Do you remember one of the first games that came out, about several decades ago? Well, if I remember it good, those were the shooter games. But what makes PC shooter games so addicting? Well, that can be many factors, either the smooth and often optimized gameplay, or story in the game, or perhaps going guns-blazing against impossible odds? That I don’t know, but I know that shooter games are my favorite genre of games on PC, and literally, there isn’t a shooter that I didn’t get to play! With that in mind, I will present you the list of 21 best shooter games for PC.
What are Shooter Games
Video game genres called “shooter games” are ones that emphasise battle and shooting adversaries with various guns and other weapons. Players in these games are frequently required to move through numerous levels or environments while engaging in fierce gunfights. They frequently take place in the first or third person.
1. Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus
Our hero B.J Blazkowicz makes his return once more to raise hell upon Nazis forces, and you’ll immediately LOVE this game when you play it. It’s easily one of the best shooters of 2017, boasting a smooth gameplay, combined with a great story, that will take you on a rollercoaster of emotions. The story of The New Colossus continues where the last game finished, with the protagonist being mortally wounded, and then saved by the resistance group.
Then, you are tasked with killing as many Nazis as you can, with your guns, axes, grenades and a special suit. The game came out just a few days ago, and it’s a hell of a fun. Definitely recommended!
2. DOOM
DOOM will make other FPS games for PC look underwhelming and not that satisfying. Why? Well, DOOM boasts some of the best gameplay mechanics I’ve ever seen, plus it has that old-school feeling, as it’s a fast-paced shooter. So you’ll run-and-gun demons while jumping, climbing, and shooting whatever comes close to you. You can also carry as many weapons as you like, and the only mission here is to kill the demons, rip their heads off and send them back to hell, where they came from. So, if you are ready for an ultimate carnage, fighting demons both on Mars and Hell, then jump right into this game. Beware that it’s very cheap now, so don’t miss the chance!
3. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
CSGO is one of the best shooter games for PC at the moment, and being an E-sports title, it’s very popular among players. It’s the best FPS game you can get for the money. CSGO is a remake of the old CS 1.6, with much better graphics, better gameplay, physics and overall feeling. You can play either as a Counter-Terrorist or Terrorist, and even join competitive games which will give you some pretty good rewards, as well as increase your world rank faster. Also, this game is about tactics, and you’ll need teamplay in order to beat the enemies, so play it smart and don’t go guns blazing.
4. Destiny 2
If you like multiplayer-only shooters, then Destiny 2 is for you. Although there are story missions, here, you’ll play them in online mode, and there are modes like PvE (Player vs Environment) and PvP (Player vs Player), where you can raid or fight versus one another. The game is a huge improvement over its predecessor, boasting the renewed gameplay, and some stunning visuals for the consoles and PC.
On top of that, there is a new progression system which you can gain the advantage of, by earning EXP points and upgrading your character from a particular class that you’ve chosen. Destiny 2 is a great online FPS, and I strongly recommend it, even if you didn’t play the previous one.
5. Battlefield 1
Battlefield 1 developers came to an idea to set the game in WW1 era, and wow! The result is fascinating. Battlefield 1 will give you the most immersive shooter experience from WW1 era, offering tons of new single-player missions, amazing visuals, and smooth gameplay. In a single-player mode, you can play as French, Italian and English soldier in order to stop the Axis from being the number one force in the world. Multiplayer is dope here, and you can dogfight, drive vehicles, use automatic rifles, snipers, and bombs to be the best on the battlefield. This game is also insanely optimized, and you can run it even on low-end PC, so don’t be afraid to try it.
6. Prey
Prey is a half-shooter, half-stealth game, and there’s even an RPG part here, which is very prominent. It combines the gameplay inspired by older RPG games like Deus Ex and System Shock 2, boasting a great horror setting, a completely original GLOO gun, and a bloody hard difficulty. Don’t expect Prey to be your classic run-and-gun game; it’s much more than that. The whole setting is on a Sputnik 1, a space station built by USSR and USA.
However, as the game begins, you encounter a dangerous alien race called Typhon, being able to morph into another object and use the environment to their advantage. Although there is shooting, you’ll mostly be using your GLOO gun in combat, which shoots a material similar to a glue, which will freeze your opponents. Very original and very good game.
7. Titanfall 2
What you get when you combine Titans and humans and put them on a battlefield with each another? Well, you get an explosive action game for PC, full of thrilling and unforgettable moments, that Titanfall 2 will offer you. This game introduced a singleplayer campaign, unlike the previous game, and it’s one of the best campaigns I’ve ever played. There’s a little bit of everything, from stealth, shooting, using Titans and much more.
And yes, Titans are the star of the show here, and you’ll have your own Titan that you can hop into, or let him help you in battles. But it’s so badass using Titan! You can upgrade your Titan, install modules that will change the weapons and abilities on your Titan, giving you an advantage in both singleplayer and multiplayer mode. It’s simply one of the best shooter games for PC.
8. Star Wars Battlefront 2
Star Wars Battlefront 2 follows a similar history of Titanfall 2, by introducing a story-driven single-player campaign, that was absent from the previous game. However, as it’s an upcoming game, we still don’t know what will campaign look like, BUT we know that multiplayer is great! You want me to count the heroes from the Star Wars universe that you can play with? Luke Skywalker, Boba Fett, Darth Vader, Han Solo, Captain Phasma, Darth Maul, Kylo Ren and much more. Get ready, November 17th will be a great day for shooter games genre.
9. Metro: Last Light
Metro: Last Light will not offer you a big, open world to explore, but rather a claustrophobic underground that you can explore. It’s a pretty linear game, following our protagonist Artyom on a venture to save the little Dark One, that survived the catastrophe from the previous game (not going to spoil it for you!). However, Artyom isn’t the only one that wants it, so there is a conflict between several factions in the game, which makes the story compelling, and the ending not-that-satisfying, but that also depends on you.
The game is played from the first-person perspective, and on higher difficulties, you can even play without HUD, which is a really hardcore experience, not knowing how much bullets you have left, or health, before you die. Overall, the game looks stunning, plays well, and it’s very cheap, so feel free to get it on Steam.
10. Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege
Rainbow Six Siege, a team-based shooter game, emphasizes cooperation and strategic gameplay. Players assume the roles of counterterrorism agents and engage in ferocious close-quarters combat in a range of global situations. Thanks to the broad variety of operators, each of whom has their own set of skills and resources, the game supports a vast array of gameplay styles and approaches. Rainbow Six Siege is able to keep providing its players with a tough and gratifying multiplayer experience because of regular updates and a loyal player base.
Rainbow Six is known to be a series of tactical shooter games, and Siege is here to bring that to a new level. It introduced many new features, gameplay is refined and graphics are awesome. However, it’s a multiplayer game, so you’ll need to play it in the team to win the game.
It’s hard to master, but the gameplay mechanics are very simple. It’s played from the first-person perspective, and your mission is to respond to the mission as a Rainbow operative. On the other side, the terrorist’s mission is to defend themselves from the Rainbow team, by fortifying, setting traps, and making defense systems to survive. The game is a very intense experience, and it’s relatively cheap so one more reason to get it.
11. Call of Duty Modern Warfare – Remastered
When it first came out, COD Modern Warfare blew my mind with its graphics and gameplay. The Remastered version also did the same, even though I’ve played it numerous times. The graphics are phenomenal, and you are once again teaming up with Captain Price in order to fight versus the terrorist group. While it doesn’t have the fancy stuff like powerups and such, COD Modern Warfare- Remastered has a great and intriguing story, full of plot twists. Do you remember that level in Chernobyl? Well, you’ll have to play it again, and real COD fans know why I mentioned this particular level. It gave me such a hard time to beat it!
12. Apex Legend
A free-to-play PC battle royale shooter with a focus on squad-based gameplay is also known as Apex Legends. The game, which is situated in the Titanfall universe, features a large cast of characters, each of whom has unique playstyles and powers. Three-person teams face off against other teams in a large, dynamic arena as they scavenge for weapons, equipment, and supplies in an effort to be the last team standing. Due to its fluid gameplay, smart mechanics, and ongoing upgrades, Apex Legends is a favorite among fans of battle royale games which will keep you on your toes the whole time.
13. Overwatch
Blizzard is good at making FPS games too, you know? Overwatch is one of the best shooter games for PC, offering tons of fast-paced shooting and great fun in multiplayer. You can choose from more than twenty heroes, with each one having unique abilities and weapons. There is a little bit of everything for anybody, and that’s great. It’s also properly optimized, so you can run it on low-end machines, but it’s still a full-priced AAA title.
14. Bioshock Infinite
Bioshock from 2007 was a damn great game! Infinite? Well, this one is even better and crazier! No, I’m serious, this game is crazy, and offers some refined and explosive combat, as well as a good story, which may be a little complicated to comprehend. Enemies are varied, and there are boss fights that will put you to the test. Also, your companion Elizabeth is the star of the show here, but she isn’t all as good as she looks. You’ll need to try the game to see how great it is!
15. The Darkness 2
Remember The Darkness 2? What a fantastic shooter that was! It’s a dark, grim and very misanthropic game, in which you are a Don of Franchetti crime family, Jackie Estacado. However, as Jackie still suffers from the death of his girlfriend, he once again lets darkness consume him, and becomes the monster with the two tentacles, with which he can rip and tear enemies, and shoot them with dual-wielding guns. This sounds so badass, and believe me, it’s even better when you get to play it! A really underrated game, and a pure classic in this genre.
16. Far Cry 4
Far Cry is a fluctuating series, having both good and not-that-good games. But, as Far Cry 4 is on our list, it’s a great game, boasting an open-world environment, animals to hunt, enemies to kill, outposts to liberate and much more. Our main villain here is Pagan Min, which is a star of the show with his one-liners, and great voice acting. Although he isn’t interesting like Vaas from the previous game, he steals the show here. The open world of the fictional city of Kyrat looks great, with high-detailed vegetation and lots of places to explore. If you liked Far Cry 3, you’ll like this one even more!
17. Half-Life 2
Half-Life 2 is one of the most important shooter games of all time. First, because of its great gameplay mechanics, great graphics, and those hardcore shooting scenarios that will stay in your brain years after you’ve played it. It’s played from the perspective of Gordon Freeman, who is a silent character throughout the series, but he sure knows how to shoot! Half-Life 2 introduced a new gravity gun, which is badass, and will help you kill enemies in many ways. Plus, you can drive vehicles here, which makes the game all the more awesome. Don’t tell me you didn’t play this game, please don’t! And if you didn’t play it, go get it now!
18. Borderlands 2
Borderlands 2 provides the player with a good set of action and shooting, but the main star here is the open world, and a leveling-based gameplay. I know that Borderlands 2 require some grinding to get to the higher level, but with its satisfying combat mechanics and cartoonish graphics, Borderlands 2 is a pretty interesting game to play. You can choose the character at the beginning of the game, and level him up until you finish the game.
However, the game is very hard, as most enemies later are higher level than you, so you’ll need some great shooting skills. When talking about the best shooter games for PC, Borderlands 2 is a necessity.
19. GTA V
GTA V is a legendary game, with its characters and open-world design that is unique to the series. Plus, GTA V offers three new playable characters; Trevor, Michael, and Franklin, each of them having unique personality, abilities, and backstory. This game improved over its predecessor so much, in terms of graphics, driving, shooting, and story, and you can even run it on weaker PCs as it’s pretty well optimized. The multiplayer is also great here, especially if you play it with your friends. I can write about this game forever, but I won’t waste your time; go and play it.
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20. Bulletstorm
Bulletstorm is not your ordinary first-person shooter, with a straightforward approach. Here, you’ll get the linear levels, BUT you’ll also get the chance to do some very creative kills with guns, kicks and your energy leash, which you can use to impale the enemies, drag them closer to you or launch them into the air and blast their heads off with your gun or kick. Story-wise, the game doesn’t offer anything special, but the main star here is the smooth gameplay, and overall sense of humor in the game.
21. Max Payne 3
The first two Max Payne games were very dark, dealing with more serious topics and with a more complex, noir-style story. However, Max Payne 3 returns and launches you to adventure in Brazil, on a more linear story, to fight off against a Brazilian gang and corrupted UFE special unit. So, basically, you can also consider this as one of those fighting games for PC. You’ll have to shoot and dodge your way through the levels, using the famous bullet-time feature, which slows down time, letting you pick enemies one by one. Max Payne 3 is a very important game, and the whole series has one of the best PC shooter games.