Most first-person shooters take place in the present (at the time of release) or in the future with some high-concept twist. For example, the Halo series is one of the best sci-fi shooters around, while Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare takes place in the 2000s. Then there are games like Fallout that have a retro aesthetic, but technically take place in the future.
For anyone who likes looking to the past, there are some great historical and fantasy-based first-person shooters out there. They may bend the definition of "shooters set in the past," but either way, there’s some good variety with the following gamees for those tired of the same old, same old modern-day shooter formula.
Call Of Duty: Black Ops
Beware The Numbers
There are a lot of great Call of Duty games tackling the past, but among the pile, Call of Duty: Black Ops’campaign is still a top-tier pick. The game largely follows Alex Mason throughout his recollection of events involving a CIA operation in Cuba that largely spirals out of control.
While the point of many missions is to go in quietly, this is not a stealth game by any means. With tight controls, players will play through one bombastic set piece after another, all in the name of keeping the peace for America. By the end, players will be wondering about the nature of the “Numbers” as well.
Medal Of Honor: Frontline
Storming The Beaches
There are a lot of interpretative twists on storming the beaches of Normandy during World War 2 in movies, but Medal of Honor: Frontline was one of the first to do it this well in a video game. While not the most technically impressive game nowadays, the chaotic energy players can get riding up to the beach with their brothers in arms to fight the Nazis is riveting, along with the rest of the missions.
The shooting is pretty decent for a 2000s-era game, although it’s no Halo: Combat Evolved. The most impressive thing about it to this day is the audio design because, with a good sound system or headphones, players will feel like they are in the heat of the war in Europe. This is where Medal of Honor peaked.
Battlefield 1
Shovel Soldier
Not many World War 1 games exist because it’s a tricky war to frame an entire game around. Kudos go to the Battlefield 1 team for making it happen in a compelling manner. Instead of focusing on trench warfare, the game showcases a lot of efforts during “The Great War”, from driving tanks in the aforementioned trenches to flying planes and taking down zeppelins to riding horses through battlefields.
The shooting mechanics are smooth, but the real treat is bashing enemies with shovels in close-quarters combat because that’s a novelty that not many games allow (beyond Shovel Knight). It has a strong campaign and solid multiplayer community that is still active today.
Wolfenstein: The New Order
Not On My Watch
Wolfenstein: The New Order starts as a World War 2 shooter, with franchise hero B.J. Blazkowicz storming a Nazi stronghold to save the day. Unfortunately for everyone in this game, the Allies do not win the war. Instead, the globe bends the knee to the Nazi empire.
This alternate history game reimagines the world if it were ruled by Nazis, and it’s haunting. Thankfully, B.J. isn’t done with them yet, and neither are his resistance buddies. It’s an absurdly bloody game with surprises and comedic bits strewn throughout. It manages to be both a throwback and a modern shooter. It’s a shame more games don’t try to be as bold as Wolfenstein: The New Order.
BioShock
Somewhere Beyond The Sea
BioShock takes place in the 1960s, although it’s hard to tell given that players dive into an undersea utopia for the entire campaign. Inside this fallen paradise, Rapture, players will have to battle the inhabitants to escape and, thankfully, they will be armed to the teeth with pistols, Tommy guns, and mystical powers transplanted through potions called Plasmids.
Plasmids, and the lumbering Big Daddy enemies, are what BioShock is best known for, along with the absolutely haunting locale of Rapture. It’s a great shooter on top of being one of the most atmospheric horror games of all time.
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This article originally appeared on GameRant and is republished here with permission.
