Resident Evil (2002)

The original Resident Evil was a groundbreaking title, mixing together survival and horror in a way that was never seen before. The PlayStation version was a product of its time, and the developer remastered it for the GameCube generation with a significant overhaul to its visuals and several quality-of-life changes. The fixed camera angles meant better pre-baked reflections and textures, making the visuals a step above what was possible with a free camera.

Duke Nukem 3D

3D Realms’ Duke Nukem 3D hasn’t aged well when examining its more risque elements. At the time, it stood out for imbuing some character into the first-person shooter genre, courtesy of Duke’s one-liners. The environmental interactions and destruction also felt fresh, to say nothing of bizarre weapons like the Shrink Ray for cutting enemies down to size.

SUPERHOT

What should be a gimmicky concept – time only moving when you do – results in an engaging, clever experience in the first-person shooter space. Superhot isn’t just about scoring headshots, throwing weapons, or swinging katanas to take out scores of enemies – it’s the assessment, the moments between each kill, that make it sing.

Valorant

Mix Counter-Strike: GO’s tactical shooting with characters befitting a hero shooter and you get Valorant, in a nutshell. As slow-paced and odd as it may seem, this is also one of the best tactical shooters, if not competitive multiplayer titles, out there. Despite only being out for a little over four years, Valorant offers tense gameplay that’s hard to put down.

Borderlands 3

Ignore the base game’s story, characters and writing for the sake of your sanity, and the gameplay in Borderlands 3 is a significant step up. From the smoother response and feedback and improved mobility to more varied gun types and deeper build crafting, it’s a strong looter shooter, though nowhere near as timeless as its predecessor.

DOOM 1 + DOOM 2

While fairly recent, DOOM 1 + DOOM 2 collects the best of both titles into one excellent package. Boasting all their additional content, Sigil, and a great new campaign by MachineGames, the release is made even better with in-game mod support, a stellar remixed soundtrack and cross-platform multiplayer deathmatch, with 26 new maps to cause chaos on.

Killzone 2

After the infamous E3 2005 incident, Guerrilla Games’ first-person shooter had nowhere to go but up, and subsequently knocked it out of the park. The gorgeous visuals were a factor, of course, but the well-designed missions, gunplay, intelligent AI, and tight level design made for an incredible experience (even if the ending was underwhelming).

Halo 3 ODST

Though not quite the follow-up that fans expected, especially after Halo 3’s thunderous conclusion, ODST was still a worthy side story. It focused on one of the most compelling units, the Helljumpers, as they infiltrated New Mombasa and engaged in urban warfare with the Covenant. Perhaps its biggest contribution is the introduction of Firefight, a Horde-style variant with difficulty modifiers, a shared lives pool, and multiple sets to overcome.

Bulletstorm

People Can Fly and Epic Games had a pretty simple goal with Bulletstorm – gamifying stylish ways to kill the opposition. The story and characters are ultimately secondary; kicking enemies into environmental hazards, sending them sky high for some skeet shooting, and more for extra points is ultimately what sold the experience. Even if it remains underrated (no thanks to its terrible VR port), Bulletstorm is still a hell-raising good time.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat

The Zone remains as haunting as ever in GSC Game World’s S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat, the third title in the series and most compelling yet. Though it has its share of bugs, the sandbox gameplay combined with the atmospheric horror and survival elements make for a harrowing time, whether you’re dealing with Anomalies or the various factions.

Destiny 2

Bungie’s live service shooter has had a long history, one with many ups and downs. Even throughout all of the changes, it remains perhaps the best of its kind. Between excellent campaigns like The Witch Queen and The Final Shape, an unmistakable feel for its weapons, gorgeous art direction, and stellar raids, Destiny 2 is still worth playing.

Unreal Tournament

When Quake 3 Arena was believed to reign supreme, Unreal Tournament appeared out of nowhere and claimed the throne. While the former still held a strong esports presence, the latter was the overall better product, from its map design and visuals to the sheer variety of mode types. Assault alone is an incredible addition to the competitive FPS formula and playing with AI bots actually felt enjoyable, even on the higher difficulties.

Turok: Dinosaur Hunter

Turok may have initially come across as “What if FPS but killing dinosaurs instead of humans?” but surprised many with its exploration and gorgeous visuals on the Nintendo 64. Of course, the combat was no slouch either, as each of the 13 weapons resulted in ample gore. Together, these elements made for an unorthodox but memorable shooter.

Prey (2017)

What could have been with the Prey franchise if Human Head Studios’ sequel wasn’t cancelled? We’ll never know, but in the meantime, Arkane Austin’s 2017 reboot, which embraces a more immersive sim structure and deep space paranoia, is excellent. As Morgan Yu, players must survive in a massive space station overrun with Typhon, but not everything is as it seems. The result is one of the finest first-person titles ever made.

Far Cry 3

Moving away from Far Cry 2’s realistic sandbox, Far Cry 3 went much bigger, returning to the tropical island setting while introducing a compelling new villain. Though the story is far more structured, the open world is rife with quests, enemy camps, wild animals, and much more. To this day, Far Cry 3 remains in a class of its own.

Metro: Last Light

Much as Metro Exodus embraced an open-world-style approach to its large areas, there’s something about Metro: Last Light and its linear narrative. Maybe it’s how well-designed each section felt, whether you were escaping from captivity or slinking through the surface, avoiding contact with its mutants. Perhaps it was the moral dilemmas that Artyom faced. Either way, the series’ brand of survival and fast-paced gunplay is at its peak here.

Star Wars: Battlefront 2 (Classic)

Ignoring the utter cluster that Aspyr’s re-released turned out to be in the online department, the classic Star Wars: Battlefront 2 is still a timeless game. The campaign is enjoyable enough but Galactic Conquest was a game changer of a single-player mode, offering a Risk-like map to fight through and conquer. Multiplayer was still arguably the highlight of it all, especially with 24 maps and modes like Hero Assault.

Medal of Honor (1999)

Developed by Dreamworks Interactive, it was the premiere World War 2 title, immersing players in the conflicts of the time while offering a top-tier presentation. Allied Assault would be more remembered thanks to its recreation of the Battle of Normandy, but Medal of Honor still deserves its flowers.

Left 4 Dead 2

Decried as little more than an expansion pack before launch, Left 4 Dead 2 expanded so much on its predecessor’s already compelling co-op gameplay. New Special Infected, deeper campaigns with more varied objectives, a wider variety of melee weapons and guns, and incredible replay value courtesy of its AI Director were just some of the reasons it stood out. Of course, its modability over the years has also ensured some great laughs.

Resistance 3

As the conclusion to the Resistance trilogy, Insomniac’s Resistance 3 is also its least successful. It’s a shame because, on top of new and old weapons, the atmosphere and dark subject matter added to the stakes, making it feel like humanity’s last desperate attempt to stay alive. While it still needed some polish, the gunplay and overall presentation made for a fitting end to the series.

System Shock (2023)

One of the best first-person titles ever made, System Shock is also far from easy to remake. Nevertheless, Nightdive Studios took a swing, rebuilding the visuals from the ground up while staying true to the far-future cyberpunk aesthetic of the original. Even with the improved UI, overhauled Cyberspace and other changes, it still maintains that sense of dread and terror that defined the original.

GoldenEye 007

Rare was already pretty well-established before GoldenEye 007 and yet, its launch raised the developer’s stock considerably. It isn’t just one of the best video game adaptations of a movie (usually a formula for failure back then), but proof that console shooters could be great. The local multiplayer alone defined many gamers’ lives growing up.

Cyberpunk 2077

After all the updates, revamped perks, and improvements, Cyberpunk 2077 has gone from a good first-person shooter to a great one. It’s backed by actual build variety, whether you’re a manic Mantis Blades user, a Netrunner overloading every single enemy, or skilled in a variety of guns. Of course, everything else that makes the game great, from its side quests to its open-world activities, doesn’t hurt either.

Wolfenstein 3D

While not quite the first-ever FPS made, Wolfenstein 3D is what ultimately led to the genre’s rise. It was frantic and fast-paced, with revolutionary visuals and excellent weapons. Though it offered secrets to discover throughout its ten episodes, the simplicity is ultimately what made it such a universal hit.

Quake 2 Remastered

Crafted with Nightdive’s assistance, the recent enhanced edition of Quake 2 packs all the mission packs, Quake 2 64, and a new episode from MachineGames into one package. Then it adds the id Vault, AI opponents in multiplayer, 4K/120 Hz support, and various quality-of-life features, turning one of id’s best shooters ever into a contemporary must-play.

The FINALS

Embark Studios’ THE FINALS is often forgotten when discussing competitive shooters, especially free-to-play options. Nevertheless, it’s a strong package with some unique modes, dynamic combat thanks to full environmental destruction, and extensive strategy, thanks to the unique gadgets. The arena-style combat may not appeal to everyone, but it still makes for some intense PvP sessions.

Black Mesa

If developing a sequel to Half-Life is challenging, remaking the experience, especially as a small team of fans, is an almost Herculean effort. Yet throughout many years of waiting, Black Mesa was finally a reality, delivering everything we loved about the original with gorgeous revamped visuals and entirely new sections like Xen.

DOOM (2016)

Considering how diminished interest had been in the franchise, it’s a miracle that DOOM even released. The fact that it’s this good is just an anomaly. Everything about it, from the visuals and action, particularly the new Glory Kills, is simply fantastic.

Perfect Dark

GoldenEye 007 showcased Rare’s surprising expertise for incredible first-person shooters and Perfect Dark only solidified it. With a tighter narrative focus and strong characterization (as seen with the iconic Joanna Dark), it weaved stealth, tense gunplay, memorable set pieces, and stellar levels into one cohesive package. The fact that it delivered so much despite the Nintendo 64 nearing the end of its lifespan is an achievement unto itself.

Titanfall 2

While it’s a shame that the original didn’t become all that popular, Titanfall 2’s fate is even more tragic given the sheer quality involved. The multiplayer is much more involved with its variety of Titans, weapon types and abilities (even if some maps could be hit or miss). Furthermore, the campaign is simply an all-timer with its level design, boss fights, and stories, making it worth the price of admission alone.

Half-Life 2

When you’re in Valve’s shoes and Half-Life is the pinnacle of narrative first-person shooters, there are high expectations. Yet, Half-Life 2 surpasses with relative ease, from the presentation and world-building to the story-telling and characters. Each area is memorable and unique; the Combine makes for enjoyable foes to fight; and the Gravity Gun is iconic all on its own.

Resident Evil Village

The Resident Evil series has seen its fair share of remakes in the form of the stellar Resident Evil 2 and the disappointing Resident Evil 3, but it has consistently delivered high-quality follow-ups. These include Resident Evil 7 and its follow-up Village, the latter of which represent the best of what the series offers. Resident Evil Village majestically swerves from one kind of horror to the next without any hiccups, and the action keeps pace with the changing scenery and shifting mechanics. The core gameplay of shooting down zombies is much faster than Resident Evil 7, but it retains the heft and groundedness of a survival horror game that comes together to make it one of the best in its class.

Released in 1997 and based on the James Bond film of the same name, GoldenEye 007 supports online multiplayer on the Switch. The Xbox versions are confined to local split-screen multiplayer but offer alternate controls, native 16:9 resolution support, 4K Ultra HD and Achievements.

Along with the memorable campaign, there’s the multiplayer, which arguably revolutionized console FPS multiplayer. It features numerous maps and characters from across the franchise and some unique modes like The Man With the Golden Gun, which features a one-shot kill weapon in the level. License to Kill is a more straightforward hardcore-style mode where every weapon is a one-hit kill.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8VYKgB0iZk

Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition and Inkulinati go live on January 31st, though the latter is launching via Game Preview. Those looking for more action can check out JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure All-Star Battle R for consoles, cloud and PC on the same day.

February 2nd marks the arrival of Darkest Dungeon, the punishing rogue-like turn-based RPG, which will be playable on consoles, cloud and PC. Codemasters’ GRID Legends is out on the same day via the cloud on EA Play, while Hot Wheels Unleashed – Game of the Year Edition arrives on February 7th for consoles, cloud and PC.

In addition, these four titles will be leaving the service on January 31st. Play them now while you can:

• Donut County (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Taiko no Tatsujin: The Drum Master (Console and PC)
• Telling Lies (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Worms WMD (Cloud, Console, and PC)

Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S players can still experience local multiplayer with split-screen support. Alternate control options, Achievements, native 16:9 resolution support and up to 4K Ultra HD resolution are also available. Furthermore, those who own Rare Replay can download GoldenEye 007 free of charge.

Released in 1997, GoldenEye 007 is a first-person shooting classic based on the film of the same name. It sees James Bond trying to stop a dangerous satellite called Goldeneye. He eventually runs into a ghost from his past, among other threats. In addition to various weapons, the classic Bond gadgets – like the wristwatch laser – are here.

Despite an incredible campaign, the shooter is renowned for its multiplayer with different modes, settings, characters and levels. Stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks.

A re-release of the classic Rare-developed first person shooter has been in the leaks for several months, and it’s now officially been confirmed. Additionally, as you’d expect, the game will also launch for Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S via Xbox Game Pass, while Microsoft also confirms that those who own Rare Replay on Xbox already will get free access to the game.

GoldenEye 007’s re-release will come with all of its original content intact, along with support for Achievements, an option for improved dual analog controls, native 16:9 resolution up to 4K, and refresh rate enhancements.

Interestingly, while the Nintendo Switch version of the game will feature online play, the Xbox version will not and will only allow local multiplayer.

A release date hasn’t yet been announced.

25 years after its original release, experience GoldenEye 007 faithfully recreated for Xbox consoles. Includes achievements, 4K resolution and a smoother framerate – even in split-screen local multiplayer! Coming soon to @XboxGamePass. pic.twitter.com/kpBlJKqFR9

— Rare Ltd. (@RareLtd) September 13, 2022

Ready up for your objective, secret agents. Nintendo 64’s GoldenEye 007 is coming soon to Nintendo Switch for #NintendoSwitchOnline + Expansion Pack members, now with online play! pic.twitter.com/pXNzpDW7Ud

— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) September 13, 2022

So what’s the hold up? Journalist Jeff Grubb – who’s been on the forefront of GoldenEye 007 leaks for a while – has previously said that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine caused the game’s release to be delayed internally earlier in the year, owing to the strong presence of the Soviet Union in GoldenEye’s story. Taking recently to Twitter, Grubb said that due to the ongoing conflict, the game is “still in limbo”.

What does that mean for its launch? Well, given the aforementioned leak of a full list of Achievements for the game, trademark filings, and more, it seems like it’s ready to go, but is being continued to be held back. How long that will be the case remains to be seen. Either way, we’ll keep you updated on any new details that come our way, so stay tuned.

Goldeneye is still in limbo because of the war. 1 v 100's team lead left Microsoft. I don't know what that means for the game.

— Grubb (@JeffGrubb) July 10, 2022

Max Payne 1 and 2 Remakes

Announced very recently as a collaborative effort between original developer Remedy Entertainment and publisher Rockstar Games, the Finnish developer is working on full-fledged remakes of the first two Max Payne games using its in-house Northlight Engine. Given the massive popularity of this IP, it seems fair to say that expectations and anticipation for the two games are very high. The two remakes are still in the early stages of development, and fans will have to wait a bit before they get a chance to play them in all of their high-fidelity glory.

Now, it looks like an official announcement for the game might finally be coming soon. A full Achievements list for GoldenEye 007 has gone live on the Xbox website, and is fully viewable by everyone. The achievements also come with thumbnails showing glimpses of the game itself, and judging by those, it doesn’t look like the re-release is going to be a very significant visual overhaul. Either way, many will be chomping at the bit to be able to play the classic shooter on modern hardware again.

Of course, the question of which platforms it will be made available on is an interesting one. GoldenEye 007 was developed by Rare when it was owned by Nintendo as an N64 exclusive, though Rare is an Xbox first party studio now, while James Bond is, of course, a licensed property. It’s likely that it ends up being a multiplatform release- for Xbox and Switch, at the very least.

Of course, this isn’t the first time in recent weeks that an announcement for a GoldenEye 007 re-release has looked imminent, only for nothing to come of it, so one can never be too sure. With the Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase right around the corner though, it’s hard not to get one’s hopes up.