First-person shooters have gone through massive shifts and changes since the early days of their inception, with this genre being one of the most profitable ones in the industry that has churned out hit after hit. Players love this genre for the satisfaction they experience after landing a headshot, going through amazing set-pieces, and the sheer sense of immersion they feel when they see the world through the eyes of the protagonist.
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It took some time, with the genre requiring quite a few developments before reaching such heights. From the early days of having no horizontal aim to expecting a wealth of other systems that further improve the gameplay of these titles, there are many FPS games that showed the potential of this genre and then some.
1Half-Life
There was a time when most people assumed that good video game stories couldn’t be told without switching perspectives.Half-Lifetwisted that notion, however, with the game featuring no cutscenes whatsoever.
Players could move away from NPCs while they were speaking, giving them the opportunity of following the story at their own pace. There’s a reason whyHalf-Lifeis a masterpiece, with the immersive storytelling being revolutionary for its era.
2Deus Ex
An immersive sim that still continued to be impressive to this day,Deus Exwas a massive achievement for its timeand one that showed what video games were all about. The title allowed players to pursue a wealth of playstyles to achieve their goal, making the investment of skill points a pretty tough choice every time.
Players could either be extremely adept at wielding guns or find other ways to deal with enemies. Whatever path players chose, they could rest assured thatDeus Excatered to their build in every meticulously-designed level.
3Wolfenstein 3D
Wolfenstein 3Dis a classic FPS game in which players go through a Nazi base, killing many enemy soldiers before eventually taking on Hitler himself in an epic showdown. The fast-paced and satisfying shooting gameplay paved the way for more FPS titles to enter the mainstream.
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This was one of many titles developed by id Software that set the foundation for the genre. As more and more FPS titles came out featuring the same gameplay, it was clear thatWolfenstein 3Dhad led this charge in many ways.
4Call Of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
After focusing on actual historical warfare for the longest time,Call of Dutydecided to change things up with their fourth mainline entry. The end result was a legendary title calledModern Warfare, which formed a template for future games in the series to follow.
Modern Warfaretakes a unique look at what a modern war would be like, with the game’s many iconic set-pieces being a blast to experience in every way.The multiplayer was also a great step in the right directionthat hooked many people to this amazing series, and the rest is history.
5GoldenEye 007
Many people felt like consoles were not a great platform for FPS games to flourish on. This perception changed with the release ofGoldenEye 007, which many people know as the first FPS game to really become a massive hit on consoles.
The couch multiplayer of this title was a thing of beauty at the time, allowing friends to battle against each other in some nerve-wracking firefights. There are many reasons why Rare was held to such high standards early on, and the success ofGoldenEye 007was certainly one of them.
6Doom
Doomisone of the most legendary FPS titles ever made, with the simple act of killing demons being a blast courtesy of this title’s presentation. The music is iconic, and the various demons in the game are pretty challenging yet fun to defeat in their own way.
The custom levels ofDoomadded to the title’s replayability, and the fact that this game is still being modded to this day is a testament to how beloved the game really is. Many fans attribute this title to be a major reason why the FPS genre caught on, which is no mean feat.
7Half-Life 2
Half-Lifewas revolutionary in its own right, butwhat the second game brought to the table was in a class of its own. Integrating a proper physics system that was used in both combat and puzzle-solving,Half-Life 2is a masterpiece in every way.
The physics system is still mind-blowing to this day, with very few games coming close to the complex systems used inHalf-Life 2. It’s easy to see why so many people were clamoring for a newHalf-Lifegame, given how incredible the experience of playing through this perfect sequel was.
8System Shock 2
The firstSystem Shockgame was pretty great in its own way, but there’s no denying that the game’s interface and controls were quite convoluted and haven’t really aged well either. However,System Shock 2is a completely different story.
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The combination of survival horror, RPG, and FPS elements in this unnerving game was a massive achievement that has held up in every way. This game is considered a spiritual predecessor forBioShock, which is proof enough of just how revolutionary the game really was for its time.
9Trespasser: Jurassic Park
Trespasser: Jurassic Parkis a game whose ambitions were too big for the time. Trying to integrate everything from a minimalistic HUD to a groundbreaking physics system,Trespasserbit off more than it could chew and ended up buckling under the weight of its own expectations.
Despite the apparent failure of the game,Trespasserhas been quoted by many high-profile developers as an inspiration for their own games. The game used audio logs to tell its story as well, which is an idea that several other titles have replicated since.
10Perfect Dark
IfGoldenEye 007served as a prototype for what console shooters could achieve, thenPerfect Darkhoned this concept to a T. Weapons had alternate firing modes and the reloading animations were pretty neat.
Of course, it was the multiplayer that stole the show once again.Perfect Darkallowed players to customize several aspects of the multiplayer gameplay, ranging from the behavior of AI to the type of weapons used in the game.
