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.

The collection currently has a “Mostly Negative” rating roughly a day after launch. Out of the 2974 user reviews on Steam, only 20 percent are positive, which is abysmal. If it racked up more, it could easily rank among the likes of Overwatch 2 (where only 17 percent of its reviews are positive, and that’s before getting into the joke reviews).

That’s far from the legacy some fans expect from classics of this caliber. Is it ironic that despite how beloved the core games developed by Pandemic Studios are, they would face this kind of backlash, especially given the legacy of more recent Battlefront titles? Sure, but something’s got to give.

I should first clarify that I reviewed Star Wars: Battlefront Classic Collection on PlayStation 5, giving it an eight out of 10. Both titles are quite enjoyable and hold up pretty well, from the immersion of the battles to the solid performance, even with dozens of units on-screen at once. Trying different units depending on the strategy was fun, and Galactic Conquest in Battlefront 2 fed that “one more turn” itch usually reserved for tactical role-playing and turn-based strategy games. I didn’t try the multiplayer, much less split-screen, but even with some nagging issues, I find the collection quite enjoyable for solo play and still stand by my review.

However, there are some severe issues, as highlighted by how Aspyr (which worked on this re-release) chose to handle the technical side of its multiplayer rollout. Several players pointed out on Twitter and Steam that only three servers were available at launch to join. One server accommodates 64 players, and the peak concurrent count at launch was a whopping 9,232 players. You’ve probably noticed, but the math doesn’t add up. Even if Aspyr anticipated much less demand, and this is only for Steam, very few multiplayer games would launch servers accommodating only 192 players at launch.

Aspyr reportedly added new servers over the day, but the problems had only begun. Hero Assault, where one side controls heroes and the other side villains, has an issue where no one can join the hero side. Consider that the collection is the first time the mode is officially available on more than one map, a benefit reserved for the Xbox version of Battlefront 2 when it first launched.

Stuttering, terrible ping, excessive lag, no aim assist in multiplayer, bugs like the respawn timer remaining stuck on 1 (only fixed by relaunching the game), the Xbox Series S version reportedly crashing if you try to play Conquest with two controllers are connected – the list goes on. Though some reviews have pointed out that the server situation is improving, the sheer number of issues from what should have been a straightforward re-release is baffling. That’s not counting the lack of basic functions, like turning off inverted controls while engaging in space combat.

Again, while much of this may not seem a major issue if you’re a solo player, that’s not how Aspyr sold Star Wars: Battlefront Classic Collection. It was also marketed for the ability to play online, and seeing it handled like this, especially for a $40 re-release of titles nearly two decades old (regardless of how beloved), is disheartening.

You also have to remember that this is a passionate community, one that’s developed some pretty stellar mods for the original games. It’s from reskinned characters to resemble Ventress and Fisto on PC since they were exclusive to Xbox. It overhauled Galactic Conquest to resemble 2015’s Star Wars Battlefront and even added new heroes, maps, units, and campaigns.

It’s also a community that had to face the cancellation of Pandemic’s Star Wars: Battlefront 3 and deal with EA’s Star Wars Battlefront titles, the first lacking content at launch (never mind the paltry single-player offerings) and the second mired by a pay-to-win approach to loot boxes that took years of post-launch support to wash the stink off of.

How this happened is unknown, but this isn’t the first issue players have had with Aspyr and the Star Wars franchise. The first trailer for Battlefront Classic Collection faced controversy for using a mod of Asajj Ventress instead of how the actual character plays in-game. The developer admitted its mistake to IGN, revealing that this was “placeholder footage” and not meant to make it into the final trailer cut.

Of course, the less said about Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic – Remake, the better. Announced in September 2021 for PS5 and PC, development was reportedly paused after a less-than-stellar reception from studio heads to a vertical slice. It’s still reportedly in the works, though unlikely to arrive any time soon.

Star Wars: Battlefront Classic Collection may have faced issues in its final months of development from internal turmoil. In a recent statement, Aspyr said it experienced “critical errors” with its network infrastructure, resulting in “incredibly high ping, matchmaking errors, crashes, and servers not appearing in the browser.” It’s working to address these and improve network stability and while this may explain the lack of servers, it doesn’t quite account for other quality control concerns.

The question now is how it proceeds, and whether it has the resources to properly support the Battlefront Classic Collection over an extended period. It continues supporting the recent Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered, fixing missing textures, resolving crashes and fixing the lighting in certain areas, so there’s hope. However, since the collection’s concerns are multiplayer-focused, it remains to be seen if the single-player-focused studio can handle it.

Unfortunately, the first impression is usually the most important for multiplayer titles, and by botching the launch of online play, Aspyr may have muddled its long-term prospects. Improving that takes time and effort, but since this is effectively a re-release, that too competing with other multiplayer titles, it may not get its moment of redemption. Time will, of course, tell – after all, we’ve seen the Star Wars Battlefront franchise bounce back from much worse. Nevertheless, this is one collection that banks on positive reception from fans for survival, and right now, that’s in short supply.

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.

Fortunately, the Star Wars: Battlefront Classic Collection is here, packing both titles into one package and adding new content, like additional heroes and maps. While the issues that plagued the original releases are still intact, they’re a testament to a more streamlined approach that caters to both single-player and multiplayer fans.

Developed by the now-defunct Pandemic Studios, Star Wars: Battlefront 1 and 2 offered first and third-person shooter action at their core. However, they also jammed in other unconventional elements, from playing as heroes like Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader to different unit types, each with unique weapons and kits.

From the outset, you have three modes in each title – Campaign, Galactic Conquest and Instant Action. Star Wars: Battlefront 1 covers two eras – the Clone Wars from the prequel trilogy and the Galactic Civil War from the original trilogy. Each features maps modelled after classic conflicts like the Assault on Yavin 4 and, of course, the Battle of Endor. You have a series of objectives, ranging from capturing points to destroying shield generators, with AI soldiers and vehicles by your side.

While the first Battlefront’s narrative approach more closely mirrors the films, Battlefront 2 follows the 501st Legion, from their battles for the Republic against the Confederacy of Independent Systems to their integration into the Galactic Empire and battling the Rebellion. The latter’s campaign offers a more eclectic variety of missions, from quelling prison riots to a suicide mission on Kashyyyk.

"Whichever title you prefer, Instant Action offers some quick gameplay without any story hang-ups. However, Galactic Conquest is arguably where it’s at for both titles."

The authenticity of each battle, from the sound effects to the music, definitely helps in that regard, but it’s surprising how good the shooting feels. From sniping to unleashing with a chaingun, it’s all on point, and each unit’s kit adds a different dimension to the conflict. You could be a sharpshooter taking out droids from a distance, or opt for a Dark Trooper with a jetpack.

You can also roll around as a Droideka and tank massive damage with a shield or gun down multiple enemies as a Super Battle Droid (who also has rockets). The controls for the Droideka can feel a bit awkward, but otherwise, every unit feels good to control. Even the vehicles are lots of fun – there’s just something about commanding an AT-TE and slowly but surely rolling over enemy units and vehicles as they’re helpless to stop you.

Instant Action is where players can play almost any faction on any map with heroes, even creating a playlist of maps to experience sequentially. While Conquest is the standard mode across both titles, Battlefront 2 spices things up with Hero Assault for hero-only battles, Capture the Flag and Space Assault to accommodate the new space battles. Whichever title you prefer, Instant Action offers some quick gameplay without any story hang-ups.

However, Galactic Conquest is arguably where it’s at for both titles. Battlefront sees two sides, either the Republic and Rebellion or the Confederacy and the Empire, battling over various locations on a map. Each side takes turns contesting locations that provide a bonus when fully captured (which provides benefits like jamming enemy sensors and preventing them from seeing your units on the mini-map). Winning four battles in total allows for activating a Secret Bonus ability for game-changing effects, like taking a location off the board completely.

"Unfortunately, as enjoyable as both titles can be, they do have their fair share of issues, the most prominent being the AI."

It’s pretty straightforward and allows for some strong back and forth. Battlefront 2, on the other hand, is where things really take off. This time, you have a fleet that traverses an actual galactic map and takes turns venturing through different routes. Some lead to enemy-controlled locations, which you can control by contesting a ground battle, and award Credits used to recruit new unit types and unlock consumable bonuses (like allowing you to use a hero when starting the mission).

However, your opponent is also making moves with their fleet, and if you clash in a location, the resulting space battle sees both fleets attempting to annihilate the other. From disabling sensors and functions to landing inside the opponent’s hangar bay to sabotage them from the inside, it’s a pitched battle with tangible stakes.

Galactic Conquest ends when one side controls all locations, and it’s possible to build multiple fleets to wage wars on several fronts. Overall, the gameplay loop is great. There’s that feeling of “one more turn” as you look to unseat an enemy’s rule over a location or destroy their fleet to reset them. Enlisting newer units and stacking different bonuses – which the enemy can also employ – keeps battles interesting.

Unfortunately, as enjoyable as both titles can be, they do have their fair share of issues, the most prominent being the AI. While the opposing side will quickly identify when you’re wrecking shop and focus fire, sometimes a little too well, to take you down, your allies alternate between lazing around on an objective or simply running into objects.

They’re more than content to let enemies waltz by and gun you down when they’re not running into grenades and getting blown up. While not a deal-breaker, it’s annoying enough to be noticeable (and may even cost you some matches where you can’t carry hard enough).

Also, while Galactic Conquest is enjoyable, the lack of variety in objectives can make it a little repetitive since it’s mostly Conquest matches. The space battles help to break the monotony and control well enough, but some more varied objectives – especially in Battlefront 2, with what its campaigns are capable of – would have been nice.

Visually, both titles are impressive even after all these years, particularly Battlefront 2. Performance is solid throughout, with dozens of units, vehicles, projectiles, explosions and more on-screen at a time with no slowdown whatsoever. It’s to be expected given their age and the sheer power of current-gen hardware, but still impressive all the same. Sadly, I couldn’t try out multiplayer, which supports up to 64 players and could provide a nice change of pace from Galactic Conquest.

"However, above all else, the collection is a window into a period of video games that didn’t need crazy progression systems and Star Cards to provide an enjoyable experience for dozens of hours."

Despite lingering issues from their bygone era, which can bring the experiences down, the Star Wars Battlefront Classic Collection is still a must-buy for fans. Galactic Conquest is arguably worth the price of admission alone, even if Battlefront 2 is superior on that front over the original.

However, above all else, the collection is a window into a period of video games that didn’t need crazy progression systems and Star Cards to provide an enjoyable experience for dozens of hours. The fact that it runs this well and feels this good to play is just the cherry on top. More than anything, it really makes you wonder what could have been with the cancelled Star Wars: Battlefront 3.

This game was reviewed on PlayStation 5.

Star Wars: Battlefront Classic Collection will launch next month, bringing both Battlefront and Battlefront 2 to modern platforms. Both games’ single player campaigns will be included, as well as the fan-favourite turn-based strategy mode, Galactic Conquest.

Of course, the main highlight here is going to be the multiplayer mode, with the massive 64-player battles of the original Battlefront duology returning, along with bonus maps and heroes being fully restored and integrated, and Hero Assault being made playable on all ground maps for the first time.

Beyond that, you can expect support for two-player offline splitscreen, as well as Trophies and Achievements.

Star Wars: Battlefront Classic Collection launches on March 14 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC. You can check out the collection’s announcement trailer below.

Star Wars: Battlefront 2

Before Electronic Arts, live service, and tie-ins with every new film, there was LucasArts’ Star Wars: Battlefront 2. Published in 2005, it featured first, and third-person perspectives with four multiplayer modes and 24 maps. Of course, along with a campaign of 18 missions, there was Galactic Conquest, where players led their fleet through the galaxy and conquered or protected planets.

Upon encountering an enemy on a planet, it would shift to combat, resulting in massive battles. With the addition of Heroes, new modes like Hero Assault, and more content than its predecessor, Star Wars: Battlefront 2 is still a strong benchmark for Star Wars titles.

Electronic Arts may no longer have exclusive rights to develop Star Wars titles but its output has still been impressive. CEO Andrew Wilson revealed during an earnings call with investors (transcript via Seeking Alpha) that the company’s deal with Disney resulted in $3 billion revenue till date. The first title, Star Wars: Battlefront, launched in 2015.

It was followed by Star Wars: Battlefront 2 and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order with Star Wars: Squadrons being the most recent. Collectively, the publisher’s Star Wars titles have sold 52 million copies till date across all platforms. If that wasn’t enough, free to play mobile title Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes generated $1 billion on its own.

When asked about EA producing fewer Star Wars titles due to the loss of exclusivity, Wilson said, “I don’t think you should imagine that the fact that some other people will build some Star Wars games is going to change our commitment to that IP or our ability to build the appropriate number of games.” The publisher noted several weeks ago that there were a “number” of unannounced Star Wars games in the works so it should be interesting to see what’s next.

In the meantime, Ubisoft Massive is working on an open world Star Wars title. Rumors also indicate that a new Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic title is in development, though EA isn’t supposed to be handling it. Stay tuned for more details and announcements in the coming years.