When gamers think of the first-person shooter genre, theCall of DutyandBattlefieldfranchises often are the first to come to mind, and it’s for good reason. BothCall of DutyandBattlefieldhave dominated the FPS landscapefor nearly two decades, releasing games that range from historical shooter to futuristic battlefields and mastering the formula for an engaging multiplayer suite that keeps fans coming back for more competition.
There are a lot of other FPS games that have thrived alongside thewildly successfulCall of DutyandBattlefieldfranchises, though, creating a fun and competitive shooter experience that engages fans for years. These great games and franchises all share the characteristics of compelling worlds, excellent shooter mechanics, and an ability to create an overall experience different enough fromBattlefieldorCall of Dutythat they stand out as great FPS entries.
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DOOM Eternal
Fans looking for a perfectly balanced shooter with beautiful worlds and fast-paced gameplay will love iD Software’sDOOM Eternal, a single-player game that is the definition of chaos and adaptation all in one. The follow-up toDOOM 2016is a glorious romp through a violent hellscape, filled with the same weapons fans have come to enjoy and a new progression system that builds on the 2016 experience, all set to a heavy metal soundtrack in the background.
Probably the best things aboutDoom Eternalare that every weapon feels great, and that combat is encouraging players to change and adapt their play style as they progress through the game, making the experience incredibly challenging. Different enemies require different approaches, not just different types of weapons, and running in with the guns blazing won’t always result in success. In terms of mechanics,DOOM Eternalis on par with the bestCall of Dutygames,Destiny, andHaloin terms of smoothness and responsiveness, making it an elite FPS experience.
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
It’s one of the moreintense competitive shooter communitiesplayers can find, asCounter-Strike: Global Offensivehas become the stuff of PC gaming legend with dedicated players, a steep learning curve, and an ultra-competitive element that has embraced the E-Sports landscape. Released in 2012 and still thriving today,CS: GOrequires players to learn the maps and weapons to be effective, and is extremely unforgiving for players who don’t.
Despite that,CS: GOremains incredibly fun, and the fact that it has thrived for over a decade indicates the strength of the development team and the post-launch support.Global Offensive, which began as aHalf-Lifemod, is known for incredible attention to detail,particularly with weapons in CS: GO, as each weapon available has slight differences in performance and handling that require players to try them all to learn. It’s one of the least forgiving games for players who aren’t FPS naturals, but dedicated fans of shooters who want a hardcore competitive experience will enjoyCS: GO.
Halo: The Master Chief Collection
It might seem like cheating to include a collection as an alternative toCall of DutyorBattlefield, butHalo: The Master Chief Collectionis available on Game Passfor Xbox fans and can be downloaded as one title to provide the FPS greatness that isHalo 1-4,Halo 3: ODST, andHalo: Reach. It’s also available on PC now, giving players who don’t own an Xbox console another opportunity to jump into one of the best shooters ever and take on the Covenant, Flood, or Forerunners in a battle to save humanity.
The Halo games have something for everyone, as single-player fans will enjoy the campaigns ofHalo 2,Halo 3, andHalo: Reachin particular, with the others having significant high points as well. Fans of multiplayer will likely love theHalo: MCCmultiplayer suite, as it includes the legendary multiplayer offerings ofHalo 3, along with the more modern multiplayer suite inHalo: ReachandHalo 4, so there is something to appeal to the taste of any kind of FPS player. On top of the balanced multiplayer and great campaigns that explore many different environments,Haloweapons are a joy to use, with almost every type of weapon imaginable available to pick up and use at some point in the game, from a standard assault rifle to the gravity hammer.
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Destiny 2
After leaving theHalofranchise behind following the release ofHalo: Reach,Bungie left Master Chief behindand set out to create theDestinyuniverse and proved that they are one of the very best developers when it comes to creating FPS experiences. Combining aspects of the MMO experience with a first-person shooter combat system, Bungie created a vast universe with excellent combat in 2014’sDestinythat they built upon whenDestiny 2was released in 2017.
Destiny 2features standard multiplayer offerings for fans looking for something familiar and a campaign that can be done solo or with a friend in co-op to earn more gear and level up. After that, it becomes thequest for theDestiny 2end game, where players do strikes, challenges, and raids to get the best gear and level up to the highest level available at that moment. Unlike many other games, there is no “end” toDestiny 2, as there is almost always a better weapon or stronger gear to go get and a higher level to achieve to keep players coming back until the next expansion.
Titanfall 2
It’s one of the more underrated games of the previous generation, butTitanfall 2proves once againthat Respawn really knows how to deliver a smooth, fun, and unique FPS experience. Comprised of mostly former Infinity Ward developers who had made the originalCall of Duty: Modern Warfareseries, Respawn broke away and createdTitanfallin 2014. It was an innovative shooter with amazing combat, but it was a bit lacking in modes - something that Respawn corrected in a big way when they releasedTitanfall 2in 2016.
Titanfall 2introduced a single-player campaignto the series for the first time, and it was widely considered one of the best FPS campaigns in years, including its really strong tutorial level at the beginning. Its multiplayer, which features the obvious allure of getting to call in massive mechs to wreck the opposition with, expanded on an already strong multiplayer from the originalTitanfallby adding new modes and tools for players to use, including having a grappling hook long beforeHalodid.
