When it comes to game genres, First Person Shooters (FPS) are one of the most loved. From the dystopian corridors of BioShock's subterranean 'paradise' to the Strogg-infested space stations found throughout the Quake franchise, have found countless ways to establish themselves as rich, enjoyable experiences, capturing the hearts and trigger fingers of gamers worldwide.
The best FPS experiences you'll ever have
Even if it's just blasting away wave after wave of demons in Blood, or perhaps saving mankind from itself as you traverse Half-Life 2's City 17, the FPS genre has proven itself time and time again.
We've picked out the best of the best the shooters that made your jaw drop the moment you booted them up. So grab a med-kit, holster your rocket launcher, and join us as we take a look at the 28 must-have FPS Games!
28: Return to Castle Wolfenstein
Why It's Great: Wolfenstein 3D was one of the founding fathers of the first person shooter genre and made it's re-introduction into modern gaming with the extraordinary Return to Castle Wolfenstein. There's not a whole lot more fun to kill than zombie-Nazis, and the game did it well with its wide variety of sieg heiling abominations. On top of the game's interesting foes, it also had one of the longest campaigns you'll come across in the FPS genre.
27: Blood
Why It's Great: Monolith's classic shooter caused quite the commotion as a group of angry parents campaigned against the 'bathtub of blood' marketing campaign. Thank goodness they never played this slaughterfest, because then they'd really have something to whine about. Blood lived up to its name by delivering buckets upon buckets of the titular crimson liquid as our hell-bound protagonist, Caleb, massacred wave after wave of demons in his quest for revenge.
While Blood won't win any originality points for its Evil Dead-inspired story, the action was incredibly satisfying. The single-player mode is a modern upgrade on the Doom formula - monster closets, card keys, and simplistic scenarios - but the bountiful horror film references and sly humor kept us playing. The real draw was the multiplayer mode, in which players fired flare pistols, Tommy guns, and Tesla rifles at each other in some of the best deathmatch action since, well, Doom.
26: Tribes 2
Why It's Great: The first two Tribes games practically invented modern online shooters such as Halo 3 and Team Fortress 2. Tribes 2 is a prime example of community gaming done right, with a simply astonishing multiplayer dynamic met with stunning and creative level designs to explore on foot, via jetpack, or while piloting an array of driveable vehicles. From Capture the Flag rounds, a stellar Siege mode, and good old fashioned 50+ player deathmatch, Tribes 2 was a landmark for online gaming, and still remains one of the most inventive (and addictive) shooters out there. A truly innovative game that is still highly regarded among hardcore shooter fans.
NEXT PAGE: Turok 2: Seeds of Evil and The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay
- The best first person shooter experiences you'll ever have
- Turok 2: Seeds of Evil and The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay
- TimeSplitters: Future Perfect and Counter-Strike: Source
- Battlefield 1942 and Far Cry
- Perfect Dark and Crysis
- F.E.A.R. and System Shock II
- Duke Nukem 3D and Quake II
- Our top three must have games
Comments
Trev Artlover said: Requiem: Avenging angel & S.T.A.L.K.E.R 1 & 2 ???? where are thoese gems?
Tochi Obudulu said: What? No Battlefield 3?
Jerrymancini said: HL2: DM was way better than CS (both of them)
Swish007 said: Glad to see chronicles of riddick on here.. I never felt like that game got the props it deserved.
Lincoln Bernard said: this is a great list, half life 2 is the #1 game
DoT said: Funny how we all debate on the best FPS, without defining 'best'.Best can be interpreted in so many ways. COD #2352 could be considered rank 1 if think of best in the commercial way... So plain bad article in my opinion.
DoT said: Totally agree! I still play cod2 on a daily basis. CoD1 is equally good but i hardly play it for some reason... I missed them too (just like i missed SoF)Also HL2 is awesome funny as I played it last 2 weeks a couple of hours and the story sucked me in it right away :DBut after all its the writers personal choice to place it this way so people shouldnt be offended by his opionion. I think its a nice list to relive the nostalgia and get inspired to download one of those oldies from steam or get those scratched CD's from the shelf and install! Cheers and keep up the good work!
billy said: Although this is list is opinion, I really must complain about Call of Duty even being anywhere near this list. If we're going by best FPS, CoD does not deserve a place here at all, let alone #2. This seems to just be most popular FPS from what I can tell. And yes, the absence of things like Team Fortress, Killing floor, portal (although whether you class that as an FPS is debatable) confuses me a tad. Pleased with Timesplitters being on here though!
Jorgecamacho said: the game that really revolutionazine 3D SHOOTER was Duke Nukem 3D. so far the game that change the view
Titi said: I'm dissapointed to see "hidden and Dangerous" not on the list, the damn thing was the most fun I had with a shooter EVER(except, maybe, golden eye and duke nukem on the N64)
guyboy said: Honestly, I think HL2>HL1
Guest666 said: I still maintain that Soldier of Fortune 2 had one of the best online gaming experiences on offer. The single player was terrible, but online, that game pwned
Matt Egan said: Okay kids: trash talk is fine, accusations of corruption are not. Of course it's biased; it's about games so it is subjective by it's very nature. But no-one was paid to do anything by any games publisher.
freddy said: yea, this list is trash. Don't know if futuristic games get shot down because of it's scifi nature, but the list is trash.
freddy said: Don't worry, it's a biased list. COD, Turok 2 and HL2 are on here, but Halo: Combat Evolved, BF2, BF3 are not. The guy probly paid to make the list and put his sponsors game in the top 5.
freddy said: Hell yes!!
freddy said: Biased list. Next time pick some objective standards and start from there. I could make a list as legit as yours.
Martin Wilson said: A great list of games. For more info & reviews on First Person Shooter Games - visit this site http://first-person-shooter-ga...
Jamie Gilbert said: My opinion is that Halo was 'ground breaking' because it introduced thousands of console kiddies to proper multiplayer FPS... however, had these people been introduced to a PC, a decent net connection and a copy of Quake 2 they would have seen what a truely ground-breaking FPS was. Quake 2 is top of my list, it came at the right time and online multiplayer instagib / capture the flag and mods like Vortex / KOTS / Action Quake2 set the trend for future titles such as Halflife, Counter-Strike and so on.
Dolly said: I do not say that HL1 was a bad game but I have noticed that this game has some sentimental attachments with those who have played it initially.