Chainsaws are brilliant tools designed to cut through different materials, mainly wood. Or at least, that’s their purpose in the real world. In video games, they’re rarely used on wooden items. Instead, they are typically utilized on flesh and bone, as well as the alien equivalent of those things.
Another difference is how easy the machines are to use. If you’ve ever made use of one in real life, you have probably run into issues, usually regarding getting the thing to start or moving it around. Virtual chainsaws, however, are way more reliable and lightweight. At least, they seem that way, but perhaps it’s the people using them, as there are several expert chainsaw wielders in video games. The following ones are the most iconic.
7 Chuck Greene – Dead Rising 2
In the Dead Rising games, the protagonists can use pretty much anything as a weapon, from nail guns to chairs. And they can even craft their own tools of destruction by combining items. So, Chuck Greene has a lot of options when it comes to killing zombies.
Yet, the character is sometimes associated with chainsaws. This is because, on the game’s box art, he is wielding a Paddlesaw, which is a kayak paddle with a chainsaw on either side. Plus, he was a contestant on the game show Terror Is Reality, where he rode a bike with two chainsaws attached.
6 The Cannibal (Aka Leatherface) – Dead By Daylight
Leatherface is one of the most iconic chainsaw wielders in all media. Admittedly, most of his reputation comes from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre movies. However, he also serves as one of the many killers in the asymmetric multiplayer game Dead By Daylight – albeit, his in-game name is The Cannibal.
The virtual version of the character has his two signature items; the skin mask he wears and the chainsaw he wields. The latter serves as one of the villain’s main weapons. And in every round, he stalks the map looking for any survivors to introduce to it.
5 Jack Cayman – MadWorld
Killing and death are certainly among the main themes in the artistic hack-and-slash title named MadWorld. After all, the premise of the game is that an entire city is forced to compete in a sadistic game show called DeathWatch. It’s basically the Hunger Games as it’s one big battle royale where a single person survives. And that winner gets a vaccine for the virus that has infected the city.
It’s certainly a dark situation, but it gives protagonist and contestant Jack Cayman an excuse to slaughter everyone in sight. The game provides multiple ways to do that, including using the chainsaw attached to his prosthetic arm. Naturally, as it’s a part of his body, he has become synonymous with the weapon.
4 Juliet – Lollipop Chainsaw
There aren’t many games quite like Lollipop Chainsaw, as it’s an over-the-top hack-and-slash title featuring bright colors and a cheerleader protagonist. The cheerleader in question is named Juliet, who is also a zombie hunter.
Her signature chainsaw is her favorite tool for taking down members of the undead horde. With the weapon in hand, she pulls off all sorts of athletic and stylish moves. In fact, she is arguably the most skilled wielder of a chainsaw in video game history. It helps that her version of the weapon is one of the best as it’s very large and easy to use. It’s also one of the more visually appealing chainsaws ever.
3 Doom Guy – Doom Series
The Doom series is all about Doom Guy killing demons in all sorts of brutal and bloody ways. So, of course, chainsaws regularly feature in the games. With all the fancy futuristic weapons in Doom, you may expect a more technologically advanced version of the machine. But no, it’s usually just a standard chainsaw that Doom Guy uses to rip his adversaries apart.
That being said, the weapon is a little different in Doom 64 as it has two blades, meaning the machine is even more deadly. No matter the amount of blades, the chainsaw has always been a useful part of Doom Guy’s large arsenal.
2 Dr. Salvador – Resident Evil 4
While they didn’t feature in the first few games, chainsaws have since become a staple of the Resident Evil series. The developers’ love of them started in Resident Evil 4. There are a few chainsaw wielders in that game, but the most iconic is Dr. Salvador.
This man with a burlap sack on his head and suspenders attached to his pants first appears very early in the game. More specifically, he arrives in the legendary village section when he and a bunch of his allies attack Leon Kennedy. If the Granado catches the protagonist, he uses his chainsaw to violently decapitate the hero in what is one of the most iconic death scenes ever.
1 Marcus Fenix – Gears Of War Series
Throughout the Gears of War series, the COG soldiers’ main weapon of choice is the Lancer. It’s a great weapon because it’s a dependable assault rifle with a powerful chainsaw attached. Therefore, the user is able to cut any close-range foe in half.
The most iconic character to wield one of these incredible guns is series protagonist Marcus Fenix. He typically begins most missions with the Lancer and usually holds one during cutscenes. The hero doesn’t just use the chainsaw in violent ways, though. He also uses it to open locks and break wooden planks. But he seems to get the most enjoyment from the weapon when he’s sawing through a Locust drone.
