First-person shooters can show age, but others are timeless classics. Graphics aren't everything - therefore intuitive, heart-racing gameplay is a far better qualifier. A quality first-person shooter is immersive and has tremendous replay value. These games stand out years after their release regardless of their technical limitations compared to today's games.
The following titles are the best in their class. Perhaps the fact they are still enjoyable says something about the genre as a whole. Don't judge a book by a cover—and don't judge a game by its graphics. These are 15 first-person shooters that are better than you remember, ranked according to Metacritic.
Updated on September 4, 2021 by Damien Lykins: From boomer shooters to early renditions of today's dime-a-dozen mil sims, there's no shortage of routes to take down memory lane for the FPS enthusiasts out there. With the recent appearance of Quake on modern consoles (not to mention Game Pass), it seemed appropriate to revisit this piece and refurbish the selection of old-school shooters that are worth a trip into the past.
16 Heretic: Shadow of the Serpent Riders - 8.3 (User Score)
Heretic was, for all intents and purposes, a Doom clone in the purest sense of the term — but that hardly stopped it from being an all-out blast to play through. Raven Software's take on the Doom engine plops players into the shoes of the elven, dark-fantasy equivalent of the Doomguy as they blast through oodles of demons, undead knights, and the occasional chicken in order to thwart the machinations of the decidedly evil Serpent Riders.
The gameplay itself is (as was the period's FPS zeitgeist) pretty analogous to Doom's, but it did bring along a few tricks of its own — including an item system that allowed players to tote around healing flasks, time bombs, and even flight-enabling powerups. Heretic may be a bit too aged to operate off of a true Metascore, but the user score says enough on the matter.
15 Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six - 85
When Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six was released in 1998, it was a one-of-a-kind game that was unparalleled as a strategy-based first-person shooting. This revolutionary game deals with team tactics. Rainbow Six was one of the first games to introduce tactical first-person shooting in three-dimensions.
Chances are, you've heard of its widely successful sequels, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 and Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege. If it weren't for the leaps and bounds of Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six, those games wouldn't exist.
14 Return To Castle Wolfenstein - 88
Many Wolfenstein fans had been clamoring for a sequel to the iconic pixel-packed original that debuted way back in 1992. Thankfully, their prayers were heard in 2001 when Gray Matter Interactive took up the task and crafted one of the best FPS follow-ups in the business.
For the first time, Wolfenstein had entered the new age of videogames, complete with stellar graphics, voice acting, and realistic level design. The jury is still out as to whether the game is a reboot or a sequel, but that's irrelevant. Its blend of sci-fi and supernatural horror set against the backdrop of WWII is as timelessly vintage as a pair of comfy blue jeans.
13 F.E.A.R. - 88
"F.E.A.R." stands for First Encounter Assault Recon. The game is a smart blend of horror and first-person shooting, which is rare to see in a video game, especially in 2005. F.E.A.R. is about a supernatural phenomenon and paranormal activity. As the protagonist, you uncover the secrets of an uncanny little girl.
Although it has been years since F.E.A.R. released, it is a game that has barely aged. The graphics are not on par with current-gen games, but the gameplay and story are outstanding. Like many games on this list, this is one of those games that needs a remake!
12 Left 4 Dead 2 - 89
Zombie shooters are nothing new, but few of them made an impact like Left 4 Dead managed. Its sequel was a cut above the original in almost every way, building on the story-based campaign missions that blended heart-pounding terror with light-hearted laughs.
Left 4 Dead 2 recently got its final update which added an entirely new chapter and a few extra surprises into the mix. It was a fitting send-off to a game that is still regularly played by zombie-busters the world over.
11 Quake II (8.9 User Score)
Metacritic may not have an official score for Quake II, but its User Score is indicative of how well the title was received. It was a definite bump up from the original in almost every way; tossing out the demonic DOOM-inspired storyline in favor of an alien war epic.
Quake II was merciless, bloody, and inventive both in level design and approach. Its fast-paced gameplay was easy to pick up and enjoy right out of the box. In fact, Quake II is so iconic that it recently received a ray-tracing upgrade to its core graphics engine for Nvidia RTX users to sample, which breathed new life into the 1997 shooter.
10 Duke Nukem 3D - 89
Who could forget Duke Nukem's first 3D FPS outing? Sure, it stole hand-over-fist from the success of DOOM, but it did so with style and attitude the likes of which that game couldn't muster. Duke Nukem 3D was big on action and bigger on laughs as it courted every controversial move in the book.
The mammoth success of Duke Nukem 3D continues to be felt today with multiple re-releases of the game on various platforms. It also paved the way for one of the most ridiculously long sequel wait times in gaming history, which nearly turned out to be vaporware. Unfortunately, Duke Nukem Forever was a colossal fumble that has put the franchise on ice — perhaps permanently.
9 Deus Ex - 90
This FPS/RPG hybrid took the world by storm when it debuted way back in 2000, and it continues to stand the test of time as a genuine game-changer. Deus Ex might have been a title in the FPS style, but running in guns blazing was sure to get players killed. Success depended on utilizing the most powerful organ in the human body — the mind.
The mixture of RPG mechanics and a multiple-path progression system made the game fun to play even after dozens of playthroughs. There was always something new to see, and a new way to complete an objective. Couple the addictive gameplay with a rich story stuffed full of tasty conspiracy theories, and Deus Ex continues to be a winner.
8 Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II - 91
The sequel to Star Wars: Dark Forces is a blend of first-person and third-person action. We will forever remember Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II for standing out when it was released. A significant number of first-person shooters are influenced by the giant strides of the Dark Forces series.
This game stands out for being a worthy successor to the original Star Wars: Dark Forces. Interestingly enough, Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II is the sequel to the first Star Wars first-person shooter ever made.
7 Unreal Tournament - 92
Not everyone got a chance to play this game, but we encourage that you give it a try. Unreal Tournament stays true to its name. Making use of the first Unreal Engine, its graphics were a step-up from previous first-person shooter games. It's also one of the few games that supported LAN when it was released in 1999.
An array of weapons and intense gameplay are why years after Unreal Tournament's launch, it's still enjoyable. Unreal Tournament's low-gravity mutator is a gamechanger.
6 Medal Of Honor - 92
As a game released in 1999, it has gameplay that is ahead of its time. Although many would agree that later games in the series were disappointments, the original Medal of Honor was an instant classic.
You may be surprised to learn that Medal of Honor's plot was created by film director and producer Steven Spielberg. The game provides an all-around exhilarating experience that is rare to come by.
5 Quake - 96
Including Quake here may be toeing the line given how iconic and definitive it is within the genre, but its recent remaster highlights the two most obvious criteria: it is old, and it's better than you remember. This 1996 classic took the gothic horror sci-fi mashup of Doom into the third dimension and popularized the intensely competitive online deathmatch format as we know it.
And while Quake's multiplayer component is practically timeless, its single-player campaign shouldn't be overlooked — its episodic format and level design are reminiscent of the "old days" while still evoking the core components that make Doom 2016 and Eternal modern masterpieces.
4 Half-Life 2 - 96
More than fifteen years after its release, Half-Life 2 is considered one of the greatest first-person shooter games of all time. You may have wondered why there was so much buzz surrounding the announcement of Half-Life: Alyx, the virtual reality Half-Life game. It's the first new Half-Life game we've seen in quite some time.
Half-Life 2 has to be the strongest entry in the series because of its intriguing plot and groundbreaking gameplay. Its immersive storytelling is one-of-a-kind.
3 GoldenEye 007 - 96
James Bond has appeared in numerous video games, but none holds a candle to GoldenEye 007. This timeless classic is a first-person shooter phenomenon that graced the Nintendo 64 in 1997.
As one of the few exceptional games based on a movie, it stands out for its wide variety of weapons, outstanding multiplayer, and captivating campaign. We will forever remember the game's KF7 Soviet, Moonraker Laser, Cougar Magnum, and the Golden Gun. Some may criticize GoldenEye 007 for its shaky camera mechanics, but after playing it, you'll soon realize it's better than you remember.
2 Perfect Dark - 97
What many considered to be a substitute for a GoldenEye 007 sequel, grew into a popular game. Perfect Dark scored higher on Metacritic than GoldenEye 007 for having superior gameplay and level design, among other reasons. As the name suggests, the game is perfect—or close to it.
With protagonist Joanna Dark as a strong female lead, Perfect Dark delivers all-around solid gameplay that has immense replay value. This masterpiece will go down as one of the greatest games to grace the Nintendo 64 console, and it's way better than you remember.
1 Halo: Combat Evolved - 97
This first-person shooter became one of the most impactful games of the 2000s. From the bright minds at Bungie, the game is about Master Chief and his fight for the human race. What begins as a battle against the Covenant, an alien race, evolves into so much more after Master Chief discovers a Halo installation.
The Master Chief Collection contains the remastered version of Halo: Combat Evolved. Currently, the Master Chief Collection is the best way to experience the game. Playing in 4K, players will see the game in a new light and grow a new appreciation for Halo.