There are a lot of newfangled, modern gaming genres that are in vogue these days, like the ever-growing list ofharsh but fair Soulsborne titles, or games likeAnimal WellandOuter Wildsthat have coined the term ‘Metroidbrainia’. However, there are some gaming genres that have been around forever and aren’t going away anytime soon. One of these is the FPS genre, a genre where pointing a gun and killing whatever dares to stand in your way is the aim of the game.
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From the halcyon days ofDoom,Heretic, andWolfenstein 3D, this genre has blossomed into a beautiful, bountiful bloodbath, and there’s a litany of amazing shooters we could choose as the cream of the crop. However, we want to narrow it down to just a few prime examples that showcase just how special the FPS genre is. So, without further delay, here are our picks for the best FPS games ever made.
While I have the honor of writing up our FPS Hall of Fame, I should note that this list was created via an in-house voting system with all members of the Hardcore Gamer team putting their top ten FPS games forward. So this isn’t necessarily my chosen top ten, but instead, HG’s collective favorite shooters.
10Borderlands 2
Metacritic Score
Let’s kick things off with a trip to Pandora. This looter-shooter series is a modern classic for a multitude of reasons. The original in this series built a solid foundation of fun gunplay, eye-catching cel-shaded visuals, zany mission formats, and comical writing, but the second in the series takes this to another level.
Borderlands 2provides a much more coherent, engaging story with strong writing,larger-than-life characterslike Handsome Jack, who we all love to hate, and, of course, there are a multitude of new weapons that allow for chaos and over-the-top violence in equal measure. Sadly,Borderlands 3wouldn’t be able to come close to matching the quality of this one, but the good news is, because of the co-op features and tons of DLC, this one is so darn replayable. So, whether it’s your introduction to Pandora or a long-awaited return, it might be time to playBorderlands 2.
9Titanfall 2
Respawn Entertainment
Titanfall 2is a game that was sadly sent out to die on release, as Respawn decided to sandwich this game right in the middle ofBattlefield 1andCall of Duty: Advanced Warfare,two franchises that were at the peak of their powers back in 2016. The firstTitanfallgame wasn’t all that impressive, but while that is true, the sequel fixes everything and then some, making its ill-fated release such a shame.
This one is a bit of a cult classic due to its dedicated campaign, providing a gripping set of missions that really get the most out of the game’s unique Titan mechanics, the satisfying wall-running, and even managing to nail time travel, which is always a tricky thing to get right. Basically, in a sea of ‘boots on the ground shooters’, within this era,Titanfall 2had the cojones to stand out, and that alone makes this game a certified FPS icon.
Irrational Games
Bioshockwas a bit of a watershed moment for video gaming, mainly because, through Ken Levine’s phenomenal world-building andnarrative focus on objectivism, media as a whole had to take gaming seriously as a storytelling medium. So, for that reason, many people know this series mainly for its narrative chops. But what can’t be understated is that this game was a good shooter, too.
This title offered interesting gunplay through the use of hackable turret systems, unique traps, and, of course,Rapture’s most addictive genetic cocktails, Plasmids.Whether it was shocking Splicers with a lightning bolt from the tip of your finger, or commanding a swarm of bees, these plasmids always felt satisfying to use. Arguably,Bioshock Infinitewould go on to offer more traditional, refined FPS mechanics, but the original had a survival horror vibe, tactical gunplay, and a masterful story, making it a triple threat well worth its spot.
7Doom (2016)
ID Software
Ah, the Boomer Shooter. It’s an FPS sub-genre that does away with nuance, narrative, and the general ebb and flow of combat. Boomer Shooters areallflow, and the thing that’s flowing is blood, pumping through your veins as your adrenaline spikes and bullets sail overhead. It’s a hell of a time, and speaking of hell, the series that made this all possible wasDOOM.
It seems unthinkable that a series of this magnitude went from 2004 through to 2016 without a single mainline release, but the good news is that when it burst back into action, it didn’t miss a beat.DOOM2016 offered a modern, bombastic, and blood-soaked FPS experience that pulls no punches and never lets you stop moving, killing, and dismembering because it’s kill or be killed, and in this game, killing is so fun, you’ll never want to stop.
TEAM SUPERHOT
The FPS genre is a classic one for a reason. You know exactly what to expect from pretty much any shooter. You’ll be given a gun and need to shoot some baddies. It rarely gets much more nuanced than that, nor does it need to be. However, in the mid-2010s, thanks to the annualBattlefieldandCall of Dutyreleases coming at us thick and fast, the format was starting to feel a little stale and predictable. We needed a fresh new take on shooters, and as if on cue, along cameSUPERHOT.
This game tasked players with completing a series of bespoke FPS levels, but with a twist. Time only moves when you do. If you play these levels like normal FPS titles, you’ll be overwhelmed in the blink of an eye. But, if you approach these levels like puzzles to solve with tight movement and Matrix-like precision, you might just clear the room and be the last one standing. It’sMax Payne’sbullet time on steroids and an FPS indie darling that punches way above its weight.
5Half-Life
Valve has always been a developer known for pushing the envelope when it comes to FPS titles, with games likeTeam Fortress 2,Portal,andCounterstrikeall still garnering quite the player base today. However, we don’t think many would argue that the crown jewel of their catalog has to be theHalf-Lifeseries, a series that served as a trailblazer, carving out a path for all 3D FPS games that would come thereafter.
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Half-Lifewas one of the first FPS campaigns that offered a cohesive and engaging storyline, seeing you step into the shoes of the mute Gordon Freeman on your typical day in the life of a physicist who needs to fight alien life forms. And while the likes ofDOOMandQuakemay have served as influences, this title is probably more influential than both due to the narrative structure it brought to FPS gaming.
It’s widely regarded as a masterpiece, and no matter how annoyed you still are aboutHalf-Life 2’scliffhanger ending, you have to admit, withoutHalf-Life, the FPS genre would look very different today.
4Neon White
Angel Matrix
When we played Ben Esposito’s first ever little indie game,Donut County, we never would have bet on him following it up with one of the most unique and masterful takes on the FPS genre ever, but lo and behold, he did just that, providing a game that asks for precise shooting, pinpoint platforming and speed running all in one neat little package.
This game has you play asNeon White, a devil who has been given the chance to fight for a spot within the pearly gates above by killing demons and cleaning up heaven. It has a surreal concept, kitschy writing, aSonic-esque ranking system, and the most refined blend of platforming and FPS combat you’ll likely ever witness with your own two eyeballs. Basically, it’s a game that trains you how to speedrun speedrunning, if that makes sense.
Zombies may be a pretty tired horror cliché that was milked for all it’s worth at this point, but there was a period about a decade ago where people just couldn’t get enough of the flesh-eating little buggers. Right in the middle of this zombie heyday, Valve’sLeft 4 Deadseries rose to prominence, offering four-player co-op missions packed to the gills with all manner of infected creatures. But, even though the first was a smash hit in its own right, the sequel was a giant step up in quality.
On the surface, not much changed, aside from the new missions, the new squad of survivors, and some additional weapons and zombies. But the real reason this one feels like such a leap forward is hidden behind the scenes. Valve would upgrade their AI,known as The Director, a system that analyzes your session and changes the dynamic to keep a natural ebb and flow.
For example, if things have been a little light on zombies, or you’re finding it too easy, the game might throw a horde at you, or some special infected.This dynamic and emergent system makes every session feel fresh and unpredictable, which is why, years on,Left 4 Dead 2remains one of the finest co-op experiences on the market.
Our runner-up is what we deem the cream of the crop when referencing the long-running Bungie franchise,Halo. While the first two got the series off to a flier, and later titles would take advantage of modern tech to provide high-fidelity alien nasties to blast to kingdom come, we think that nothing quite compares to whatHalo 3had to offer. The campaign was every bit as good as those that had come before, but what tips it over the edge is the iconic multiplayer gameplay this one provided.
Whether it was the Pit, Valhalla, Isolation, or the Narrows, there is one map that immediately springs to mind and gives you a hearty helping of nostalgia. The gunplay was excellent, the map design was on point, and the vehicular combat was phenomenal as well. It was just the complete package and a real ‘you had to be there moment’ as this game would serve as the first standout multiplayer console shooter. But, lurking in the shadows, was the certified GOAT just waiting to steal Halo’s thunder mere months later.
1Call Of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Infinity Ward
If you want to know why shooters became so popular back in the late 2000s, you need only look atCall of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. Because as soon as this game came out, every developer wanted to make something even half as good as this iconic, innovative shooter. For the longest time, shooters had been sci-fi epics, or boots-on-the-ground WW2 reenactments with little in-between. So whenCOD 4burst onto the scene with a gritty campaign depicting conflict that pulled no punches, everyone in gaming sat up and took note.
The campaign still stands as one of the best to feature in a shooter, but what really cemented this game as the best of all time in our eyes was the multiplayer system. The tried and tested COD system with prestiges, gun classes, perks, and whatnot originated here, and it’s a system that’s still popular today, showcasing the legacy of this blockbuster shooter. You would be hard-pressed to find anyone who won’t admit thatCall of Dutyisn’t the most successful and influential FPS franchise ever, and that reputation is built on the foundation ofCall of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.
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