A good FPS

[Christopher Fisher]

Amazing old school style cyberpunk FPS: Hard Reset Extended Edition (PC). The game is very underated, and Flying Wild Hog released an update to the game that addresses the complaints raised in reviews (ie too short, not enough enemies). The game was made by people that worked at CDProject and the original Painkiller.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZeHWH_9sUg

You might also want to give Far Cry 3 a shot; I am playing it now and it's downright amazing.

 

[aguspal]

If you don't mind crass humor, try Bulletstorm. Nothing mind-blowing, but very creative and fun.

Bulletstorm is, hands down, THE best FPS I've ever played. I agreed with Escapist's review entirely when they called it "The next evolutionary step for the FPS". Shame we probably won't get a sequel

I never got the love for that game


I played it and got bored so never finished it. Maybe the first part of the game is boring and I didnt get to the good part?


(Mind you, I belive said "good part" should come a little before I hit the 1 hour of gameplay mark. It DID NOT, so I just kind of forgot about that game).

I dont think it is downright BAD, its just... stale and just not fun to play IMO. Also the game dosnt really seems to know what kind of shooter it wants to be. It seems like its somewhere in the middle of COD and Serious sam, and I love both of those games, I guess I would have like Bullestorm more had it actually decided what kind of game it should be. I would be happy either way. But its right in the middle...boring!

 

[Bocaj2000]

Metro 2033
Left 4 dead 2
Mirrors Edge
Serious Sam

Mass Effect
Unreal Tournament 2004
Deus Ex
Killing Floor
Cryostasis
Bioshock
Alpha Protocol
Spec Ops: the Line (military shooter, but the more you play it, the better it gets)

But my personal favorite is Condemned: Criminal Origins

Have you even looked before you posted?

Did you even read the OP before you posted? How exactly are Mass Effect or Alpha Protocol First Person Shooters.

I'll make this brief:

Being in the first person doesn't define a game. That's like asking for a first person role playing game or a first person fighting game. The perspective is a tool- a mechanic at best. The difference between over the shoulder shooting and first person shooting is minimal. You see, perspective is not genre defining. To me an FPS is a Fast Paced Shooter and not a First Person Shooter. It helps when I suggest games that a person might not otherwise play.

However, I am not a complete prude, and I acknowledge when perspective makes a difference. If I were to play Symphony in the first person, it would be a nightmare. However, first person Alan Wake wouldn't affect gameplay at all- just the gamefeel.

I suggest ME and AP because they play like FPS games. I would go as far as to say that making AP in the first person would turn it into a Deus Ex clone. Therefore, ME and AP deserve to be on the list.

Wait. Is this really worth the argument? I was just poking at the ignorance of someone who has the preconceived notion that all FPS games involve the military and are bland. Why the hell are you offended?

 

[Windcaler]

Area 51: For the Playstation 2. Its a lot of fun and isnt really a Modern military shooter per say. Plus theres lots of collectables you can search for and it has an interesting story

Painkiller: Another really good FPS that has huge levels, a variety of baddies, and some collectable elements

Deus Ex: Its showing its age but IMO its still the best PC FPS to ever be made. The good news is with a decent gaming PC in this day and age itll probably run at something crazy like 1000 Frames per second

Blacklight:Retribution: its another I play a lot. Crazy amounts of custimization, mulitplayer only, has a cyberpunk theme, and its free to play. What do you have to loose?

Planetside 2: Another free to play game although its frustrating as hell sometimes when your hard fought battles to claim territory become meaningless by people who avoid fighting you just to back cap territory. Still the sci-fi theme is interesting and it may be the first game thats actually explained respawning through its lroe. The real bonus is its free to play so again what do you have to loose?

Battlefield 1942: Its completely free to play now. Doesnt even have any monetary stuff like planetside or blacklight. Its more of an older military shooter so it may not be what your looking for.

 

[SlaveNumber23]

Definitely get Natural Selection 2, its among my top three best games this year. A deep and highly skill based and teamwork oriented first person shooter that really stands out among the other shooters such as Battlefield or CoD which are content to sit on their ass in the brown mud. The graphics are very pretty, particularly the alien structures and creep, which are quite colourful.

While its a pretty steep climb for beginners, sticking with it is highly rewarding as once you are competent at the game its very satisfying. Additionally the large emphasis on teamwork seems to have made this games community one of the nicest I've experienced. Most players will focus on working together with their teammates and admit their mistakes over generally being a dick and only the newest players complain about imaginary balance issues. Its obviously not immune from undesirable people but from my experience its pretty damn good compared to other communities. Whats more is that its also an RTS.

 

[Mycroft Holmes]

I'll make this brief:

Being in the first person doesn't define a game. That's like asking for a first person role playing game or a first person fighting game. The perspective is a tool- a mechanic at best. The difference between over the shoulder shooting and first person shooting is minimal. You see, perspective is not genre defining. To me an FPS is a Fast Paced Shooter and not a First Person Shooter. It helps when I suggest games that a person might not otherwise play.

However, I am not a complete prude, and I acknowledge when perspective makes a difference. If I were to play Symphony in the first person, it would be a nightmare. However, first person Alan Wake wouldn't affect gameplay at all- just the gamefeel.

I suggest ME and AP because they play like FPS games. I would go as far as to say that making AP in the first person would turn it into a Deus Ex clone. Therefore, ME and AP deserve to be on the list.

Wait. Is this really worth the argument? I was just poking at the ignorance of someone who has the preconceived notion that all FPS games involve the military and are bland. Why the hell are you offended?

Yes, because I'm so offended. First person has a very specific meaning. And he specifically asked for first person games. The games you listed were not first person. Therefore you were not answering his question and hilariously acting like he was the fool for 'not looking before posting.' Which you clearly didn't do at all, or you have absolutely no understanding for the words first person. This isn't some metaphysical videogame debate. The title of the genre, FPS, very clearly defines that the game will be first person perspective and will contain shooting. There are TPS games and there are FPS games. He did not ask for a 3rd person one.

 

[Rule Britannia]

I prefer Halo and Battlefield to CoD and Medal of Honour but if you want to count it, Fallout 3, it's first person and involves shooting . I'm fully aware that Fallout is actually classified as an RPG.

 

[Christopher Fisher]

Definitely get Natural Selection 2, its among my top three best games this year. A deep and highly skill based and teamwork oriented first person shooter that really stands out among the other shooters such as Battlefield or CoD which are content to sit on their ass in the brown mud. The graphics are very pretty, particularly the alien structures and creep, which are quite colourful.

While its a pretty steep climb for beginners, sticking with it is highly rewarding as once you are competent at the game its very satisfying. Additionally the large emphasis on teamwork seems to have made this games community one of the nicest I've experienced. Most players will focus on working together with their teammates and admit their mistakes over generally being a dick and only the newest players complain about imaginary balance issues. Its obviously not immune from undesirable people but from my experience its pretty damn good compared to other communities. Whats more is that its also an RTS.

I don't really get why people say it has such a steep learning curve. If you're playing as commander, then sure, but if you're just playing as a grunt/alien, the game doesn't have a remotely steep learning curve.

 

[Lugbzurg]

Doom is essentially the the game that defines the FPS genre. It has simple mechanics that are very easy to get the hand of, yet is able to constantly have all 27 (or 36) levels feel fresh and new, while still not alienating the game's formula or the player's mindset. I don't know much about Doom II, beyond that it's a little bit different in some way and uses the first game's sprites. Doom 64/Absolution seems alright, though I haven't played very far.

Quake is the spiritual successor to Doom, which was the spiritual successor to Wolfenstein 3D. However, it's more atmospheric, puzzlebound, slower-paced, and more disturbing. And it's a blast!

Half-Life is well known for its no-cutscene storytelling (save for around 15 seconds in the middle of the first game). Rather than going from one level to the next, it's told in a chapter system with a giant map for you to travel.

Halo is arguably the most iconic shooter in recent years, though is indirectly responsible for the current state of modern FPSes, with things such as regenerating shields and two-weapon slots. However, to the games' credit, they do still work better there, than in the copycats.

Serious Sam is ridiculous. It has a retro playstyle that takes advantage of modern technology to achieve a unique playstyle that would not have even been possible in the age of shooters that it emulates. It's set in massive, open words, while insanely-large hoards of enemies come charging after you, and it gets pretty hectic... and hilarious.

Counter-Strike is what I like to call "Dodgeball with Guns". It's quite likely that you'll get killed in one shot. Teams of terrorists and counter-terrorists fight each other, either trying to plant a bomb or defuse it, depending on the team.

Team Fortress, namely the second one, came out in 2007, but is still getting plenty of bug fixes and free downloadable content, even after five years. In fact, the game itself is free. Even after all this time, it's still got loads of people playing it like it in large numbers as though it just came out yesterday.

And I know you said "FPS", as in "First-Person Shooter", so do at least listen to what I have to say about this third-person shooter. It's a military shooter, but it isn't bland. It's Spec Ops: The Line. And I'd love to tell you why this game is so special, but I can't, as that would spoil everything. Of course, if you're already aware about why this game has been taking the industry by storm and has gotten so many people to completely re-think military shooters in general, then you already know, and I'm just reinforcing that you or anyone else reading this should give this title in a long-dormant series a go.

 

[Bocaj2000]

Yes, because I'm so offended. First person has a very specific meaning. And he specifically asked for first person games. The games you listed were not first person. Therefore you were not answering his question and hilariously acting like he was the fool for 'not looking before posting.' Which you clearly didn't do at all, or you have absolutely no understanding for the words first person. This isn't some metaphysical videogame debate. The title of the genre, FPS, very clearly defines that the game will be first person perspective and will contain shooting. There are TPS games and there are FPS games. He did not ask for a 3rd person one.

Your complaint as a nitpick at best. I read what he posted. I bent the "rules" to fit what he was asking for. It's not like I don't see the difference; it's that I don't care. I read the entire thread and gave suggestions based on what he asked for which was story driven shooters. Right now he is probably playing Call of Cthulhu and will get to the other suggestions later.

I was just offended at his rash and harsh generalization that it is so hard to find a non-military shooter when most shooters have nothing to do with the military. The military is a tool for a specific subgenre of shooters just like spaceships are for sci-fi. It was simply ignorant.

 

[Bocaj2000]

Doom is essentially the the game that defines the FPS genre. It has simple mechanics that are very easy to get the hand of, yet is able to constantly have all 27 (or 36) levels feel fresh and new, while still not alienating the game's formula or the player's mindset. I don't know much about Doom II, beyond that it's a little bit different in some way and uses the first game's sprites. Doom 64/Absolution seems alright, though I haven't played very far.

Quake is the spiritual successor to Doom, which was the spiritual successor to Wolfenstein 3D. However, it's more atmospheric, puzzlebound, slower-paced, and more disturbing. And it's a blast!

Half-Life is well known for its no-cutscene storytelling (save for around 15 seconds in the middle of the first game). Rather than going from one level to the next, it's told in a chapter system with a giant map for you to travel.

Halo is arguably the most iconic shooter in recent years, though is indirectly responsible for the current state of modern FPSes, with things such as regenerating shields and two-weapon slots. However, to the games' credit, they do still work better there, than in the copycats.

Serious Sam is ridiculous. It has a retro playstyle that takes advantage of modern technology to achieve a unique playstyle that would not have even been possible in the age of shooters that it emulates. It's set in massive, open words, while insanely-large hoards of enemies come charging after you, and it gets pretty hectic... and hilarious.

Counter-Strike is what I like to call "Dodgeball with Guns". It's quite likely that you'll get killed in one shot. Teams of terrorists and counter-terrorists fight each other, either trying to plant a bomb or defuse it, depending on the team.

Team Fortress, namely the second one, came out in 2007, but is still getting plenty of bug fixes and free downloadable content, even after five years. In fact, the game itself is free. Even after all this time, it's still got loads of people playing it like it in large numbers as though it just came out yesterday.

And I know you said "FPS", as in "First-Person Shooter", so do at least listen to what I have to say about this third-person shooter. It's a military shooter, but it isn't bland. It's Spec Ops: The Line. And I'd love to tell you why this game is so special, but I can't, as that would spoil everything. Of course, if you're already aware about why this game has been taking the industry by storm and has gotten so many people to completely re-think military shooters in general, then you already know, and I'm just reinforcing that you or anyone else reading this should give this title in a long-dormant series a go.

Ah... I like doing this. "Know where you came from so that you know where you're going." Good choices.

 

[SlaveNumber23]

I don't really get why people say it has such a steep learning curve. If you're playing as commander, then sure, but if you're just playing as a grunt/alien, the game doesn't have a remotely steep learning curve.

Not so much a 'learning' curve as there is a 'skill' curve really, I found that it took maybe 6 or 8 hours of gameplay for me to get competent at the game, prior to which I was completely rubbish despite being well practiced with first person shooters on pc. I can't quite put my finger on what it is but the game definitely takes some getting used to.

 

[Rawne1980]

I was just poking at the ignorance of someone who has the preconceived notion that all FPS games involve the military and are bland. Why the hell are you offended?

No, but we are under the notion that ALL FPS games are in the First person. Thus why they are called First Person Shooters.

AP and ME being Third Person Shooters.

But nevermind, ME and AP are shooters, and pretty good ones so I doubt it really matters.

On Topic....

A good FPS?

I think all of them are pretty much covered by now...

Metro 2033.
Stalker.
Resistance.

Those are 3 of my all time favourites, especially Stalker.

 

[Ed130 The Vanguard]

Metro 2033: It's in the THQ bundle right now and it is a dark look at life after Armageddon, where the powerful pre-war bullets are the main currency making a firefights more interesting.

Fallout: New Vegas: A lighter version of post-apocalypse, this deals with factions trying to rebuild with you stuck in the middle. Will you side with the New California Republic, Caesar's Legion, or forge your own path?

Sanctum: A tower defence FPS? where you you create a obstacle course then defend it with sniper rifles and freeze guns?

Team Fortress 2: If COD is one end of the FPS spectrum, them TF2 is the crazy one that jumped off the other end. With 9 unique classes, full dev support for 5 years and counting and Free to Play...

 

[Bocaj2000]

I was just poking at the ignorance of someone who has the preconceived notion that all FPS games involve the military and are bland. Why the hell are you offended?

No, but we are under the notion that ALL FPS games are in the First person. Thus why they are called First Person Shooters.

AP and ME being Third Person Shooters.

But nevermind, ME and AP are shooters, and pretty good ones so I doubt it really matters.

On Topic....

A good FPS?

I think all of them are pretty much covered by now...

Metro 2033.
Stalker.
Resistance.

Those are 3 of my all time favourites, especially Stalker.

I agree. I bent the rules to include two games that I really like.

Also, if you like Stalker, this might interest you:
http://europe.stalker-online.so/

 

[Rawne1980]

Also, if you like Stalker, this might interest you:
http://europe.stalker-online.so/

I did not know about that, i'm going to have to give that a go.

Thanks for bringing that up, been looking for a Stalker'ish' online shooter for a while. All i'd been able to find so far is Fallen Earth (not to keen on it) and DayZ which is okay as far as a "survival" game goes but not quite the same feel as Stalker.

 

[Mark Benedict]

Team Fortress 2 has already been mentioned, but is worth mentioning again. It's my go-to anti-CoD/clone. It has unlocks and customization, but no item is strictly better than the item it replaces. It is also visually clean with rapidly identifiable silhouettes, as opposed to CoD/clones. Its multiplayer community is also quite active with updates coming 4-6 times a year. And it's free.

E.Y.E: Divine Cybermancy plays something like the original Deus Ex. I can't outright call it good, as it takes an investment of not insignificant amounts of time and energy to figure it out. I picked it up for $2.50 during a Steam winter sale. If that's a small enough investment to risk on something you might not like, I definitely suggest giving it a try.

 

[The White Hunter]

on any console

If you want a great shooter on PS3 that isn't a gunwank game (halfway eliminated Killzone 2 and definately Killzone 3 right off the bat) then I can not recommend Resistance 3 enough.

You also said single player, so I'll focus on it's campaign:

-Excellent story with good characters, it's not predictable and keeps you guessing. The set pieces are well placed and paced and don't absorb the game, there's plenty of depth to the plot and it really sucks you in.

-It has a great aesthetic style and good graphics without any of the obnoxious over-lighting bloom that's starting to plague shooters. (Something I hate, I detest bloom it burns my eyes).

-The gameplay is fun and engaging, there are many weapons and you can carry all of them at once, limited health keeps things tense and exciting and the game is well balanced for it. Every gun has it's own secondary fire mode and you can carry up to 4 kinds of grenade (5 if special edition, wouldn't bother just for extra grenade type, they're rare and not too great). All the weaponry and explosives are fun to use and have unique properties. You have and SMG, a shotgun, a rifle, then more interesting things like X-ray rifles that increase in damage the more you shoot through stuff, the cryogun for freezing and a massive air blast to shatter, fire explosive shotgun secondary fire, the gun that gives everyone in the room ebola, the lightning gun that has a gravity well for secondary, etc. The enemies are challenging and interesting, with a variety of types and functions. I particularly am fond of the Grimm's.

-Environments are fairly open and offer freedom and choice in combat almost all the time, when you're forced into a tight corridor it usually is a very tight corridor which leaves you quite vulnerable and ramps up the tension, it has some great horror elements at points.

-Lots of collectibles to grab, cheats (yes, real cheats, that change the game, such as changing the health system, infinite ammo, giving enemies more powerful weapons, etc) to unlock and some interesting trophies to be done.

-Full campaign co-op both on and offline.

Absolutely a brilliant game and if you want a stellar fps on the PS3 it's probably my favourite on the system.
(Multiplayer is pretty fun too, as is the horde mode DLC)

Oh and: Portal. Portal 2.

 

[Mark Benedict]

And I know you said "FPS", as in "First-Person Shooter", so do at least listen to what I have to say about this third-person shooter. It's a military shooter, but it isn't bland. It's Spec Ops: The Line. And I'd love to tell you why this game is so special, but I can't, as that would spoil everything. Of course, if you're already aware about why this game has been taking the industry by storm and has gotten so many people to completely re-think military shooters in general, then you already know, and I'm just reinforcing that you or anyone else reading this should give this title in a long-dormant series a go.

I was going to mention this as an excellent game to play, but "FPS" does indeed mean first-person. Spec Ops: The Line was not only an excellent game, but it changed my opinion of the perspective altogether. It is a special game. Extra Credits did 2 episodes on the game, one spoiler free and one spoiler-tastic. Both are very much worth the watch, but don't watch the spoiler one until you finish the game.

 

[Guffe]

Go for the Metroid Series.
Bloody awesome those are!!!