First person shooters and PC gamers go hand-in-hand. After all us PC gamers have said for years that a mouse and keyboard are best for accuracy and fast-paced play.
There are an insane amount of shooters out there though, each with their own style and appeal. So what are our favourites?
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Top FPS games we’d recommend
Whether you’re into twitchy fast-paced shooters, combat sims or something more of a thinkers FPS game we’ve got the recommendations you need.
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BattleState Games
Escape from Tarkov
1. Best Buy
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Electronic Arts
Battlefield 2042
2. Runner Up
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Activision
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
3. A Top Pick
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Team 17
Hell Let Loose
4. Strong Contender
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Metro Exodus
5. Also Great
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Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege
6. Worth Considering
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Bethesda Softworks
DOOM Eternal
7. A Good Choice
BattleState Games
Escape from Tarkov
1. Best Buy
Intense looter shooter
Escape from Tarkov is an intense and unforgiving FPS like no other.
Pros
- Intense gameplay that keeps you coming back
- Stunning graphics
- Hardcore PVP battles
Cons
- Unforgiving for beginners
If you’re after something different then Escape from Tarkov may be the game to turn to. It’s an unusual one as it’s essentially an FPS MMO.
You are dropped into a map where you then need to gather gear and loot and extract again. If you die during the “raid” you lose your gear and have to buy more but if you get out then you can profit and load into the next game with better gear and weapons.
It’s intense with hectic PVP and AI combat and it also has a steep learning curve but is thoroughly addictive and rewarding too. If you’re the sort of gamer that is prone to rage-quitting then this might not be the game for you, but the thrills of a win in Tarkov are like no other and it can be utterly rewarding.
Electronic Arts
Battlefield 2042
2. Runner Up
Better with time
Battlefield 2042 had a bit of a rough start but it’s in much better shape now.
Pros
- Now with a class system
- Regular updates and tuning
- Something for everyone
Like many other Battlefield games before it, Battlefield 2042 had a rough start. Especially with EA/Dice trying to do something a little different in the form of “specialists”, but a couple of years on this Battlefield outing has been nicely honed and improved. And yes, the class system is back too.
2042 has a lot of appeals. It might not be the Battlefield of yesteryear for many hardcore fans, but there’s still a lot of fun to be had and plenty of variety too. Battlefield Portal lets players create their own experiences, including reliving maps and guns from previous games and new season content keeps delivering too. With masses of gadgets and gizmos to play around with and loads of choice of vehicles, guns and more, Battlefield 2042 is well worth looking at in our minds.
Activision
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
3. A Top Pick
COD returns to top form
Another classic modern warfare outing for COD.
Pros
- Solid gunplay
- Engaging campaign and plenty of other modes
- Well designed maps
Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 follows on from the previous Modern Warfare outing from 2019 with a gripping single-player campaign, co-op gameplay and, of course, multiplayer mode.
Once again, the COD team have delivered a real winner with a game that feels very much like the original Modern Warfare did back in 2007. Fans of the older Call of Duty games will enjoy this one for sure.
Naturally, the draw of Call of Duty also goes beyond the single-player campaign with Wazone 2.0 and more besides. If you enjoy there’s plenty to do in COD to keep you coming back for more.
Team 17
Hell Let Loose
4. Strong Contender
A more serious sim shooter
Hell Let Loose falls more into the sim category of FPS games and that makes it stand out from the rest.
Pros
- Hardcore and unforgiving
- More teamplay than others on this list
- Superb WW2 visuals
Cons
- Punishing for newbies
Developed by a small independent team, crafted in Unreal Engine 4 and built with a focus on realistic gameplay, Hell Let Loose is another WW2 game full of promise. This game reminds us of Post Scriptum and certainly seems like a full-on tactical military simulator.
Hell Let Loose is certainly well worth looking at. If you’re a fan of more serious military sim style shooters (like ARMA or Squad) then this will certainly tick your boxes. There’s a lot of humping around the map, accidental team kills and frustrating moments where you’ve no idea who killed you, but there’s also a lot of fun to be had, especially when playing with friends.
Teamwork is key not only to your team winning but also to your enjoyment of this one. Get three gamers together and hop in a tank – with one carefully driving, one manning the main gun and one commanding and you’ll soon smash your way through enemy lines.
You’ll also find how tough the WW2 battles were though, when it takes an age to turn your turret or you can barely see a thing through the tiny vision slits in the front.
Metro Exodus
5. Also Great
Brilliantly story-led post-apocalyptic adventure with stunning graphics and Mad Max feel
A tough journey that will take you to a range of impressive locations.
Pros
- Technically impressive and visually impressive
- Fascinating setting
- A fine example of ray tracing on PC
Cons
- Only single player
- Lacks replayability
Metro Exodus is the third outing in the series and another return to brilliance from 4A Games. You take on the role of Artyom who is desperately in search of signs of life beyond the irradiated and desolate ruins of Moscow. Battling for survival against the harsh climate and a wealth of baddies that include everything from bandits, to winged beasts, belligerent mutants and venom-spitting spiders.
There’s a real sense of misery and hard times here as you’re constantly forced to forage for ammo, gear and supplies to keep your guns firing or stalk through the shadows carefully avoiding death. Later on, a serious Mad Max vibe eeks into the game too and we can’t say much without spoiling it, but we loved it. If you enjoyed the previous games, this one is bound to be a hit as well. And on PC it looks absolutely stunning.
Metro Exodus is unfortunately only a single-player experience and it lacks replayability but if you want to experience something different then it’s well worth a look.
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege
6. Worth Considering
Old but still gold
Kinetic, competitive action comes to the fore in Siege, a tense and brilliant multiplayer shooter.
Pros
- Classic 5 vs 5 action
- Competitive play or casual fun
- Regular updates make it engaging
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege originally appeared on the scene in 2014. But it’s by no means an old game as it’s constantly being updated, reworked and refreshed with new content, characters and maps.
This game is, in essence, an online tactical shooter which pits one small team of players against another. These teams are split into attackers and defenders who have different objectives – defend/defuse the bomb, hold onto or rescue the hostage or simply eliminate the other team. Each “operator” in the game has a different play style with weapons and gadgets to help them complete their mission. What happens in the game will depend heavily on which characters are being played, so there’s plenty of variety and a lot of fun too.
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege can also be purchased as a base game for a very reasonable sum – allowing you to work your way through the main operators or you can pay for the complete editions and get access to even more.
Bethesda Softworks
DOOM Eternal
7. A Good Choice
Thumping soundtrack
Doom Eternal offers frantic fun for FPS fans.
Pros
- Great weapons
- Powerful soundtrack
- Thrilling fast-paced gaming
Cons
- Parkour elements are frustrating
Doom has finally made it to Earth and the planet is rife with all manner of demonic hordes that need slaying. It’s your mission to mash.
We’ve smashed, torn and dashed our way through Doom Eternal and found it to be a whole lot of frantic fun.
You know what you’re getting with Doom and the latest outing is a highly polished, visceral thrill ride of demon-slaying chaos. If you enjoy playing your shooters at full tilt then Doom Eternal is a perfect choice. It’s intense, fun and oh-so-satisfying too. Certainly not for the young ones though.
We did find it frustrating on occasion though as there are parkour elements which are hard to master and sometimes more annoying than the undead hordes. If you get frustrated easily this might be one to avoid.
How to choose the right FPS for you
We’ve obviously listed a fair few different FPS games for your enjoyment. There are a number of options available and it’s certainly worth considering before you buy.
If you like your shooters to be a bit more tactical and sim-like then games such as ARMA, Squad, Hell Let Loose and Escape From Tarkov are obvious options. Those can be punishing for newbies and casual gamers though.
So if you want something more accessible then turn to games like Call of Duty, Battlefield or single player games like Metro Exodus.
Gaming for longer
Obviously, if you want more longevity out of your games then buying a multiplayer FPS might be a more logical choice. Games like Battlefield 2042, for example, offer enough thrills and content to keep you coming back for more. Which means more value for your money and longer gaming sessions too.