10 Criminally Overlooked FPS Games Nobody Talks About

Let’s be real, not every FPS gets to be a huge deal like Call of Duty or Battlefield. So many shooters come out, get a moment in the spotlight, maybe a sequel, and then just…fade away. It’s crazy, because even if critics love a game, it doesn’t always mean it’ll have a lasting impact or get more than a couple of entries in the series.

The world of video games can be unpredictable, but truly great games have lasting power. While older titles might become difficult to play on original hardware, fans of shooting games will still find many worth revisiting. With renewed interest, some of these classics might even see a proper comeback.

Killzone: Mercenary

The PS Vita’s Secret Weapon

Killzone: Mercenary, a spin-off game for the PS Vita, finally perfected the shooting controls on the handheld system, a feat Call of Duty: Black Ops: Declassified didn’t achieve. A standout feature was the ability to swipe the touchscreen to perform quick knife kills in battle. Players took on the role of a mercenary with the goal of completing missions and gaining favor with different factions to advance their career. With its excellent controls, impressive graphics, and flexible gameplay, Killzone: Mercenary stands out as one of the best games in the Killzone series.

Darkwatch

Vampires And Cowboys

Darkwatch offers a unique twist on the Old West, casting you as a vampire instead of a cowboy. The game blends a Western setting with steampunk elements, letting you fight the undead with unusual weapons like revolver-blades and rapid-fire crossbows. Throughout the game, you’ll face choices about whether to help or harm characters, and these decisions unlock different vampire abilities, giving you a good reason to play through the game again.

Singularity

Soviet Time-Bending

I recently played this amazing, but sadly overlooked, sci-fi game called Singularity. You play as someone sent to explore an old Soviet research facility, and it’s seriously creepy! You find this incredible glove that lets you control time, which is how you solve a lot of the puzzles. Like, if there’s a broken staircase, you can just rewind time and fix it! It’s got a cool mix of time powers, weird weapons, and some seriously messed up creatures living in the facility. Honestly, it came really close to capturing the same kind of spooky, immersive atmosphere that BioShock did, and I wish more people had played it.

Immortals Of Aveum

Gifted By Magic

In Immortals of Aveum, a war is raging in a fantastical world, but battles aren’t fought with guns or swords. Instead, soldiers use magical gauntlets and other enchanted gear to cast spells as their weapons.

This game focuses on collecting powerful weapons, including familiar types like rocket launchers, sniper rifles, and shotguns, as well as magical options. You can even combine weapons like a whip with a protective shield. While the game’s story takes itself a little too seriously given how over-the-top it is, the core shooting mechanics are excellent, making it one of the most enjoyable shooters released recently.

Red Steel 2

Wild Wild Samurai

The original Red Steel launched with the Wii but wasn’t very popular due to clunky motion controls. Fortunately, Red Steel 2 addressed these problems and offered a unique setting – the Old West – to stand out from other shooters at the time. In the sequel, players could fight with swords or use a revolver, switching between melee and ranged combat. While the Wii didn’t have many shooting games, Red Steel 2 was definitely one of the best.

Syndicate (2012)

An FPS Reboot

Originally launched as a series in 1993, Syndicate imagined a future where powerful corporations acted like governments, battling for control. The 2012 game was a fresh start, reimagining the gameplay as a first-person shooter while retaining the themes of corporate espionage. A unique feature allowed players to modify their bodies between missions, gaining abilities like seeing an enemy’s heartbeat for improved accuracy. While it didn’t reach the same level of success as Deus Ex: Human Revolution, another cyberpunk reboot from that time, Syndicate remains an engaging shooter and is worth revisiting.

The Darkness 2

Comics And Pasta

The sequel, The Darkness 2, built upon the first game with a striking new comic book-inspired art style. Players once again control Jackie, the mobster possessed by a supernatural entity, now rising in power within the criminal underworld. This attracts unwanted attention from rival gangs, but Jackie’s demonic abilities give him a significant edge. While players can use a variety of weapons, the most satisfying combat comes from commanding the creatures of The Darkness – from small imps to massive tentacles – all under Jackie’s control.

Roboquest

A Robo Roguelike

Roboquest is a fast-paced, roguelike shooter where you play as a robot protecting a scientist on the move. Each attempt lets you discover a variety of powerful weapons, like guns that freeze opponents or incredibly fast rifles.

Roboquest offers solid platforming and shooting gameplay. Between attempts, you earn currency to improve your robot, preparing it for the next challenge. While it doesn’t have a story as grand as the roguelike Hades, Roboquest still provides a good variety of weapons and ways to upgrade your character.

RoboCop: Rogue City

Cease And Desist

While there haven’t been many RoboCop games, RoboCop: Rogue City is easily the best one. Players take on the role of RoboCop and are tasked with taking down the city’s escalating gang problem. A great aspect of the game is its visual style, which closely resembles the classic films. Even when RoboCop takes damage, you can repair and upgrade him between missions, making him even more formidable. Although RoboCop moves slowly, his immense power makes playing as him incredibly satisfying – it feels a lot like controlling a powerful mech.

Prodeus

An Old-School Shooter

If you enjoyed classic 90s shooters like Doom and Wolfenstein 3D, Prodeus is a great modern option. The game features fast-paced action and tightly designed levels filled with pixelated enemies. It’s a shooter that rewards constant movement and aggressive play, rather than hiding and defending. While it might take some getting used to for players unfamiliar with this style, the game’s controls, visuals, and overall design are sure to keep you engaged.

2025-12-13 11:35