FPS games have remained incredibly popular for many years, and the 2020s have been especially kind to fans of the genre, with so many exceptional titles across a range of IPs. A lot of players have been gravitating towards big names like COD or even Battlefield, but that doesn't mean there aren't plenty of other great games out there hiding just under the radar.
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A lot of these games have received a good amount of attention, both at launch and a few years on, yet many players will either have them waiting on a wishlist or will have never even heard of them. There's roguelites, story-driven narratives, strange genre blends, and so much more, all delivering satisfying first-person action for players of all kinds to enjoy.
Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.
Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.
Deadzone: Rogue
Sci-Fi Shooting Of A Different Kind
Details:
- Roguelite loop with constant progression
- Huge weapon/passive combos
Deadzone: Rogue sends players to a mysterious space station full of robots, aliens, and just about everything else in between. Starting with just a pistol, they have to slowly work their way through various levels, clearing out enemies and acquiring new weapons and gear to help them along the way.
The coolest part comes from the different upgrades and perks that players can acquire at the end of each level. Some offer passive buffs to the player's survivability, while others lean heavily into offense with elemental damage types that can be paired together to create some pretty devastating builds by the end of a run, creating a constant sense of progress for them to chase.
Northern Journey
Strange And Beautiful At The Same Time
Details:
- Unguided exploration
- Many weapon types and enemies
Northern Journey is weird and haunting in all the right ways. Players begin their adventure on a seemingly empty island, but as they journey deeper, they will find a whole host of oddities that will either help them with new gear and consumables or fight them to the death.
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Part of the game's charm is the lack of guidance, and players will often find themselves wandering around in the hopes of finding where to go, but they will instead stumble upon a new foe to shoot down. There are no objective markers or an explicit minimap, just murmuring of where to go and a world that feels inviting in a way, yet deeply horrifying at the same time.
Anger Foot
Silly Yet Satisfying
Details:
- Fast-paced levels
- Absurd concept with huge polish
Anger Foot is a game that can be described in very few words but there is so much more to it than just kicking enemies and hunting for shoes. Each stage is a fast-paced race to the finish, and players will need to pay close attention to their surroundings, as just a few stray bullets can be all it takes to cut them down.
The combat primarily revolves around disarming and using the enemy's own guns against them, ranging from small pistols all the way up to beefy grenade launchers. And, because of how quickly the stages can be cleared, it is the perfect game to jump into for a short session, but just as enjoyable for those looking to grind out those better times and perfect every minute detail.
HROT
Entering A Different Era
Details:
- Tight gunplay and fast movement
- Heavily focused on atmosphere
HROT takes players on a journey into the 80s Soviet Union, forcing them to explore and shoot their way through gloomy and dark buildings, hallways, and even sewers. The emphasis is on grit and brutality, and players will quickly realize that their ammo supplies and accuracy matter far more than pulling off stylish kills.
The atmosphere is where the game really shines, as every setting has just as much misery as the last, mirrored by the strange and chaotic enemies that each bring with them a new challenge to overcome. It's a slower, more old-fashioned spin on the boomer shooter genre, but a satisfying FPS game that stands out in an otherwise fairly crowded space.
RoboCop: Rogue City
An Iconic Enforcer Returns
Details:
- Weighty shots and movement
- Slow but deliberate pacing
RoboCop: Rogue City drops players into the iconic armor of Detroit’s most famous cyborg, and it manages to deliver one of the most satisfying shooter experiences in recent years. The movement is purposeful as the player strides forward with some serious weight, matched by the heavy shots that tear through enemies and bring justice to a crime-ridden world.
The environments may not be sprawling, but it’s rich with characters and thoughtfully designed encounters that ensure there is never a dull moment from start to finish. For fans of more mechanical shooters with a narrative focus, the game hits virtually every mark on the head without overstaying its welcome.
Severed Steel
Parkour Meets A Spray Of Bullets
Details:
- Movement-reliant gameplay
- Rewards for taking alternative routes
Severed Steel reimagines the traditional FPS formula by making movement the number one priority. The entire game treats momentum as a form of ammunition, with slides, dashes, and wallruns dictating the flow of combat and giving players new ways of approaching otherwise challenging fights.
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The maps are also designed around flow, not just enemy placement, inviting players to string together bullet trails and evasive maneuvers that often lead to some pretty impressive moments even in the early stages. It’s an FPS that doesn’t just let players shoot, but teaches them that movement can be an equally powerful weapon in the middle of a fight.
Mullet MadJack
Every Second Counts
Details:
- Timed runs of various difficulties
- Fast stages with escalating difficulty
Mullet MadJack brings vaporwave visuals to the FPS world, placing players in a chaotic world that never takes itself too seriously. The gameplay revolves around a ticking timer that can be added to with kills and lowered with damage, which means that players need to constantly be on the move to have a chance of clearing the level.
Behind that main mechanic lies a roguelike loop that gives players a chance to alter their builds in new and interesting ways. Melee setups can deal insane damage up close, while more reserved rifle ones offer more safety, letting players decide just how much adrenaline they want in every single run.
Roboquest
Easy To Learn, Hard To Put Down
Details:
- Crisp gunplay
- Roguelite loops for maximum replay value
Roboquest is a fast, addictive arcade experience that’s very easy to get into and incredibly fun once the basics are mastered. Instead of sprawling worlds or huge narrative arcs, it offers bite-sized missions filled with relentless enemies, satisfying guns, and procedural variation that keeps every run fresh.
The gunplay is punchy and responsive, with each weapon feeling distinct from the next and all having their use-case within a run. Even outside its roguelite progression systems, the base shooting systems are enjoyable enough on their own, allowing it to stand as one of the few games in recent history that players can hop in for a few quick sessions, or grind for dozens of hours should they choose to.
Atomfall
Exploring A Different Kind Of Countryside
Details:
- More tactical and thought-out encounters
- Engaging the world with many side stories
Atomfall sends players to the lush Lake District in Northern England in the midst of a nuclear disaster. A lot of the game revolves around investigating and uncovering clues, with the combat feeling much slower and more methodical than other faster shooters in the genre.
There are still plenty of chances for players to whip out their weapons and get firing, and the enemies themselves put up quite a fight, dealing significant damage and demanding respect right from the get-go. It's a modern, story-driven FPS experience that brings in a lot of new mechanics that feel fresh and engaging in a fairly unique setting that had otherwise gone overlooked in the wider industry.
The Finals
Explosive Beyond Belief
Details:
- Huge environmental destruction potential
- Multiple classes and playstyles
The Finals stand out by letting players change the battlefield while actively shooting on it. Instead of static maps, every environment can be broken apart and dismantled, including walls, ceilings, and floors, which opens up so many opportunities for interesting angles and crazy outplay moments.
Creativity matters just as much as aim, as players can strategically take down cover spots to expose foes or carve new paths to create a new avenue for their team to approach from. As chaotic as the matches can be, the gunplay still manages to feel tight and impactful, with weapons that punch and recoil that demand skill to control, turning what would otherwise be a messy gameplay loop into a much more mechanically demanding one overall.
