Mario Bautista
First-person shooters are generally associated with PC gaming, and for good reason; no matter how much aim assist a game has and how much you turn your camera sensitivity up, a mouse will always allow faster and more accurate aim. So, unless it’s a Nintendo IP, you can expect pretty much any modern FPS to be on PC.
However, that wasn’t always the case; due to brand exclusivity or development decisions, several great FPS games in the last three decades were console exclusives. Some even proved to be influential for the entire genre, so games like Doom 64 eventually did receive ports, but there are still some hidden gems that you can’t play on PC.
8
TimeSplitters: Future Perfect
TimeSplitters was one of those rare trilogies that maintained consistency with every entry. The third game, Future Perfect, went all-in on the humour while tightening up the controls of the previous titles. It also was the first game in the series to have online multiplayer.
Although it’s not as beloved as TimeSplitters 2 (which is playable on PC if you own Homefront: The Revolution), Future Perfect was a fun game that kept on giving. The split-screen local multiplayer let you enjoy it with a friend, and there was a level editor for you to get more than your money’s worth.
7
GoldenEye 007
Is GoldenEye 007 a good game by today’s standards? Probably not; the game has aged both visually and mechanically. Is it still a great game? Absolutely. It influenced the entire genre of FPS games. Gone were the maze-like level designs, the reliance on quicksaves, and the excuse plots of FPS games until this point.
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GoldenEye 007 brought the FPS experience to consoles with well-structured environments, realistic hit detection (headshots weren’t a thing before this), and robust local multiplayer. Half-Life was still a ways off, so GoldenEye 007 is where the genre started to mature. Being able to play as James Bond doesn’t hurt, either.
6
Medal Of Honor
Before Call of Duty stole its crown, Medal of Honor was the prime military FPS. The first entry is an utter marvel. The game has no business looking this good or playing this well on the PlayStation 1, but it does.
Unable to be as loud and chaotic as future military shooters, Medal of Honor often opted for quiet, tense moments that gave way to a sudden adrenaline rush. The game also featured an early implementation of the dual-stick controls that console FPS games take for granted now.
5
The Darkness
Based on an indie comic, The Darkness was an ambitious title. What the game lacked in graphical fidelity, it made up for in its rich storyline, over-the-top violence, and superb voice-acting services rendered by Faith No More vocalist Mike Patton. While not as polished as its sequel, The Darkness was a fun foray into New York’s criminal underworld. The game is delightfully 2000s: equal parts edgy and earnest.
The Darkness 2 is available on PC, but the first game isn’t. A likely reason for that is the game is too immersive for its own good: you can watch the entirety of To Kill A Mockingbird at one point, and the game includes some other films and TV show episodes – not all of which are in the public domain.
4
Resistance Series
Resistance was PlayStation’s answer to the Halo franchise. This series had more dirt under its fingernails: the gritty, post-World War II setting and apocalyptic themes made it a compelling alien shooter. Add in a bunch of unique weapons, some solid handheld spin-offs and you’ve got yourself a nice little series to explore.
Much like the humans fighting off the Chimera invasion, Resistance’s lifespan was limited. The series fizzled out after Burning Skies on the Vita and has yet to see a revival. All three mainline games are solid PS3 exclusives, and while Resistance: Retribution for the PSP is a third-person shooter instead of an FPS, it’s still an incredible game.
3
Metroid Prime
It isn’t always easy for a series that’s been classically 2D to transition so successfully into a 3D environment (we won’t name names, but there’s one with a blue hedgehog…) Metroid Prime accomplished this dimensional shift with ease and grace, as the core of this FPS’s gameplay lies not in gunfights, but in exploration.
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The addition of a lock-on mechanic made shooting easier so you could focus on the platforming and puzzle-solving. Metroid Prime is still captivating today: the slow unraveling of a level that initially felt complex, as you find the solutions, is a thing of beauty.
2
Black
The most important measure of an FPS is how good the guns feel to use. If they don’t feel heavy, if the sound effects are weak, then the game isn’t satisfying to play. Black isn’t just satisfying; it’s relentless, and it may well be one of the most intense FPS games ever made.
Black is loud and destructive in the best possible way. You don’t wait for enemies to leave their cover, you shoot through their cover. Every obstacle has a 7.62mm solution, so there’s no room for subtlety, and even the game’s box art is a mound of bullets.
1
Darkwatch: Curse Of The West
If you thought Evil West had a unique setting, just wait until you play Darkwatch. You play as an outlaw-turned-vampire working for a secret society of demon hunters. Throughout the game, you make some morality decisions that affect what abilities you get; the final choice determines the ending. It’s good to be bad, but bear in mind that the lawful choices give you better power-ups.
Darkwatch is a treat; the Wild West setting, the steampunk vehicles, and the gothic overtones combine to make this one of the most stylish games ever made. It’s a pity this game is only available on the PS2 and original Xbox; Darkwatch fans demand a remaster. All seven of us.
