• Best Third Person Shooter Pc Games Of All Time
• Best Third Person Games

Boards Gaming Xbox Lobby The Best Third-Person Shooters of All Time The Best Third-Person Shooters of All Time Discussion in ' Xbox Lobby ' started by C63Xerocore, Sep 28, 2013.

To see the complete ranking, visit our dedicated listing of the top third-person shooter pc games of all time.

25. Opening our list of the Top 25 Best Third-Person Shooters on the PC is Lost Planet: Extreme Conditions

One of the more polarizing series of the third-person shooter genres, Capcom's Lost Planet hasn't seen much in the way of positive critical reviews, often panned for their boring and unoriginal gameplay. Despite, thousands of their loyal fanbase continue to stand by it. With their arcade-style mechanics, it harkens back to the days of 2D shooters with a 3 dimensional twist.

And when they say extreme conditions, they weren't lying. Set in a newly discovered planet at the height of the ice age, get ready to brave the biting arctic temperatures as you fight against the alien Akrid. While it used to offer an enjoyable online multiplayer, we doubt it's still in use ten years after. It has a PlayScore of 7.25.

24. Fortified

Imagine a game where Ghostbusters meets Mars Attacks!, Clapfoot’s multiplayer indie game takes you to the shoes to a heroic bunch of heroes protecting their planet from a Martian attack. Set in the 1950’s, unleash your powerful experimental weapons and classic World War weapons to take contain these extraterrestrial mayhem.

The game combines third-person elements and tower defense, making it a completely different experience. It’s a genre-bending adventure that forces you to team up with your friends, or do it alone. Feel the retro-style action. How well can you defend Earth? It has a PlayScore of 7.30

23. Monday Night Combat

A game that suddenly came out on Steam charts. Mixing third person shooting and MOBA, prepare for a Monday Night filled with explosions and shenanigans. Unfortunately, the game has seen better days and it feels kinda dead right now.

Nevertheless, it’s a fun multiplayer action with your friends. Choose from a focused team of six unique classes and go in an objective-based battle with the enemy team. It’s 6 versus 6 action shares the similar vibrance to Team Fortress’ and VALVE’s Dota 2.

It’s such a shame no one plays it again. Well, might as well try. It has a PlayScore of 7.31

22. Binary Domain

SEGA has its fair share of hidden gems. This game is one of it. Released during 2012, this third-person shooter takes you to a futuristic Tokyo in the year 2080. Follow Dan Marshall as he regains control over a robot-controlled city.

Badass as he may be, this requires a team-effort. With the help of your friends, go on a co-op action-spree and tear these machines down with a huge armory of weapons. Be warned, the robots are adaptive and they change their weakness given the circumstances.

Additionally, its Consequence Sequence adds layers of cause and effect for your actions. It has a PlayScore of 7.37

21. Sniper Elite V2

One bullet is all it takes to change history. Be the best marksman in all Berlin in this second entry to Rebellion’s third-person sniper game. Set during the dark days of World War 2, follow US Sniper Kurt Fairburne as he prevents a powerful weapon from going into the wrong hands.

Returning to this entry is the iconic X-Ray Kill-cam. Embrace satisfying sound of balls exploding, head popping, bone snapping and more. Gory as it may be, at least you did your job right. Keep your head down low, and hide in plain sight.

Killing Nazi’s couldn’t be more fun. It has a PlayScore of 7.49.

20. Stranglehold

A decade old. This third-person shooter calls for John Woo’s aid to create an action-packed adventure worthy of Hollywood proportions. In this thrilling game, be a good-cop or a bad-cop as you play Inspector “Tequila” Yuen. This is a direct sequel to Woo’s Hard-Boiled and reprises Chow Yun-Fat’s role.

With Woo’s touch, expect a ton of guns-blazing action from top to bottom. Players can override time by entering a semi “bullet time” mode to take enemies with style. For a 2007 game, it was really ahead of its time. Too bad Midway has seen better days too. A sequel would be great.

It has a PlayScore of 7.51

19. Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare

As if PopCap’s army of badass plants and zombies are done. A huge upgrade from its tower defense original, Garden Warfare takes the battle to Krazy Dave’s entire neighborhood. Now set in a third-person over the shoulder fashion, choose from a wide selection of Plants vs. Zombies in fun objective-based gameplay.

The game takes backyard warfare to another degree. With over 24 players in multiplayer mode, customize your favorite botanical soldier and survive an onslaught of undead hijinks. The game also supports split-screen which is rare on most games.

We haven’t even started talking about its sequel yet. It has a PlayScore of 7.51

18. Tom Clancy’s: The Division

After a terrible smallpox epidemic, New York has crumbled into a barren city filled with rogue humans vying for survival. Players must lead their Division to investigate the source of the virus. Upon its release, it was met with positive acclaim. It shares the similar elements from Bungie’s Destiny which involves resource-collecting and world-sharing.

Aside from its single-player campaign, the game’s biggest selling point is its multiplayer option. Go with your squad and enter the Dark Zone, a competitive arena built for intense fighting action. Climb the leaderboards and prove your might to the desolate city of New York.

It has a PlayScore of 7.60

17. Loadout

The PC gained so many third-person shooters during its course and up until today, it’s still making more. Loadout was one of the most-played games during its time. Unfortunately, many games have overshadowed this third-person shooter and it failed to stand against the test of time.

It was a fast-paced shooter that could rival Team Fortress 2. Instead of Valve’s first-person mayhem, Loadout offers features to create a sense of competition to players. Customize your loadouts, upgrade your hero and step into the arena. It has a PlayScore of 7.62

16. Quantum Break

From the developers that gave us Alan Wake comes again for another exhilarating third-person adventure. Packed with a star-studded cast, follow X-Men’s Shawn Ashmore and Game of Thrones’ Aiden Gillen as they race against time. Packed with Remedy’s cinematic-action sequences, expect pulsating actions with time-bending capabilities.

A Microsoft exclusive, this game gained positive acclaim due to its fun combat and a thought-provoking story. However, the game’s combination of a Live Action show and cinematic cutscenes make it unappealing to most players. It has a PlayScore of 7.68

15. Warframe

Space ninjas. If there’s two words that sums the entire game in a nutshell, that’d be space ninjas. Digital Extremes’ ever-growing MMO Action Game takes you to the vast galaxy. Pick a frame, don it with cool weapons and travel planets after planets to cleanse the galaxy from evil. As Tenno, forge your own path.

Eliminate robotic threats, menacing humans and infested creatures in this fast-paced third-person action. With gun, magic, and sword, you are literally an overpowered being. However, it’s not easy. With the help of friends, scour the game’s huge content by raiding dungeons together and killing bosses. Just recently, they announced their new open-world feature.

The game keeps getting better and better. It has a PlayScore of 7.95

14. Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon

A cult-favorite, humanity is infested with huge-ass insects and it’s the job of Earth’s mighty Defense Force to tear them apart. With over 300 weapons to choose and collect, dismember each of their limbs in glorious arcade-style fashion. Wear the right armor, and experience the game’s massive replayability.

Originally a Japanese Arcade Game, it made its way to the PC. It was praised for its fun multiplayer feature that enables you and your friends to survive an onslaught of giant insects. Talk about the dream. It has a PlayScore of 7.95

13. Watch Dogs 2

San Francisco beckons in Ubisoft’s latest tech-fueled series. Step into the shoes of Marcus Holloway, a man part of a deadly hacking organization. Use your wide range of technological feats to infiltrate San Francisco’s cyber world. Hack anything from cellphones, cars, and more. It’s an open-world playground that redeems the first games’ mishaps.

Lauded for its graphical feat, the game is swirling with content. Explore the city and bask in Ubisoft’s attention to detail. It’s definitely a big step up compared to the first game. It has a PlayScore of 8.07

12. Resident Evil 5

CAPCOM’s seventh major installment of their acclaimed franchise takes you to the a fictional place in Africa. Follow BSAA Agent’s Chris Redfield and Sheva Alomar as they embark on a mission to investigate a mysterious new epidemic. It’s a story that weaves the series’ biggest villain and Chris’ former partner.

Continuing with its newfound third-person action similar to Resident Evil 4, players can engage the enemies with your weapons and Chris’ huge arms. It’s the first of the series to feature a co-op mode where players can use Sheva in split-screen.

It has a PlayScore of 8.10

11. Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine

Straying away from the series' usual real-time strategies, Space Marines brings you the thrill of real-time, third person combat. It's set in the same Warhamme 40k universe established by Games Workshop, and even features the strongest and most honored Space Marines chapter, the UltraMarines.

As the second Company Commander, Captain Titus, help the world of Graia defend against the looming two-fold invasion. With your regenerative abilities and righteous fury, fight tooth and nail against the brutish Orks, and the demons of the Forces of Chaos. With its polished execution and faithfulness to the original lore, it's truly a worthy introduction to the world of Warhammer. It has a PlayScore of 8.11.

10. Red Faction: Guerilla

Before they decided to close their beloved company (May it rest in peace), THQ’s long list of memorable games remain a classic to veteran gamers. The Red Faction series was among their iconic games. Set 50 years after the events of the original Red Faction, embrace the beauty of destruction in a game that redefines guerilla warfare.

This third-person open-world adventure takes you to the life of a resistant fighter as he opposes the oppressive Earth Defense Force on Mars. This science-fiction journey is fueled with emergent gameplay, making every encounter brimming with experimental delights. It’s your choice on how you take your enemies, sometimes smart, sometimes crazy.

It has a PlayScore of 8.20

9. Vanquish

Keep the adrenaline pumping in PC fastest third-person shooter. Developed by Platinum Games, Vanquish pioneered many of the innovations we now enjoy in the 3D shooting genres with its bullet hell inspirations, beat em up elements, and sliding boost mechanics.

Take on the role of American soldier, Sam Gideon, as he battles for the country's future. Using his state of the art Augemented Reaction Suit, the fast-paced world slows to a halt, giving you the opportunity to strike a deadly last blow. A heart-pumping delight, it has a PlayScore of 8.31.

8. Spec Ops: The Line

Yager’s third-person shooter hits all the right stuff. From narrative, action and character. It’s a game where substance meets form. After delays and delays, the game finally made it to the shelves. This serves as a reboot of the Spec Ops series.

Moral grounds aside, it’s gameplay was a stuff for criticism. Third-person combat may feel like it needs improvement, but Yager won’t be making a sequel anytime soon. Throughout the course of the game, choices will be made. Difficult as it may be, it stands as a clever groundwork for the endgame.

It has a PlayScore of 8.37

7. Mafia II

A game that's practically a love letter to the old souls out there. The second in a well-loved trilogy, it takes place in the fictional New York city called Empire Bay at the height of the Mafia takeover. This time, hitman Vito Scaletta takes center stage, chronicling his entrance to a life of crime.

Like Grand Theft Auto but set in the jazzy 1940s era, it's picturesque open world is a feast for the eyes. Steal some classic cars, appreciate the architecture, and take down goon after goon to tune of Chuck Berry, Bing Crosby, Buddy Holly and so much more. A little lacking in exection with its sparse interactions, but amazing nonetheless. It has a PlayScore of 8.42.

6. Gears of War

Epic Games and The Coalition have had a series of remarkable sequels since their debut in 2006. But, it's time go back to their roots, with their very first title. Headed by the hardy Marcus Fenix, help him and his part of Delta Squad members destroy the oncoming Locust Horde in a last ditch effort to save humanity.

Enjoy its lengthy five-act campaign along with a friend, or compete for victory in its four vs four competitive arena. Considered the pinnacle of cover-based shooters, Gears of War continues to stand against the test of time. It has a PlayScore of 8.43.

5. Transformers: Fall Of Cybertron

Activision’s very own Transformers game takes you to the epilogue of the war that started it all. Before humanity was a problem, Hasbro’s alien robots tells you the plight of their races. From the Decepticons, to the Autobots. It’s one big robotic skirmish that changes the franchise forever.

Divided into two separate campaigns, follow the story of the Decepticons under Megatron’s perspective and Autobots with Optimus’ and find out the aftermath of the war. Engage in fun third-person action with these transforming species.

The game has shown its age, and 2012 was a long time ago. But for the love of Transformers, roll out and play the game. It has a PlayScore of 8.46

4. Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne

They gave us Alan Wake and Quantum Break, and now, Remedy takes us on a compelling neo-noir tale with their highest-rated shooter. Play as detective Max Payne as he reunites with Mona Sax in the series' darkest tale of death and betrayal.

Known for its matrix-like bullet time mechanics, jump past doorways, ready your aim, and eliminate enemies lurking in every corner. With satisfying gun play, outstanding writing, and an amazing soundtrack, Max Payne was and still is one of the most entertaining shooters in recent history. It has a PlayScore of 8.64.

3. Grand Theft Auto V

Before Rockstar boomed with this fifth major GTA installment, there was Grand Theft Auto III. It shows how capable the third-person action genre is to the gamers. With today’s technological advancement, the third-person action and open-world element is greatly improved. Providing a fun playground for players who just wants to mess around.

Grand Theft Auto V stands as one of the greatest games in history. Explore Los Santos like never before and do anything at your heart's content. Shoot, ride, fly, solve alien conspiracies or whatever. This is Rockstar at its finest. It’s a shame they removed modding tools.

The game has a PlayScore of 8.69

2. Dead Space 2

Step into the suit of Isaac Clarke. A simple space engineer trying to find meaning in his life after a traumatic event during the first game. In this second installment, the horror continues as a new Necromorph threat rises from Saturn’s moon.

Using its signature over the shoulder camera, tear the limbs of these ugly creatures with the use of customizable plasma guns. With the help of Isaac’s space-suit or RIG, fend off these diabolical beasts with all your might.

Combat is enhanced immensely, making Isaac shoot deadly lasers at ease. Critics and fans loved how the game injects their usual survival-horror formula. It proves as a challenge for new players, and veterans.

It has a PlayScore of 8.70

1. And the best PC Third-Person shooter is none than Mass Effect 2

BioWare outdid themselves in this sequel to the popular space-opera adventures of Commander Shepard. There’s no doubt Mass Effect 2 broke so many records including Game of the Year and of course, our top spot on this list.

After the events of the first game, follow Shepard and his crew stop a new threat from emerging. The Reapers are the least of their concerns at the moment. This 2nd entry of the trilogy packs a massive upgrade in terms of combat, storytelling and choices.

Other than that, its additional content adds more space flavour to the mix. Bringing in a whole new story for their third installment. It’s darker, deeper and full of replay value.

It has a PlayScore of 9.28

What are the best shooting games on PC? From the classic physics chaos of Half-Life 2 to Overwatch’s incredible guns, these are the finest first-person shooters.

For more than two decades, the best FPS games have been the driving force of the PC games industry. They’ve let us travel from the depths of Hell in Doom to the outer reaches of space in Titanfall 2. Others have taken us on a detour through the likes of Half-Life 2’s zombie-infested Ravenholm, while some have embraced futuristic cities.

Some of these shooters are old, others are new, all are great. Wolfenstein 2’s amazing campaign; Rainbow Six Siege and its tight tactical multiplayer; Overwatch and its vast array of amazing heroes. No matter what sort of virtual gunplay you’re after, the following FPS games will satisfy your itchy trigger finger.

So crack those knuckles, get ready to make all the headshots, and keep in mind that guns will solve all your problems in the following shooty gems. These are the best FPS games on PC. We hope your aim isn’t off…

The best FPS games are:

Titanfall 2

EA and Respawn built on everything the first game got right and balanced this shooter sequel’s multiplayer so well it became one of the best PC games of 2016. There’s nothing quite like Titanfall 2’s juxtaposition of crunchy, industrial mech brawling and nimble pilot combat. As you’ll see in our Titanfall 2 campaign review, the solo portion of this FPS also serves as both an excellent intro to the game’s mechanics and a charming, self-contained narrative.

The campaign never tries to outdo the gameplay with epic setpieces or blockbuster bombast. Instead, the raw mechanics serve up all the thrills: wall-running at a group of enemies and blowing them away with a few, unnervingly satisfying blasts of your shotgun feels exhilarating every time. What’s more, the PC version holds up wonderfully as we saw in our Titanfall 2 PC port review.

Respawn have not only added depth to single-player; a four-player co-op wave mode is an excellent companion to the competitive multiplayer that contains a wide varitey of Titanfall 2 classes. Titanfall 2 is a bigger and better beast than before, and a breath of fresh air for the genre as a whole.

While there’s no word on a Titanfall 3, Respawn Entertainment’s battle royale Apex Legends is set in the same universe. Sure, the wall-running is gone, but Apex Legends weapons like the Mozambique and Hemlock serve as a fitting nod to this developer’s wonderful past.

Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus

Wolfenstein: The New Order effectively made the case that a good dose of Nazi-bashing and a decent yarn are not mutually exclusive. MachineGames had their work cut out with the sequel, Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus, but they certainly delivered.

As you can find out in our Wolfenstein 2 PC review, this is an incredible follow-up to a very strong reboot… even if some sections can get a little gun-heavy. MachineGames once again show that they can tell an engaging story to match the copious shooty slaughter. Blowing out the brains of Wolfenstein 2’s Nazis offers constant punchy thrills, and every setpiece has been turned emphatically up to 11.

Rudely awakened from your hospital bed after the defeat of the subtly-named Wilhelm “Deathshead” Strasse, you return once more as the bellicose B.J. Blazkowicz to try to trigger a Second American Revolution. With the infamous swastika adorning the US, you’ll want to look at our Wolfenstein 2 weapons guide to familiarise yourself with Blaz’s arsenal. A breathless, high-octane thrill ride from start to finish, Wolfenstein 2 is undoubtedly one of the best shooting games on PC.

Oh, and don’t forget to check out our Wolfenstein 2 perks guide. With the right powers equipped, those despicable digital Nazis don’t stand a chance.

Doom

The big Doomguy in the sky must have been watching over us, because now we have a whole new Doom to play, and it’s brilliant. Look past the thoroughly modern graphics, the sizzle, and all the demon-punching, and you can see the beating heart of the 1993 original. This excellent reboot throws up some of the best Doom levels the series has ever seen, while unloading your gun into the hideous bodies of walking corpses and furious monsters is a gory treat.

Doom is not just an old game with a fresh coat of paint, though: it doesn’t shy away from employing plenty of modern conveniences, like upgrades, objectives, and checkpointing.

This shiny new version isn’t quite as spry as its progenitor, but compared to most modern FPS games, it’ll make you feel like The Flash. Speed alone is not what makes it great, however. It’s the addition of glory kills that elevates Doom amongst the best FPS games on PC.

Best Third Person Shooter Pc Games Of All Time

Glory kills are finisher moves, essentially, forcing you to get in close and smash a demon to bits. And as we detail in our Doom PC review, these finishers give the game an incredible flow. You chain kills, both ranged and melee, jump off ledges and onto unsuspecting enemies, and indefatigably charge into the next battle.

Call of Duty: WWII

The weariness that series loyalists have for futuristic Call of Duty settings was all too plain when Infinite Warfare came flying in, exosuits and all. A change of direction was needed. Something more along the lines of Call of Duty 2, which was once the gold standard in blockbuster FPS games. And so, following in Battlefield 1’s freshly muddied footsteps, Call of Duty WWII cements itself as one of the best FPS games on PC.

As we said in our COD WW2 PC review, this is still very much typical COD: it’s still fast with near instantaneous kills and deaths. There’s also a zombies mode, and it’s still populated with potty-mouthed 12-year-olds whose parents should have definitely taken a closer look at the game’s age rating.

Thanks to the addition of COD WW2 War mode though, a slower, more methodical approach is now required. Unlike the pace and nimble movement demanded by Kill Confirmed and Uplink, War sees a team push forward to complete objectives, while the other attempts to foil them. On top of excellent PC performance, Call of Duty: WWII is one of the best FPS games on PC with tried and tested multiplayer and a story that evokes some of the finest moments of classic COD.

Overwatch

Compare it to Team Fortress 2 or to League of Legends if you like – Overwatch has enough in common with both to share some of their appeal, but different enough that it will take months for players to figure out its best character combinations.

Overwatch is about teamwork: little is made of who killed you or how many headshots you amassed. More important is how you managed to revive a vital sniper on the capture point as Mercy, or pushed the payload forwards with Reinhart’s shield, or otherwise managed to win a round using your eclectic mixbag of abilities.

While it was a little light on features at launch, regular Overwatch updates are coming all the time, with new Overwatch heroes being added, too. Overwatch League has also crystallised the game’s e-sports potential. Don’t worry if you’re not all about eight-hour practice sessions, though – half the charm is the pick-up-and-play appeal, which cements Overwatch as one of the best FPS games on PC.

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

Throwing yourself into the world of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive for the first time is like diving into a modern warfare meat grinder. You will face players who have been prowling versions of these maps for more than a decade. You will die to snipers with tens of thousands of kills notched into their Scout. You will be punished by players who could recite CS:GO console commands in their sleep, sitting out the rest of the round while you rue your mistake.

Why, then, would you choose to play Counter-Strike: Global Offensive? Because working your way up to the top of the leaderboards is an achievement; a reward earned through patience, skill, and muscle memory. And it has some of the best level design in games. There’s a reason why, even today, you will find servers running ancient maps like Dust 2 day in, day out; in part, because regular CS:GO updates forever keep this shooter fresh.

But Global Offensive is a modern game and brings modern ways of playing. It is now partly funded through the sale of cosmetics and weapon skins, like Team Fortress 2. It includes automatic matchmaking, guiding you away from the dedicated servers that made the series what it is today. And there are ranks, giving the elitists a visible badge for their dedication, alongside medals for veterans.

Half-Life 2

So much more than an evolution of its superb predecessor, Half-Life 2 is frequently hailed as the best PC games of all time. Such accolades are not undeserved, either. The long-awaited sequel to Half-Life is hugely ambitious, benefitting from being developed by a much more confident Valve.

Everything is bigger than the 1998 original: the environments, the enemies, the story – it’s a blockbuster, but a smart one. There are decent AI companions; real characters who exist to do more than die comically; physics that transform the world into a seemingly real, tangible place.

Valve again works magic with its environments. Despite often being larger and more open than Half-Life’s, they are still crafted with the same care and attention to detail. And, importantly, they remain memorable, from the haunted streets of Ravenholm to the ominous Citadel, standing over City 17 like a steel and glass tyrant. Age may have worn away some of the sheen, but it remains a striking, compelling FPS.

Rainbow Six Siege

Best Third Person Games

Thanks to continued support from Ubisoft, Rainbow Six Siege is almost completely unrecognisable from the so-so shooter that emerged with a whimper rather than a bang in 2015. Now, with its burgeoning e-sports scene, a constant flow of Rainbow Six Siege operators, and some of the best multiplayer gameplay around, it has become one of the best shooting games on PC.

Every moment of Siege’s boxed-in battles is fraught with tension and danger, from the moment you start scouting an area with your drone – praying your enemies don’t spot it before you can find the hostage – to that final attempt to save the day by shooting down walls and smashing through the ceiling. Its asymmetrical multiplayer and tactical openness mean no round plays out the same way.

It is a psychological battle as much as it is a series of gunfights; a game about manipulation and control as you attempt to make your foes react in specific ways while you try to keep your own team working together. You never feel safe: an attack can come from anywhere, usually everywhere all at once. After all these years of feeling safe behind walls, Siege’s destructible environments force you to think on your feet and trust no wall.

Siege features a relatively high barrier to entry, but unsure players can jump into the fray cheaply with the Rainbow Six Siege Starter Edition. For those who take to Rainbow’s punishing gameplay, you can be assured Ubisoft Montreal’s shooter is here to stay with new seasons and content coming all the time.

Left 4 Dead 2

Valve’s zombies are not like other zombies. In Left 4 Dead 2, they crash over you like waves, crawling up walls and leaping across gaps. They are accompanied by specials: highly-evolved undead that force you to work together. A Smoker will drag you off into an alley with its long tongue where you’ll be mobbed by common undead. A Hunter will pin you to the asphalt before tearing out your throat. A Boomer will charge right into your face and explode, drowning you in green gloop.

Even though zombies are a dime a dozen and Left 4 Dead 2 has been around for a long time, the tension, level design, and countless mods ensure it remains a compelling romp. It remains one of the best co-op games on PC.

Team Fortress 2

In this extra shooty, class-based affair, angry cartoon men capture briefcases, escort bombs, and stand on nodes. Team Fortress 2 is brilliant, and it’s still easily one of the best shooting games on PC. It has also evolved, with mountains of user-created content, maps, modes, and new Team Fortress 2 gadgets helping keep the shooter relevant.

The premise is as simple as ever: you pick a character from a cast of nine and take your place on a team. Modes include Capture the Flag, King of the Hill, and Payload – the latter seeing a team drive a bomb forward on a rail track, while their opponents desperately attempt to hold them back. It is a classic that has become the flagship mode of Overwatch, but it was refined to perfection here in Team Fortress 2 first.

Unreal Tournament

Epic made a name for itself with Unreal – impressive in a time when shooters were dominated by id – but it was with 1999’s Unreal Tournament that Epic earned its grand moniker. Tournament had the same core concept of Quake Arena but offered an alternative for those looking for a few more frills.

Among the game’s exciting weapons is the BioRifle, which weaponises toxic sludge. You can even charge it up and release a great bulb of the stuff, using it as a gelatinous landmine. Then there is Redeemer, a rocket launcher that flings a pilotable thermonuclear warhead at your enemies. You should also try the Ripper, which fires saw blades that bounce around corners. Each gun has separate strengths and alternate fire modes that need mastering in order for you to dominate in the arena.

Tournament’s maps – old and new – are filled with memorably mad architecture. There is nothing quite like leaping in low gravity between the three stratospheric towers in DM-Morpheus – particularly if you can gib someone in mid-air, spraying their gore through the sky.

Dusk

Dusk is much, much more than just another throwback FPS that riffs on every titan of the genre from Half-Life to Quake. While other retro-styled shooters have managed to emulate the feel of those classics, Dusk instead tries to outdo its own inspirations by being as fast, tight, and imaginative as possible.

Like Doom or Half-Life, Dusk has its fair share of unforgettable levels, from the mind-boggling Escher Labs and Homecoming to the nightmarish Unseen, the level design in Dusk is nothing short of genius. The gunplay is satisfying, with a punchy array of weapons you can use to gib the varied assortment of baddies Dusk throws at you.

But it’s the fluid movement that will leave you grinning from ear to ear. Simplified controls and rapid acceleration encourage you to be fast and aggressive in every fight, with accessible strafe-jumping, weapons that let you extend your air time, and the ability to perform ad hoc somersaults for extra flair.

There are a bunch of modern perks, too, such as mouse-look, crouch, jump, and actual physics – you can pick up a bar of soap and hurl it at an enemy if you’re low on ammo. All of this adds up to make Dusk the best ’90s shooter since the ‘90s. This indie shooter is an absolute blast to play and goes much further than simply recalling the halcyon days of the genre.

And if you want more retro gaming goodness then publisher New Blood Interactive are also responsible for Amid Evil, a gloriously fast-paced homage to retro games like Heretic.

Want more? Check out our list of the best war games

So there you have it, the best FPS games on PC. With so many upcoming PC games taking the form of shooters – we can still dream of a Half-Life 3 release date being announced, right? – now is a glorious time to be an FPS fan. So give that trigger finger a stretch, and keep practising your virtual headshots. After all, those Nazis, zombies, and virtual terrorists won’t shoot themselves.