Archery in Video Games

If you’ve ever wondered how archery in video games compares with archery in real life, you have come to the right place, because Archery Edge is delving deep into this topic today. And if you’re an expert archer in video games who wants to know how you’ll fare in actual archery, stick around to find out.

We also published an article on celebrities who love archery as well as benefits of joining an archery club, for those of you who are interested!

Games that Hit the Target — Well, Almost

Skyrim

What makes archery realistic in Skyrim is the fact that you can’t fire arrows at a rapid speed. It takes time to load your bow, and hitting a moving target isn’t the easiest thing in the world. Skyrim doesn’t take distance or wind into account, and sometimes the target moves just before you hit it with an arrow.

Games that Hit the Target — Well, Almost archery

Horizon Zero Dawn

Unlike most archery video games, Horizon Zero Dawn has compound bows, which is a refreshing switch from traditional or unrealistic bows. I don’t have to tell you that using a compound bow in the game is much easier than real life.

Tomb Raider

Although the Tomb Raider game doesn’t come close to what archery is like in real life, it is quite challenging to learn. What’s more, a bow is Lara Croft’s only weapon, and her skills improve only after some practice.

Wii Sports Resort

The Wii Sports Resort game features 12 sports, and archery is one of them. Although you won’t feel the bow’s draw weight, you have to physically draw the bow using the Wii’s remote. The game has a target scope that zooms in on a target. You can fine-tune your aim by using the MotionPlus block. The one thing Wii got right is arrow flight — if you are further away from a target, you have to take the arrow’s fall and wind into account.

So Close but Yet So Far

Red Dead Redemption 2

In Red Dead Redemption 2, you’ll play as the main character, Arthur. You’ll be handed a longbow with which you have to hunt deer. There are several problems with this. First, Arthur is a novice when it comes to archery and longbows are not ideal for hunting, even for experienced archers. Also, there is no way that you’ll be able to hit a moving target from more than 15 meters away.

So Close but Yet So

Kid Icarus: Uprising

In this game, the character Pit has a bow made out of two swords joined at the hilt. The bow might be gorgeous, but it is impractical. I mean, can you imagine the weight of that bow and how uncomfortable it would be to carry around?

Also, this game makes it look like loading your bow is a swift process. Don’t be fooled. Placing an arrow onto your bow takes time, as you have to be cautious about the bow’s orientation because it affects the arrow’s flight.

The Last of Us

The main character, Ellie, a 14-year-old girl, is one of the most realistic archers when it comes to video games. Her shots are consistent and precise. The Last of Us makes archery more challenging with its account to wind and arrows that break when they hit a target.

While Ellie is a great archer, one problem is that she uses a back quiver to store her arrows. It might not seem like a big problem, but it would make things hard in real life, especially if your life depends on it. You can’t see your arrows if the quiver on your back, so finding one while you’re in combat would place you in a tricky situation.

Will Archery in Video Games Improve My Archery Skills in Real Life?

There’s no doubt that video games can improve skills that will help you in real life. Studies have shown that video games can improve hand-eye coordination, patience, and planning skills. But, unfortunately, there is no correlation between archery in video games and actual archery.

Will Archery in Video Games Improve My Archery Skills in Real Life

When you’re doing archery on a digital platform, you’ll often see that the character is over-drawing an arrow or perhaps holding it in a drawn-back position for long periods before hitting a target. That’s unrealistic. The longer you hold a bow in an anchored position, the more likely you will begin to shake and lose strength.

You don’t need extraordinary physical strength to pull a real-life bow, but it isn’t as easy as you might think. A beginner can learn the basics, but it takes years to master archery. It doesn’t take long to master archery in video games. Although some games make it hard, you’ll be shooting moving targets in no time.

Final Words

If you’re disappointed to hear that archery in real life is much harder than how video games portray it, don’t let it deter you from trying out archery. Archery is learnable and loads of fun, as long as you don’t expect to shoot a bull’s-eye on your first try.