Video game developers, designers, and researchers have spent a lot of time understanding immersion—the psychological state in which players feel present in the game world—and avatar identification. It's what makes a player really connect and engage with a game. First-person perspective is an identified way to make gaming more immersive, immediate and engaging.
Let's be honest, no game is perfect. But the first-person games on this list are about as close as you can get. These are the games that innovated, repeated or perfected the form. Many of these games built on what came before them and in turn shaped the landscape of first-person games to come. They're perfect in first-person games in that they're beloved landmarks in video game history, and wouldn't be the same game if they were third-person.
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First-person is more than shooters, and it's more than a mode. It's a fundamental design choice that shaped how these beloved games draw players in and are remembered long after they stop playing. Here are some honorable mentions we would be remiss to leave out: Deus Ex, Quake, Amnesia: The Dark Descent, Metroid Prime, Left 4 Dead 2, Thief: The Dark Projectand System shock 2.
Half-Life 2
We are not going to Ravenholm
It's no coincidence that so many of the games on this list are used a Half-life engine or other in its first iterations. The first Half-Life was iconic, though Half-Life 2 took that legacy and pushed it to new heights. Gordon Freeman continues to take on an alien invasion that is 1000% not in his job description as a theoretical physicist.
From the terrifying close-ups of the head crabs jumping on Gordon without fear for their own safety, to the annoying eye contact of the G-man, first-person POV provides some of the most memorable moments in early 2000s gaming. Half-Life 2 also introduced the oddly gothic departure from sci-fi horror in the rest of the game in the episode in Ravenholm, which inspired many first-person horror games.
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
Rest in peace
Iconic team scorer CS: GO had its humble beginnings in 2017 when it was released to little fanfare and critical acclaim. It then went on to become one of the most popular first-person shooters of all time. Many other games have tried to copy the fast-paced combat with mixed success. Its recognizable hand and knife animations and multi-level maps make it incredibly obvious when another game is trying to emulate CS: GO game.
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Despite the problematic loot box mechanics, the game had an enthusiastic and devoted fanbase and a thriving esports scene. It is worth noting that this entry clearly and deliberately distinguishes between CS: GO and CS2 here. When CS2 released in 2023, it controversially replaced the original. We may never play the original CS: GO again without hacks and mods, but it will live on in the hearts and minds of players.
Portal
Now you think with portals
Portal
- Released
-
October 10, 2007
Portal is arguably the platonic ideal of what a first-person game can be. Chell, as the silent protagonist, is never seen, except through portals at a certain angle, and her relative anonymity is important to allow the player to embody the player character. This is absolutely necessary as you navigate the fiendish and innovative physics puzzles.
The physics would feel completely different if the player experienced them in first person rather than being thrown face first into a carefully calculated action loop. The loneliness of not seeing a single human avatar, player character or otherwise really enhances Aperture Science's empty dystopian test chambers. Players really get the feeling of being at the mercy of GLaDOS's whims and machinations.
Downfall
You are the Doom Guy
This first-person shooter has stood the test of time. It has been revived, revitalized, reworked and ported to almost every platform and format you can name, including PDF. The first-person view of the Doom game is perhaps one of the most recognizable sights in video games.
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It's hard to imagine Doom without gore and guts flying into your character's face from a freshly obliterated demon. The impact of the first person POV and intense soundtrack is undeniable and was quite revolutionary at the time. But as revolutionary as Doom was, it's important to remember that it built on the legacy of Wolfenstein's 3D engine.
Dishonored
No traces, clean hands
Dishonored providing a level of moral flexibility and diversity of approach to the game that no two players are likely to experience or interpret the story in the same way. The first-person perspective enhances the immediacy of a player's moral choices in the game. It's hard to escape the brutal death you've inflicted on a guard who only does his job when it's near your face.
The skills and powers that Corvo uses, not to mention his fluid movement about the city, are amazing in first person. Dishonored 2 could easily make a longer version of this list, as Emily's playstyle adds a whole new dimension to first-person gameplay.
GoldenEye 007
Only slappers
Those who did not meet GoldenEye 007 when first released may be puzzled by this inclusion. Especially those whose first experience of the game has been on Xbox Game Pass, surrounded by newer, shiny games. But for many, GoldenEye 007 is such a strong point of nostalgia that it seems absolutely perfect.
Instead of playing in third person as the handsome and suave James Bond, players could take on a variety of characters, but always with the same result: a compelling first-person slapstick comedy masquerading as an action shooter. The joy of using your pixelated hands to punch NPCs or friends is just a joy that wouldn't be the same without that first-person perspective.
Titanfall 2
Mech Fighting
No one could have predicted that imperceptible Titanfall would be followed up by one of the most acclaimed first-person shooters of all time. Part of the enduring appeal of Titanfall 2 is the immediate and streamlined action that first person provides. The lack of an intrusive third-person character model makes for more intuitive combat and movement.
The fight, both in and out of BT, is fantastic. The first-person animation sequence for getting into the mech suit feels amazing because of its smoothness. Players can focus on the details of the mech interface while maintaining a relatively wide field of view.
The Stanley Parable
The end is never the end
What is there to say about the narrative masterpiece that is The Stanley Parable hasn't it already been said in a million articles and musings? The game is effective in large part because Stanley is so intangible, happily messing with the player's idea of what a video game should be. The Stanley Parable would be much less immersive without the first person perspective.
It is also worth noting that the effect of seeing Stanley in third person is the death scenes, or in the more eerie sequences of Ultra Deluxe drop. Seeing the transition from first to third person in the infinite hole is part of what makes it one of the most memorable sequences in the new version.
Change
Good morning, Morgan
One of the key effects of putting gameplay in first-person is the sense of immersion and participation that can occur during morally confronting sequences. Aside from the immediacy of the horror elements in Changethe first-person view draws the player into the moral questions at the heart of the game's core story.
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The play is Morgan Yu, and the big twist at the end is only effective because of the added subjectivity the first-person angle brings. Like the head crabs before them, the Mimic Typhoons will lunge at the player and try to eat them. This is made all the more frightening by their first-person proximity.
BioShock
Would you please…
The dystopian and labyrinthine ruins of the underwater city of Rapture have an intensity and horrific resonance that the third person cannot afford. The revelation of the haunting beauty of the decaying Art Deco buildings and the whales drifting through the scene is unhindered by a player character's avatar. It's just the player alone with the view and Andrew Ryan's dramatic words.
This is another game that relies on the first-person perspective to build participation and subjectivity. When the character does something morally questionable, the player can feel more involved in their actions. It also makes it easier to build on the mythos of the player character and their characterization more flexibly. This can be really important for future installations in a series.
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