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.

Starting from October 4 until October 31, PS Plus will have three free games on offer- Milestone’s acclaimed arcade racing game Hot Wheels Unleashed, NeatherRealm Studios’ superhero fighting title Injustice 2, and indie fan-favourite first person shooter Superhot. These will, of course, be available to subscribers of all tiers- Essential, Extra, and Premium.

That means subscribers have until October 3 to redeem last month’s games for free- Granblue Fantasy Versus, Need for Speed Heat, and TOEM. Meanwhile, Sony says the lineup of games to be added to the Extra and Premium tiers for October will be revealed in the coming days, so stay tuned for those details.

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.

SYNDICATE (2012)

In 2012, EA and Starbreeze teamed up for a revival of the Syndicate series, only instead of making a real-time tactics game like the originals, they made a first person shooter. It was drastic shift, of course, and 2012’s Syndicate doesn’t ever match the heights of its predecessors- but it’s still a fun ride. It looked really good for its time and brought its cyberpunk setting to life really well, and there was a lot of fun to be had in its combat encounters.

Google unveiled a bevy of new trailers for previously announced games coming to Stadia, its game-streaming service. Some titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and Watch Dogs: Legion obviously stand out as new announcements. But what about games like Darksiders: Genesis, Mortal Kombat 11, Samurai Shodown and whatnot?

You can check out the trailers for each below. It’s worth noting that Robot Entertainment’s Orcs Must Die! 3, a long-requested sequel in the third person tower defense series, is also coming to Stadia. Windjammers 2, the sequel to the cult classic, also received some new gameplay showcasing some of the killer moves that players can pull off.

Google Stadia will launch in select countries like the United States, UK, Canada and so in November. The first subscription tier will be Stadia Pro which costs $10 per month and includes a free game each month. There’s also the Founder’s Edition which has a limited edition controller, three month Stadia Pro subscription, Chromecast Ultra and Destiny 2: The Collection (which includes Shadowkeep) for $129.99. A free tier for Stadia will be introduced next year.

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Nintendo dropped a ton of bombshells during their Indie World presentation today, but among them was one announcement that did not come as the biggest surprise. And that was the announcement that the time-bending widely beloved first person shooter SUPERHOT is coming to the Switch.

Leaked prematurely before the presentation went live, SUPERHOT is, as had been leaked, out for the Switch today- go and download it right now. How much does it cost, you ask? It’s priced at $24.99, and it’s “fully optimized” for the Switch. It runs at 60 frames per second, has a new adjustable gyroscopic aiming option, and also has an optional motion controls scheme.

SUPERHOT was among many notable new announcements at Indie World. Hotline Miami Collection was also shadow dropped for the Switch, while Ori and the Blind Forest was also announced (both of these were also leaked). Additionally, Risk of Rain 2 is also headed to the Switch.

Nintendo will be streaming a presentation dedicated to upcoming indie games for the Switch later today, and there have already been plenty of rumours and speculation about what we could end up seeing get announced. One game that may have been leaked before its announcement is the unique, time-bending first person shooter, SUPERHOT. 

Over on Twitter, user @itssimontime has discovered something interesting while digging around in the Switch eShop- recently uploaded update data for SUPERHOT on the Switch. Which would be completely fine, except for the fact that SUPERHOT isn’t even on the Switch- it getting an update on a system it hasn’t released for kind of messes with the laws of how time progresses. So maybe there’s an announcement coming in soon?

It’s worth noting that it was only last year that the game’s director spoke of a possible Switch version, mentioning that it was something that would work very well. The Switch is also a hotbed for successful indie titles, so SUPERHOT releasing for it would actually make a lot of sense.

We’ll find out one way or another not long from now, with the Nintendo Indie World presentation 6 AM PT, so stay tuned to GamingBolt for all the updates.

SUPERHOT for Switch just got an update… but they haven't even announced its release yet pic.twitter.com/tk1ZLeGZQv

— Simon Aarons (@ItsSimonTime) August 16, 2019

Every month, Microsoft continues to add great new titles to its already excellent Xbox Game Pass lineup, and soon, a great deal more will be joining the subscription service’s library. Taking to Twitter via the official Game Pass handle, Microsoft confirmed the looming new additions to the catalog.

We’ve already reported on two of these in recent days- Void Bastards is out on May 29, while Outer Wilds launches the day after that, and both will be joining the Game Pass catalog at launch. The incredible shooter Superhot joins the lineup on June 6, while Stoic Studio’s Banner Saga games will be doing so as well, with The Banner Saga going live tomorrow, May 23, and The Banner Saga 2 following suit on June 6.

Full Metal Furies will also be among the games coming to Game Pass on June 6, while a week before that, Dead by Daylight will be going live, on May 30. Finally there’s Metal Gear Survive, the Metal Gear game we never wanted- but hey, if it you want to give it a try for free, now’s your chance to do so. It joins Game Pass on May 23, which is tomorrow.

So many games on the way we could barely fit them all in this picture pic.twitter.com/Qotz02HTpy

— Xbox Game Pass (@XboxGamePass) May 22, 2019

https://twitter.com/XboxGamePass/status/1131181890344370176

Superhot, the stylish first person shooter from the Superhot Team, made quite the impression when it released. Lauded for its mechanics, where time only moved as the player did, it went on to eventually receive a VR version. Though you’d think its player base would be more limited due to various hurdles with the hardware, it turns out that Superhot VR has done extremely well for itself.

Director of special projects Callum Underwood revealed on Twitter that Superhot VR had sold over 800,000 copies “across platforms.” Even more interesting is that it generated more revenue than the base game. When asked to make another Superhot title, Underwood responded, “One day.”

Superhot did receive a standalone expansion with Mind Control Delete in 2017. It put a roguelike twist on the gameplay with procedurally generated levels and offered different classes – or MINDS – with unique abilities. Superhot: Mind Control Delete is currently in Steam Early Access, but continues to receive updates.

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