Rhitankar Nath
We all have a side to us that loves just a little bit of bloodshed and when that time comes, we gamers tend to pick up our weapons of choice and hit the streets, killing just about anything that meets our eye. We really have a wide selection of shooter games available to us now to satiate our desires, so today we are looking at some of the better ones in detail. You probably already know about some of the ones that are on top of the list, so we will try to focus on the ones that are not as popular. You can play these top shooting games on Xbox One, PS4, Xbox 360, PC, iPhone, Andriod or even online.
14. Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege (2015)
‘Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege’ is a tactical first person shooter video game developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft in the year 2015. The gameplay is quite similar to that of ‘Counter Strike’ and requires players to either defend a location or attack it depending on their team. There are two teams battling for supremacy in a given map — one called the terrorists, who are tasked with infiltrating the map and planting a bomb, and the other called the defenders, who need to stop the terrorists from blowing up the place. This is the basic gameplay in a nutshell.
However, there is much more involved than this. There are various maps that will require you to capture certain checkpoints in the map and then defend it from the opponent team. Other game modes include deathmatches and hostage rescue where you need to protect a hostage and reach a certain point on the map. Some of the top counter-terrorist groups have been highlighted in the game and it is possible for one to choose any of them during the course of the game. However, during our experience with the game, we have felt that the teams are not always balanced and hence, be prepared to be completely annihilated during your first few matches.
The learning curve for the game is fairly steep and so don’t be disappointed when your opponents simply walk all over you; just hold tight and play the next match. But if you are willing to shell a few bucks in order to gain an upper edge in the game, you can totally do so and this is one aspect of the game that has received some negative response from the community. But despite the negatives,I must say that Ubisoft really does have a killer game here. The core is all set for a solid action multiplayer shooter; just that the shell needs some work.
13. Killing Floor 2 (2016)
‘Killing Floor 2’ is a co-op first person shooter developed and published by Tripwire Interactive in the year 2016 for the Windows PC and the PS4 and in the year 2017 for the Xbox One console. The game is set in alternate universe where a terrorist group has hijacked a military clones and has unleashed the creatures all over Europe. This was the setting for the first ‘Killing Floor’ game and ‘Killing Floor 2’ picks up from where the original game left off. A corporation was trying to develop military clones that could be used in wars which would eliminate human losses but a terrorist group managed to infiltrate the facility and hijack the clones. They are now roaming freely all over the important cities in Europe and it is your job to team up with a group of friends and take them out.
There can be a maximum of 6 people in a team and all of you must coordinate your efforts in order to take down the hordes of ‘zeds’ that are coming after you. The gameplay progresses in a level based system where you are required to survive a wave of zombies with each progressing wave becoming harder than the one before it. At the end of each level, you need to fight a boss who is randomly generated depending upon the level and difficulty of the game and this is locked before the level even begins. Also, at the end of each level you have the option to buy and restock items in order to fight harder monsters.
We highly recommend picking up armor at every opportunity you get since its extremely important in the later stages of the game. ‘Killing Floor 2’ is really my way of venting out steam and if you like first person shooters then you will definitely find yourself spending hours on this one, especially if you have a group of friends with whom you game regularly.
12. Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (2016)
‘Uncharted 4’ is a third person action adventure video game developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Entertainment in the year 2016 exclusively for the PS4 gaming console. It is a direct sequel to ‘Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception’ and follows the story of Nathan Drake, the main protagonist of the series. It is also the last game of the series to follow the story of Nathan and rightly so, as Nathan really was getting too old for all the shenanigans that the game wanted to pull off. Therefore, the game provides some insight into the early life of Nathan Drake, where you are able to play as young Nathan when he spent his days at the orphanage where he was brought up in.
This is also the tutorial of the game and it introduces you to its various mechanics where you travel from rooftop to rooftop with your brother Sam. This tutorial really stuck to me personally and I can’t exactly tell you the reason why, but it seems like getting to experience the childhood of Nathan has something to do with it. Fans of the ‘Tomb Raider’ games will feel right at home with this one, as the platforming elements in some of the levels are weirdly similar. ‘Uncharted 4’ was extremely well received by fans and critics alike, each praising the game for its flowing narrative, polished gameplay mechanics and intricate level design. It is a fitting end to the storyline of the ‘Uncharted’ series and you should definitely check it out if you like shooters or platformers.
11. Destiny 2 (2017)
‘Destiny 2’ is an MMO first person shooter developed by Bungie and published by Activision in the year 2017 for the PS4, the Xbox One and the Windows PC systems. It is a direct sequel to ‘Destiny’ and introduces various new mechanics and systems into the gameplay such as a dynamic shared world that is inhabited by NPCs. The original game only contained NPCs in town centers and this was something that was negatively received by the community. It seems the developers were keeping a close eye on the reviews from the community as they have managed to polish almost every single mechanic that players have suggested. It looks solid, its plays solid and it definitely ‘feels’ solid, so a huge shoutout to the developers on this one.
Seldom do you see developers listening to the players and then managing to implement most of them in the sequel, so we definitely suggest that you try your hands at this one. This is an online only experience though, so no single player campaigns in this one. The game is set in an alternate dystopian future where the last city of humans is under attack from alien species and as a part of a global effort, you are required to fight these creatures off. There is a bit of role playing elements mixed into the gameplay as well, where you are able to customize the abilities and gear of your character according to your wishes. Though you can play the game solo without friends, we highly recommend that you get a group together because this is where the game shines. If you are a fan of co-op online shooters, then this game should definitely be high up on your bucket list.
10. Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 (2019)
‘Tom Clancy’s The Division’ was kind of a guilty pleasure at our camp and we can’t really remember the number of hours we have put into the game. It is extremely fun to play once you get going in the game and though reviews for the game were quite moderate, we enjoyed it thoroughly. Whether it was the post-apocalyptic Washington DC setting or the fact that we got really into the narrative of the game, it felt really satisfying at every point and so when Ubisoft announced a sequel for the game last March, we were extremely hyped. The first gameplay footage was revealed at the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2018 and everything looked polished from the start. The game came out just recently on the 15th of March to overall positive reviews and we can’t be more relieved. I am yet to play through the entire game, so I cannot yet tell you about the in-depth mechanics of it, but from what I have played, it is a major improvement over the original one.
The developers even took time out and designated a dedicated group of programmers to code the mechanics of the weapons, according to reviews posted by the community, and this shows right from the very beginning of combat. The narrative is also well driven with cut scenes and interactions between the characters providing most of the story but there are collectibles too that you can collect that will tell you more about the storyline. If you liked the original game but felt that it lacked depth, then you should definitely give this one a go as this is one of the best shooters I have played in a long time.
9. Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 (2016)
You are most probably aware of the ‘Plants vs. Zombies’ games, a tower defense game developed and published by PopCap for mobile gaming devices. It uses extremely bright and colorful graphics which is like candy for kids and I can’t state with certainty that I have enjoyed playing it as well. Though the game is targeted towards kids and teenagers, it can get quite intense at times with hordes of zombies closing in on your precious pods. However, did you know that the series has a first person shooter game as well where you can team up with your friends online, choose a side and then fight it out to the end? The gameplay is very similar to that of other online multiplayer shooters and involves missions such as capture the flags and deathmatches.
The variety of modes for online play are really beyond the scope of this article as there is a mode for virtually every playable online shooter mode out there. Want to play king of the hill? Got it! Want to play kill confirmed mode like the ‘Call of Duty’ series? Got it! The game also introduces a new gameplay mode called ‘graveyard ops’ where you can take control of a team of zombies and fight against waves of plants in a co-op setting. The number of online multiplayer modes is seriously varied and each and every one of them are fun to play. However, if you don’t feel like playing a multiplayer mode, then all of the modes are playable solo with the help of AI teammates. This is one of the few kid friendly shooters that we actually recommend, so if you are looking for a ‘family’ experience, then this is the one to go for.
8. Gears of War 4 (2016)
Nothing much needs to be said about the ‘Gears of War’ games, a massively popular title published by the guys at Microsoft Entertainment exclusively for the Xbox One and the Microsoft Windows PC systems. It is the fourth main instalment in the series and has been praised by critics for its combat mechanics and strategic set pieces. However, it has received some negative flak from the gaming community due to its plain narrative and the lack of a proper storyline. However, the combat mechanics and the amazing visuals totally make up for it. When a game provides such fluid combat systems and allows us to get into the mode of taking down enemies mindlessly, we sometimes tend to forget the storylines for a tad bit.
New weapons that are introduced in the game such as the dropshot gun and the buzzkill gun totally help our cause in this aspect. The dropshot gun takes a bit of getting used to but once you get that sweet spot, it is simply a killing machine. It fires explosive drills at its targets, which have the potential of ripping off armor and blasting off targets. The buzzkill gun is more of a fun weapon where it shoots out sawblades that ricochet off enemies and the environment and it can get quite lethal if not used correctly. The entire campaign is playable in co-op either locally or through the client online, so if you are looking for a co-op shooter, this might very well be your choice.
7. Overwatch (2016)
‘Overwatch’ is Blizzard’s own take on the multiplayer co-op first person shooter genre where players can choose different characters that have varied abilities. It has been more popularly called the hero shooter game where each character is a hero in all aspects just like ‘DotA’. All the heroes in the game have backstories attached to them similar to other Blizzard games, and the developers release new teasers for these heroes from time to time adding to the storyline of the game. However, there is no single player campaign in the game, so don’t expect storyline missions here. The game is entirely an online team based multiplayer where there are a bunch of modes for you to choose from and then you fight against your opponents while completing objectives. The combat is extremely fast paced and will definitely test your reflexes, so be prepared to make split second decisions.
6. Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 (2015)
‘Call of Duty’ is one of the most popular first person shooter gamer out there with over 12 games in its long running history. It is a game that first came to prominence with their realistic portrayal of World War II battlefields and since then, have expanded their roster to include modern warfare tactics and even zombies. So whatever might be your liking, you will definitely love ‘Call of Duty’ games. ‘Black Ops 3’ is the direct sequel to ‘Black Ops 2’ and takes place 40 years after the events of ‘Black Ops 2’. The multiplayer format of the game is extremely varied giving you a variety of modes to choose from and the single player campaign is also adapted for co-op gameplay of up to 4 players. This is one of the bestselling ‘Call of Duty’ titles and also happened to be the last one to be released for the Xbox 360 and PS3 consoles while being available for the PS4 and Xbox One devices as well.
5. Doom (2016)
We can’t really get by a shooter list without mentioning the ‘Doom’ franchise, the game that started the craze for first person shooters in the first place. It was released back in the year 1993 and spawned a whole bunch of first person shooter games which were just called ‘Doom’ clones. So you can tell that the series has its roots secured. The latest entry in the series, simply called ‘Doom’, was released in the year 2016 by id Software and was tested by the guys who pre-ordered ‘Wolfenstein: The New Order’, another well known first person shooter. The new ‘Doom’ stays true to its roots and completely revamps everything that made the series popular in the first place and we highly recommend the game to anyone who loves any type of shooters.
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4. Far Cry 5 (2018)
‘Far Cry 5’ is the fifth main installment in the ‘Far Cry’ series, a first person action adventure shooter games developed and published by Ubisoft for the Windows PC, the Xbox One and the PS4 devices. It takes place in Hope County, a sprawling open world setting heavily influenced by real life Montana that is taken over by a Doomsday Cult. The entire single player campaign has been optimized for two player co-op and we highly recommend you get a friend along when you explore the world of Hope County. The game contains role playing elements in addition to shooter mechanics that involves you taking down both human foes and wildlife, so be prepared to fight a few deadly creatures along the way as well.
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3. Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus (2017)
Released in the year 1981, ‘Wolfenstein’ is a game that is synonymous with first person shooter video games. Though the first title in the series ‘Castle Wolfenstein’ was not a first person shooter video game, it definitely had shooter elements in it. For a proper first person shooter video game, we had to wait till the year 1992 when ‘Wolfenstein 3D’ was released. ‘The New Colossus’ is the latest entry in the series and was released by Bethesda in the year 2017 to overall positive reviews. The game won several end of year awards from several publications, staying true to the legacy of the series.
2. Halo: The Master Chief Collection (2014)
‘Halo’ is one of the most popular first person shooter video games released by Microsoft Entertainment exclusively for the Microsoft devices. The main trilogy of the series is regarded as one of the best story arcs in recent times and is a must play for fans of the first person shooter genre. ‘Halo: The Master Chief Collection’ makes all the games in the series available in one single package. If you want to get your hands on this definitive first person shooter experience, then this is your chance to get all the games at one go.
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1. Borderlands: The Handsome Collection (2015)
‘Borderlands: The Handsome Collection’ is a collector’s edition that contains all the ‘Borderlands’ games that has been released till date. It is a co-op shooter that is set in a steampunk universe where you play the role of a treasure and bounty hunter. You can team up with a group of friends and then take on missions that will require you to hunt treasures in an open world while fighting against enemies. The art direction for the game is simply brilliant and is a relief from all the ‘realistic’ shooter games out there. This is one first person shooter experience you should definitely not miss out on.
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