Of all possible genres, FPS games are among the least dependent on a quality story. They don’t need to follow a narrative at all, beyond providing a simple goal for the protagonist/player, and an intrusive story gets in the way when it isn’t wanted. That said, a fantastic story elevates a good FPS game into a masterpiece that can withstand the test of time, or allows a respectable title to achieve greatness.
If you are like me, you might frequently find yourself skipping over cutscenes to get back to the gunplay and the actual fun part, usually at no detriment to the overall enjoyment. However, a small handful of shooters demand and earn the player’s attention throughout their entire experience, telling engaging stories with characters who linger in the mind long after the credits roll.
6
Deus Ex: Human Revolution Explores Transhumanist Philosophy
All Through The Cybernetic Eyes Of An Incredible Main Character
- Cyber-noir philosophical thriller
A few low points aside, Deus Ex has a couple of true greats in its resume, and the first game pioneered immersive sims. To be honest, the franchise isn’t known for its shooting mechanics, but the Eidos-Montreal games have top-notch gameplay that encourages a “figure it out yourself” mentality in gunfights. Like its predecessor, Human Revolution‘s world-building is immaculate, delving into ethics, progress, class divide, and humanity.
Things start off with a raid on Sarif headquarters that leaves Adam Jensen on the brink of death, only to be brought back through the magic of cybernetics without his consent. Jensen sets out to find the person responsible for ruining his life, but his mission quickly expands far beyond his revenge quest, unraveling into a web of corporate warfare, espionage, shadow governments, and culture.
Men like us, we never get back the things we love.
Deus Ex: Human Revolution tells Jensen’s story, influenced by the player to an extent. Rather than a blank slate, Jensen is well-defined as a cynical man struggling to come to terms with his current state as someone caught between humanity and science. He engages in psychological debates and relies on discourse in major situations (particularly in the Director’s Cut), although he has plenty of opportunities to shoot people in the face.
If Mankind Divided had a proper ending, I might have gone with that instead, as it expands and improves on many of Human Revolution‘s ideas.
5
The Darkness Tells The Best FPS Comic Book Story
All Through The Eyes Of A Grief-Stricken Mobster
- Supernatural noir crime thriller
Gameplay-wise, The Darkness 2 surpasses its predecessor in every single way, to the point of becoming the better overall experience and the one most folks are likely to revisit. However, the first game tells a way better story that does justice to its comic book source material.
Just as he turns 21, mafia hitman Jackie Estacado is ambushed by his own mob boss as a response to his rising influence, leading him to stare down with the barrel of a gun in an alley. Fortunately for Jackie, a demonic curse called The Darkness wakes up inside him, giving him deadly supernatural powers at a steep price (his soul). Rather than a superhero origin story, The Darkness tells a tragedy fueled by violence, grief, and revenge, all framed by New York City’s underbelly.
Rather than running as quickly as possible into the action, The Darkness puts in the effort to actually make people care about Jackie and what he loses. Early in the game, Jackie spends time with his sweetheart, Jenny, in her apartment, and he can sit on the couch alongside her and watch the entirety of To Kill a Mockingbird on TV. Obviously, this is optional, but the game doesn’t disturb the peace with constant reminders that you can and should leave.
There’s always a little light in The Darkness.
While the cutscenes effectively showcase his internal struggle, Jackie speaks to himself (and the player) during loading screens, with The Darkness’ voice (by Mike Patton) layered on top. He speaks about his grief, while The Darkness mocks him, a clash that translates into the gameplay. The Darkness’ tentacles envelope the screen, suffocating it, and its attacks are uncomfortably brutal and inhumane.
Click on the game with the higher OpenCritic rating.
4
Titanfall 2 Is About A Beautiful Friendship
Between A Guy And His Mech
Weird as it sounds, the FPS genre’s best buddy cop-style story features a mecha, and Titanfall 2 100% sells the relationship between BT and his new handler, Jack Cooper. As far as sci-fi epics are concerned, this game has a fairly straightforward premise: Cooper is caught behind enemy lines and needs to bond with his deceased captain’s Titan, BT-7274, to survive and save his world. Maybe “straightforward” isn’t the right word, but Titanfall 2 is basically a blockbuster action extravaganza with mechs.
The story’s brilliance comes down almost entirely to the dynamic between BT and Cooper, which manages to be heartwarming, funny, and surprisingly character-driven. Cooper’s pragmatic approach to situations bounces well against BT’s emotionless logic, creating a juxtaposition that works incredibly well. Their rapport and banter are constantly great, too.
While the protagonists carry the emotional hook, the campaign also paces its story very well, with each chapter building on the last and serving up its own brand of spectacle. At just roughly 5 hours, the story never threatens to overstay its welcome; if anything, I wish it lasted longer.
3
Metro Exodus Takes You On A Haunting Road Trip
With A Desperate Crew Seeking Hope
Building on its predecessors’ rock-solid foundations, Metro Exodus breaks crushing depression with a glimmer of hope. Artyom finally proves that life exists beyond the tunnels, setting himself and a few others on a lengthy road trip across Russia. They brave deserts, swamps, valleys, and fractured cities.
Between endless years of hopeless existence and even a single moment of hope, I must choose hope.
Metro 2033 and Last Light tell stories drenched in rich horror atmosphere, but Metro Exodus shifts towards a more human tone by emphasizing Artyom’s bond with his squadmates and wife, Anna. In between their very dangerous travels, the characters allow themselves moments to catch their breath and have conversations that go beyond simple exposition, allowing them to exhibit their individuality.
Despite having a much more open structure than the first two games, Metro Exodus still tells a tight story influenced by the player’s behavior in combat, leading to a final act and conclusion that leaves one hell of an impression. Also, like most road trip stories, you and the characters don’t know what awaits at the end of the line, and that sense of mystery was enough to keep me going.
2
Cyberpunk 2077 Tells A Complex Story With Complex Characters
And Keanu Reeves
I almost feel like including Cyberpunk 2077 is cheating, as CD Projekt Red’s redeemed masterpiece is first and foremost an RPG. Ultimately, though, its combat falls completely within the FPS genre, with the gunplay being fairly good by normal standards. Cyberpunk 2077 is one of the few FPS games where the gameplay feels secondary, and the fact that it is fine is nearly a bonus.
In Night City, a cyberpunk corporate metropolis, humans have basically no value, and somebody like V might as well be a rat. However, the mercenary tries to change his life’s trajectory by taking on a very dangerous mission, one that ends with a bio-chip in his head and a loud new voice in his mind. Containing the digitized consciousness of Johnny Silverhand (aka Keanu Reeves), a long-dead rebel rockstar, the chip slowly overwrites V’s brain and sets him on a ticking clock towards his demise.
Give yourself time. Ideas’ll come. Life’ll shake you, roll you, maybe embrace you. The music’ll find you.
A few very brief moments aside, Cyberpunk 2077 never leaves V’s first-person point of view, which not only aids immersion but makes it easier for the player to focus on an NPC’s body language. Johnny ranks among the best characters in modern gaming, mainly due to his grey nature. Rather than a villain or sidekick, he is a parasite trying to hijack your body, only for his demeanor to soften as he shares memories with V.
Cyberpunk 2077‘s writing constantly takes risks, refusing to present easy answers or escapes. The game gives players plenty of choices that actually matter, often with no clear “good” pick.
1
BioShock Still Sets The Standard For Story-Driven FPS Games
And That Might Always Be True
Well, this shouldn’t come as a surprise.
BioShock is the first game that comes to mind when most people think of a “great FPS game with a great story,” and for good reason. Although not overly stacked with cutscenes like some other shooters, the game uses environmental signifiers to tell an ambitious and effective tale that dives into philosophy and morality.
Besides being maybe the most iconic setting in gaming history, Rapture serves as the unsettling corpse of a dead society and its rotting ideology. Designed as an underwater utopia, the city fell apart under the weight of greed, class warfare, and addiction, leaving behind a flooded empire that once represented humanity’s peak. After finding himself in Rapture, a plane crash survivor named Jack follows instructions from Atlas, a voice on a shortwave radio.
Honestly, there’s nothing I can say about BioShock that hasn’t been said before. It nails pretty much everything except for the gunplay, which is pretty good but never great. While the opening half is better paced than the second, the story is about as flawless as one can be, and it features an all-time great twist.
