Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is the hit new game that players love, and it is one of the best first-person shooter games out on the market at the moment. It is filled with fast-paced action and a lot of fun with friends, but, after a while, it can be time to find something new. Most people who play these types of games prefer a certain theme within their gameplay; namely action in the first-person perspective
Luckily, there are several first-person shooter games out there that fans of this game will love. They each have their own special flair that separates them from one another, but the concepts are generally the same. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is still an awesome game, but sometimes you just need a break to keep things fresh.
Updated September 26th, 2020 by Jason Wojnar: Being a living game, a lot has changed about Modern Warfare since March. New maps, weapons, and even adjustments to Warzone have kept the multiplayer consistently in the gaming consciousness all year, even leading up to the upcoming November 13th release of Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War. With that in mind, we've added five additional games similar to Modern Warfare players fans of the Call of Duty series may appreciate for one reason or another.
Updated December 2nd, 2020 by Hodey Johns: Now that Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War has been released for a few weeks, this list has been retitled and the entries have been reworded to reflect this development. On top of that, the entries have been updated to match the feel of this latest title and give players a better feel for exactly which games will have a similar experience to the latest installment. Obviously, other Call of Duty games are a natural fit for gamers looking for a similar experience, but here we focus on titles outside of the franchise.
15 Apex Legends
Apex Legends is one of the next best things to help change it up for something a little more futuristic. It is a battle royale with a first-person shooter setup, but it is much faster paced when compared to COD's Warzone.
We see a variety of characters with different abilities that give them their own edge thanks to a superior loadout system that COD players will love. It features a unique map with plenty of places to explore and an immense amount of opponents to compete against.
14 Dusk
This game was released back in 2018 and was created for PC as well as the Nintendo Switch. It has a retro feel to it in a first-person shooter fashion and the goal is to complete the level. Players are tasked with destroying a wide variety of hostile enemies with numerous weapons like crossbows, swords, and pistols.
After finishing the single-player campaign, jump into the online multiplayer component. It is not for everyone, but those who have a bit of nostalgia for 90s era games will want to add this to their list of games to play.
13 Destiny 2
This game can be played on both console and PC, and it is for fans of science fiction. Players can team up with friends to complete various levels in this first-person shooter, as well as compete against other players in smaller matches.
Gamers can level up their guardians with new weapons, special abilities, and other upgrades. The style is unmatched and the content they've included is as diverse and expansive as the content they've cut, which makes this a perfect alternative to Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War.
12 Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
The original was released back in 1999 and, like so many other games, started as a mod, but it eventually became its own game. Players can choose from several different game modes that are very similar to that of the ones included in Call of Duty.
This game is beloved by many as it allows gamers to play online with their friends. It is even a sensation in the world of Esports with annual events that are regularly nominated as the best tournaments in their class, making it one of the best out there to play.
11 Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege
This is popular in the world of gaming even though it debuted back in 2015. Multiple modes exist where players take on the role of an attacker or defender that can be played online against opponents.
It doesn't feature a campaign, but there are numerous 'situations' that players can complete by themselves. Players choose an operator who is equipped with different skills and gadgets, then level them up quickly.
10 Borderlands 3
You really can't go wrong with any of the games in this series, but the third installment is amazing. It involves teaming up with friends in order to complete levels and defeat various bosses in a plot so deep that players are still uncovering new stories.
Gamers are tasked with collecting and upgrading weapons, as well as other supplies that they may find throughout their adventure. The graphics are different from any other game on this list and it takes them on a journey to many new places they have never seen before.
9 Overwatch
This first-person shooter relies on a player's ability to cooperate with their team. Players choose a character from the roster and team up with five other players to destroy their opponent.
Gamers will earn rewards along the way as they continue to work their way up the ranks to try and become one of the best players in the league. But even to newcomers, it's still fun since the game ranks you against players of similar experience and ability.
8 Titanfall 2
This was released back in 2016 and it has continued to inspire memes even to this day. It is another game that takes place in a world of science fiction as players control giant Titans and their pilots.
It has both single and multiplayer modes, depending on your favorite style of gameplay. It does include several multiplayer modes similar to those included in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, but the addition of Titans is enough of a change to encourage you to give it a shot.
7 Battlefield V
This game has been in competition with the Call of Duty franchise for a while, and many gamers love both of their releases. Few first-person games are as immersive as the Battlefield series.
It has several different multiplayer modes for gamers to explore, including a battle royale mode. Many find they do prefer one franchise over another, but it is another avenue to explore if players want something other than Cold War.
6 Doom Eternal
This is another first-person shooter to consider. Following up on 2016's epic DOOM reboot, the narrative details Hell's armies invading Earth, and players are thrown into a firefight with demons on some incredibly well-designed levels.
They have even have a multiplayer mode where you face off against two player-controlled demons. It is very different from other styles of gameplay, although this is exactly why it is the perfect thing for players who want to try something new.
5 Valorant
There's a great reason that the best players from franchises like Call of Duty, Overwatch, and Counter-Strike left to play Valorant, a competitive game from Riot Games, the makers of League of Legends.
The game is tailored around a top-level player experience. With players able to customize their loadouts and select one of many fantastically designed characters, if you're good at Call of Duty, you might want to see what all the fuss is about with Valorant.
4 Fortnite
If you can get over the misguided notion that this is a game designed for kids, you will likely end up really loving Fortnite. Seriously, though, the challenges in the game are not for the faint of heart.
It's not a first-person game, but it's got weapons, a battle royale setup, and a colorful cast of characters to choose from. If you need a change of pace from the heavy, dull-and-dreary style in Cold War, this game will be your vibrant saving grace.
3 Quantum of Solace
While an outlier on this list upon first glance, the Quantum of Solace video game adaptation has more in common with Call of Duty than one might initially believe. Mainly, it was developed by Treyarch, who made numerous entries in the Call of Duty franchise, mainly Black Ops. The game also runs on the same engine that powers the Call of Duty franchise. One major gameplay difference is the ability to use and shoot from behind cover, during which the camera switches to a third-person perspective.
2 Half-Life: Alyx
Playing a shooting game with a controller can be an exhilarating experience, but nothing will compare to the feeling of actually going through the motions of shooting and interacting with the environment like in Half-Life: Alyx.
Call of Duty players will often get to dreaming about what it would be like to actually have to aim and fire. VR isn't the real deal, of course, but it's a step closer and it will make you feel much more involved than the shooting done with a cold controller.
1 Gears 5
Yes, it's third-person, but if you can get over that, you're in for an event that combines the best parts of Call of Duty and Halo. Yes, there are some crappy weapons in the course of the series, but Call of Duty players are already familiar with how to avoid guns like these.
If the story feels like an afterthought in Cold War but you don't want to sacrifice explosive combat and action-oriented gaming, then Gears 5 is here to the rescue!