By Sharon Smith
First-person shooters have been a major genre in gaming for the longest time, and Steam holds many of the best examples of the genre. The platform hosts hundreds of FPS games, yet only a small group stands out as truly exceptional. These are the games players return to years later because the action still feels exciting and the design still holds up.
A great FPS does more than deliver loud explosions and fast shooting. Strong gunplay matters, but other elements shape the full experience. Smart level design keeps players moving through interesting environments. Enemy encounters challenge reflexes and strategy. Weapons feel powerful and satisfying to use. When all these elements come together, the result becomes hard to forget, just like in the following games.
Star Wars: Republic Commando
Steam Review Rating: 95%
- Lead an elite squad of clone commandos during the Clone Wars.
- Squad teamwork and strategic combat in the Star Wars universe.
Star Wars: Republic Commando offers a different style of FPS compared to most shooters. Instead of fighting alone, the player commands three squad members who assist during combat. These teammates can be ordered to perform different actions, such as sniping enemies, setting explosives, or hacking computer systems.
Combat in Star Wars: Republic Commando involves tactical positioning rather than reckless attacks. The squad can take cover behind objects, set up ambushes, or defend positions, while enemies approach. This design gives the game a slower and more strategic feel compared to traditional arcade shooters. The command system is also designed to be simple. Instead of navigating complex menus, players point at specific objects or locations and quickly issue orders to squadmates. This approach keeps the focus on action while still emphasizing teamwork.
Killing Floor
Steam Review Rating: 96%
- Players fight waves of mutated creatures in a cooperative survival shooter.
- Teams must survive multiple rounds while earning money to buy better weapons between waves.
Unlike traditional shooters with story missions, Killing Floor is more about wave-based survival. Teams of up to six players fight through multiple waves of enemies. Each wave grows more difficult, introducing stronger creatures and larger groups of attackers. After each wave ends, players receive money for the enemies they eliminated. This money can be spent at a trader shop to purchase new weapons, ammunition, armor, and equipment. Choosing the right gear becomes important as the difficulty increases.
Although Killing Floor does not focus heavily on story, its chaotic battles and cooperative teamwork made it very popular. One of the game’s most recognizable features is ZED Time, a slow-motion effect that occasionally triggers during intense combat moments. When this happens, time briefly slows down while players continue fighting, making dramatic kills easier to see.
ULTRAKILL
Steam Review Rating: 96%
- Fast-paced retro-style shooter inspired by classic games like Doom and Quake.
- Focuses on speed, aggressive combat, and stylish combos during intense battles.
ULTRAKILL draws inspiration from classic 1990s shooters such as Doom and Quake, but pushes the speed and action even further. The premise is a bit unusual. Humanity has gone extinct, and machines now roam the world searching for blood as fuel. The player controls a combat robot called V1, which descends into the layers of Hell to fight demons and other machines in search of blood to power itself.
Gameplay revolves around extremely fast movement and aggressive fighting. Players dash, slide, and leap through arenas while dodging enemy attacks. Standing still usually leads to quick defeat, so the game encourages constant motion and quick reflexes. One of the most creative mechanics in ULTRAKILL involves health recovery. Instead of traditional healing items, V1 regains health by being close to enemies when they are damaged, essentially absorbing the blood released during combat. This system pushes players to stay close to danger rather than hiding from it. Despite being developed by a small team, ULTRAKILL quickly attracted a reasonable number of players. Its speed, creativity, skill-focused combat, and the feeling of being overpowered make it one of the most exciting modern indie FPS titles.
Quake
Steam Review Rating: 96%
- Fast and aggressive shooter where players fight monsters and enemies in dark, gothic environments.
- Pioneered 3D multiplayer shooters and competitive arena gameplay.
Quake introduced a fully 3D game engine at a time when many shooters still relied on simpler technology. The game is big on speed and precise shooting. Players move quickly through levels while collecting weapons, ammunition, and armor. Many areas also contain hidden rooms that reward exploration.
Quake also became famous for its multiplayer mode, which helped shape competitive online shooters. Players could battle each other in arena-style matches where speed, accuracy, and map knowledge determined victory. Another important feature was the game’s engine technology. The Quake engine allowed true 3D environments and real-time lighting effects, which were impressive achievements at the time.
Deep Rock Galactic
Steam Review Rating: 97%
- Co-op FPS where space dwarves mine valuable resources inside dangerous alien caves.
- Combines shooting, exploration, and teamwork inside fully destructible, procedurally generated environments.
Few shooters mix teamwork and chaos as well as Deep Rock Galactic. Missions usually begin with a drop pod landing deep underground. From there, players explore dark caves, mine resources, and complete objectives while fighting off waves of alien creatures. The environment itself becomes a major part of the gameplay. Unlike most shooters, the terrain can be completely destroyed. Players drill tunnels, carve new paths, or blast open walls to reach hidden areas.
This co-op FPS game encourages teamwork through its class system. Each dwarf specializes in a different role. The Scout lights up dark caves and moves quickly across terrain. The Gunner handles heavy firepower and shields. The Engineer builds defensive structures and platforms. The Driller can carve tunnels through rock to open new routes. Working together makes exploration much safer and faster.
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This article originally appeared on GameRant and is republished here with permission.
