Really depends on the game and how their weapon mechanics work, most games I would go for a shotgun for the powerful sound that follows the deadly blast.

The current game I'm playing now the Demoman caries a grenade launcher and a critical hit will blow the enemy to bits which is quite satisfying...

Also his secondary weapon is a sticky mine thrower which comes in handy when playing the capture the flag map. I can lay a mine field around our flag (in game called "The Intelligence" ) and when the director calls out "The enemy has captured our Intelligence" I hit the detonation button and blow them away before they can run off with our Intel.

All of the 9 different character classes have interesting ways to use their weapons so I can go on for pages but have to end here and continue to "work"...

in shooting games, i love the shotguns, and rifles like the M-1

A lot of us enjoy the shotgun. Is it because of the power, the sounds it makes, the way it looks or because it's usual the best, powerful weapons you get early on?

It's great when you're walking around the corner with the shotgun, run into a bad guy that you get so scared you accidentally hit the controller causing it to shotgun him. I love those moments. :o)

i liek the fact that ic an hit two or more people at once, there fore making my accuracy be well over 100%, it's great for close range to medium range combat, and it's usually a one shot kill at close-ish range.

I believe my shot gun enjoyment comes from the powerful sound and I enjoy CQ combat. But allot of multiplayer games are ruined when people find out how easy it is to just run around blowing people away with the shotgun.

Guns, especially snipers when you can blow someones head off in one shot.

Snipers,i love it to target someone who doesnt know that i'm gonna blow his head off,he looks so dumb

Action - Like storm, I like midranged assautl rifles. The spec ops gun range in Battlefield 2 is a good example- accurate, not the most poweful, and with decent range.

RPG - I played a bit of FF11 and have never touched WoW, so I'm talking traditional RPG's here. The various guns of Wild Arms 3 come to mind, particuarly the shotgun the Indian used.

Adventure - For Oblivion I was alternating between a longbow and a mace that unleashed lightning that generally created a proverbial cluster****. Both satisfying in their own ways. Ratchet and Clank: Up Your Arsenal (which I think is the best platformer ever made), I usually used the grenade laucher (at V8 it's just catastrophic) or the black hole gun (watching a whole room of enemies just disappear and leave you with bolts is just plain cool).

FPS: I prefer assault rifles and SMG's 9 times out of 10. Preferably with a scope.

RPG: I prefer swords usually, preferably one handed so I can have a shield as well.

Fighting: A round house kick to the face followed by a second round house kick to the face just in case.

Action- Sniper rifle. I love being able to pick off enimies one by one

RPG- I always train a mage when I can. Go. Magic. mainly Black magic

Adventure- Bow and arrow. I'm not sure why, But its great.