The first-person shooter landscape sure looks different today than it did when I was growing up. These days, it’s all about genres and subgenres of online multiplayer: Battle Royales, live service games, extraction shooters, and more.
To be honest, most of this isn’t my cup of tea. I’d much rather spend some quality time with an old-school retro shooter. It doesn’t have to be a boomer shooter, though. I’m talking about the games I grew up playing.
For clarification, we’ll be including any FPS game that’s 20 years or older as retro. That means, yes, it’s time to get a little uncomfortable when you realize the late ‘90s and early 2000s were almost 30 years ago.
Now excuse me, I’m going to cry about the passage of time. Let’s talk about some great games to help cheer myself up.
10
Doom
The Father of the FPS Genre
It’s not the first FPS, but it’s the father of the FPS genre, forever changing the gaming world.
Arguably the most important PC of all time, Doom’s gameplay remains timeless today. Its foundation can still be felt during the Doom reboot trilogy (Doom 2016, Eternal, Dark Ages), proving that fast-paced, exciting gameplay reigns supreme.
Doom is a perfect convergence of everything that makes video games great: stellar level design, iconic weapons, challenging enemies, and accessible gameplay.
There’s no learning curve here. It’s as simple as “pick up gun and use it to shoot demons.” That’s all it needs to be, though. This game still rocks as much as the soundtrack does.
9
Quake 2
id Software’s Other Revolutionary FPS
You can’t talk about Doom without bringing up Quake, id Software’s other iconic FPS franchise. If we’re asking ourselves which is the better game in the series, I’m going with Quake 2.
Yes, Quake is the more revolutionary title, the first in a fully fleshed-out 3D environment, and Quake 3’s multiplayer is more popular, but Quake 2 is the total package. Plus, Quake 1 hasn’t aged well, either.
We’ve traded in the traditional, atmospheric Gothic horror setting for a more sci-fi feel, including the introduction of the Strogg. Yet Quake 2’s gameplay just feels more balanced and refined.
That’s not to diminish the impact and legacy of the original, but if we’re playing these games today, Quake 2 feels more polished compared to its predecessor.
Image is from the 2023 remaster.
8
Heretic
You Got Fantasy In My Doom!
Before the release of Quake in 1997, Raven Software used a modified version of the Doom engine to release not just a spiritual successor to the iconic FPS, but one that offers a fresh and unique take on the genre.
At first glance, you may assume that Heretic is just a fantasy version of Doom, but Raven Software took things further. Yes, the gameplay is similar on the surface, but the more you play, the more its differences become apparent.
There are some very welcome quality of life updates in Heretic, beyond just being able to aim up and down, and it absolutely nails the fantasy vibes. It’s everything you already know and love about Doom, but with a couple of unique twists that help it stand out.
With Phil Spencer teasing Hexen, the sequel to Heretic, there’s a chance we’ll get to revisit the franchise in the future, so why not spend some time getting acquainted with it?
7
Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory
Still One Of The Best Multiplayer FPS Games You Can Play Today
Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory was well ahead of its time.
Following the success of Return to Castle Wolfenstein, this free-to-play title delivers an incredible objective-based multiplayer experience.
No, I’m not talking about the boring and uninspiring objectives you see today in something like Battlefield. You’re tasked with storming an enemy base, blowing up a wall, stealing a tank, and escorting it back to safety.
Oh, and since it’s class-based, everyone gets to contribute, whether you’re the medic healing everyone, the engineer helping with objectives, or just the traditional FPS role of shooting the enemy and increasing your k/d ratio.
6
Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II
One of the Best Star Wars Games Ever Made
A lot of what we love about modern games can be found within Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II. It’s an excellent mix of retro FPS games with modern features.
A morality system that alters not just the story, but what becomes available to you gameplay wise? Check. An impressive story featuring good writing, surprisingly enjoyable acting, and even FMV? Check.
The presentation is everything you’d expect from not just Star Wars, but LucasArts in general. Boss battles feel more meaningful, the level design is sprawling and massive but not overwhelming, and the gameplay feels quintessential Star Wars.
Oh, and it lets you run around with a lightsaber. What more do you need?
5
GoldenEye 007
Just Don’t Play It On Nintendo 64
There are a lot of people out there who like to think GoldenEye 007 hasn’t aged well.
Sure, I’ll admit that the Nintendo 64 controller is, in a word, awkward, but here’s the thing: we don’t have to play this game on an N64 controller anymore. We can play it on modern consoles, and that alone opens up so many possibilities.
This game is a masterpiece, a lovingly crafted adventure through not just the plot of the GoldenEye movie, but also select iconic moments throughout James Bond’s history.
Yes, the multiplayer is what we all fell in love with back in the day, but do yourself a favor and play through the campaign again. It’s remarkably well-paced, action-packed, and controls buttery smooth on a modern controller.
4
Turok 2: Seeds of Evil
An Underrated Gem
GoldenEye isn’t the only retro N64 FPS that’s worth talking about today.
Turok 2: Seeds of Evil is a massive game. Yes, there are “only” five levels, but they’re all packed with plenty of objectives, seemingly countless enemies, and enough to see and do to keep you busy for a while.
The modern remaster does an excellent job of addressing the original game’s shortcomings while retaining that retro gameplay feel.
The real treat here, though, is how over-the-top the game is and how well it leans into its sci-fi dinosaur hunter theme. The enemy AI holds up shockingly well today, offering more of a challenge than some modern shooters. Plus, the weapon arsenal is one of the best in any game, highlighted by the Cerebral Bore. If you ever wanted to fire homing missiles that eat an enemy’s brain, now’s your chance.
3
Half-Life
Arguably The Most Important FPS Ever
Yes, the original Half-Life hasn’t always necessarily aged well, but it’s one of the most important games the industry has ever seen.
Valve’s ability to deliver an immersive, cinematic FPS experience that perfectly balances traditional FPS gameplay with puzzle-solving helps it stand out compared to its predecessors. Like Turok, the enemy AI gives players a nice challenge compared to what they’re used to, helping combat feel fresh and new.
The popular fan mod Black Mesa provides the game with a much-needed fresh coat of paint and is arguably the preferred way to play it. Yes, it’s a different look and feel compared to the original 1998 release, but the DNA is still there, and that’s what holds up the best today.
Again, if you’re looking for a game that has held up better over the years, go with Half-Life 2, but Half-Life is too important to video game history to not play at least once.
2
Medal of Honor
What If Steven Spielberg Made A Video Game?
Speaking of cinematic FPS titles, you have to include Medal of Honor in the discussion there.
What’s most impressive is that this was all being done on the PlayStation 1 hardware. Thankfully, the PS1 DualShock controller exists, which makes it handle far better than something like GoldenEye 007 or Turok ever did.
Even beyond that, the influence of Producer Steven Spielberg is evident throughout. It helped not just popularize the WW2 shooter genre, but reinforced the fact that video games can be an immersive, cinematic experience, even on consoles.
I’d argue that other shooters were able to not just up the ante in this department but also age far better, but Medal of Honor is still worth revisiting. It’s impressive what they were able to pull off in 1999.
1
Halo: Combat Evolved
The King of the Console FPS
Yes, Halo: Combat Evolved is a retro game, having been released nearly 25 years ago. Gross.
As important as other console FPS games, like Medal of Honor and GoldenEye 007, were, Halo blew them out of the water. Yes, the Xbox controller, as well as the console’s hardware, helped with this. At its core, Halo knew everything it needed to do to become a quintessential FPS experience, and accomplished this with ease.
Its campaign holds up extraordinarily well today and remains the gold standard for what an FPS campaign can achieve. Other games may be more immersive or have a better in-game engine, but Halo succeeds at everything it does: enemy AI, core gameplay, the co-operative experience, and level design.
Speaking of level design, this remains the gold standard for retro multiplayer offerings. These maps aren’t just arenas; they feel more like open-world sandbox playgrounds designed to keep us busy for hours.
