Shooters, be it first-person or otherwise, are a great test of Luna’s capabilities as they typically demand quick reflexes. If these games run smoothly, then genres like RPGs should also work fine. Here are thebest shooter games on Amazon Luna.
Amazon Luna Link
Dusk
Over the last decade, FPS games inspired by retro shooters from the ’90s have grown quite commonplace. At this point, this subgenre is threatening to become oversaturated, but this movement’s greatest offerings can comfortably stand alongside the classics of yesteryear.Duskis, at the very least, a contender for the best indie shooter of the modern era. The game should satisfy long-time fans of the genre along with people only familiar with contemporaryCall of DutyandBattlefieldgames.
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Incorporating horror iconography,Duskcrafts a nightmarish atmosphere that complements its chosen art style. More importantly, the gunplay is tight, challenging, and addictive.Amazon Luna’s best shooter gamesare largely older releases, but the service’s greatest old-fashioned FPS came out in 2018.
Metro Exodus
The most recent entry in 4A Games' highly regarded first-person shooter franchise,Metro Exodusincorporates the claustrophobic underground tunnels that defined its predecessors as part of larger maps. Although not fully open-world,Metro Exodusdoes prioritize explorationmore than past entries, allowing players to soak in the game’s world as they traverse largely desolate but constantly active environments.
Metro’s gunplay has always been a bit slower and more strategic than the average first-person shooter, and the 2019 entry retains this approach.Metro Exodusis thebest FPS on Amazon Luna’s Luna+ channel.
Forsaken Remastered
The 1990s put first-person shooters on the map, with games likeDOOM,Wolfenstein, andBloodbeing rightfully hailed as all-time classics. Released a bit later in the era,Forsakendid not quite manage to achieve that level of longevity, although that is by no means a reflection of a lack of quality.
Faithfully recreated in this remaster,Forsakenplaces players on a hoverbike and drops them into a series of missions with the goal to kill everything en route to the end of the level. Compared to its contemporaries,Forsaken’s controls provided more freedom of movement, and the gunplay holds up pretty well after all these years. Fans of'90s shootersshould definitely check this one out.
Run And Gun
Metal Slug 3
Oh, here is a game that should bring up some beautiful memories for anyone who attended arcades during the early 2000s.Metal Slug3is arguably the best entry inSNK’s consistently awesome franchise, and age has done nothing to dull the run and gun game’s brilliance.
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Boasting flawless visuals, a tongue-in-cheek tone, and a plethora of impeccably designed enemies,Metal Slug 3is a blast from beginning to end. Like all the arcade classics,Metal Slug 3is endlessly replayable, and the game is just a click away on Amazon Luna.
Strife
In 1996,Strifepushed the FPS genre into uncharted territory by introducing RPG elements. The game features NPCs, quests, voice acting, and open-ended levels. While rudimentary by today’s standards, that does not take anything away fromStrife’s accomplishments. This title arguably deserves to be remembered more fondly than it is.
For the FPS portion of the experience,Strifeis built on theDOOMengine; consequently, the gunplay is basically identical to Id Software’s groundbreaking ’90s shooter. Admittedly,Strifehas not aged as well asDOOMand can be a slog to play at times, although theVeteran Editiondoes include a number of quality-of-life improvements.
Shock Troopers
SNK is well represented by Amazon Luna’s Retro channel, which includes both iconic and niche releases. Although not quite as legendary asKing of FightersorMetal Slug,Shock Trooperswas a standout addition to arcades during the late ’90s. The run and gun shooter builds upon previous entries in the genre by incorporating multiple playable characters and branching paths.
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Ultimately, these games' values come down to their gameplay, an area thatShock Troopersdoes not disappoint in. Visually, the game has aged well, as tends to be the case with many of SNK’s output.Shock Troopers: 2nd Squadis also part of Amazon Luna’s Retro channel, and while not as great as its predecessor, it is still a fun time.
Third-Person Shooter, Hack and Slash
Bloodrayne: Terminal Cut
BothBloodraynegames are on Amazon Luna, and they are products of their time. Consequently, this recommendation is dependent on whether these titles hold nostalgic value to someone, although that’s not to say they offer no enjoyment to new players. Just go in expecting PS2-era visuals and gameplay, and theTerminal Cutiterations do not update the base versions all that much.
Compared to its sequel,Bloodrayneworks better as an old-school third-person shooter, even if gunplay is just one small part of the game’s combat routine. The campaign largely revolves around Rayne shooting and slashing her way through a Nazi-infested encampment, which provides enough entertainment to keep things clicking for a few hours. Rayne has a decent selection of weapons at her disposal, but they are designed to support her melee capabilities rather than supersede them.
Saints Row the Third Remastered
Volition’sSaints Rowstarted as an alternative toGrand Theft Auto, but by the third game, the series started to embrace its more cartoonish tendencies. Although not as unhinged asSaints Row 4, 2011’s entry is unapologetically over-the-top and sets players loose on a city overrun with gang activity and influenced by corrupt organizations like the Syndicate and S.T.A.G.
Saints Row The Thirdis a comedic experience through and through, and that extends to the arsenal of guns the Saints have access to. While there are somemore “ordinary” weapons, the game is also not afraid to get weird and juvenile with its designs, a decision that mostly works in the title’s favor. The story missions can be a touch hit-and-miss, butSaints Row The Thirdhas such a fun sandbox that its flaws are ultimately easy to forgive.
Blood Dragon
WithTom Clancy’s The Division, most of the mainFar Crygames,andWatch Dogs 2,Luna’s Ubisoft+ channelhas plenty of shooters waiting to be streamed. As good as those games are, they are considerable time investments, so they can be a hard sell. Luckily,Far Cry 3: Blood Dragonis an exception.
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This over-the-top spin-off is a send-up of classic ’80s action movies, and it is pretty hilarious. Despite featuring a (small) open-world,Blood Dragonis a streamlined experience that generally funnels players toward the action, all the while giving them freedom in how they approach situations. The gunplay is about as good as anything in theFar Cryseries, even if some of the more recent releases might have slight improvements in a few areas.
Contra
Metal Slugis no slouch, but when it comes to run and gun properties,Contrais the top dog. In the same year that saw the debut of the disastrousContra: Rogue Corps, Konami also released a compilation containing thefranchise’s 8 and 16-bit entries, reminding everyone why this series is so highly regarded.
All the games in this package are great, and they are also painfully difficult. If pushed to select the best of the best,Contra 3: The Alien Warswould have to take the prize, but it has stiff competition.
