The best first person shooter games to play

First Person Shooters (or FPS) are a staple video game genre, growing and evolving over decades. Since the 1990s, FPS have remained one of the cornerstones of the gaming industry.

Today, shooting games have maintained their relevance, but they face stiff competition from other genres. “Call of Duty”, one of the biggest games of the mid-2000s, has been dethroned and now enjoys a humble existence as just another AAA (big budget) game.

The First Person Shooter genre is vast, with thousands of great titles to choose from, much like games in general, it can be intimidating to choose.

To help you choose, Hey SoCal has selected some of the best first-person shooter games to play.

weapons and glory

DOOM (2016)

“DOOM” is the ultimate power fantasy, giving players a simple goal: kill all demons. From the opening scene where you are given control of the protagonist, the “Doom Slayer”, it is an endless war against the ugliest denizens of hell.

Every weapon and tool at your disposal only makes your quest easier against hordes of zombies and demons who want a piece of you. If you want to survive the constant onslaught, you’ll have to maneuver around the battlefield, taking down enemies all the time.

You’ll have the weaponry of an entire army that feels fantastic to shoot and all have amazing sound design as the icing on the cake. If catharsis is what you want from your games, there is nothing worse than the new version of the old king of the FPS genre.

Available on PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One/Series X, Nintendo Switch

titanfall 2

At some point in his childhood, having a giant robot was the dream of many. Being able to travel in one is just a fantasy until you get your hands on “Titanfall 2.” You play as Jack Cooper, a member of a militia group that is at war against the IMC (a militarized corporation).

You are paired with a Titan (a pilotable robot) named BT and you have to finish the mission of your commanding officer. While the premise may sound very simplistic, it is in the gameplay that “Titanfall 2” shines.

Jack has the ability to jump, slide, and parkour around enemies to take them out faster. The movement system encourages players to be incredibly mobile. In addition to your incredible mobility, you can hop on your Titan for some incredibly fun combat sequences.

When you combine the two aspects of the game, you have one of the most polished shooters ever. With an incredibly fun multiplayer component to dive into after the stellar single-player campaign, “Titanfall 2” is a must-play for genre veterans and newcomers alike.

Available on PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One/Series X

ULTRA KILL

It’s thanks to the original 1993 “DOOM” that Hell is such a popular setting for video games.

“ULTRAKILL” is proof that something old can still be gold. Like its inspiration, “ULTRAKILL” emphasizes plunging into groups of demons with reckless abandon while eliminating them en masse. This time, instead of a soldier going to hell, you are a robot named “V1” who enters for reasons yet to be revealed.

We encourage you to constantly switch weapons and glide across the battlefield in “ULTRAKILL”. The fast-paced, combo-heavy nature of the game borrows elements from not only other shooters, but other genres as well. A clear inspiration is the series of action games “Devil May Cry”; this series emphasizes style and skill, both elements that “ULTRAKILL” takes on itself.

Each level is designed to facilitate both creativity and ultra-fast reflexes, all in the interest of earning a high score at the end of each level. When you’re comfortable with the game’s systems, consider turning up the difficulty level for a real challenge.

The only caveat with this game is that it is still in active development, existing at the moment as an “early access” game. This means that the game is not fully complete yet, but it will be soon. As of now, you can play two of the three proposed “Acts” that the game will have.

Available on PC

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Halo (Bungie era)

Online games in the form of “Halo” became what they are today. The original series of games developed by Bungie is known as some of the Xbox system vendors. Beginning with “Combat Evolved” and ending with “Reach,” the Bungie era of the “Halo” series is some of the best FPS to ever exist.

You play as “Master Chief”, a super soldier who is sent on seemingly impossible missions. Turning the tide of a decades-long war and preventing an apocalyptic event are just two of the many feats you’ll accomplish in this epic series of games.

The gameplay is elegant, encouraging aggressive yet strategic play. Enemies will attack you with their numbers, but will perform various maneuvers to outflank you and outsmart you. On higher difficulties, it can feel like you’re fighting a real army.

In addition to the fantastic single-player campaigns, “Halo” is known for its much-loved multiplayer modes. The second title, “Halo 2,” was the first game to use Xbox’s online feature known as “Xbox Live” for its multiplayer mode. This and the other titles in the series are widely played to this day, especially with the release of the series on PC.

Available on PC and Xbox One/Series X

SUPER HOT

The best shooters are usually fast. But “SUPERHOT” entered the industry with a simple change: slower gameplay. This might surprise you if you’ve only played rapid-fire games, but know that “SUPERHOT” is a must for anyone interested in FPS.

The core of “SUPERHOT” lies in taking the time to plan your attack. When you start a level, time moves extremely slowly and only speeds up when you move. Firing a weapon, running, throwing objects, all of these actions will cause time to move at a normal pace.

This allows for not only player expression, but also really exciting fights that look like a kung-fu movie. The level can start with you surrounded by enemies that have weapons; you can disarm them, entice them to shoot each other, or throw random objects at them in the area.

All the while you’re dodging bullets and making choices that will either end the level or send you back to the start. But when you reach the end of a level, your slow-motion actions play out at full speed, creating an incredible action scene.

With a simple yet captivating art style, “SUPERHOT” is undoubtedly one of the most memorable first-person shooters in the gaming industry.

Available on PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One/Series X, Nintendo Switch

You can see the games that will be released in September here.

you can reach Eloin Barahona Garcia at [email protected]