First Person Shooter video games are common, and gameplay elements of this genre have been polished over and over since they were invented. There’s a huge variety of FPS games that you can get your hands on, and the multiplayer aspect lets you challenge your friends and see where you stand in the competition.
But an often overlooked part of FPS games are the single player modes, particularly the single player campaigns that used to be released with every AAA title. Sometimes the campaigns for these games were so good that they became the main focus of the video game, and these FPS’s presented some great stories and lore that managed to stick with players.
10 Bioshock Infinite
BioShock: Infinite
Platform(s) PS3 , Xbox 360 , PC , macOS , Linux Released March 26, 2013 Developer(s) Irrational Games Publisher(s) 2K
Bioshock Infinite provides you with one of the most unique FPS experiences in a game, and it starts with the floating city of Columbia. Bioshock Infinite delivers a stunning and narratively rich experience with you stepping into the shoes of Booker DeWitt, a private investigator tasked with rescuing a mysterious woman named Elizabeth.
As you explore Columbia and without giving too many spoilers, there are layers upon layers of storytelling often involving complex themes of religion and social injustice, all while battling through intense firefights with its unique combat system.
9 Half-Life: Alyx
Half-Life: Alyx
Platform(s) PC Released March 23, 2020 Developer(s) Valve Publisher(s) Valve
Half-Life: Alyx is a very new direction that Valve takes for Half-Life and is VR experience of the beloved Half-Life universe. The game's VR environment allows you to physically interact with the world in ways never before possible in an FPS, but the highlight of the Half-Life franchise is always the story.
The combination of a compelling story and a modern spinoff of a classic makes Half-Life: Alyx a must-play for both Half-Life fans and VR enthusiasts. Even if you're a die-hard fan of the original games, Alyx will surprise and delight you.
8 Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
Platform(s) Xbox One , PC , PS4 Released October 25, 2019 Developer(s) Infinity Ward Publisher(s) Activision
Call of Duty had been falling off with each new entry until the Modern Warfare remake. This is Call of Duty at its grittiest. The campaign is great, with aspects of real-world issues like terrorism and nuclear warfare and portraying them with unflinching brutality.
You'll see the horrors of war through the eyes of multiple characters, with the action being extremely intense, and it doesn’t just give us one of the most faithful remakes ever, but also improves upon it immensely along with some much-needed graphical upgrades.
7 Halo: Combat Evolved
This is where it all began, Master Chief, the Covenant, Halo, everything started with this first entry into perhaps one of the most recognizable FPS shooters of all time. This is the game that launched a franchise, and it has got everything you could want in an FPS, epic space battles, alien landscapes, and some really awesome characters that shoot more than they talk.
Sure, the graphics might be a bit dated, but the gameplay still holds up, and the story is a classic sci-fi adventure that'll keep you hooked from start to finish.
6 Wolfenstein: The New Colossus
Following where The Old Blood and The New Order left off, Wolfenstein: The New Colossus starts with the Nazis having taken over America, and it's up to B.J. and his crew to take it back. The game is a wild ride of over-the-top action and meta social commentary all wrapped up neatly in an FPS package.
You'll wield an arsenal of ridiculous weapons, from hatchets to laser cannons, and you'll take down Nazis in some of the most creative ways imaginable. The story is violent, but it also has surprising depth, making it one of the best single-player stories in a First-Person Shooter ever.
5 Doom Eternal
DOOM Eternal
Platform(s) Xbox One , Stadia , PC , PS4 Released March 20, 2020 Developer(s) id Software Publisher(s) Bethesda
Doom Eternal is a symphony of destruction, where you're the conductor and every demon is an instrument to be shredded. The Doom Slayer is back, and this sequel brings more visceral violence than ever as you mindlessly fight and kill your way through hordes of demons, leaping and dashing across arenas.
The combat is fast and utterly satisfying, a pure adrenaline rush that'll leave you breathless, but don't forget to take in the scenery, Hell has never looked so good in a First-Person Shooter as this one.
4 BioShock
BioShock
Platform(s) PS3 , PS4 , Xbox 360 , Xbox One , Nintendo Switch , PC Released August 21, 2007 Developer(s) Irrational Games Publisher(s) 2K Games
The underwater dystopia you explore in BioShock is packed with lore and story and is a visual feast, a haunting reminder of what happens when ideals collide with reality. You'll explore the decaying grandeur of Rapture, armed with plasmids and a wrench, as you uncover the city's dark secrets in its story campaign.
The story of BioShock is a masterpiece of philosophy and moral ambiguity, leaving you questioning what you yourself thought you knew about right and wrong. Very few stories manage to invoke that sense of self-doubt the way BioShock does with its campaign.
3 Titanfall 2
Titanfall 2
Platform(s) PS4 , Xbox One , PC Released October 28, 2016 Developer(s) Respawn Entertainment Publisher(s) Electronic Arts
Titanfall 2's campaign is a surprisingly emotional journey where you assume the role of Jack Cooper, a pilot who bonds with a Titan named BT-7274. Together, you'll wall-run and blast your way through enemies, all while developing a touching friendship with the robot.
The campaign is short but sweet, packed with memorable moments and innovative level design that'll make you wish it was longer, but all great things must come to an end, leaving behind a legacy for future FPS games to come.
2 Far Cry 3
Far Cry 3
Platform(s) PS4 , PS3 , Xbox One , Xbox 360 , PC Released November 29, 2012 Developer(s) Ubisoft Montreal Publisher(s) Ubisoft
Starting off as a spoiled rich kid on vacation, Far Cry 3 quickly turns you into a hardened survivor fighting for your life in this open-world First-Person Shooter game. You'll explore the Rook Islands, a place ruled by the unhinged and extremely iconic pirate Vaas Montenegro.
The open world is yours to explore, whether you want to hunt animals or liberate outposts. The story is a dark and twisted tale of Jason's (you) transformation from prey to predator, being both thrilling and disturbing and something that Ubisoft has tried to recreate with every new Far Cry game.
1 Half-Life 2
Half-Life 2
Platform(s) PC , Xbox 360 , Xbox (Original) , PS3 , macOS , Linux , Android Released November 16, 2004 Developer(s) Valve Publisher(s) Valve
Half-Life 2 redefined what an FPS could be, with its blend of great game design with its puzzles, and amazing storytelling. You're Gordon Freeman, the silent scientist who became humanity's last hope.
With your crowbar and the iconic Gravity Gun, you'll fight your way through City 17, a dystopian metropolis deserving of an award for the most iconic setting in a video game. Half-Life 2's physics-based puzzles are still mind-blowing, the atmosphere is thick with tension, and the ending begged fans to ask for a third installment that never came, changing what we came to expect from story-based campaigns in First-Person Shooter games.
