Even though we don’t get major releases as often as we used to, first-person shooters still make up arguably the most overexposed genre in gaming, except for maybe open-world. Nobody can play or even hear about every new FPS game, especially nowadays when so many releases fall under niche indie territory, where you need to keep close tabs on what’s taking off on Steam to keep up with the trends. As someone who loves playing shooters, new and old, this is actually great, as I always have something new (or old) to try.
While many folks can find joy in most single-player FPS games, there aren’t all that many titles that come close to achieving their version of perfect. The ones that do are typically among the most beloved releases of their era, as they represent not only the genre but also the gaming industry at its very best. Then, there are those rare few games that are brilliant but also just kind of unknown. They came, garnered a quick standing ovation, and then faded into the nether.
I’m going to cover both old and new games.
Deadlink Is A Brilliant Roguelite Shooter
An FPS Game That Moves And Shoots Beautifully
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- A roguelite FPS game that does justice to both genres.
- Arena shooter structure with strict resource management, tight movement, and a cyberpunk aesthetic.
- What is the story? You play an agent piloting combat shells remotely for the Corporate Security Agency, diving into corporate mega-complexes in covert ops.
Deadlink is a shooter that I only recently really got into, mostly because I didn’t know it existed. Coming out in 2023 after a brief spell in early access, Deadlink had the misfortune of releasing during a time when roguelite fatigue had really set in. It also released in the same half-year as Baldur’s Gate 3, Armored Core 6, Alan Wake 2, and Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, so the competition was fierce.
While perhaps not as special as any of those modern greats, Deadlink simply delivers a fun-as-hell gameplay loop that manages to deliver a consistent sense of organic progress, something that many roguelites struggle with. After picking a shell and mission, you are unleashed into a level that consists solely of combat arenas and passages connecting them; then you just start shooting everything.
Deadlink‘s combat is awesome. Like Doom Eternal, the game demands aggression from players, and sitting still for a few seconds will almost definitely result in a quick death. You unlock fun weapons (and start with a rocket launcher), and each shell has unique primary and secondary abilities that greatly change how you move and kill. Deadlink is simultaneously a near-perfect arena and movement shooter.
No One Lives Forever 2 Was Dead On Arrival
May Cate Archer Rise Again One Day
- A 1960s spy pastiche made by early masters of the FPS genre, Monolith Productions.
- Levels are presented like mini-sandboxes that encourage players to experiment.
- What is the story? You are superspy Cate Archer, who works for the peacekeeping agency U.N.I.T.Y.; you go on a worldwide mission to thwart the evil syndicate H.A.R.M.
Despite the first game being incredibly well-received and a moderate success, No One Lives Forever 2: A Spy in H.A.R.M.’s Way didn’t set the world on fire, at least commercially. In fact, the sequel was a big enough disappointment that the series would only go on to release one spin-off before permanently dying. Due to licensing issues, No One Lives Forever is stuck in so much red tape that not even Nightdive has been able to figure out a way around it (for now, fingers crossed that changes in the future).
With no console or digital versions, NOLF2 is buried under so much nonsense that most younger players will never be able to discover it. That’s a shame too, as the game has aged surprisingly well, even if the gunplay isn’t amazing by our current standards. Where NOLF2 shines is in its level design, stage variety, and tactical freedom, all of which work together to grant players the agency to craft their own routes to their end goals. In some ways, this classic has immersive sim elements.
Selaco Tears Through Expectations
An FPS Game That Deserves More Attention As It Gradually Approaches Its End
- A tactical shooter akin to something like F.E.A.R.
- A work in progress.
- What is the story? You play as Dawn Collins, an ACE Security Captain digging into a massive underground refugee facility housing Earth’s survivors, right as a heavily armed invasion force breaches the perimeter.
Selaco is still in early access, so it technically hasn’t even come out yet; however, it has been around for about 2.5 years by this point, during which it’s built up a small but dedicated following. This month is also a big deal for the game, as Altered Orbit plans to release Chapter 2: The Machines of War on November 13, a free expansion that adds 19 new campaign maps and expands the story, all the while tweaking the combat. This drop also comes with improvements to Chapter 1.
Remastered Chapter 1: We gave the whole game an additional pass with improved lighting, improved setpieces, new surprises and more.
Basically, what I am trying to say is that November 13 is the absolute perfect day to jump into Selaco. So, why should you play this indie darling? Well, Selaco takes heavy cues from F.E.A.R., particularly in its enemy AI that utilizes tactical coordination and adapts to its circumstances rather than just mindlessly rushing forward. The developer somehow took the GZDoom engine and crafted a shooter that lets you absolutely wreck your environments, turning arenas into a destructive bloodbath.
I love a good retro shooter, but that genre has become very oversaturated over the last decade. Selaco tends to be thrown in with that group, despite not really playing like them. It’s like a tactical boomer shooter.
Beyond Citadel Is Uncomfortable In The Best Possible Way
Do You Have A Strong Stomach? Well, This Game Will Test That
- Prioritizes realism above immediate satisfaction.
- Loves a graphic death.
- What is the story? A cybernetically augmented operative descends into a nightmarish mega-structure overrun by cultists, rogue military syndicates, and grotesque biomechanical abominations.
Beyond Citadel shouldn’t be mainstream. At the very least, I can’t imagine a gaming landscape that would allow this strange shooter to transcend its niche status and top the Steam charts, becoming a hit on the same level as other indie juggernauts like Ultrakill and Dusk. We are talking about a Japanese FPS game created by a single developer that features rather brutal dismemberment scenes that cross the line into unnecessary excess; yeah, its reach has limits.
As long as somebody looks past (or enjoys) the graphic death scenes, they will find one of the most unique FPS games of the current decade. Despite its anime visuals and boomer shooter vibe, Beyond Citadel emphasizes real-life simulation in ways that most games don’t bother with. You must deal with each step of the reload, where you have to unload, load, and cock your weapon.
This realism extends to the actual gunfights, as a well-placed shot often takes out either you or the enemy; no bullet sponges here, as nobody should be able to survive a clean shot through the skull. With flickering lights, dark tunnels, and cold metal, the locations are purposefully unpleasant and unwelcoming, almost giving the game a horror vibe. Beyond Citadel even has a decent weapon upgrade system, although it isn’t as deep as something like Selaco.
The Darkness Should Be More Widely Known
Not A Near-Perfect Shooter, But A Near-Perfect Game
- A haunting tragedy with a strong emotional center.
- You can watch a movie.
- What is the story? On his 21st birthday, mafia hitman Jackie Estacado is marked for execution by his uncle, Don Paulie Franchetti. Facing death in a dilapidated public restroom, an ancient, violent entity known as “The Darkness” awakens inside him. Now, it’s time for revenge.
On the Xbox Store, The Darkness has 437 reviews, despite being out for nearly two decades now. While physical copies were way more popular in the mid-2000s than they are nowadays, the game was hardly a big-enough blockbuster to ensure its name echoed across the years and decades. No, The Darkness is only remembered by those who played and bought it in 2007; meanwhile, nobody else knows or probably cares.
Admittedly, The Darkness‘ gunplay isn’t very good, but that’s pretty much the only major criticism you can level at the game. The story sits among the very best in the genre, largely thanks to the brilliant decision to let you, as Jackie, sit alongside his girlfriend, Jenny, and watch the entirety of To Kill A Mockingbird while sitting together in her living room. The combat is rough but introduces good ideas through the use of demon arms and their abilities.
Finally, the game takes place in a semi-open slice of New York, as you travel through subway stations, interact with NPCs, complete favors, and so on. The Darkness has a great sense of place.
