Almost perfect forgotten FPS games

If there's one thing Microsoft won't let go, it's the kind of big shooter franchises have Halo and Call of Duty they leave under their supervision. Even if sequels are discontinued, fans can at least be sure that the older games will remain accessible throughout, whether via port, remaster, or remake.

Just take a look Halo: Combat Evolvedwhich has already received its tenth anniversary update and is getting another one, Halo: Campaign Evolvedfor its 25th anniversary. Halo fans are lucky, but fans of these lesser-remembered shooters aren't so lucky, as many are inaccessible or have simply fallen out of the limelight of the wider shooter fanbase.

Bulletstorm

Kick to the Cactus

Bulletstorm is the type of shooter where the story doesn't matter because it's completely a parody of more serious endeavors like Call of Dutyhe throws over-the-top obscenities and tons of profanity into the script. Gameplay is what's most important about the game, with two key mechanics elevating the generally great weapon layout.

Players could use the electronic whip to grab enemies and also kick them away. The environments were covered with hazards like red barrels and cacti, and the more creative the kills, the more points they get. It was an arcade shooter that may have been misunderstood at the time, but fans never gave up hope that it would ever see a sequel.

Darkness 2

Full-Shaded Mobsters

Darkness 2 switched the art style from something realistic like in the first game to a more cel-shaded design to stick to the comic origins. The game was also a bit more free-flowing, with a better set of weapons and abilities for mobster hero Jackie to unlock. Jackie went from being a hitman to being a mob boss fairly quickly due to demon possession.

Players could use tentacles to grab enemies or other demons and attack while players blasted away with pistols and other weaponry. Both games are worth checking out for their terrifying abilities alone, and can still be played and purchased on Xbox systems for home console entertainment.

Star Wars: Republic Commando

Roger Roger!

The original Xbox had several exclusives Star Wars games for consoles, p Star Wars: Republic Commando to be one of them. As part of a squadron of four Clone Troopers, players would lead their group through linear missions, blasting dozens of droids along the way. The look was spot on from the movies, as were the voice acting and sound effects.

It didn't do anything special for a shooter, but as a first-person experience set in The Clone Wars, it was good enough. Fortunately, you can now enjoy this game on a plethora of consoles thanks to the remaster, even if it isn't Halo: Combat Evolved, Star Wars: Republic Commando is good fun from a galaxy far, far away.

Red steel 2

A hidden gem of the Wii

original Red steel was a launch title for the Wii that was a modern game incorporating both ninja katana gameplay and shooting. It wasn't much fun with the early motion controls, but the sequel was better. Red steel 2 it had a cowboy meets samurai theme and the game supported Wii Motion Plus, meaning the katana and weapon controls were tighter.

It's a game that could easily be ported to the Switch or Switch 2, thanks to the Joy-Cons still supporting motion controls, but this is probably one game from Ubisoft that won't be resurrected anytime soon. The Wii didn't have a ton of first-person shooters or action games, but if someone wanted to collect the best the system had to offer, Red steel 2 must be in the mix.

Uniqueness

Red dawn

BioShock is getting a lot of praise for being an immersive, atmospheric alternate history shooter, and for what it's worth, the game deserves all the accolades and attention it's getting. There are other equally good games that haven't reached quite the same heights and Uniqueness is another example. Starting in modern times, players are sent to check out a Russian experimental site where a disaster has occurred. Once in contact, they are sent back to the 1950s when the experiment first raged.

Using a special device, players can manipulate time to travel between realities and sometimes affect enemies and the environment, such as repairing a rusty staircase to make it reusable. Before Raven Software was fully transformed into a Call of Duty support studio for Activision, they created some great original games such as Uniquenessand it's important not to forget this one on Steam.

Call Of Juarez: Bound In Blood

O brother, where art thou?

Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood is the second game in the series and in each level players can decide which of the two brothers they want to play. Ray will have standard Old West weapons, including revolvers and rifles, while Thomas is a more nimble and stealthy character.

With Thomas, players can take down enemies with arrows, knives, and even use his lasso to get around places Ray can't. Some levels are more open and allow players to purchase new weapons from shops as well. The two-brother system gives the missions in this otherwise linear but solid cowboy shooter some replay value.

Syndicate

Linear cyberpunk

Syndicate is a 2012 reboot of the franchise that started in 1993. Unlike other cyberpunk games such as Cyberpunk 2077 and Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Syndicate is a more linear experience without many RPG elements, beyond the cybernetics upgrade. This means it has by far the best shooting mechanics in a cyberpunk game, with futuristic versions of fan-favorite rifles, pistols and shotguns. So for shooter fans who also want a cyberpunk framework, Syndicate is better.

Players can use special vision to highlight enemies and slow down time, along with more sensitive hacking abilities to explode heads or turn enemies against themselves. At a time when cyberpunk games are really hot again, it's a shame that so many people have forgotten the greatness of this reboot, or never even knew it existed, as it was sadly removed from digital platforms.

Cold winter

Frozen In Time

Cold winter was a PS2 exclusive and has remained ever since. This spy thriller is a worldwide adventure that seemed like a more brutal take on the James Bond games that were popular at the time. The levels are pretty linear and closed, but there were some detours every now and then to fit the espionage theme, such as finding optional targets by picking locks.

The developer, Swordfish Studios, is long gone, but shooter fans may also recognize their work 50 Cent: Blood on the Sandone of the most overrated shooters of all time. So, while Cold winter may no longer be accessible or as beloved as something similar Splinter Cell or Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty on PS2 it's still a fun spy thriller.