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Shooting has stood out as gaming’s most prominent verbs since its inception, evolving tremendously from the simple, flat 2D blasting of Asteroids, to the genre-defining release of first-person shooter Doom, to the bursting scene of creativity that the genre operates in today. Shooters are now far more than just giving you a gun and some enemies to blow away–they’re highly inventive games that take place from every perspective you can imagine, interweaving unique mechanics to make the base action of pulling a trigger continually inventive and captivating.
Variety is the shooting genre’s greatest strength, catering to an ever-growing appetite of tastes for the next big adrenaline fix. First-person shooters have come a long way since Doom, but the franchise itself has endured with critically-acclaimed modern sequels such as Doom: The Dark Ages. Others of this ilk, such as Titanfall 2 and Halo, add their own spin and feeling to the first-person action that makes their own brand of shooting feel distinct, while Call of Duty has carved out a whole portion of the market for itself in its annual dominance of the space. There are so many great options in this space, that we have an entire list breaking down the best FPS games around today.
The same could be said for Fortnite, which hosts its action in a relentless battle royale format but expands to be so much more than just the sum of its parts. Returnal, another third-person shooter, couldn’t be more different, with a roguelite approach and much more demanding action that requires pinpoint precision to get through each level. Others, like Gears 5, slow things down, having you shift from cover to cover while skirmishing with enemies in more tactical warfare.
These are just the tips of the iceberg, with examples below including combinations with deckbuilders, roguelites, and enduring classics that serve as a reminder of just how long a perfectly tuned experience can endure. There are some of the best shooters you can play today, from some of the most recent examples to underappreciated gems. For more, check out our lists for the best RPGs, the best racing games, the best PS5 games, the best Xbox games, and the best Nintendo Switch games.
