First-person shooters cover a huge range of experiences, from action-packed military games and massive online battles to thoughtful sci-fi and terrifying horror. This list shows that the genre is thriving with creativity and new ideas. Forget what you think you know about Call of Duty – FPS games in 2024 are full of life and innovation.
Marathon
Regardless of its ultimate success, Marathon is sure to be remembered as a major game release this year. It will either be a complete failure, or it will manage to build a significant and lasting player community – something that seemed doubtful considering the troubled development process and negative feedback from the initial alpha test.
After facing criticism for alleged plagiarism around mid-2025, Bungie has been working hard to improve its game. Changes range from making the gameplay feel snappier with quicker time-to-kill to shifting the visual style towards the darker, more industrial look of the original 1990s game. Whether these changes will be enough to revive the game remains to be seen. The history of online shooters is unpredictable – for every successful game like ARC Raiders, there’s a Concord that fails. However, the significant improvements made after the initial alpha release of Marathon suggest this game could still have a bright future.
Halo: Campaign Evolved
The original Halo was incredibly influential. Halo: Combat Evolved completely changed first-person shooters with its polished combat, smart enemies, and vehicles that were great for fighting, though not necessarily for getting around. Now, Master Chief’s classic adventure is back, beautifully remastered and expanded. It includes new weapons, updated gameplay, two-player split-screen, four-player online co-op, and extra prequel missions.
Despite the challenges, Halo Studios (formerly 343 Industries) faces a significant task. Initial reactions to Halo: Combat Evolved’s remake were mixed, with some claiming it used assets from Halo Infinite, which, if true, would mean the remake isn’t as original as fans expect. However, bringing Halo to PlayStation for the first time isn’t just about attracting new players or fixing issues with the 2011 remaster; it’s about securing a long-term future for one of gaming’s most iconic franchises.
Better Than Dead
Games using a bodycam perspective are gaining popularity. While the realistic, shaky visuals often create intense, close-up shooting experiences, they sometimes spark debate about how realistic they are. Better Than Dead is likely to add to this trend, but it stands out from games like Unrecord and Bodycam with its slightly blocky graphics, unnatural movements, and over-the-top effects. Though it’s a smaller game, available only on PC through Steam, its fast-paced shooting and setting inspired by Hong Kong action movies suggest it could attract a large number of players.
Resident Evil Requiem
Most people don’t think of the Resident Evil series as a first-person shooter, but Resident Evil Requiem actually includes an optional first-person mode. With Leon spending a lot of time shooting in action-packed parts of the game, we felt it deserved a mention here. If you’re unsure, Requiem features a good selection of guns – handguns like the unique ‘Requiem’ revolver seen in the game’s trailers, as well as a submachine gun, shotgun, and rifle. Essentially, it provides plenty of firepower to play through Leon’s sections as a fast-paced, action-horror experience.
John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando
Get ready for a new team of unlikely heroes facing off against a zombie outbreak! While you might be familiar with the source material, John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando, this upcoming four-player shooter from Saber Interactive has some unique features. It uses the studio’s powerful Swarm Engine – known from games like World War Z and Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 – and draws on Saber’s experience with vehicle-based gameplay, like in MudRunner, meaning you’ll likely be using winches to get through tough terrain. Legendary director John Carpenter is also involved, contributing creatively and composing music, which will give the game a very distinct look and feel. It’s shaping up to be a shooter with a lot of depth.
Hell Let Loose: Vietnam
If the fast pace of Call of Duty is too much, Hell Let Loose offers a more deliberate, large-scale shooter experience. It’s gained a reputation for being challenging but still approachable. Now, after a change in developers, publisher Team17 is releasing a new version set during the Vietnam War. This new Vietnam expansion brings back the intense action of the original game, featuring six maps and massive 50v50 battles. Players will coordinate as different units – including infantry, scouts, mortar teams, and helicopter pilots – creating a complex and tactical conflict that’s incredibly engaging once you learn the ropes.
DEFECT
Imagine a blend of Rainbow Six and Blade Runner – that’s DEFECT. It’s a tactical SWAT simulator set in a gritty, cyberpunk world dominated by AI. Beyond the cool visuals, DEFECT offers diverse gameplay, including smuggling missions, assassinations, and manhunts. You can tackle these challenges alone or team up with others in both player-versus-player and cooperative modes. The city is caught in a chaotic war between several factions, and you’ll use a powerful array of futuristic weapons and tools to try and restore order.
NO LAW
Similar to the game DEFECT, NO LAW is a fast-paced first-person shooter set in a dark, dystopian world. Like DEFECT, it doesn’t have a set release date yet, but development seems to be progressing well. You play as a troubled veteran constantly finding trouble in a sprawling city. The game’s setting, Port Desire, is a richly detailed cyberpunk metropolis that rivals the impressive Night City from Cyberpunk 2077. Get ready to abandon your principles, as NO LAW offers a branching storyline, memorable characters, and intense gunplay – all the ingredients for a potentially massive hit.
Road to Vostok
Set in a harsh, post-apocalyptic area along the Finnish-Russian border, Road to Vostok is a challenging shooter where you’ll scavenge for gear and fight to survive. The game features beautiful but dangerous environments—thick forests and clear lakes—as you prepare for a risky journey into the “Vostok” zone, a place where death is permanent. While it shares similarities with Escape From Tarkov, the solo developer aims to create a truly immersive experience beyond just action. Realistic weather, day/night cycles, and changing seasons will impact the game’s economy and the behavior of its factions. It’s an ambitious project for one person, so hopefully Road to Vostok will have a smooth launch on PC on April 7th.
MOUSE: P.I. For Hire
Blending the classic, quirky style of 1930s cartoons with fast-paced, modern shooting action, MOUSE: P.I. For Hire offers a unique experience. While its jazzy, old-fashioned feel might not appeal to everyone, the beautifully hand-drawn animation is sure to grab your attention. If you enjoy intense gunfights, a detective story inspired by film noir, and battling strange enemies, MOUSE: P.I. For Hire could be a surprisingly great game from new developer Fumi Games. It launches on March 19th for PC, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch 2.
ExeKiller
Paradark Studios first showed off ExeKiller almost five years ago, but we recently got a much better look at the game thanks to an official gameplay video. We already knew it combined Western-style gunfights with a desolate, futuristic setting. Now, we know ExeKiller will also feature survival elements, managing your inventory, hacking devices, and exploring cybernetic implants. The game promises a lot of depth, especially with Paradark’s commitment to letting players tackle missions in a non-linear way. Ultimately, ExeKiller stands out as one of the most original FPS games coming soon.
ILL
Team Clout’s ILL is a horror shooter that aims for incredibly realistic and disturbing visuals. Expect graphic dismemberment, terrifying creature designs, and tight, enclosed spaces – it’s definitely not for those who are easily scared. What really stands out is how realistically the game’s creatures move, thanks to its advanced physics engine – they’re disturbingly lifelike and covered in blood. Combined with suitably gruesome sound effects, ILL could redefine how body horror is handled in video games.
Rogue Point
The team behind the acclaimed Black Mesa remake has created Rogue Point, a new four-player co-op shooter. They describe it as a blend of classic shooter gameplay with a modern style. Early looks at the game show a fast-paced, chaotic, and humorous experience. It’s designed to be a lighthearted, action-packed game for quick, replayable sessions with friends – pure fun! And good news: Rogue Point will be available in early access on Steam starting February 12th.
Witchfire
Witchfire is a dark fantasy first-person shooter that combines fast-paced gunplay with roguelike elements – meaning each playthrough is different. It’s been available in early access since September 2023 and is scheduled for a full release in mid-2026. The game is created by the team behind Bulletstorm, a highly-regarded but often overlooked FPS, so players can anticipate creative and over-the-top combat. Witchfire already has a loyal fanbase thanks to its various character classes, diverse environments, and challenging enemies. The only things missing are a complete story and fully developed lore, both of which will be included in the 1.0 release.
Valor Mortis
Similar to Resident Evil Requiem, Valor Mortis doesn’t quite fit into the first-person shooter (FPS) category. Developed by the creators of Ghostrunner, it’s an action game with elements inspired by the *Soulslike genre – a unique and relatively new approach. The game is set during an alternate history Napoleonic war, with a grim atmosphere of death and decay. You play as a character who awakens with supernatural abilities and a mission to rid the land of terrifying monsters. While your main weapon is a saber, you also have a pistol for targeting the weak spots of bigger enemies. So, it’s not a traditional FPS, but it does involve shooting, placing it somewhere within that realm.
Bonus: Next Call of Duty
Probably boring and more of the same. Oh well.
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2026-03-06 15:16