In the 1980s and 1990s shooters of all kinds were mostly based on running and shooting opponents. It didn't matter if it was as a side-scroller Cons or a first-person game Fateplayers were encouraged to detonate enemies as if they had an infinite number of lives or health. Then there was a shift as cover systems started to be added to some games, like Time crunch in arcades.
Home consoles also saw a major mechanical revolution in 2003 with Kill Switch, a relatively mundane third-person shooter on platforms like the PS2 and Xbox with one standout feature: his cover system. It was an important step, but no one remembers that game as well as these other experiences. Coverage plays a big role in the following plays and each one represents the best of the cover shooter genre.
Gears Of War
Go Roadie, go
First Gears of War is still considered the best game in the series, which it is and a game that most point to as the experience that brought cover shooters to prominence. Each mission gave players a small team to befriend or join another player in co-op.
If players didn't take cover from Locust enemies, they would die quickly. As muscular as Marcus Fenix is, he is still human after all. The shooting was great, running between covers was exciting and the chainsaw was jaw dropping. The entire experience can now be played on PlayStation consoles via Gears of War: Reloadedwhich is the best modern way to play.
Mass Effect 2
Team RPG
Mass Effect 2 is the middle child of the trilogy, but is considered the best entry in the trilogy Mass Effect saga among fans. All three games in the trilogy are great and must be played in order, but there's no denying the power of the series' dark middle chapter.
Most of the gameplay was carried over from the first game, but with a few tweaks. Ammo was scarce, which added to the tension of firefights as players had to give orders to companions more thoughtfully and use their class abilities well. It is one of the few RPGS with branching stories that is also a capable cover shooter.
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
is it my blood
The Uncharted series is a fun mix between intense cover-based shooting segments, action-adventure platforming, and puzzle-solving scenarios. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is the best entry in the series, upping the ante of the original in several ways.
Cover-based shooting was more responsive, there were more varied environments and backdrops including city skylines, and better written character dynamics. Nathan Drake may not be a muscular traditional shooter like Marcus Fenix, but he gets the job done whether he's carrying a rifle, pistol or grenade bandolier.
Binary domain
Watch out for the robot uprising
Binary domain takes place in a future where once friendly robots have turned against humanity. Players are sent to take control of the dissent by killing one robot at a time. Between missions, players can choose two teammates to accompany them on their next quest, each with a different skill set, from a general weapons expert to a trained sniper.
From behind cover, players can issue orders, and if they train their teammates well, their affection will increase. It's one of the better team-based shooters that gives players a reason to be a better leader as clear orders can help players unlock upgrades faster.
Tom Clancy's The Division
Money problems
Tom Clancy's The Division is the first game in the series to set up The Division, a secret military group that activates when things go awry in the country. The inciting incident occurred in New York City, where on Black Friday the population was ravaged by a disease plagued by money. Quarantined from the rest of the US, players must fight factions that have emerged in the chaos.
There are classes and lots of weapons to equip since it's a looter shooter, but like most Tom Clancy games, gameplay is grounded. There are no ice blasts or fireballs, just thoughtful tactical cover action in a ravaged warzone that can be played solo or with three other friends.
Outriders
Adding magic to cover
Outriders is another RPG, but this one uses three-player online co-op for its team tactics. Players could choose between four classes, each with a special set of skills, such as the Pyromancer using fiery powers to burn enemies to ashes.
Regardless of class, players still had to use cover in firefights as enemies often outnumbered them, even in co-op. Outriders it was also loot-based, giving players a wide variety of weapons and gear to sift through on their way to establishing freedom on this war-torn planet.
Killzone: Liberation
Tactically great spinoff
Killzone: Liberation was a PSP spinoff of the legendary PlayStation franchise and was a top-down shooter. It used a cover system so it felt more like a tactical shooter than the main games which were all about sniping Helghast soldiers in first person.
Exemption is one of the few Killzone games that are widely available on PS5 consoles thanks to a fast emulated port. Packed missions, a reward system, and challenging gameplay make this spinoff one of the better games in the series, and a great, albeit smaller, shooter experience.
Defeat
Why didn't cover systems develop after that?
Defeat is one of the most underrated titles from PlatinumGames that could revolutionize the cover shooter market if anyone was paying attention. Players battled robots and enemy soldiers of all kinds in space, but with their power suits they had an advantage.
With enough juice in the tank, players could dodge bullets or slide past enemies at ridiculous speeds to get to cover, all in slow motion. This made combat more dynamic as it was easier and more exciting to get from cover to cover by sliding across the ground than simply running, which was still a necessary and incredibly fun element of the game.
