The Top 10 Best FPS Games of All Time

Doom was developed by id Software and released all the way back in 1993. It is safe to say that it launched the FPS genre as we know it today. It set the standard for combat and level design, with players traversing maze-like corridors packed with demons. 

Players only have a handful of weapons, but the game’s minimalistic design leaves a lasting impression. Combined with its haunting atmosphere, every level and enemy feels iconic. The critical success inspired everything else from arena-based shooters to modern-level designs. Doom is a franchise that lives to this day with the upcoming Doom: The Dark Ages in the pipeline, which serves to expand its legacy as a prequel to the original.  

Id Software pushed the foundation laid in Doom further with Quake, released in 1996. It introduced real-time 3D rendering, combined with a gothic atmosphere, taking inspiration from none other than the great H.P. Lovecraft. 

The game was unique in many ways. The science fiction and dark fantasy mix, featuring Slipgate teleporters, space knights, and demonic ogres are iconic, and the Quake multiplayer was on another technical level for the era. It remains a landmark in the genre and a defining moment for both id Software and FPS gaming.

We are now moving into the 2000s with Halo: Combat Evolved, which came out in 2001 made by Bungie. It was a groundbreaking first-person shooter thanks to fast-paced combat and vehicle battles that pushed technological limits at the time. Combat Evolved put Master Chief on the map, an iconic figure in gaming, with his legacy still celebrated in titles like 2021’s Halo Infinite. 

The story of the game follows  Master Chief, a supersoldier set on stopping the Covenant, an alien alliance with destructive ambitions centered around the mysterious Halo ringworld. It was enough for the era to get everyone into Bungie’s acclaimed FPS franchise. 

Counter-Strike started its life as a mod for Valve’s Half-Life before it became a standalone title developed by Minh Le and Jess Cliffe. The 1.6 version quickly rose in rank to become the most-played multiplayer FPS of the era. It set the standard for competitive shooters, launching the early eSports we have today. 

Thanks to its fast, team-dependent gameplay mechanics, simple map design, weapons, and balance, Counter-Strike 1.6 is a defining entry in the FPS genre. The name of the franchise is still alive today as Valve pushed out CS2 in 2023.

The early 2000s were great for FPS games, and Half-Life 2 is just more proof of that. Building on the success of the 1998 original, Valve brought new advanced physics-based gameplay, a new story, and the return of Gordon Freeman as the main protagonist, this time fighting an Alien invasion in eastern Europe set 20 years after the events of the first game.

Overall, Half-Life 2 won more than 35 Game of the Year awards and was the first game in which Valve used Steam as a content delivery system. Even today, Half-Life 2 is a masterpiece when compared to modern FPS games, which fail to provide the immersion this fantastic title set two decades ago. 

We are still in the 2000s but for a legitimate reason. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare remains one of the best CoD games ever made. It broke away from previous WWII settings and introduced a modern-day storyline with complex international conflicts and multiple playable perspectives.

The multiplayer brought in killstreaks and customizable loadouts among other systems that have become a standard for modern FPS games. It got its reboot and spin-offs, but if it wasn’t for the initial Modern Warfare, we wouldn’t have witnessed all the modern takes on the genre in recent years. 

Fast forward to 2016 when Titanfall 2 was released by EA. Players could control large mecha suits called Titans and had both a single-player campaign that explores time travel and various challenges, and a multiplayer with a number of modes that kept players in for hours and hours. 

Some of the modes include Attrition, Capture the Flag, and Bounty Hunt. Further, players could customize their Titans and pilots with unique abilities. While the game was a commercial failure due to the high competition at the time, it was a critical success and fans are awaiting a third game in the series. Until that happens, the spin-off Apex Legends is a great battle royale. 

Speaking of that high competition, one of those titles was Overwatch, which won Game of the Year in 2016. Developed by Blizzard Entertainment, Overwatch is a team-based online multiplayer first-person shooter that features a diverse roster of heroes, each with unique abilities. 

The game received high praise for its art style, fast-paced gameplay, and more, with a dedicated fan base that turned it into a prominent eSports title. Overwatch 2 was released in 2022, and while it failed to build on the original legacy, it is still supported by Blizzard and the eSports scene. 

Call of Duty: Black Ops II is the best Call of Duty game in the Black Ops series, despite the success of the just-released Black Ops 6.

Released in 2012, this installment set itself apart with a campaign that could end differently depending on player actions during the game, something rarely seen in FPS games. The campaign also featured several memorable characters, including Alex Mason and Raul Menendez, and when Zombie and Multiplayer modes are added to the mix, it is no surprise Black Ops II is regarded as the best CoD game to date. 

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS: GO) stands out as the best iteration of the beloved franchise, bridging the gap between the classic gameplay of CS 1.6 and the modern, flashy colors seen in CS2.

All the core mechanics and simplicity are still there, with refined graphics, new game modes, and the best matchmaking system. It’s both a great game for beginners and veteran players who don’t feel alienated from the version that popularized the franchise. It is also responsible for the thriving competitive eSports scene. It is both an evolution of the franchise and an homage to its roots, and as such is perhaps the best game ever made in the FPS genre.