5 Greatest & Most Skilled Archers In Video Game History

The bow has been an essential tool for both real-life hunters and virtual survivalists for centuries now, with its evolution and craft paying tribute to oceans of video games over the years. As it stands today, archers are some of the most well-known and most valuable assets in the gaming world, with the accompanying skill sets proving to be highly beneficial to squads and solo explorers alike.

So with that in mind, and with the number of great archers there are in the wild — we do have to wonder which of the many are the best of the best. Of course, it's a debate that has hung tight to most forums for decades now, and the podium is forever swapping out old characters for new ones. But for us, on the other hand, these five will continue to cement their place as some of the greatest and most skilled archers in video game history.

5. Connor Kenway (Assassin's Creed III)

The Kanien'kehá:ka-born (try saying that five times fast) Connor Kenway might not have been everybody's all-time favourite master assassin — especially coming off the back of the all-powerful Ezio Auditore — but boy, talk about an elite bowman. And next to a cutthroat tomahawk in the off-hand, we can't help but praise his taste in weaponry, to be honest.

Sure, Connor might have lacked depth as a protagonist, but his flaws were definitely redeemed through stealth and ranged combat. His parkour might have also been a little sloppy, but again, those bow assassinations were consolation prizes well worth sticking around for. Ezio Auditore he was not. But a master assassin with a keen eye for the bow, however, he most certainly was.

4. Atreus (God of War)

Never in a million years did I think I would need assistance in battle as the battle-hardened, hot-headed Ghost of Sparta — especially from a child. A child that, to our absolute surprise, ended up being one of the sharpest shooters and greatest travel companions in video game history. But there we were, travelling the nooks and crannies of Helheim, taking down enemies four times our size with an axe and bow going hand in hand.

Atreus was a definite surprise for us old school God of War fans, that's for sure. At first, we basically hated him, sort of like how we hate most travel companions that only really contribute a bit of small talk and extra baggage space. But cue the action scenes and Atreus turned out to be a whole lot more than a walking, talking burden. He was lethal with a bow, and saved our skins more times than we'd probably like to admit. Thanks, boy.

3. Lara Croft (Tomb Raider)

There's no denying the fact that we all associate Lara Croft with the iconic dual-wield pistols. After all, they did make an appearance in every single game, movie and comic up until the 2013 reboot. After that, Square Enix made the decision to abandon firearms and resort to the basics. Basics, like a bow and arrow, for example.

After a rather rocky start filled with learning curves and whatnot, that bow eventually turned into our greatest friend, and perhaps the most valuable tool in the entire game. Standard arrows spiraled into rope darts, and explosives evolved into poisonous shots, making the bow one of the most effective weapons in the arsenal. And, let's be honest — Lara makes up for one hell of an archer.

2. Aloy (Horizon)

Let's be honest here. When we first encountered armies of mechanical beasts and towering bosses in Horizon: Zero Dawn, the last thing we expected to have in our arsenal as a line of defence…was a bow. And yet, that bow just happened to be one of the most useful pieces of kit in the entire game, and also a powerful enough weapon to bring down even the most threatening foes. The one equipping it, well — Aloy's a survivor at heart, and a killer shot when it comes to the art of the bow, thankfully.

While you could argue that setting traps and melee combat is the ideal method of defeating enemies, you could also say that, with enough practice and a few well-placed skill points, utilising the bow is a sure-fire way to snatch quality results. Plus, it's incredibly satisfying, being able to bring a mechanical panther down with a volley of arrows. That's something that will never grow stale, no matter how many times we slug through the journey.

1. Garrett (Thief)

Thief was a perfect example of how players could utilize a bow without having to resort to all-out warfare. Using a variety of arrows that could give you the upper hand in most situations, master thief Garrett could quite literally dominate the monopoly and still keep notoriety at an all-time low.

From armour-piercing sawtooth arrows to nausea-inducing choke rounds, Thief owns up to having some quality options when it comes to approaching its stealth-based missions, making the bow the go-to tool for the bulk of the story. And as for Garrett, well — we couldn't have asked for a better representative, to be honest. He's slick, stylish, and superb when in possession of a bow.

So, what did we miss? Are there any archers we should've put on this list? Let us know over on our socials here.

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