The Last of Us

The Last of Us stands tall as one of the defining experiences of the PS3 era, known for expertly blending survival horror gameplay with deeply humane storytelling. Naughty Dog’s post-apocalyptic adventure follows Joel and Ellie across a ruined post-apocalyptic America, and the gameplay balances tense stealth encounters with quiet, character-driven moments that keep you glued to the edge of the screen at all times. Combat feels desperate and grounded, emphasizing judicial use of resources and quick thinking. What truly elevates the game, however, is its writing and performances, which help it be relevant to this date.

Hale is also infected, but before he can be debriefed at a black site, their transport is shot down. Together with Major Blake, they go toe-to-toe against a massive Goliath and numerous Chimera. It’s action-packed, explosive, and fast-paced.

By comparison, Resistance 3 kicks off with Corporal Joseph Capelli years after. The Chimera’s virus has a cure, but that hasn’t stopped their war efforts. They’re sparing no effort to completely decimate humanity’s last remaining towns, including Capelli’s. Tensions are high, but you’re not thrown into the action immediately. Instead, players wake up underground, greeted by Capelli’s wife, Susan. We see Jack, his son, and learn how he was unwell.

Moments later, you’re walking around this underground bunker, meeting different residents of Haven, the community that Capelli settled into. You see other parents consoling their children. A dog lifts its head as you approach, wagging its tail. You meet up with Lester, pass by even more people going about their day (such as it is), and eventually happen upon Dale to get your Bullseye battle rifle, testing out in the firing range where other fighters can be seen.

Throughout all this, it becomes clear that Capelli and his fellow neighbors aren’t planning an all-out counterattack to whatever the enemy sends. Instead, an evacuation is in order, which means sneaking past Hybrids, their visages peeking through the ruined windows of the topside diner. Their march rumbles through the tunnels. When it seems like you’ve gone unnoticed, a Hybrid busts through the window, snatching and mauling an ally. Thus, the battle begins out in the ruined streets of Haven, with all manner of tactics thrown to the wind.

Compared to the previous two games, Resistance 3 is more methodical in its pacing. More immersive and, appropriately enough, human-centric. As lead writer Jon Paquette explained to GameDeveloper.com in 2011, “We need to make sure that the player knows who they are, where they are, sometimes when they are – if it’s past or whatever – and most importantly why they’re doing what they’re doing.

“If I’m shooting these aliens, I want to know why I’m shooting the aliens. It needs to be satisfying to shoot the aliens, believe me, but if I know why, then the experience itself is going to be so much better, and I think that’s what the best games do.”

That’s only really the start, though, as Capelli meets Dr. Fyoder Malikov from the previous game, who informs him about the Chimera and their plan to usher in a new ice age. Thus begins their journey to stop the enemy’s plans and potentially turn the tables in humanity’s favor.

In previous games, we mostly saw the impact of the Chimera’s efforts from a military perspective. Some gruesome things occurred in Resistance 2, including the deaths of tens of millions of humans. However, much of the campaign saw players venturing through abandoned cities, massive Chimera ships, and giant floating towers in the skies. In Resistance 3, you’re on the ground level because this isn’t an operation. It’s a fight for survival. The tone is bleaker than ever, and it’s apparent that humanity is on its last legs.

While the Chimera are the main threat, other humans are just as deadly. The Remnants are on your side, promising to escort Capelli and Malikov to New York, where the aliens have their doomsday device. But there are also the Wardens, a group of escaped prisoners turned bandits, with their leader, Mick, brutally killing Malikov and capturing Capelli. The latter is then taken to their prison to fight against Chimera with nothing but a sledgehammer for the Wardens’ amusement. Eventually, there’s a prison break, which ends in Mick’s death on top of all the other killings and destruction.

The overall tone of violence is grittier and more personal than previous titles – which is saying something. However, the result is a campaign that isn’t just unique from its predecessors but something unorthodox by sci-fi shooter standards. The pacing is deft, taking enough time to establish the world and the various humans that dot it, be it the Wardens or the humans of a coal town trying to get by. When it needs to ramp up the action, it does so in interesting ways, mixing firefights with out-and-out horror.

Insomniac Games is owed credit for pushing the limits of the PS3 hardware with its environments, texture work, and character models. So much of the tone and atmosphere is well-informed with its lighting and shadows. Even if it was released three years after Resistance 2, the visual leap is still very much noticeable and masterfully crafted. It’s not perfect, sadly, as the resolution and inconsistent frame rate put a significant damper on the experience.

Of course, the gun play is snappy and responsive, regardless if you’re wielding the trusty Bullseye or the Magnum. The latter is particularly satisfying since it packs lithium rounds. Shoot an enemy in the head and then detonate it to watch a satisfying spray of bloody fireworks. The Mutator is also satisfying as it turns enemies into walking detonations, while environments feel more organic. It also doesn’t hurt that Resistance 3 brought back the first game’s weapon wheel, doing away with the two weapon-limit from the previous game.

You also had a proper health bar instead of regenerating health because, well, Capelli doesn’t possess Hale’s regenerative properties. It makes sense story-wise and reinforces his vulnerability in the face of many threats. Another feature that propelled Resistance 3 above and beyond Resistance 2 is the campaign co-op. Not to knock on the latter, though, as it offered a separate campaign with up to eight players teaming together with different classes and random objects to battle the Chimera. But the former’s campaign more than held its own, and being able to play it online or through local co-op with a friend was great.

When I look back at Resistance 3, it’s incredible how much it reminds me of many other post-apocalyptic titles, from The Walking Dead and The Last of Us to Metro. It still carries that signature Resistance bleakness, so it’s all the more baffling that Insomniac’s title didn’t perform nearly as well as its predecessors. Resistance 2 sold almost 600,000 units in North America across two months, but Resistance 3 only sold 180,000 copies in its launch month.

With Insomniac Games shifting towards the Ratchet and Clank franchise and eventually Marvel’s Spider-Man, Resistance has been on the back burner. If the trilogy is remastered or remade, it will hopefully bring more attention to the franchise, specifically Resistance 3. It’s an incredible blend of action, story-telling, aesthetics, and pacing. Even after over 13 years and tons of other noteworthy first-person shooters, it’s a classic and warrants significantly more appreciation, both from PlayStation and genre fans.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

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.

Splitgate

Splitgate combines the high-octane first-person shooting of contemporaries like Halo with some ingenious portal mechanics that come together to create a markedly fresh experience. It’s a lot of fun to move around portals while spraying bullets at your opponents, and the map design provides many options for coming up with your own creative strategies. While Splitgate’s player count has dropped by quite a margin in recent times, it remains an enjoyable time nevertheless.

Prison Heist – Dying Light

The free Prison Heist DLC exists outside of the main and sees Kyle Crane infiltrating a prison full of guards and Infected for supplies, weapons, and more. Upon entering, the player must dispatch guards and navigate multiple cell blocks, fighting off Infected along the way (with things getting even crazier as multiple Volatiles are discovered). This culminates in a battle with waves of Virals, including two Demolishers, before the prison’s armory is unsealed. But that’s not the end. A timer starts counting down and you need to grab the loot inside and escape before it expires. All in all, a great test of one’s combat and parkour prowess, not to mention an awesome speed-running exercise.

Amnesia: The Dark Descent

Initially, you pity Daniel – he’s trapped in a strange castle with no memories of how he got there and with a murderous Shadow that’s out to get him. Nothing can stop the Shadow and it becomes more commonplace as time goes on. However, it’s revealed that Daniel accidentally unleashed the Shadow upon discovering a strange orb during an archaeological dig. With no other options, he would eventually be contacted by Alexander, a mysterious being who says he can help repel the creature.

Doing this requires gathering vitae from people suffering from immense pain. And so Daniel helped Alexander to capture and torture people (whom the latter claimed to be criminals but were in fact not), using amnesia potion to ensure they remain terrified throughout. Eventually, however, it’s revealed that Alexander is harvesting the vitae to return to his own dimension using the orb. Daniel is betrayed in the process and seeks revenge, using the amnesia potion on himself to push past his guilt.

Upon venturing into the inner reaches of the castle, where Alexander is conducting a ceremony to open a portal, the player can either let him continue and thus be killed by the Shadow, or disrupt it, causing the Shadow to only kill Alexander. The latter seems pretty good but given Daniel’s hand in the torture of innocents, it’s hardly all sunshine and rainbows by the end.

Another choice is to throw the head of Agrippa, a prisoner with knowledge of the orb, into the portal. Both Daniel and Alexander then die to the Shadow but the former won’t descend into darkness because Agrippa will help him…or something. Even if you were being kind and felt Daniel deserved to be saved, there’s no guarantee that the Shadow wouldn’t still be pursuing him.

THE ORDER: 1886

There’s no denying that The Order: 1886 didn’t exactly do justice to its premise, but at the same time, this is the sort of premise that could really have come into its own if it had been given the chance to build on its foundation and learn from its mistakes. The 2015 title looked gorgeous and transported players to a vividly imaginative setting, and we would have loved to see that idea being expanded and built upon in a sequel that worked to address its predecessor’s issues.

Firewatch

This Campo Santo-developed first-person adventure was released in 2016 and sees players taking the role of a man named Henry who is a fire lookout at a national forest. The game has some great art direction which is also minimalist, alongside quality voice-acting. Firewatch does not have much in the name of action, but the beauty of nature and its environments remains constant throughout. Players will also have to choose dialogues from an options tree, which can significantly impact your relationship with other characters.

Killzone 2

While Guerrilla Games has become well-known for the Horizon series, remastering Killzone 2 for the PS5 seems a given. It’s the game that put the company on the map and its excellent visual fidelity, attention to detail, fun gun play and solid multiplayer would make a smooth transition over to the console. If a new sequel on PS5 isn’t coming any time soon, then it makes sense to revisit Killzone 2 in some capacity.

All aboard? Alright then. Choo-choo.

NOTE: There will be spoilers ahead.

SPIDER-MAN

Spider-Man, of course, is closely associated with trains in media thanks to the wallcrawler’s exploits in the movies, and Insomniac’s 2018 title paid full homage to that. Spidey’s fight against Mister Negative in a train barrelling through New York subway was brief, but it was tense and exciting. Of course, it also gets points for recreating bits of the train sequence from Spider-Man 2 in its own humourous way.