The 40 Best FPS Games of All Time

Wolfenstein 3D accomplished several things at the time of its release - it introduced the world to Nazi buster William "B.J." Blazkowicz, marked the third installment in the Wolfenstein franchise, and basically kicked off the FPS revolution. Navigating the enemy-filled Nazi German prison "Castle Wolfenstein" led to players getting their first taste of a proper FPS game and the rest, as they say, is history. Wolfenstein 3D isn't just one of the best FPS games ever made, but it's also one of the greatest video games of all time.

Noted game director, designer, programmer, and developer John Romero's name has been lifted to legendary status because of his work on one of the biggest FPS games ever made. That game is DOOM, the gorefest that pushed retro PC players toward the moons of Mars and the pits of Hell with a single goal in mind - blast every demon that steps into the warpath of the badass space marine "Doomguy." DOOM helped push the FPS genre forward and has maintained its status as an iconic game due to the simple & satisfying act of blasting demons back to where they came from.

When anyone thinks of quality 90s first-person shooters that stick close to what DOOM accomplished beforehand, their minds immediately revert to Star Wars: Dark Forces. Stepping into the role of Kyle Katarn was and still is an awesome time thanks to this game's delivery of well-designed levels, puzzles, and combat scenarios that confirm just how much DOOM's gameplay matches up so well with the world of Star Wars. On a visual front, Star Wars: Dark Forces looked quite impressive at the time and even featured a wealth of mechanics that pushed it past its main inspiration. Level designs with multiple floors and simply being able to look up & down are the two main innovations this game brought to the FPS genre as a whole.

GoldenEye 007 may not have aged the best, but its influence on console FPS games is undeniable. Licensed games back in the day were always seen as lesser than, but development studio Rare did an incredible job of creating a proper James Bond game that also gave the N64 a killer app during its heyday. An unforgettable single-player campaign coupled with one of the most enjoyable local competitive multiplayer experiences in FPS history is packaged together quite nicely in this bonafide classic. Never forget this rule, ladies and gents - ODDJOB IS BANNED!

Before this game dropped, the Quake games zeroed in on single-player campaigns that saw players confront the alien threat of the "Strogg." Quake III Arena decided to switch to a competitive multiplayer focus instead and thrived because of that decision. To this day, folks gather with their personal PCs for LAN parties where this fast and fluid FPS is the centerpiece of attention. You still can have the time of your life "strafe-jumping" and "rocket-jumping" while you fight to stay at the top of the leaderboard in heated Quake III Arena matches.

The original System Shock is given its flowers for being one of the greatest immersive FPS games of all time. It's also heralded for influencing the likes of Deus Ex, BioShock, and Prey (2017). Thankfully, that genre innovator has gotten a quality remake that remains faithful to everything that fans of the original grew to appreciate over time. HD visuals, modernized controls, a new & improved User Interface, and brand-new music match up so well with the original's unsettling atmosphere, non-linear approach to storytelling, and intense combat encounters. SHODAN will always be one of the creepiest villains in gaming history.

The OG version of Duke Nukem 3D perfectly illustrates the rebellious and raunchy attitude of the mid to late 90s. The too-cool-for-school protagonist of this FPS gets off on blasting literal pigs (the alien cop kind, mind you), ogling strippers, and dropping unforgettable one-liners ("Little pig, little pig, let me in. Or I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll kick your ass in!"). Duke Nukem 3D: 20th Anniversary World Tour not only remasters that throwback FPS game starring the infamous blond-haired dynamo, but it also throws in a bunch of new stages, more enemies, an additional weapon, and a slew of special features that lift the original game's quality factor to an even higher level.

If you owned an N64 during its first two years on the gaming market, then you most definitely recognize this FPS adaptation of the Valiant Comics comic book series. It amazed console gamers back then thanks to its striking visual presentation, intuitive control scheme, and abundance of cool weapons (SHOUT OUT TO THE AUTO SHOTGUN!) to bring into battle against rampaging dinosaurs. The best way to experience this classic FPS is by checking out the impressive remaster done by the Nightdive Studios development studio. We'll never forget the first time we laid eyes on the remaster's dynamic lighting and crispier water effects!

Critically acclaimed author Tom Clancy and his brand of espionage & military-science-themed novels inspired an entire line of games that are still played and asked about to this day (WE NEED THAT SPLINTER CELL REMAKE ASAP!) The very first Rainbow Six is one of the aforementioned games and it will always hold a position of high esteem for several reasons. For one, it offers one of the best implementations of tactical gameplay where pre-mission planning and careful maneuvering come into play. The fact that you can get wiped out by a single bullet always made anyone who played this game turn their thinking caps on, which forced them to avoid running into every mission like a madman. The PvE and PvP portions of Rainbow Six are still rewarding and provide a worthwhile introspective look into the classic tactical FPS games of the past.

Rare managed to put out yet another strong FPS after convincing the gaming public of its development prowess thanks to the success of GoldenEye 007. For this next selection on our list of the best FPS games, the famed developer took everything it learned from its first genre triumph and applied it to a wholly original IP. Perfect Dark turned out to be one of the most graphically impressive games on the N64 as it produced a futuristic sheen that shined brightly. Joanna Dark took center stage in an FPS that gave her access to some pretty cool weapons and useful gadgets. The ability to play the campaign with a friend or takedown three other local competitors within the multiplayer mode meant you could always count on someone else to increase Perfect Dark's replay value. Side note - the FarSight XR-20 is too damned OP!

Development studio Ion Storm truly had something special on its hands while it was putting Deus Ex together. Once that lofty project was finally released in 2000, the game quickly cemented itself as one of the most groundbreaking FPS games of all time. This revolutionary project placed players in a more unconventional setting via a cyberpunk-themed dystopian world and gave them the freedom to interact with it any way they see fit. The game's main protagonist JC Denton can be used to alter the story in major ways via important dialogue sessions, utilize melee, ranged, & nanotechnology abilities to prevail in battle, and even rely on stealth & lockpicking skills to get around in a more silent manner. Deus Ex is considered by many to be a wonderful amalgamation of FPS and RPG elements.

Isn't it crazy how Red Faction's expert use of destructible environments hasn't really been topped by most modern-day games? It's a testament to how talented Volition was back then when it made the wise decision to make the "Geo-Mod" groundbreaking feature the major feature of its classic FPS. Red Faction's gunplay is also noteworthy because of its mass arsenal of 15 weapons, plus the implementation of vehicles added another cool wrinkle to exploring & making use of everything players came across on Mars. Minds were blown by this game due to how damn near every building in it could be taken down, which is why Red Faction gets its just due from FPS fans worldwide.

Just like Red Faction, Black made a whole lot of FPS fans take notice due to how destructible its environments were. Shooting through walls and flinging grenades at a building & watching the ensuing explosion cause it to crumble led players to realize they were playing something truly remarkable. While the game's story is practically a non-factor due to how basic it is, Black still manages to stay in the memory of everyone who experienced it thanks to its cinematic look & feel and explosive action that made everyone feel like they were in the middle of the latest blockbuster military thriller.

During the heyday of World War II-themed FPS games, three franchises put out the finest in the sub-genre - Medal of Honor, Call of Duty, and Battlefield. Battlefield 1942 gets the nod here for being one of the most innovative multiplayer shooters of its time - the game's unbelievable 64-player count resulted in constant skirmishes that enraptured players from start to finish. The amazing boots-on-the-ground gunplay, the usage of authentic WWII ground & air vehicles, the character class-based warfare, and the strong attention to detail for the time period all came together quite nicely to produce a multiplayer FPS stable worth celebrating.

Before Epic Games shook the gaming world with its monumental battle royale shooter Fortnite, it worked alongside fellow developer Digital Extremes to give Quake III Arena some worthy competition via Unreal Tournament. The 2003 follow-up and 2007's Unreal Tournament 3 upgraded the original game's formula to a great degree, but it's Unreal Tournament 2004 that sticks out in our mind as the quintessential series entry that's a top-of-the-line FPS experience. The basics of Unreal Tournament's hyperfast gunplay remain intact here, but it's the addition of vehicles and "Onslaught" mode's large-scale battles that made this series entry such a go-to FPS for games back in the mid-2000s. Major shout out to this game's "Double Domination" and "Invasion" modes, too!

The original Xbox managed to produce a banger on launch day with the debut of the iconic Master Chief and the franchise that brought him into millions of gamers' homes. Halo: Combat Evolved gave owners of Microsoft's first home console a god-tier campaign, a hard-to-put-down competitive multiplayer mode suite, and one of the greatest gaming protagonists of all time. Seeing this classic FPS blessed with a new coat of visual paint thanks to the remastered Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary makes it even more of a must-play. You simply haven't lived until you've blasted "Covenant" forces and "Flood" hordes to bits with your trusty "M90 Shotgun" in glorious HD.

It was quite a shock when Halo fans learned that there were actually two protagonists to run into battle with in this sequel. Master Chief wasn't alone this time around - he was accompanied by a "Covenant Elite" called the "Arbiter," whom the big green guy wasn't too fond of at first. Halo 2's memorable campaign does an excellent job of easing the differences between the two while involving them in the usual array of sci-fi conflicts between the "United Nations Space Command" and the Covenant. As for this sequel's multiplayer, it was as equally addictive as the one featured in its predecessor. That "Double Team/Team Doubles" playlist certainly provided hundreds of hours of fun and still does thanks to the Halo 2: Anniversary remaster.

The engrossing chronicle that kicked off in Halo: Combat Evolved finally reached its conclusion here. And for most followers of Master Chief's interplanetary combat exploits, Halo 3 produced a satisfying end to it all. The Chief's armory expanded in this notable sequel to include support weapons, two-handed firearms, and special pieces of gear that improve his defensive capabilities. "Forge Mode's" debut in Halo 3 proved to be monumental as it allowed the creative bunch to create amazing maps that even rivaled those of Bungie. This game's campaign, multiplayer, and map creation system all add up to create a Halo for the ages. Halo 3 deserves its place here among the rest of the field which represents the most iconic and celebrated FPS games ever made.

If you mention the Nintendo GameCube to an old head, then one of the many classics they'll mention that was playable on that purple box of greatness is this one. Now on the Switch, that same astounding game exists in its most definitive form to date. Metroid Prime Remastered makes the original's visuals look even crispier than ever before thanks to an HD sheen, so all that first-person "Space Pirate" busting, "Morph Ball" maneuvering, and visor switching realizes its full visual potential. It's still amazing to realize that the "Metroidvania" formula got replicated so well within the confines of an FPS. Overcoming the sci-fi menaces of "Tallon IV" via the same standard difficulty mode and control scheme of the original feels just as good as it did before.

Our hearts continue to weep since the excruciating wait for a new TimeSplitters will seemingly never end. But for the time being, we're going to keep selecting our favorite monkeys, killer clowns, and all sorts of other outlandish characters for some multiplayer mayhem in TimeSplitters 2 (BagTag is GOATED!). But besides all the four-player gunfights this game is most remembered for, TimeSplitters 2 also happens to feature one of the funniest and most enjoyable single-player campaigns in FPS history (which also has co-op, by the way!). Sergeant Cortez and his gorgeous bald head will never leave our memory banks. The first one and TimeSplitters: Future Perfect are equally amazing, but TimeSplitters 2 will always get the most love from us.

When the Medal of Honor series dominated the WWII FPS gaming space, it produced arguably its tour de force via Medal of Honor: Frontline. We have a feeling you know exactly where you were and how old you were the very first time you participated in this game's D-Day mission (WE'LL NEVER FORGET THAT MOMENT!). The entirety of this game's campaign holds up just as much as that kickoff mission, thankfully - variety is the main theme here thanks to missions that incorporate elements of infiltration, espionage, rescue, and recon work. Add on a rousing soundtrack and spectacular visuals (especially in the HD remaster!) and you have yourself one of the best WWII FPS games ever made.

Activision's essential first-person shooter franchise became a mainstream juggernaut among gamers and even non-gamers with this esteemed series entry. By moving on from the World War II era and taking the on-the-ground action to the modern-day battlefield, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare morphed into one of the most impactful FPS games of all time. The smooth and slick movement goes hand in hand with the game's heated firefights, which both did an awesome job of making each skirmish unforgettable. The single-player campaign featured in Modern Warfare is one of the very best (shout out to "One Shot, One Kill") and its online multiplayer suite had everyone turning into angry "sweats" back in the day. A huge salute to our forever hero, John "Soap" MacTavish!

Battlefield fans have gotten plenty of historical and more modern-day takes on EA's FPS franchise formula. The one that most of those dedicated players want to see make a return is the Bad Company sub-series and that's due to just how much of a standout game Bad Company 2 is. The return of Preston Marlowe and his fellow band of "Bad Company" warfighters welcomed players to another memorable campaign that many regard as the best in Battlefield's long history. The competitive multiplayer mode suite that accompanies this game certainly had us in a chokehold back in its heyday - the series' signature class-based player system entertained us greatly as we participated in dozens upon dozens of "Rush" and "Squad Deathmatch" skirmishes.

It will always blow our minds over the fact that this quintessential competitive multiplayer FPS started its life as the 1996 Team Fortress mod for Quake and its 1999 remake Team Fortress Classic. It's also insane how this game has led to the creation of numerous fan-made comedy skits that even non-gamers have watched more times than we can count. Hopping into Team Fortress 2 these days to actually see what all the hype is about is still worth doing these days if you ask us. The name of the game here is "teamwork" - run with either the RED or BLU side, pick your favorite character class, and attempt to push your squad to victory across King of the Hill, Capture the Flag, Control Point, etc. Team Fortress 2's staying power is strong and will never weaken!

Valve shook the very foundation of FPS games and co-op as a whole when it dropped the very first Left 4 Dead. The same thrills that come from watching classic horror films focused on a cast of characters fighting for their lives against the undead were brought to life in video game form thanks to this next pick on our list. Left 4 Dead's four-player co-op campaign always manages to produce an infinitely replayable experience thanks to the revolutionary "Director" AI system that determines which zombie types you'll run into, where items are placed, and the overall feel of level pacing. Running for your lives from a band of rabid zombies while stopping every few steps to shoot them down is a gameplay loop that excelled with the very first Left 4 Dead.

As we've already alluded to beforehand, Left 4 Dead left an indelible mark on the world of the FPS genre and co-op gaming. To see Valve revisit that winning formula and get another major victory from fans & critics alike is a highly commendable feat. Left 4 Dead 2 does a marvelous job of building upon everything its predecessor brought forth while placing its zombie pandemic premise in New Orleans. Four new survivors entered the fray to stay on the run and constantly defend themselves against vicious zombie hordes across one of the greatest implementations of co-op multiplayer. The game's classic Survival mode and its equally addictive Scavenge 4v4 mode add to this game's max replayability factor to make it one of the best FPS games of all time.

The best parts of Half-Life, System Shock, and Deus Ex got thrown into a melting pot - the praiseworthy result of that winning recipe is one of the greatest games ever made. BioShock's thought-provoking narrative and mindblowing reveals have caused major discussions and interpretations to this very day. Plus the game's weighty combat feel adds that extra oomph to standoffs with the psychotic denizens of "Rapture" and the towering "Big Daddies" that keep watch over "Little Sisters." Wielding a bevy of elemental and non-elemental abilities via "Plasmids" certainly helped the game's combat encounters differentiate themselves from other FPS games back in the day. BioShock encapsulates the best parts of its genre while infusing unique elements that give it a flavor that's all its own. Everything about BioShock (except that final boss fight...) is damn near flawless.

Half-Life is responsible for so many accomplishments, such as turning its series protagonist Gordon Freeman into an exemplary video game character and influencing the rest of the FPS genre thanks to its utilization of absorbing scripted sequences. The alien-filled halls and rooms that make up the "Black Mesa Research Facility" resulted in a game powered by superb visuals at the time of release, an effective plotline, and well-tuned FPS combat. Valve has given the gaming world a bunch of experiences that will forever stand the test of time - the first one that comes to mind is this atmospheric romp through a troubled facility as the crowbar-carrying Freeman.

The road to Half-Life 2 was quite long and arduous - a long six-year development cycle, constant delays, and the game's source code being leaked are all responsible for fans of the first game suffering before this sequel finally arrived. Once it finally became playable on November 16, 2004, it became evident that the lengthy wait was definitely worth it. Half-Life 2 still hits so hard for fans of the first game and more immersive FPS experiences due to a surprising change in scenery, a campaign full of eventful setpieces, and one of the greatest guns in video game history (we're speaking of the "Gravity Gun," of course!). Those awesome vehicle sections blew everyone's minds at the time and those same folks grew to appreciate the presence of Alyx Vance, who stands right next to Freeman as another video game character that's held up on a pedestal.

We may never get a sequel to Bulletstorm, which is a damn shame considering how much better this game's combat formula and physics engine could be with current-gen console technology. Running rampant through every battle this zany FPS presents treats players to unbridled levels of mayhem - booting a baddie into a cactus, pulling in an enemy with your trusty "Energy Leash," and blasting a couple of hapless victims in half with the quad-barreled "Boneduster" shotgun never gets old. We'll always be thankful to Gearbox Publishing and People Can Fly for remastering this game to introduce it to a new audience of gamers who may have passed on it the first time around and also for putting Duke Nukem at the forefront of all the madness it embodies.

Gearbox Software was definitely caught off guard by the overwhelming success of its first cel-shaded looter shooter Borderlands. Instead of resting on its laurels, the developer cooked up a new batch of beguiling "Vault Hunters" for a new adventure full of hilarious banter, regular & over-the-top guns, and addictive co-op escapades. Borderlands 2 remains the gold standard for the series and looter shooters overall - the method to the madness of this game's long-lasting appeal is entertaining gunfights, laugh-out-loud moments, and one of the best villains in gaming egging players on during their chaotic journey. DAMN YOU HANDSOME JACK!

It'll always bother us how Titanfall 2's sales were put in the dirt due to the fact that its release date got sandwiched between 2016's Battlefield 1 and Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare. While it was a financial disappointment, Titanfall 2 ended up capturing a highly positive critical response and now a ton of folks recognize how amazing it truly is. For those who haven't played this one already, do yourself a solid by checking out this game's amazing single-player campaign. The usage of time-hopping sequences, well-implemented gunplay, giant mech battles, and the first Titanfall's slick & fluid parkour movement come together quite nicely to produce something truly unforgettable. The multiplayer is still a destination spot for hardcore FPS veterans, too. Titanfall 2 is a classic FPS that definitely deserved so much better at launch.

After the 2004 launch of DOOM 3, it took a long time for id Software to decide on the right approach to creating the next entry in the franchise's signature focus on demon-filled gorefests. Finally, in 2016, the most lethal space marine of them all made his grand return in a fine return-to-form that feels like a natural evolution of everything that makes DOOM...well, DOOM. A thumping soundtrack, vicious close-up finishers called "Glory Kills," and an unrelenting army of Hell's demons pushed players to keep moving & keep shooting in order to stay alive in one piece. It felt so good to come back to the world of DOOM in 2016 and raise up a "Plasma Rifle" to deliver justice on Mars once again.

Doomguy's work wasn't complete whatsoever, even though he wiped out the demon hordes that took refuge on Mars. By returning to a newly ravaged version of Earth, players got to step back behind humanity's crusader's visor to get back in the fight against Hell's forces all over again. DOOM Eternal did a great of bringing back everything that worked in its 2016 predecessor while injecting more platforming elements, new weapons & attachments, and more enemy types that made players change up their combat strategies on the regular. We'll never forget the first time we got our hands on the "Unmakyr" and put it to good use against our much larger demonic opposition. id Software is so damn good at making games about tearing up demons to bits!

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege may have tripped up a bit at launch, but it eventually steadied itself and put out enough updates & content to build itself into a competent competitive multiplayer FPS that deeply emphasizes teamwork and more strategic gameplay methods. The perfectly refined 5v5 attack vs. defense nucleus of this shooter always produces an adrenaline rush that forces players to utter the phrase "one more game..." countless times during a single gameplay session. Implementing a strong mix of "Operators" with their own toolsets, impressive levels of destruction, and a wide assortment of weapons & tools to master have all helped Siege remain a destination FPS for years to come.

Cyberpunk 2077 will always stick out for two main things - its horrendous launch state and its remarkable comeback that has helped it become the game that it was promised to be back in 2020. We can't help but applaud developer CD Projekt Red for getting back in the lab and working overtime to help its FPS/action RPG change public opinion in a more positive manner. Thanks to next-gen updates and the Phantom Liberty expansion, Cyberpunk 2077 has morphed into an amazing shooter with a highly atmospheric living world, stunning graphics, and immersive storytelling. Running around as a highly customized version of V and getting involved in all sorts of illegal activities across the seedy realm of "Night City" finally feels, looks, and sounds its very best.

A shadow drop for this constantly updated shooter arrived on February 4, 2019, and caught everyone off guard. Since that fateful day in gaming history day, Apex Legends has evolved to become one of the most-played battle royale games on the market and a go-to for competitive multiplayer enthusiasts. Three-player squads vie for the top spot as the last surviving unit during crucial battle royale competitions, plus this game's rendition of Team Deathmatch ("Arena") provides something more familiar to arena shooter fans. All in all, Respawn Entertainment's tentpole live-service release is most definitely one of the best FPS games and a spinoff worthy of holding the mantle for the Titanfall IP. We're super excited to see how the future content drops of this addictive FPS unfolds!

This tactical hero FPS comes from the development studio of Riot Games, which is most known for its praised work on the world's most-played MOBA, League of Legends. Instead of engaging in top-down tactical MOBA matches here, players have been treated to an experience where they move extra carefully and work in conjunction with their teammates in one of the most hardcore first-person shooters on the modern-day market. Valorant's 5v5 competitive multiplayer experience rewards precise gunplay and emphasizes the usage of cool otherworldly powers that make each "Agent" stand out from the rest. It feels so good to have an FPS in our midst that combines the best parts of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Call of Duty, and Rainbow Six: Siege.

There was a time when Overwatch dominated all the headlines in regards to everything major concerning the world of FPS Esports. Fan goodwill was at an all-time high as Blizzard Entertainment constantly added to the game with new "Heroes," maps, costumes, modes, and so much more. It felt so good to be in the mix during the height of Overwatch's popularity - its rewarding 6v6 battles stayed entertaining for hours on end thanks to the tight teamwork players around the world relied on to emerge victorious. We've lost count of all the hours we've poured into playing at the highest level during countless "Elimination" and "Escort" matches with the likes of Doomfist, D.Va, and Zarya under our control. Overwatch 2's change to 5v5 competitions and less-than-stellar content rollout may have hampered public opinion on the series as a whole. But we'll always cherish the warm memories associated with the heyday of the greatest hero shooter ever made.

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, which everyone and their grandmother refer to as CS:GO, managed to hold onto one of the healthiest player bases during its historic run. This tactical first-person shooter catered to the most hardcore fans of the genre - prop players were forced to be as attentive as possible and strongly synchronize with their four teammates to dominate the competition across nine modes of play. Those modes included "Competitive," "Casual," "Deathmatch," "Arms Race," "Demolition," "Wingman," "Flying Scoutsman," "Retakes," and "Danger Zone." Counter-Strike 2 has officially taken over the mantle of CS:GO now and still holds true to the solid foundation put forth by its acclaimed predecessor.