Summary
- Shooter strategy games thrive with engaging stories that invest players in outcomes.
- Aliens: Fireteam Elite blends Sci-Fi horror with tactical shooter mechanics for adrenaline-filled missions.
- Arma 3 offers realistic combat, military tactics, and dynamic narrative driven by player choices.
Shooter Strategy games are not only incredibly fun, but also filled with adrenaline-inducing moments and exciting missions. The genre has been present in gaming for a few years now, and it seems to keep growing exponentially year after year. While many of the games in this genre truly shine in multiplayer, several others also have great stories.
The Best Tactical Shooters Of All Time, Ranked
Tactical shooters are different from your run-of-the-mill FPS. These titles stand out as the best the genre has to offer.
The tactical combat mechanics of most shooter strategy games are very fun, but the real experience begins when something is at stake. Shooter strategy games that involve players in their stories and convince them to get invested in the outcome are the ones that usually stand out, and with good reason. Here are five shooter strategy games with the best stories.
5 Aliens: Fireteam Elite
A Tactical Sci-Fi Game With A Few Horror Elements
Aliens: Fireteam Elite
- Released
- August 24, 2021
- Developer(s)
- Cold Iron Studios
- Platform(s)
- Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PC, PS4, PS5
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter
- The game combines Alien's Sci-Fi horror elements with tactical shooter mechanics.
- Tension and uncertainty are always present.
Taking place 23 years after the events of the Alien film trilogy on the planet LV-895, players take on the role of a specialized fireteam in charge of fighting Xenomorphs and enemies originating from the Weyland-Yutani corporation. Aliens: Fireteam Elite offers a series of campaigns filled with action and adrenaline-inducing moments. Blending Alien's classic Sci-Fi narratives with shooter strategy action and tactical teamwork, the game is very fun to play.
Not only does this title expand the lore behind Alien, but it also answers many questions that fans have been asking themselves for years. With a strong emphasis on team dynamics, Aliens: Fireteam Elite combines a great story with a fast-paced strategic shooter campaign.
4 Arma 3
A Futuristic Approach To Warfare Tactics
Arma 3
- Released
- September 12, 2013
- Developer(s)
- Bohemia Interactive
- Platform(s)
- PC
- Genre(s)
- FPS, Tactical
- Realistic combat and military tactics.
- A story involving world organizations, guerrillas, and other military factions.
With a futuristic take on warfare, Arma 3 is set in the mid-2030's and follows the clash of NATO and the CSAT (Canton-Protocol Strategic Alliance). Players will take on the role of Corporal Ben Kerry, who will have to engage in and survive different military operations. Kerry will have to overcome the obstacles set by NATO, guerrillas, and other organizations throughout the game.
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Arma 3 has a strong focus on realistic combat and military tactics, as well as a dynamic narrative driven by the player. Missions can be tackled in many different ways, giving players an unmatched sense of freedom that isn't often found in other games in the genre.
3 Insurgency: Sandstorm
A Crude Portrayal Of Warfare In The Middle East That Demands A Strategic Approach
Insurgency: Sandstorm
- Strong focus on strategic approaches and tactical enemy engagement.
- The game portrays a crude reality of war that isn't always seen in similar titles.
Insurgency: Sandstorm has arguably one of the best virtual representations of urban environment firefights and warfare. Players will take on the role of a task force in the Middle East trying to survive the ever-growing street violence caused by the American invasion of Iraq in 2003. The game features strategic objectives, action-packed encounters, and requires a strong focus on tactical skills and strategic approaches to avoid catastrophic outcomes.
While Insurgency: Sandstorm doesn't have a story as deep and complex as other games on this list, it does take players from the Iraqi invasion in 2003, through the country's infamous period of insurrection, and into the modern-day conflict, which is very interesting to witness.
2 Payday 2
Featuring Several Heists And A Dynamic Story
Payday 2
- Released
- August 13, 2013
- Developer(s)
- Overkill Software
- Platform(s)
- Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4
- Genre(s)
- FPS
- Complex heists that get harder and more dangerous as the story progresses.
- Co-op mode supporting up to four players.
Set primarily in the Washington D.C. Area, Payday 2 places players in the shoes of several members of a criminal crew who specialize in pulling off large-scale heists. Players can take on many missions, including bank robberies, jewelry store heists, and several other high-risk, high-profile lucrative activities. As the game progresses, the story becomes more complex with the introduction of heists with much higher stakes and narrative interactions that can affect outcomes depending on the player's choices.
Payday 2: Heists In Story Order
With so many heists blessing players, some might ask what is the story order for heists in Payday 2?
Aside from its great story and heist variety, Payday 2 also features fun cooperative gameplay, allowing a maximum of four players to team up. All in all, while players won't have a chance to relate to many of the game's characters, and the stakes of losing a crew member aren't that impactful, this title requires tactical approaches to its heists, and is packed with exciting firearm action.
1 Star Wars: Republic Commando
Tactical Squad Commands Set Amid An Intergalactic Conflict
Star Wars Republic Commando
- A story set in the middle of the Clone Wars.
- The game combines squad tactical commands with FPS action.
Set in the middle of the Clone Wars. Star Wars: Republic Commando follows the story of a unit of elite clone troopers known as Delta Squad (Gears of War has some questions to answer). This elite clone squad will have players take on multiple missions, including covert operations behind enemy lines, rescue missions for fellow clone troopers, and even sabotage endeavors.
Similar to what happens in Disney's The Bad Batch, the game's story has a strong focus on the relationship between the members of Delta Squad. Star Wars: Republic Commando also dives into the complex conflict between the Republic and the Separatist Federation, blending tactical squad commands, first-person shooting, and large-scale galactic warfare.
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