First-person view and adrenaline: from single-player to multiplayer, the FPS is one of the flagship genres of modern gaming. RomWize re-ranks the best games in the genre by its re-evaluated scores, each with its current score, its versions, their rarity and their collector value.
"The third BioShock trades the ocean depths for the flying city of Columbia and delivers an ambitious political and metaphysical tale. The bond formed with Elizabeth leaves a lasting mark, and its ending remains one of the most debated in the medium."
"An exemplary restoration. The remaster smooths the controls without betraying the original, and Tallon IV's lonely atmosphere still grips you. Scanning the environment can slow the pace, but the aiming and exploration have aged beautifully."
"The game that defined FPS on console. Master Chief, the Flood, the Ring - the Halo universe is immediately iconic. 4-player splitscreen multiplayer is legendary. One of the foundational moments of modern gaming. Indispensable for every Xbox owner."
"Irrational deliver a masterpiece in which underwater Rapture says more than a thousand speeches. Big Daddys still chill the spine, the story interrogates free will, and every corner of the fallen city tells a real objectivist tragedy."
"Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 is one of the most impactful FPS of the generation. Spectacular and controversial campaign, multiplayer that changed everything with killstreaks and customisation. A monument."
"BioShock Infinite Complete Edition with all DLC including Burial at Sea, return to Rapture with Booker and Elizabeth. The most complete version of a major work, the DLC considerably enriches it."
"Call of Duty Black Ops II dares to go to 2025 with a branching narrative campaign and renewed competitive multiplayer. Memorable villains, original Strike Force. An ambitious CoD that delivers."
"Call of Duty 4 Modern Warfare revolutionised the modern FPS. Short but impactful campaign, multiplayer progression system that changed everything. All Ghillied Up remains one of the greatest FPS missions in history."
"Sequel that amplifies everything that made the first memorable. The Arbiter storyline enriches the universe, the revolutionary Xbox Live multiplayer is the best of the generation. The Halo saga at its narrative peak. An absolute and indispensable masterpiece."
"Halo 3 closes the original Bungie trilogy with a grand finale, a foundational Forge mode and a revolutionary Theater for sharing exploits. Four-player co-op campaign whips up passion, and Cortana retains an icon's status to this day."
"Valve gather Half-Life 2 and its episodes, Portal and Team Fortress 2 into a historic box that alone justifies owning a 360. Portal especially reinvents first-person puzzling, and GLaDOS's writing remains one of the most inspired in modern gaming."
"This compilation gathers all three remastered BioShock games, one of the finest narrative trilogies in gaming. Rapture and Columbia retain their full evocative power, and the ports run surprisingly well on Switch."
"Bungie sign their Halo swan song with a tragic prequel and the memorable Noble Team Spartan cast. Reach offers one of the saga's finest campaigns, an overpowered Forge and an end-of-world feeling that leaves a lasting mark."
"Far Cry 3 is one of the best open-world FPS of the generation. Tropical Rook Island, iconic antagonist Vaas Montenegro, total approach freedom. Jason Brody and his progressive transformation. A masterpiece."
"Slipping into Big Daddy armour gives BioShock 2 an unexpected tenderness and combat with real backbone compared to the original. The story carries more emotional weight, Big Sisters keep the heat on and Rapture remains irresistible."
"Retro Studios reinvents Metroid in first-person without betraying the series soul. Lonely exploration, scan-driven lore, precise gunplay across sumptuous environments. An absolute peak of adventure gaming, arguably the GameCube's best alongside Wind Waker."
"Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 concludes the MW trilogy with an epic worldwide campaign and refined multiplayer. Resounding ending to the Makarov arc, memorable maps, enriched create-a-class. An excellent CoD."
"Killzone 2 is one of the best PS3 exclusive FPS games. Invaded Helghan, oppressive total war atmosphere, memorable Visari, reference multiplayer. A technical and artistic peak of the generation, essential."
"Direct sequel in a doubled world of light and darkness with deeper exploration mechanics. Tougher, denser and more oppressive in mood. Without quite matching the first one's clarity, it still hits an adventure peak and confirms Retro Studios as Nintendo royalty."
"Direct sequel adding the concept of parallel light/dark worlds, à la Zelda Twilight Princess. Aether and Dark Aether mirror each other, some areas blocked in one are reachable in the other. Beefier combat, demanding bosses, new gear like the Dark Visor. Harder than the first entry, sometimes punishing, but a rare-depth adventure. Wii Edition with polished motion controls."
