The 10 Best Shooter Games for Adrenaline Junkies (2024)

When a game relies on the first-person perspective, things are bound to feel immersive. The best shooter games invoke a feeling of action, adventure, and interactivity that keeps you on the edge of your seat. 

The first-person shooter (FPS) genre can feel limitless thanks to the different subgenres it includes — there are action-packed multiplayer titles that work on class-based abilities as well as slow-paced narrative games that tell an incredible story. 

This article explores 10 of the best shooter games available right now to help you decide which one is right for you and consider how different games in the genre can make for incredibly unique experiences.

The 10 Best First-Person Shooter Games

1. Doom Eternal

• Genre: Action-adventure
• Release date: March 20, 2020
• Platforms: Windows, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch
• Gameplay features: Melee and ranged combat, fast-paced action 
• Developer: id Software
• Payment model: $39.99
• Rating: 88/100 on Metacritic
• Best for: Players who want high-adrenaline gameplay fueled by violence, non-stop action, and fast movement

With guns, guts, and glory, Doom Eternal builds on some of the most exciting moments in video game history. It’s a sequel to the highly popular game Doom (2016) and puts you in the shoes of Doom Slayer — who will “rip and tear until it’s done,” saving the world from a demonic invasion straight from hell.

The gameplay focuses largely on ranged and melee combat, equipping you with powerful weapons like shotguns, swords, chainsaws, and “Glory Kills” that keep the gameplay loop exciting and engaging. Add the heavy metal music in the background, and you have a game that stops at nothing when it comes to fast-paced action. 

2. Overwatch 2

• Genre: PvP, co-op, hero shooter
• Release date: October 4, 2022
• Platforms: Windows, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch
• Gameplay features: Class-based gameplay, hero shooter, team-based objectives
• Developer: Blizzard Entertainment
• Payment model: Free to play (with in-app purchases)
• Rating: 79/100 on Metacritic
• Best for: Casual and competitive players looking for a hero-based game with a diverse range of playable characters

Based on the first game by the same name, Overwatch 2 sets itself apart as one of the most seamless player-versus-player (PvP) games with a diverse range of heroes to choose from. It’s a hero-based shooter game with five players in each team competing against one another. The game boasts a large variety of maps with different themes and characters that use different sets of skills. 

Depending on your role in the team, you can play as a Support, Damage, or Tank character. The sequel acts as a new game by mixing player-versus-environment (PvE) elements from seasonal events and class-based abilities, making it one of the best modern-day shooter games. 

3. Borderlands 2

• Genre: Looter-shooter, RPG, action-adventure
• Release date: September 18, 2012
• Platforms: Windows, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch
• Gameplay features: More than 2 million guns to loot, hero-based abilities, RPG elements, gameplay rich with story 
• Developer: Gearbox Software
• Payment model: $19.99 on Windows and Xbox, $39.99 on Nintendo Switch and PlayStation (as part of Borderlands: The Handsome Collection)
• Rating: 89/100 on Metacritic
• Best for: Players looking for more than 30 hours of gameplay with a wide variety of guns, hero-based abilities to upgrade, and multiple playthroughs

With over-the-top humor and violence, Borderlands 2 offers an action-packed first-person shooting experience with powerful RPG elements. Players can choose to play as one of the four Vault Hunters on the planet of Pandora, who are tasked with stopping a villain called Handsome Jack.

Borderland 2’s cel-shaded art style sets it apart from other first-person shooter games, closely knitting PvE elements with co-op mechanics. You’ll be shooting and looting almost everything that moves — including bandits, beasts, bosses, and friends (if you don’t like them anymore). 

4. Counter-Strike 2

• Genre: Competitive PvP, co-op, tactical shooter
• Release date: September 27, 2023
• Platforms: Windows
• Gameplay features: Team-based objectives, precise and realistic gunplay, competitive matchmaking 
• Developer: Valve
• Payment model: Free to play (with in-app purchases)
• Rating: 82/100 on Metacritic
• Best for: Players looking to sharpen their gunplay and tactical strategy in a competitive environment

Counter-Strike 2 takes the crown as one of the most competitive multiplayer shooting games in the history of FPS titles. This means you’ll be rage-quitting (a lot) if you’re not up for the task. The game focuses on highly precise aiming, team strategy, and map awareness.

Depending on what team you're on — Terrorists or Counter-Terrorists — you'll either be planting a bomb or defusing it. Whether you fight with a pistol, grenade, submachine gun, or sniper, the objective is shared between teams, and you’ll often need to improvise depending on the situation at hand. 

5. Metro Exodus

• Genre: Survival-horror, action-adventure
• Release date: February 14, 2019
• Platforms: Windows, PlayStation, Xbox
• Gameplay features: Story-driven gameplay, stealth, close-range combat
• Developer: 4A Games
• Payment model: $29.99 on all platforms
• Rating: 82/100 on Metacritic 
• Best for: Fans of the survival-horror genre who want a gripping campaign with FPS mechanics

Set in a post-apocalyptic world, Metro Exodus tells the story of Artyom, a survivor who braves the devastated remains of Russia. The game blends survival horror and exploration subgenres, making it one of the best action-adventure games in the first-person genre. 

The game relies heavily on ranged combat, as you work with a variety of weapons when fighting against terrifying Humanimals. The dynamic weather system, along with atmospheric environments, set the tone for the game’s narrative, making it a deeply immersive experience with a disturbing backdrop. 

6. Destiny 2

• Genre: Looter-shooter, action-adventure, RPG, co-op, live-service
• Release date: September 6, 2017
• Platforms: Windows, PlayStation, Xbox 
• Gameplay features: PvE, PvP, narrative-driven exploration and combat, class-based abilities, co-op dungeons and raids
• Developer: Bungie
• Payment model: Free to play (with in-app purchases and expansion packs)
• Rating: 85/100 on Metacritic
• Best for: Players looking to explore a live-service title spanning a vast universe filled with class-based abilities, weapons, and quests

Destiny 2 is not just a video game; it’s a hobby in itself. The massively multiplayer online shooter has a plethora of planets to explore, weapons and abilities to master, and a gripping storyline that explores multiple races of beings inhabiting the galaxy.

As a Hunter, Titan, or Warlock, your abilities in the game differ based on the skill tree you wish to upgrade. Most of Destiny 2 works on a PvE system where you explore quest lines, dive into dungeons, and complete raids as a team. There’s also a PvP mode where you can test your mettle against other players, making it one of the best multiplayer FPS games you can play right now.

7. Halo: The Master Chief Collection

• Genre: Action-adventure
• Release date: November 11, 2014
• Platforms: Windows, Xbox
• Gameplay features: Story-driven gameplay, sci-fi elements, PvP
• Developer: Bungie, 343 Industries, Ruffian Games, Splash Damage, Saber Interactive
• Payment model: $39.99
• Rating: 91/100 on Metacritic 
• Best for: Players looking for several adventures weaved together by a gripping narrative set in a sci-fi universe

Halo: The Master Chief Collection compiles the classic Halo games and offers players a sci-fi journey through the eyes of Master Chief. The collection includes six games that feature a thrilling blend of fast-paced shooting, vehicular combat, and alien-occupied environments.

While much of the title boasts a single-player campaign with Master Chief as its prime protagonist, there are multiple maps and modes if you wish to venture into the game’s multiplayer space. 

8. Superhot

• Genre: Puzzle
• Release date: February 25, 2016
• Platforms: Windows, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch
• Gameplay features: Puzzle-solving, intricate level design, strategy
• Developer: Superhot Team
• Payment model: $24.99
• Rating: 82/100 on Metacritic
• Best for: Fans of the first-person genre looking for a puzzle-solving experience they’ve never played before

The best shooter games offer gameplay mechanics you’ve never witnessed before. That’s where Superhot comes in, with a mix of slow-motion and strategic gameplay. The idea is simple: When you move, time moves. So, how do you use this to escape enemies who want to kill you?

Thanks to the game’s sci-fi-based narrative that draws players in, all the levels in Superhot make slow-motion gameplay part of its level design. Each level is unique, and you can use different ways to defeat enemies as long as you have a strategy in mind. 

9. Black Mesa

• Genre: Action-adventure
• Release date: March 6, 2020
• Platforms: Windows
• Gameplay features: Narrative-driven gameplay, puzzle-solving mechanics, survival-horror elements
• Developer: Crowbar Collective
• Payment model: $19.99
• Rating: 84/100 on Metacritic
• Best for: Fans of well-engineered enemy AI and an FPS game with a strong story

The world of first-person shooter games is simply incomplete without mentioning Half-Life. Black Mesa is a spiritual remaster of the game that gives it a modern look and feel, making it one of the best games on PC. You play as Gordon Freeman, who’s traversing through a landscape taken over by deadly aliens.

The game starts as a result of a catastrophic experiment gone wrong at the Black Mesa Research Facility and quickly turns into a first-person shooter adventure involving melee and ranged combat, along with environmental puzzles that test your creativity. 

10. Titanfall 2

• Genre: Action-adventure 
• Release date: October 28, 2016
• Platforms: Windows, PlayStation, Xbox
• Gameplay features: Fast-paced movement, story-driven gameplay, tactical abilities
• Developer: Respawn Entertainment
• Payment model: $29.99 on Windows, $19.99 on consoles
• Rating: 89/100 on Metacritic
• Best for: Players looking for an engaging storyline driven by fast-paced mobility and combat set in a sci-fi universe

Titanfall 2 has a gripping, albeit short, campaign that tells the story of a pilot and his mech (a Titan). Together, they fight and move through a war-torn landscape in hopes of preventing a catastrophic event from occurring. The game’s highly polished movement makes it one of the best. 

Titanfall 2 manages to find a great balance between multiple genres within an FPS game, like fast-paced movement, shooting a variety of guns, choice-based dialogue, and puzzle-solving mechanics. 

The Best Shooter Games at a Glance

The best FPS games cover a variety of subgenres, giving you many options to choose from. This table can help you decide the best game to dive into. 

How To Choose a Shooter Game

The best FPS games pride themselves on atmospheric environments driven by polished gameplay. While some games have a strong narrative that keeps players hooked, others have mechanics that make the game highly replayable.

Here are some key criteria to consider:

• Assess the balance between fast-paced action and strategic gameplay: Intense combat and high mobility can keep you engaged in a game. However, the game also needs to give you enough time to think about your next steps, forming a good balance. 
• Explore the variety of game modes available: A single game can have multiple modes that thrive on PvP and PvE scenarios. This keeps the game interesting and lets you form new experiences within a familiar universe.
• Research the level of weapon customization: Depending on the game, you can change your weapons, modify them, or use your character’s abilities to enhance or change your gameplay. RPG and looter-shooter games typically let you do this often. 
• Investigate the community support and updates: If it’s a live-service or multiplayer title, make sure it’s well-supported by the developers and the community at large. This keeps things novel and fresh as you pour hours into the game over time.

Choose Your Next FPS Adventure

Shooter games can offer you an array of experiences. As you explore the best shooter games, you’ll come across a plethora of adventures, mechanics, and universes that match your personal playstyle.

While some new FPS games with strong campaigns offer incredible stories to ponder over, other online FPS games help you form new connections with fellow gamers and hone your skills as a first-person shooter player. 

FPS Games FAQ

Which Shooter Game Features the Most Engaging Movement Mechanics?

Titanfall 2 cleverly uses mobility as a key aspect of the game’s overall movement mechanics. It’s a mix between sci-fi and realistic gameplay mechanics. You can slide, mantle, and zipline across different places, wall-run, and even use character abilities like the “Phase Shift” to traverse different dimensions.

What Are the Different Types of Shooter Games?

Within the first-person shooter genre, there are arena, shoot ‘em up, tactical, vehicular, cover-based, stealth, simulation, and looter-shooters, among others. Cover-based, stealth, and tactical shooters cover espionage-esque gameplay, while arena, shoot ‘em up, and looter-shooters thrive on fast-paced gameplay.

How Do I Improve My Aim in Shooter Games?

Your camera’s sensitivity and placement play a huge role in shooter games. The lower it is, the easier it will be for you to aim. Movement-based games generally require increased sensitivity.

Additionally, if the game has a training range or practice mode, use it to improve your gameplay before jumping into a campaign or match against other players.