History Main / EmergencyWeapon

Often, this weapon is your bare hands, because if you "run out" of ''bare hands'', you probably have a ''lot'' more trouble on your, um, hands already than your limited weapons.

** ''Code Veronica'' was really the first game to make a useful knife. The ammo was VERY scarce, so most of the time Claire/Chris have to take care of zombies with the knife. Ironically, the other game featuring Claire, had probably the worst knife in the series, taking a whopping 50 slashes to kill ONE zombie. However, it's pretty common that "hardcore" fans of the series will perform knife runs, only using the knife and no other weapon unless it's completely necessary, even bosses.

* In the ''VideoGame/TwistedMetal'' series, the Emergency Weapon is a set of machine guns with infinite ammo.

* Tools, such as a [[VideoGame/HalfLife crowbar]] or [[VideoGame/BioShock1 wrench]]. Lead pipes are also popular.

* ''VideoGame/MegaMan'' always starts with his basic Mega Buster, and it never has finite ammo. If you run out of the weapon a boss is [[ElementalRockPaperScissors weak against]], the buster can help you finish the fight. In fact, completing the entire game with only the buster is possible (save for at least one puzzle per game, but those only appear in Dr. Wily's fortresses), and it isn't too much more difficult than the regular NintendoHard game. The UpdatedRerelease, ''Mega Man: Powered Up!'', even ''encourages'' you to kill bosses using only the Mega Buster, allowing you to play though the entire game as that boss.

* ''Driv3r'' - Tanner's 17-bullet-per-mag [[AKA47 9mm Automatic]]. If you run out of ammo for your other guns (including several machineguns, two other pistols, one of which is silent and fires faster, a grenade launcher and an assault rifle) in a later mission, where you're facing an ass load of dudes with ALL of those guns, [[OhCrap bend over and kiss ass goodbye]].

* While ''Franchise/MetalGear'' does include melee attacks, most bosses can only be harmed by heavy weapons (or, in one case, a [[BeatThemAtTheirOwnGame sniper rifle]]). To help out, infinitely respawning ammo pickups are placed in the boss arenas.

** And then there are [[VendorTrash grey weapons]]. Some classes (like rogues) rely on having a certain kind of weapon. If the raid's having a bad night, or the player is just out of it, their weapon can break, and then they can't use those special "must have an X equipped" abilities. In these times of desperation, a grey dagger can be better than having nothing. Note that you may encounter approximately one or two of these moments in your entire [[VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft WoW]] career.

* Prior to ''Mists of Pandaria'', this was what melee weapons were for the Hunter class in ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft''. These were intended for use only when your pet has lost aggro or died, or you've run out of ammo. Over time, patches removed the need for ammo, the minimum range for ranged weapons, and eventually merged the melee and ranged weapon slots into a single slot. [[note]]Makes one wonder if it's because the developers were as sick of the "Hunter Weapon!" meme as everyone else was.[[/note]] But when they were necessary, the primary consideration when choosing one was on stat bonuses rather than melee damage. For example, one of the most common from vanilla WoW was [[http://www.wowhead.com/item=19106 Ice Barbed Spear]].

* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' have limited uses for all of their moves. If they run out, they can resort to Struggle, which does little damage and costs HP. Also comes into play when the opponent uses Encore, which only allows the use of the last used move. Once that move runs out, Struggle ensues.

-->-- Reason #1 as to why 3D games are not like real life, ''[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kp_CkH5AKM 3D Games - Realistic My Ass]]''.

** The series has the crowbar for every game except ''Opposing Force'', which gives you a slower but more powerful pipe wrench, and later a combat knife that works just like the crowbar.

* In ''Darkwatch'', ''every'' weapon had some bladed or spiked component to allow it to be used in melee. For those few situations where a bayonet will not do, [[http://forum.pafoa.org/gun-pictures-24/10037-cz-75-sp-01-tactical.html breech teeth]].

* ''VideoGame/GoldeneyeRogueAgent'', the player is provided with a pistol with infinite ammunition, in addition to a few of the lethal uses for your [[MagicTool golden]] [[ElectronicEyes eye]].

* ''Franchise/StarWars: [[VideoGame/DarkForcesSaga Dark Forces]]'' has a fist you can fall back on. At one point you're expected to kill a big angry lizard called a Kell Dragon or two with it. Its sequel, ''Jedi Knight'', starts with your fists as a backup... and then you get the lightsaber, which never needs recharging and is probably the most useful and powerful weapon in the game bar none. Incidentally, in ''Jedi Knight'', the only things that can hurt the lone Kell Dragon you can encounter are explosives and the lightsaber--energy weapon shots ''bounce off'' its skin. In the expansion pack, ''Mysteries of the Sith'', you start with the lightsaber. The sequel to that, ''Jedi Outcast'', has you starting out with a stun baton (cattle prod) as a backup weapon, which is actually useful against certain types of enemies, and then you get the lightsaber and never look back. Finally, the sequel to that, ''Jedi Academy'', once again has you with a lightsaber from the beginning. In one mission, however, it's taken away from you and you have to kill the guy who imprisoned you to get it back.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Unreal|I}}'', the basic weapon automatically recharges itself over time and can be upgraded over the course of the game into a pretty devastating (though slow) weapon.

* ''VideoGame/{{Quake II}}'' provides the blaster, which fires fairly slow and weak energy projectiles at a fairly slow pace. At least it has unlimited ammo.

* Same with ''[=BioShock=]'', ''VideoGame/SystemShock 2's'' wrench can be very deadly with proper upgrades. Or you can just change to laser rapier or alien crystal if you want.

* In the ''VideoGame/{{Shadow Warrior|2013}}'' reboot, Lo Wang's WeaponOfChoice is his favourite katana. Rather than simply being something you pull out as a last resort when you run out of ammo, the katana makes for a very potent primary weapon as it can be upgraded to deal more damage and is also capable of powerful KiAttacks as Lo Wang grows in strength. There's a more powerful demon-slaying katana, the [[SwordOfPlotAdvancement Nobitsura Kage]], up for grabs too.

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* The Snub Pistol from ''VideoGame/GearsOfWar'' is rather bad, unless you're skillful enough to fire all shots into an enemy to down them. Because of that, it's rather impractical to use unless you swap it for [[RevolversAreJustBetter Boltok]]. Also, your main gun has a built-in [[ChainsawGood chainsaw]] ''[[BayonetYa bayonet]]'' for anyone who gets too close.

* The characters in ''[[DontStarve Don't Starve]]'' can all physically punch for a last-resort attack, but it's slow and weak enough to rarely be worth using (the game doesn't even [[ContextSensitiveButton default]] to attacking unarmed, even against enemies, requiring a specific command to do).

* The Vulcan Cannon in the original ''VideoGame/{{Descent}}''. It recieved a [[GameBreaker game-breaking]] upgrade in ''II'' with the Gauss Cannon, but was once again [[{{Nerf}} Nerfed]] in ''3'' with the Vauss Cannon, which replaces both.

* ''Franchise/FatalFrame''
** Starting from the second game onward, there is the Type-07 Film. It's the weakest of the film types, but you have an infinite supply of it; this makes it a good film to use when snapping at the [[GuideDangIt many, many hidden and vanishing ghosts]] in the game and it's still around, even if you have used up all your stronger films.
** The first game also had the Type-14 Film, the second-weakest film type in the following games. It isn't infinite like the Type-07 in the other games, but it is the one film you can always restock at a save point.

* ''VideoGame/ChexQuest'', based on the Doom engine, has the "Boot Spoon", pictured above, which can do some Zorch damage to enemies when used. Being a game about cereal, it makes sense... kinda.

** And then there are [[VendorTrash grey weapons]]. Some classes (like rogues) rely on having a certain kind of weapon. If the raid's having a bad night, or the player is just out of it, their weapon can break, and then they can't use those special "must have an X equipped" abilities. In these times of desperation, a grey dagger can be better than having nothing. Note that you may encounter approximately one or two of these moments in your entire [[WorldOfWarcraft WoW]] career.

** Code Veronica was really the first game to make a useful knife. The ammo was VERY scarce, so most of the time Claire/Chris have to take care of zombies with the knife. Ironically, the other game featuring Claire, had probably the worst knife in the series, taking a whopping 50 slashes to kill ONE zombie. However, it's pretty common that "hardcore" fans of the series will perform knife runs, only using the knife and no other weapon unless it's completely necessary, even bosses.
** Resident Evil 5 gives you the option of buying the Stun Rod around level 3. It is a melee weapon that is swung like a bat and delivers an electric charge. Kills the normal enemies and in groups has the potential of killing a lot of them at the same time.

** The big exception is Resident Evil 4, where Leon is equipped with a much more useful knife. For the most part, you use it as an ammo-saver: you can bust open barrels and crates with it, or finish off weakened Ganados. It can also save your ammo when fighting against the Gigante; if you hop on the monster's back, you can slice it with your knife, or stab the eye of the final boss with it as well. It also becomes useful in a few cutscenes, the first time you face Jack Krauser being the best example. Later on when Krauser plants an ambush for you in normal game play, the most efficient way to hurt him is using your knife. You can empty clip after clip into him, but it takes a lot of ammo to get him to back off compared to one slash of your knife.

* In ''{{Pikmin}}'', Olimar had a very weak punch that could slightly damage and distract enemies. The second game introduced the Rocket Punch for better damage.

* ''VideoGame/RedDeadRedemption'' gives you a knife and your fists as emergency weapons when you run out of ammo, but since Marston is carrying 30 guns on his person at all times this is unlikely to happen.

* ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion'' gives the character ''three'' emergency tools. In addition to being able to fight with one's fists, every character starts out with a weak fireball spell and a heal minor wounds spell, both powered by the constantly-recharging [[ManaMeter Magicka meter]].
** These return for ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim.'' If you lack a weapon, you can still punch people. Barring that, you have a basic Flames spell and a basic Healing spell available. As with ''Oblivion,'' neither spell is particularly great, but they're always available to all races so players are never at a lack for ''some'' kind of offensive capability.

* ''VideoGame/DeadRising'' has Frank fight off the zombies with his bare hands when you can't get your hands on [[ImprobableWeaponUser a baseball bat, a bench, or anything else for that matter]]. Being a normal reporter, it is about as useful as it sounds. Subverted as you level up, however; eventually, Frank becomes powerful enough to easily hold off enemies unarmed. You know you can stop relying on a handgun when you can start [[CharlesAtlasSuperpower tearing out people's innards with your bare hands.]] [[spoiler: These ludicrously powerful moves also are one-hit-kills on the rifle-wielding special forces that break into the mall near the end.]]

* In ''[[Franchise/{{Alien}} Alien Trilogy]]'', when all out of ammo, your pistol will still be able to fire, but you have to reload between each shot. It's like you have an infinite number of one-bullet magazines.

* In the ''TwistedMetal'' series, the Emergency Weapon is a set of machine guns with infinite ammo.

* ''SummonNight: Swordcraft Story'' lets you use your forging hammer if all of your [[ItemCrafting forged weapons]] break.