Net Ten: The Best Shooters You Never Played (page 1) Subscribe to this RSS feed

You piss and moan, but when it comes right down to it, you really don't really want to play anything new, do you? While you play your pansy-ass Half-Life 2, the real gamers are re-living these forgotten FPS games. And laughing at you. Always, always laughing.

#10 No One Lives Forever - [ PC ]

Imagine Austin Powers as an FPS game and you'll have a good idea what to expect here. No One Lives Forever was one of the last great story-driven FPSs. Monolith picked up where Rare left off with Perfect Dark, crafting the same Bond-like, spy action in a top-notch PC adventure. The game's 60s-themed humor accentuated the sneaky, objective-based gameplay in a story that really sold each individual character. Sadly, the series sort of died after the dismal sales of NOFL 2.

#10 No One Lives Forever
89% average
critic
score

#9 Deus Ex II: Invisible War - [ PC ]

From the eerily prescient storyline (terrorism, world governments, and technological elitists) to the fusion of RPG and FPS gameplay, the first Deus Ex broke all kinds of new ground (and developed a robust community). Sadly, Deus Ex II was simultaneously developed for the Xbox and PC, and as a result, the developers simplified some of the most sophisticated elements from the first game. But look a little deeper and you'll find a jaw-dropping storyline and more opportunities to alternate story paths. And hey, if all else fails, you can spend hours messing with the NPC bystanders. Flawed but masterful.

#9 Deus Ex II: Invisible War
86% average
critic
score

#8 Halo: Combat Evolved - [ PC ]

This little beauty suffered from surprisingly sluggish sales--it often goes on sale for bargain-basement prices ($10!). Playing Halo on the PC has some obvious advantages: higher resolutions, beefier sound, and pixel-precise mouse aiming. But the biggest advantage is the kickass online multiplayer mode, which is still thriving today. The robust community persuaded Gearbox Software to release Halo CE, a wonderful enhancement pack. But good luck getting it to run: it's in an eternal beta mode.

#8 Halo: Combat Evolved
88% average
critic
score

#7 Blood - [ PC ]

Duke Nukem 3D may have stolen the spotlight, but Blood was the better game. One of the first FPS titles to include dual firing modes, Blood's frantic action and endless horror movie references made it a major cult hit. Who can forget the Flare Gun, the Voodoo Doll, and the best Double-Barreled Shotgun to ever appear in an FPS? Sadly, the sequel just didn't cut the mustard. But FPS fans in the know recognize Blood for what it is: a groundbreaker (particularly in the down-and-dirty multiplayer modes). Blood, we salute you!

#7 Blood
90% average
critic
score

#6 Alien Vs. Predator - [ PC ]

This game sold reasonably well, but never earned the respect it deserved. Easily one of the most panic-inducing games ever, AvP had alot going for it: spot-on music, sleek controls, and gorgeous visuals. Okay, so it was hard as hell (Facehuggers = one-hit kill), but that was part of the charm. The Monolith-developed sequel wasn't half as inspired. Here's hoping some wise publisher snaps up the rights and produces a sequel using the Doom 3 engine. In the meantime, be sure to keep tabs on the fan sites--they keep pumping out quality mods.

#6 Alien Vs. Predator
68% average
critic
score