The Top 15 FPS games to Play Right Now
With the introduction of Doom 20 years ago, the concept of first person shooter games (a.k.a FPS) was born. Since then, this genre of gaming has improved so much with new game mechanics, much more realism with new graphics engines and the like. The amount of detail, technicality and the massive online communities in present day first person shooter games are mind-blowing.
Whether you want to just have fun – point and shoot, or you just want to kill some random zombies with head-splattering fun, or you just want some real combat experience, this list has got it all.
Enough talk. Let’s move on to our list of must play FPS games right now.
15. Killing Floor 2
Killing Floor 2: Epic HD Gameplay!
Boy, oh boy. Tripwire made it good with this one.
A game with so over the top violence, that it makes you smile rather than cringe. The motive here is to just get a gun, and run rampant. Kill the “Zeds” that come your way. It’s about as fun and addictive as a video game could get.
The game is simple – point, shoot. The game tries to get you to focus on headshots, generally splattering a zombie’s brain into a gazillion mini parts. It’s absolutely joyful. Yes, it does sound violent and pretty gory, but as mentioned above, the violence is so exaggerated that you can’t help but chuckle sometimes.
The gameplay is mind-bogglingly fun, with features such as Zed-time – a tiny fraction of time where the game slows down once you pull off an execution, and 90% of the time putting you back to the driving seat. Get ‘em zombies!
Getting to the cons. Well, the game is pretty short. There’s always a risk of being done fast. It leaves you extremely unsatisfied. Also, it’s basically the same as Killing Floor 1. There’s not much of a difference. Co-op mode is what this game really shines at, and playing alone could prove boring.
It’s worth a buy though. If you’re looking for some fun, and looking for some hilarious over the top violence, and you just want to point and shoot, then Killing Floor 2 is the game for you.
Zed Time! Watch Zed brains splatter in ultra-slow mo while you perform an execution!
So much of over the top violence it makes you crack-up rather than just cringe.
14. Left 4 Dead 2 (2009)
L4D2: Multiplayer Gameplay HD: Dead Center Ellis.
If you were a fan of 2009’s Left 4 Dead developed by Turtle Rock Studios, you’re in for a real treat here. Valve Corporation takes over, (although Turtle Rock Studios is in a way part of Valve – long story) and boy, did they do it good. 2010’s sequel improved the game in every way featuring new weapons, new items, new enemies, and new survivors!
The heart of Left 4 Dead 2 is the five campaign maps that take the survivors through a variety of terrain in the Deep South. You get to choose whether to shoot your way through the armies of the zombies (“infected” being the name preferred) or teaming up with your fellow zombies to obliterate what’s left of the survivors, this game treats you to enormous fun through five unique gaming modes.
The multiplayer mode is still amazing, not much of a change from the original, and it delivers a powerful punch. The violence and the gore is definitely a step up from last year’s game, and that’s saying a lot.
The game in itself has become infinitesimally harder (this is purely subjective) as the new zombies or the new specials spawn much faster, and seem strangely more coordinated. If you try out the new “Realism” difficulty level, you’d know what I’m talking about. The flexibility of gameplay is also to be noted, as there’s no one definite way to complete a mission. The combinations and possibilities are endless.
There’s nothing bad to be really said about this game. The main drawback is not a flaw in the game itself – but the multiplayer community. Yes, the multiplayer gameplay is still quite fantastic, but you’ll be treated to a quite salty and toxic community that’ll soon kick you out if you aren’t a “pro.” The campaign is mainly around the day time, to many fans’ disapproval.
All in all, it’s an amazing game to own. So, if you’ve got some cash to spare and some time to game, Left 4 Dead 2 is a serious option.
Co-op modes to either shoot your way through zombie hordes with your friends or team up with them to destroy “hoomans”
Count the number of zombie heads to open in this gigantic horde!
13. Wolfenstein : The Old Blood
Final boss fight : How the Old Blood ends.
Everybody loved Wolfenstein : The New Order. Thus, needless to say, you are going to love this one as well. It could be considered a prequel to the New Order, but that doesn’t take anything away from this great game.
Set in 1948, it follows B.J. Blaskowicz’s mission into the titular castle on a mission to find the location of The New Order’s antagonist, General Wilhelm Strasse – known as Death’s Head. You run into trouble here (obviously) and face a lot of resistance from Nazis, and whatnot. Though many say that the story line didn’t have much depth to it, I personally found it pretty impressive.
The graphics are really impressive. The visuals look absolutely stunning, and are quite eye pleasing. Yes, this includes the violent deaths. After all, violence is a major part of this game. The mechanics are pretty sweet as well. The game’s an action heavy FPS with impressive guns, impressive animations and a particularly useful multi-purpose tool: the pipe. The game also focuses on stealth mode – killing off your foes before they see you, and before they get to call in reinforcements. What do you use for this? That’s right. The pipe.
The scenes are fantastic, the set-pieces excellent. There’s a part that you have to fight through a city’s bath-house, and that scene is absolutely genius. The detail, the violence, the gore are all top notch. This game definitely upped the ante from The New Order.
The limited facial animations sometimes make the game look a tiny bit gothic, but well, like mentioned before, the graphics are brilliant. This does have one downside though – the game requires a beast of a PC to play it on all ultra settings. But that’s not a major concern for hardcore gamers, is it?
Avoid being seen. Go stealth. Kill enemies with “ze pipe”. Messy, but effective!
The graphics, the detail, the mechanism are all fantastic.
12. ARMA 3
ARMA 3: HD Gameplay from Competitive Playtest Mode!
When it comes to realism, look no further than ARMA. When it comes to map size, look no further than ARMA. When it comes to endlessness, look no further than ARMA. With a massive sandbox environment, an in game map editor with game mode change, and a massive campaign mode for single player, ARMA has it all.
Seriously, the realism when it comes to this game is second to none. Running and gunning makes your shots go all over, with little to no accuracy. The graphics and the mechanics are one of the best in modern day gaming. The multiplayer platform is absolutely brilliant – with you getting to choose any game mode/terrain to play with your friends – may it be transporting goods with armored support or even infiltrate enemy camps and sabotage their operations. It features a staggering 1500+ missions!
The mechanics are brilliant. But it’s AI where this game falls short. May it be friendly AI or enemy AI, sometimes, everything is chaos. You could bleed to death next to a medic and he may not heal you until you order him to. Sometimes, enemy snipers are just sitting ducks to your target. And although the graphic are some of the best, they are pretty inconsistent.
Yes, ARMA has a lot of issues. But, general opinion is that it’s vast game modes and interesting storylines that you can choose are all worth it’s downsides. If you’re a hardcore gamer wanting extreme realism, then ARMA 3 is the way to go.
The attention to detail is amazing. Enemies could walk past you (or on you) without noticing a thing, when you decide to go stealth.
Yes, you guessed it. It even features underwater missions. Or you can go whale-watching. Your choice.
11. Doom (2016)
Final Boss Battle + Ending of Doom!!
Taking our spot here in number 11 is Doom. Oh, how this franchise has grown. From introducing us to the concept of first person shooters, and now to this.
Starting off, first impressions are brilliant with this game. You could call it a comeback in a way, given the fact that the games from id Software haven’t been top notch as of late.
You wouldn’t call it an original game. But boy, it’s smart, relentless, funny and exciting by all means. You’re on Mars, the doorway to hell is open, and you’re up against a demonic army. Sounds boring? Think again.
While in the past ammunition and health were a major issue, id Software has brought us a potential remedy to that. Glory Kills. What are Glory Kills you may ask? It’s a melee execution- no ammunition wasted, a melee finishing move that regularly sees one part ripped from a near-dead demon and shoved through whatever bits remain. This rewards you in a lot of health points and generally a resupply of ammunition. Violent and gore. Hardcore gamer style.
The amount of action and violence in this gameplay is immense, with unremitting demon slaughter action all the way. This edition brings out and keeps all your favorite Doom weapons (and enemies of course) and the new added feature of Glory Kills have brilliant mechanics!
While there is a lot of good to be said about this game, there are downsides as well. The multiplayer mode makes it look generic – a constant reminder of the Halo series. The level design is pretty repetitive as well.
All in all, Doom has and always will be a fan favorite. If you’re a gamer, be sure to check this out!
Glory Kill your way to victory. Or if you don’t want victory, you can still Glory Kill. Just for the pleasure of seeing skulls broken in half. Yum.
A variety of Doom’s favorite weapons feature here in 2016’s Doom.
10. Insurgency : Sandstorm (2017-TBA)
Insurgency: Sandstorm Trailer HD
When you look at the title above, the first thing that you think of is Insurgency. The first Insurgency game by New World Interactive. The realism of that first title, the sounds, the rewards and the pure skill needed to go on in the game were breathtaking. All hopes were that Sandstorm would step it up a notch from what was an already awesome game.
The hype for this game is at an all-time high at the moment. While the original used Valve’s Source Engine, and featured a competitive mode, (reminding us a lot of CS:GO) New World Interactive is changing things up this time around by switching to Unreal Engine 4.
The new game is going to change things up with story mode, one that was absent in its predecessor. Insurgency: Sandstorm focuses on a squad of characters as they face increasingly challenging chapters, from the invasion of Iraq in 2003 through the insurrection period and leading to the present day, and a female protagonist!
The anticipation is quite high. New World has not announced a proper release date, with their vague “2017.” However, if this new title proves half as good as the original, then boy, are we in for a treat! Let’s hope and pray that the Unreal Engine 4 will wow us, and let’s have some patience, and wait for this all anticipated FPS to be out so we can all get our grubby paws on it.
Just like the first Insurgency, this game promises to look visually stunning, and the trailer gave us a lot of hints to this as well.
A female protagonist to shake things up a bit.
9. Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six : Siege (2015)
Rainbow Six Siege HD Gameplay: The game’s all about skills.
When the first Rainbow Six game was released back in 1998, none of us were all that excited. It took after the novel written by Tom Clancy, and nobody was looking forward to the game all that much. How the years have changed.
Now, a Rainbow Six game just makes a gamer want it. Being a Tom Clancy game just is a big bonus. Team Rainbow is a special international counter-terrorism operation hosted by NATO and funded by money funneled through the U.S. Department of the Interior. Sounds interesting, does it not?
This game provides a lot to the gamer. The graphics are, needless to say, fantastic. Playing the game, it develops a sense of great mutual friendship between the players, that’s rare in games nowadays. The game is insanely intensive, and the new array of combat gadgets is really really cool. It makes the tech geek inside you jump up and down with joy.
While this game is massively successful, some gamers beg to differ. Some absolutely hate it. The reason being simple – the removal of the planning phase. The planning phase has always been a major factor in the Rainbow Six games, and the absence of this is just not tolerated well by fans of the franchise. The multiplayer mode too, is not all that great, and it could do better with some additional game modes.
All in all, if you’re a fan of stealth, and of covert operations – then look no further. Rainbow Six : Siege is the game for you.
The setting can vary from a traditional hostage in a building, to an aircraft.
Teamwork is core with this one. Always pray to get teamed up with the best. Else, it’s curtains.
8. Call of Duty : World War 2
Not much footage here, since it’s still in beta. Check this one out though. Promising!
The latest installment from the ever popular CoD series, World War II attempts to depict the most brutal war in human history.
Like every other CoD game out there, this one has impressive graphics as well. While it’s not officially released as of yet, there is a beta mode out, and I have had the liberty and luck to try it out. It was pretty good. Not groundbreaking by any means, but it was good. Also, a sneak peak image showed us an undead soldier, hinting at a zombie co-op mode yet again.
There is a bit of change to the multiplayer features, because now, you have some objectives. These include infiltrations and whatnot. This feature encourages more teamwork, so that even selfish players who hunt for frag will have to stick to the plan. This is great.
Though there is no real news about the campaign mode, we can always count on CoD for that as they have always produced amazing storylines with centralized heroes. (Learn more about the solo mode for this game here.)
There aren’t that many downsides, but given the fact that Sledgehammer wanted to make this game as historically accurate as possible, we have seen black Nazis, women soldiers (women soldiers weren’t a part of WWII) The graphics aren’t that groundbreaking for a 2017 game, given the fact that games like ARMA 3 have magnificient graphics.
However, if you’re a fanboy of Call Of Duty, make sure to check it out. If you aren’t, well, still, check it out. It looks promising.
A lot of graphical promise shown by Sledgehammer Studios with WWII. We just can’t wait.
Sledgehammer teased us with this image, confirming that there will be a zombie mode this time too. Yay! I mean, who doesn’t enjoy killing zombies, am I right?
7. Destiny 2
Destiny 2: HD Sneak Peek Gameplay and First Impressions!
Not having a solo campaign was a big issue in the original Destiny. The creators have changed things around with this year’s title, and being brutally honest with you, it looks amazing. I can’t wait to play it.
The trailer doesn’t reveal much. However, it teases on a multiplayer platform quite like its predecessor – matchmaking that could prove intensely fun. The multiplayer mode is just like the original Destiny- a CSGOesque feel to it – bomb plants, and defusing. It’s strangely addictive.
The mechanism and the physics look absolutely amazing as well. There’s nothing much to be said about this, apart from the fact that it comes out later this year, with beta access by Late July. It has become one of the most anticipated games of E3 2017.
Sweeper bot will always be a part of the Destiny series. Always.
The graphics look pretty impressive, just like the original title. (This is what PvP looks like ma friends)
6. Rising Storm 2: Vietnam
How to NOT BE A NOOB (Rising Storm 2: Vietnam Gameplay)
Reminds you a lot of CSGO, this one. A middle-eastern like setting, even though its’ Vietnam. Also, plenty of vibes from Battlefield: Vietnam.
An absolutely engaging game, concentrated on multiplayer mode. There’s no solo campaign mode in this, and it’s all about skill. It borrows many physics from CSGO – running and gunning will absolutely get you killed.
While the graphics aren’t completely cutting edge, they are still pretty darn good. The fan base is fairly large. The maps are perfectly balanced. The guns do a realistic amount of damage; you'll be dropped off in the jungle by helicopter, looking for Charlie. Out of nowhere an ambush will light up the tree line with gunfire, dropping GI's like flies. And then a napalm attack from above flattens the enemy, evening the battle field.
Clunky movement, limited content might be problems that this game suffers. But it offers extremely skillful multiplayer possibilities, and is by no means a game that shouldn’t be considered, therefore placing it at no. 6 in our list.
Significantly accurate physics and mechanism is a huge plus point for this game. If you’d miss a shot like this, please refrain from buying it. Pros would never forgive you. EVER.
Feel like you're being annihilated? Gave up hope? Fear not, the choppers are here for the rescue!
5. Prey
Gameplay from the chapter – The Evacuation!
With a storyline featuring what would have happened if JFK survived his assassination, leading to a great advancement in space exploration; and what became of US-Russia relations, this game definitely is one tough contender. The gameplay is very much similar to Dishonored by Arkane Studios as well, and borrows a lot of gameplay and features from it. (Learn more about dishonored, and its features here)
The level design is critical to any game, and Prey has one of the best level designs in this list. The graphics are top-notch, and the visual styles are pretty impressive as well. Very rarely have we come across a game with an amazing soundtrack, but Arkane offers us one great soundtrack with Prey. The Typhon is the foe in this game, and the AI of a typhon is pretty interesting as well. Mimics are also your enemy, but they can take the form of ordinary objects, making the player in need of extreme vigilance. The out of the box thinking, and the puzzle solving skills needed are quite high as well.
Well, the game doesn’t come without it’s downsides. The ending parts of the game are extremely difficult. The difficulty level ramps up by a factor of 1000. Yes. It does. The storyline or the plot is somewhat a letdown to an otherwise brilliant game. While many fans love the narration, a majority complain about the passive narrative being employed here.
There’s so much to love about Prey though. In essence, it can also be called an open-world game, the world being Prey’s space station. Just exploring it is sometimes enough satisfaction. Make sure you get Prey. You wouldn’t regret it.
Top notch graphics, and a wide array of weapons to choose from. This game has it all.
Basically, anything in this picture can be a mimic. That cup. The glass. The little holder next to the glass. Anything. Vigilance is key.
4. Counter Strike Global Offensive
This is what a pro player match looks like. Keeps you hooked until the last second. And then more.
The largest community of competitive FPS gaming exists in CSGO. Developed by Valve Corporation, this has, and always will be, a fan favourite.
While game updates are constantly brought out, a change to aesthetic never happens. It never should. CSGO is perfect the way it is, with no real difference in paying more or less to succeed in the game. It all depends on skill. The physics are mind-blowingly accurate, crouching makes you aim better, running and gunning is the most inaccurate way to go about business, and it’s a constant mind game.
You get to be either Terrorists (Ts), or counter-terrorists (CTs). The motive of the T side is to plant the bomb, and not let it go off for the next 40 seconds, and the CT side motive is to stop the bomb plant, or defuse it within 40 seconds if the plant is done. The game also features many "workshop" maps where you can practice offline to hone your skills.
The cons are pretty straightforward. The game was made some time back, so the graphics aren’t the best. However, they are still pretty sufficient for a game for the next 5-6 years. The game is pretty hard on newcomers though. While you get lower ranked players if you are a beginner, there are many out there who “smurf” – meaning higher ranked players buy new accounts for playing. This leaves newcomers at a great disadvantage. Also, the anti-cheat system by Valve isn’t the best by any means. The game is wide open to hackers.
With the largest FPS community in the world, and tournaments conducted all over the world, CSGO is the place to go for a diehard FPS fan, looking for real competition and as much realism as possible for an FPS, then CSGO is the place to go.
The attention to realism should be commended. You run faster with a knife, and speed depends on the weapon you hold.
Mastering gun recoil is a major element. Shoot like you would in an arcade style FPS, and you’ll get kicked out of the server by players. (After getting some amount of verbal abuse that is)
3. Titanfall 2
IRON LAST MAN STANDING. HD Footage from Titanfall 2 Multiplayer gameplay.
Hands down, Titanfall takes top spot for campaign storylines in this list. Respawn studios has done a lot in refining the story mode from the original Titanfall, and they’ve gone all out on this.
A ragtag band of rebels called the Frontier Militia fight back against the cruel Interstellar Manufacturing Corporation. Jack Cooper, the man with the most generic name in the galaxy will be the player. When his mentor dies in battle Cooper is given control of his Titan, a large and powerful mech named BT-7274. Together, Cooper and BT struggle to survive behind enemy lines.
It’s one impressive storyline, very inventive, and has a rather Call of Dutyesque feel to it. But, it does much more than that. The fighting mechanics are superb, one of the best in this list, the graphics are cutting edge, the animations are amazing, and the wide array and arsenal of weapons leaves breathless.
The multiplayer mode is no slouch either. There is a fairly large community. It improves from Titanfall’s multiplayer mode, which stood up fairly good on its own, too. The game borrows from the set pieces of Half-Life, as well, and it all sums up into a beautiful experience.
Although the graphics are a beast, it can’t be said that they are the best. It lacks in some areas, but it’s still pretty sufficient.
If you aren’t that into multiplayer, and are a gamer who prefers the solo story modes and inventive campaigns, then look no further than Titanfall 2.
Immersive multiplayer modes like Last Titan Standing. Destroy competition, and rise above all!
One of the best storylines so far, in the history of FPS games.
2. Overwatch
Using the newly introduced DoomFist!
When you say a new FPS game has been developed by the developer of Warcraft, you are bound to get excited. Blizzard has done miracles to the multiplayer community of gaming, and Overwatch simply hits it out of the park.
With a wide range of characters to choose from. It’s different too. You don’t get your usual classes of medic, engineer, cover and so on. What you get is a different approach, personalities with strengths and weaknesses of their own. For example, there’s Genji who can deflect any projectile with his Katana. Then there’s Pharah who uses a jetpack to rain damage down from the sky. They are just small examples from a large range of characters who are both fun and enjoyable to use.
On the surface this looks like a fun game to play when you’re bored, but it demands a lot of brain power and thinking. Read here to get a good insight on which characters to choose to have more chance of winning!
It has one downside though – be matched up with some really bad teammates and it’ll make you want to cry, and then die. But that’s not a flaw by Blizzard. It all depends on your luck. It also has some hacking issues. There are a few minor problems too, which you can read about more here.
If multiplayer gaming and fantasy is your thing, then by all means, get Overwatch. Nothing out there beats it.
The graphics and animations are really high, bar none. The gameplay is fun, and an absolute delight.
The wide range of characters/heroes to choose from is a big bonus. You can change them on the run, and this makes it even better.
1. Battlefield 1
Battlefield 1 Sniper Ownage: Gameplay HD!
Finally, it comes down to this. While being placed low on our previous list, we had to get Battlefield 1 up here. It’s simply the king of all games at the moment, not just FPS.
The story mode is absolutely brilliant. While it does not boast about the centralized heroes like in CoD games, the campaign is portrayed through the lives of regular men, serving their country in WW1. May it be army, navy, or the air-force, this game features it all. The campaign mode alone is a winner for this game. And then there’s its multiplayer mode.
The game is built for multiplayer. The setting is amazing. The graphics are beyond compare. The physics are spectacular. You could call it the best multiplayer shooter of this generation. The map is huge, and the details in it are amazing. DICE really kicked things up a notch. No, not a notch. About 5-6 notches up.
The only downside to it could be that the campaign is over way too soon. The missions and the battles are immersive, but ends quick. But that shouldn’t stop ANYONE from not buying this game. It’s built for multiplayer, and it’s immersive. The graphics are hands down the best in this list, and the maps, the landmarks are all top-class, bar none.
The success of Battlefield 1 is highlighted through this post, which you can read here.
The graphics, the attention to detail, the textures are all the best in this list. Bloody amazing. Literally.
Immersive, non-stop multiplayer action. It leaves you wanting more and more.
Well, dear reader, we've come to the end of our list. Hope you had a good read, and we hope this list helped in deciding which FPS you want. Stay tuned for more fabulous lists like this, and keep checking on www.gamersdecide.com!
P.S - You could also be interested in:
The best third person shooters to play at the moment.
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