a gamer on team PlayStation, Gears of War stood out as an unrivaled pioneer in the realm of cover-shooters, exclusive to Xbox and leaving me longing for what I didn’t have. It was so exceptional that every second spent not pulling the trigger felt valuable, thanks to moments where precision timing and skillful input were crucial to success.

If you successfully pull off this skill, your subsequent bullets will pack more punch, which can frequently save you in tight spots when surrounded by enemies. This tactic is reminiscent of later shooter games from the 2000s, but Gears of War pioneered and mastered it first.

2. Rollerdrome

A THPS-Inspired Bloodbath

If you combine a shooting game that’s played over your shoulder with a skateboarding game in the style of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, you’ll find yourself in the thrilling, smooth, and fashionable Rollerdrome – a roller derby-inspired death match. It’s almost unbelievable, but that’s exactly what it is!

In this title, you’ll assume the character of Kara Hassan, who will don rollerboots and navigate through a designated zone. Your task is to eliminate assassins, mechs, and other adversaries using an assortment of weapons, all in an effort to seize control over the Rollerdrome in this peculiar dystopian setting.

The entire game’s unique idea captures attention, yet it’s the reloading mechanics that truly shine. In this game, players must show off tricks and combos just to reload their weapons, which means that skill, precision, and brutal efficiency are vital if they want any hope of staying alive.

This next game, a record-breaking sensation from Roll7, is probably their final masterpiece as they have disbanded.

OR

Roll7’s latest release, another high-scoring smash hit, is likely their last, since they are no longer in operation.

1. Laika: Aged Through Blood

Do A Flip!

In simpler terms, “Laika Aged Through Blood” is a challenging, violent, and complex Metroidvania game that doesn’t shy away from graphic content. This game requires not just mastery of its intricate motorcycle controls, reminiscent of Trials Fusion, but also the skillful use of bullet time to eliminate enemies while riding your bike through this grim setting.

This game boasts numerous eye-catching elements such as its storyline of revenge, captivating soundtrack, and striking art style. Yet, what truly sets it apart is its unique reloading mechanism. In this game, instead of the typical reload button, you perform a flip to reload your weapon.

Performing backflips is equivalent to firing bullets, in essence; you’ll need to execute acrobatic tricks to gather the ammunition necessary for your upcoming bold leaps. This intriguing mechanic is merely one of the numerous exceptional aspects that make this Metroidvania a standout.

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2025-01-20 18:40