We all know Call of Duty, Haloand Half-lifeand most of us know Trepang2, Ultra cooland Titanfall 2. Unfortunately, not every FPS game becomes a smash hit or achieves cult status bordering on the mainstream, especially among modern releases. These days, most first-person shooters are relatively small, with only a couple of annual titles garnering much attention.
If you want to play best FPS game in recent yearsyou have to look beyond the franchises and towards the independent scene. There you'll find shooters that play flawlessly, take risks, have personality, and look even more stylish than AAA games. Let's start shooting.
To qualify, a game cannot have more than 5K English reviews on Steam. It might sound like a lot, but Trepang2 is at 11K, DUSK have almost 17K, and ULTRA KILL is just shy of 150K.
Severed Steel turns you into John Wick and Max Payne
A Shooter Oozing In Style And Slo-mo
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Stunt shooter with short trajectories and no weapon loading.
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Regularly on sale for less than $3.
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It's quite challenging, especially on consoles with a controller.
Greylock Studio might be the most underrated FPS studio of the last decade. Chipped steel and Echo Point Nova comfortably ranks among the best shooters of the 2020sand they manage to scratch the same itch while offering different experiences. If you want a sandbox style shooter, go for it Echo Point Nova; if you prefer a linear level based FPS game, Chipped steel will become one of your favorites.
In this 2021 game, movement is everything. The levels are short, packed with enemies, destructible environments and designed to accommodate stunts. Chipped steel casts you as a one-armed protagonist who can't reload, which is perfectly fine since you'll be constantly killing and picking up weapons. More importantly, players do all of this while pulling slides, wall-runs, and diving in slow motion, and you're invulnerable when performing stunts (and extremely vulnerable every other moment).
Although you have additional modes worth playing, the campaign only lasts a couple of hours and never stumbles.
Selaco is the new fear
An intense FPS game with tactical gun battles
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Early Access game, but Episode 1 already contains about 10 hours of content. Chapter 2 is also approaching.
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Spiritual successor to FEAR
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GZDoom engine.
Trepang2 is the most famous modern successor to FEARbut Selaco can challenge it when it is available in its entirety. Unlike the fast, frenetic shooters that dominate the modern FPS scene, Altered Orbit's gameplay emphasizes heavier, methodical shooting gameplay, where intelligent play beats perfect reflexes. Even though it is based on the classic DOWNFALL engine, Selaco looks amazing, especially if you have a penchant for 21st century sci-fi shooters (like I do).
While the sci-fi setting might not scream “FEAR,” the real inspiration comes from the aggressive squad AI, which may be among the smartest in modern gaming. Enemies flank, flush you out, destroy environments and coordinate suppressing fire, making every encounter an intense tactical battle. You're forced to make the most of your powerful weapons and available cover, but you'll never feel too comfortable.
Turbo Overkill lives up to its name
A Cyberpunk FPS game that makes you feel powerful
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You have a chainsaw leg.
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Movement-centered progression.
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Regularly on sale for less than $7.
Another motion shooter, Turbo Overkill is on the verge of being a modern staple of the genre, but it doesn't quite live up to the name value of DUSK or Trepang2. In a sea of boomer shooters, Turbo Overkill stands out by emphasizing movement technique and absurdity over larger weapons (although the weapons are pretty good too!). You start out wall running and sliding all over the place and then progress to grappling hooks, air dashes and riding flying hovers.
With a cyberpunk setting and an impressive sense of scale, Turbo Overkill mixes modern DOWNFALL with Blade Runnerincluding chainsaw legs and arms that drench neon lights in blood. In addition to a solid arsenal of weapons that emphasize alternate fire modes, players also unlock a range of power-ups that allow them to truly become the assassin of their dreams.
At about 10 hours, Turbo Overkill is pretty long for a shooter, but the constant sense of progression helps keep things interesting over the three episodes.
Mullet Madjack is a hell of an adrenaline shot
The definition of a relentless FPS game
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Amazing cel-shaded graphics.
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Non-stop action.
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Retails for less than $12.
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Available on Game Pass.
Mullet Madjack has the perfect hook: You only have 10 seconds left to live. To extend that time, you must kill, execute, and destroy, all while speed-running through a level that can last 30 seconds. This premise and a combo meter inject an arcade-like feel to the game, where hesitation means death and style means points. I know roguelites are oversaturated these days, but Mullet Madjack makes this structure work well, and it's all tied into a silly but charming plot.
While the gunplay feels extraordinary, the FPS gameplay expands the player's arsenal far beyond bullets. You kick robots into vending machines, throw enemies through windows and slide all over the place, creating a symphony of chaos that doesn't allow for a dull moment. Roguelites can outstay their welcome, though Mullet Madjack should be easy to complete within a couple of hours, and it will leave you wanting more (which you can get through some other modes).
Fashion Police Squad is a different type of FPS game
Make the world look good while you look good
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Light, fun tone.
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Nice pixel aesthetics.
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Regularly on sale for less than $5.
Hey, nobody said an FPS game had to be a freakin' gorefest set in a gritty cyberpunk hellscape. Fashion Police Squad is about style, and I don't mean action. You go around fixing baggy suits, adding color to boring outfits and shrinking oversized clothes. The premise is unforgivably silly, and it works because the game fully commits to the concept.
Although quick reflexes matter, Fashion Police Squad moves at a slower pace than all the other shooters in this article, and most situations are almost puzzle-like rather than just regular gunfights. You have to constantly switch weapons to match an enemy's needs, and you also get to play with a fun grappling mechanic called the Belt of Justice. At about 6 hours, Fashion Police Squad hits the mark from start to finish.
