10. Doom (2016)
I know Doom (2016) being this high on the list is going to upset a lot of you, but hey, this is my list, and I love every game in here. I just happen to enjoy some more than others. Doom (1016) is the game that finally managed to properly create a modern take on the classic boomer shooter original, and it ended up redefining the FPS landscape with its relentless action, fast-paced gameplay, and unapologetic brutality (like the original, but newer!). As a first-person shooter, it thrusts players into the role of the Doom Guy, an always angry man hell-bent on eradicating the forces of hell because they’re being naughty, and every sane human being would do exactly the same if their nap was disturbed.
In Doom (2016), players traverse through sprawling levels filled with familiar demonic hordes and twisted Martian, industrial and hellish landscapes, all the while armed to the teeth with an arsenal of iconic weapons upgradable with devastating new abilities.
With its breathtaking visuals, fantastic sound design, relentless gameplay, and an absolute banger of a soundtrack, Doom (2016) managed to steal the first-person shooter crown as the best game to come out in years! It’s weird to think the game is already 8 years old.
9. Half-Life 2
Half-Life 2 was developed by Valve and saw the light of day in 2004. Two decades later the videogame stands as a monumental achievement in the realm of first-person shooters (FPS). Building upon the foundation laid by its revolutionary 1998 predecessor, Half-Life. Half-Life 2 thrusts players once again into the shoes of crowbar-wielding physicist Gordon Freeman in a dystopian future ruled by the oppressive Combine (aliens) regime. The game’s set in the decaying urban landscape of City 17.
At its core, Half-Life 2 still remains a masterclass in narrative-driven FPS gameplay. Players are not merely passive observers but active participants in a gripping tale of resistance and survival against the combined menace. Today, Half-Life 2’s innovative physics engine still stands proud as the monumental technical achievement of Valve during their heyday, adding another layer of depth to the gameplay, allowing players to manipulate objects and solve environmental puzzles with unprecedented fidelity.
If you’ve never played Half-Life 2, you’re doing yourself a disservice. In the year Half-Life 2 turns 20, you need to boot this gem and enjoy its unparalleled level of immersion and attention to detail. From the haunting beauty of the dystopian landscapes of City 17 to the eerie silence of the abandoned city streets, every aspect of the game’s world feels meticulously crafted. Valve’s commitment to atmospheric storytelling is evident – Half-Life 2 remains a timeless classic that continues to influence the FPS genre to this day. Now, where is Half-Life 3, Gabe?
8. Hell Let Loose
A couple of years ago picking Hell Let Loose over Red Orchestra could raise suspicious eyebrows. But with the addition of the Eastern Front to Hell Let Loose, there’s not a whole lot of the excellent, but old Red Orchestra 2 does better than Hell Let Loose. It’s, at the present time, the best and most realistic depiction of PVP World War 2 tactical warfare. 100 Players battles, a comprehensive arsenal of American, German, Soviet and British weaponry. With large maps, beautiful graphics, and a community with a penchant for realism and roleplay, World War 2 grunts are sure to enjoy themselves amidst the chaos, from Normandy to Stalingrad. Add to that, that the whole game is enjoyable even without teammates to play with and it’s easy to drop him, get on with the fight and leave without much of an investment. Firefights are super intense and ingrained into your brain, every fight is a story. That is, to me, the best Hell Let Loose and games of this genre bring to the table. Emergent storytelling.
Hell Let Loose is a fun, semi-realistic romp through the battlefields of the Western front with a rich roadmap ahead, promising a lot of new content that will keep World War 2 aficionados engaged for years. Hell Let Loose is a solid tactical-shooter and the uncontested king in its timetable of the late 1940s.
7. Brothers In Arms: Hells Highway
Brothers In Arms: Hell’s Highway is a historical first-person shooter set during World War II, offering players a gripping and immersive gameplay experience. As an FPS game, it follows the story of the 101st Airborne Division as they fight their way through the harrowing events of Operation Market Garden.
There are thousands of reasons as to why the previous two entries in the series could be here instead of Hell’s Highway but the last piece in the B.I.A series was a visual treat when it came out all the way back in 2008 and it remains beautiful to this day, even more so if the machine you’re playing on can run it at 4K, maximum settings. The third entry follows along with the Market Garden misadventures of the 101st Airborne Division. It’s an FPS that turns third-person when in cover, making for cinematic, movie-like scenes reminiscent of Band of Brothers and Saving Private Ryan. Coordinate your fire teams to suppress your enemies and flank them for ultimate victory. The gunplay paired up with the tactical movement of squad elements and fantastic set pieces carries the campaign.
6. Battlefield 1
What can I say about Battlefield 1 that hasn’t already been said? To me, this is the best Battlefield ever made. It took the series almost 20 years to thrust players into the harrowing and chaotic battles of World War 1. Yes, Battlefield 1 isn’t realistic, nor is it trying to be, it instead opts to reinterpret the popular image people have of the war, and it captures it flawlessly.
The same Battlefield formula applies here: as an FPS game, it places players in the boots of soldiers from various nations, tasked with engaging in large-scale warfare across a variety of iconic WW1 settings with semi-authentic weaponry. From the Western Front to the Middle East, there’s a slice for everyone to enjoy.
Even today, Battlefield 1 is an excellent game, with stunning visuals (and art style), immersive sound design, and pixel-perfect animations.
5. Turbo Overkill
This. This is my favourite shooter of 2023, and it ranks amongst my top 5 best first-person shooters ever created. Turbo Overkill is a retro shooter that melds ultra-fast-paced FPS action with a cyberpunk aesthetic, delivering a high-octane experience that does more than just pay homage to classic shooters. Turbo Overkill picks up the Boomber Shooter formula and builds on it so much that, it’s in a league of its own. Set in a dystopian future where mega-corporations rule with an iron fist, players take on the role of a cybernetically enhanced mercenary equipped with a chainsaw for a leg (and later, 2 legs if that suits you). It’s more similar to Duke Nukem than it is Doom or Quake, with massive arenas and huge bosses to fight.
What makes Turbo Overkill stand out is how it manages to effectively combine the adrenaline-fueled gameplay of classic FPS titles with modern graphics and its physics-based chainsaw leg thingy, resulting in a visually stunning and action-packed experience. With its fluid movement system, dynamic gunplay, and customizable cybernetic upgrades, the game is packed with replayability, and I don’t doubt I’ll be playing it for years to come. If you can only buy one game from this list, buy Turbo Overkill.
4. Squad
After I stopped Armed Assault 2, I think that it was the launch of Squad that brought me back to the tactical first-person shooter genre, and that was mostly due to its emphasis on communication, and realism in its gameplay mechanics. As an FPS game that owns a lot of its design to Project Reality 2, Squad places players in the boots of infantry soldiers engaged in large-scale battles across vast and detailed environments. With a focus on operational coordination and squad-based tactics, victory only comes with one thing, and one thing only: order and discipline.
Some of my best memories in first-person tactical shooters come from Squad. From engaging in prolonged firefights that could last up to 45 minutes, to desperately defending and assaulting important positions, to commanding units while implementing true-to-life tactics, Squad will forever live in my memory as a game I’ll always enjoy and be ready to jump into. Its only negative side is that you need to be in the right place of mind to work with a squad. Venture alone and nothing gets done.
3. Halo: The Master Chief Collection
Halo: The Master Chief Collection is the best way to enjoy the Halo first-person shooter games developed by Bungie. It offers players the opportunity to experience the iconic Halo franchise in its (almost) entirety. The collection includes remastered versions of classic titles such as “Halo: Combat Evolved,” “Halo 2,” “Halo 3,” and “Halo 4,” along with additional content such as multiplayer maps and game modes. As an FPS game, the Halo series is known for its good storytelling, excellent sci-fi setting, tight gunplay, and epic and visceral multiplayer.
With Halo: The Master Chief Collection, players can relive the adventures of the first-person shooter’s most iconic character: The Master Chief. Jump into the Mjolnir Powered Assault Armor of this faceless protagonist as he battles against the Covenant and the Flood across a variety of memorable and futuristic landscapes. The collection also offers enhanced graphics and updated features, allowing both longtime fans and newcomers to experience the Halo universe in stunning detail. If you want, you can even switch to the original graphics! Overall, with its extensive content and impeccable gameplay, Halo: The Master Chief Collection is the way to play Halo in 2024, and it stands as a testament to Bungie’s legacy in first-person gaming history.
2. Ready or Not
Ready Or Not is precisely one thing, and one thing only: what the SWAT series would be in 2024 if they kept it alive. Ready Or Not is a modern, tactical first-person shooter that emphasizes tactical realism and strategic gameplay. It does its best to immerse players in the role of elite law enforcement officers tasked with confronting various high-risk scenarios, from hostage rescues to counter-terrorism operations. In fact, the game is so immersive that I legitimately have several jumpscares whenever I get shot at by someone and my team never saw coming.
In “Ready Or Not,” players are equipped with an array of realistic weapons and equipment, as well as advanced tactical gadgets and tools. While Each mission presents unique challenges and objectives, the campaign is where the real meat is at. Not only do players have to coordinate their teams on the ground, but also take care of their men when they get back to the station. It’s one of the few games where a wrong decision can spell doom for an entire operation, and no matter how often you play every mission, it always manages to feel tense and challenging.
Ready or Not AI is also incredibly complex to deal with. Some enemies refuse to surrender the moment you order them to stand down, some even fake surrender and pull out their weapons, others will lure you and try to shank you. It’s really impressive and heart-pounding stuff. On top of that add the game’s impressive graphics and unique sound design and few games manage to do what Ready or Not does: providing players with a thrilling and rewarding first-person shooter experience.
1. ARMA 3
ARMA 3 still stands as a pinnacle of tactical first-person shooter gaming, long after its original released, all the way back in 2013. This mil-sim renowned for its realistic depiction of military combat and its neverending stream of high quality mods. As an FPS game, it places players into whatever role they wish, amidst a sprawling battlefield that extends for kilometers, where strategic decision-making and teamwork are paramount. The game’s emphasis on realism extends to its intricate weapon mechanics, detailed ballistics simulation, playercontroled movement, environmental factors such as weather, terrain and even sound, and the importance of combined-arms tactics.
The game’s thousands and thousands of mods basically means that if you can dream of a conflict, you can recreated it. With its combination of realism, depth, and modding capabilities, ARMA 3 is still my go-to game whenever I want to experiment with military tactics and equipament I read/saw somewhere else. It’s a unique game that offers an experimence unmatched by any other game in the first-person shooter scene.
If you never played ARMA 3, you own it to yourself to at least give it a try.
Strategy Games | Strategy and Wargaming 
Leave a comment