Although Overwatch popularized the hero shooter in 2016, games with similar gameplay have existed for years. Many of these earlier titles, even without the official “hero shooter” label, offered a fun experience for players. While they never achieved widespread popularity, they were still enjoyable in their time. Unfortunately, without a large player base, most have faded from public memory, which is a loss because they were genuinely fun to play.
Here are six hero shooters you might’ve forgotten about.
6) Outtrigger
Sega released Outtrigger in arcades in 1999, and it came to the Dreamcast in 2001 with the addition of six-player multiplayer. A pioneering hero shooter, Outtrigger lets players choose from four different character classes, each with unique weapons and abilities. This meant character selection had a bigger impact on gameplay than many games of that era.
Players also had the freedom to design their own character classes, which added to the game’s versatility. While it was fairly simple by today’s standards, it felt innovative when it was released. Plus, Outtrigger had impressive graphics on the Dreamcast, making it an easy game to suggest to anyone looking for a fresh experience.
5) Monday Night Combat
Monday Night Combat is a hero shooter that blends in elements from MOBA games. You choose from various classes and must protect your ‘Moneyball’ from other players. It takes the tower defense idea – common in games like DOTA – and adds fast-paced, third-person shooting.
The thing that makes Monday Night Combat so enjoyable is its wild and unpredictable gameplay. It’s set in a futuristic version of Monday Night Football, complete with an enthusiastic announcer who keeps things lively. And with a variety of characters to choose from, you can find one that perfectly matches how you like to play.
4) Evolve
Evolve aimed to revolutionize asymmetrical multiplayer, but it didn’t quite stick the landing. The game pitted four players, acting as Hunters, against a fifth player controlling a massive monster. With 20 unique Hunters, each with different skills, and five diverse Monsters to choose from, players had plenty of options for how to play.
Turtle Rock, the studio behind the popular game Left 4 Dead, brought many of those same ideas to Evolve. The game really delivered on that promise, especially because success depended on strong teamwork to defeat the monster. When you had a good team, Evolve stood out as one of the best asymmetrical multiplayer games of its time.
3) Battleborn
The game Battleborn is credited with creating the “hero shooter” genre, making it a key title to mention. Its developer, Gearbox, was coming off the hit Borderlands and aimed to innovate with a big-budget shooter that combined hero characters with strategy elements from MOBA games. While it had a lot of potential, it unfortunately never became popular.
One reason Battleborn didn’t succeed was its release timing, coming so soon after the incredibly popular Overwatch, which quickly became the go-to game for most players. Additionally, Battleborn was difficult for newcomers to understand. While it was enjoyable once you learned the ropes, many players didn’t want to invest the time – especially when Overwatch was much more accessible and easy to start playing.
2) LawBreakers
Boss Key’s LawBreakers entered the hero shooter scene after Battleborn and Overwatch. It tried to stand out with unique features, like low-gravity combat that made gameplay fast-paced and exciting.
Despite receiving good reviews, the game LawBreakers struggled to find an audience. While the initial closed beta test was promising, player interest waned quickly. When it officially launched, most players were already invested in Overwatch and weren’t willing to switch to a new game. Ultimately, LawBreakers was a well-made game that couldn’t compete in a market already saturated with similar titles, and its servers were shut down just over a year after release.
1) Lemnis Gate
Lemnis Gate stands out as a truly original game. It features fast-paced competitive matches played within a time loop. Players take turns completing objectives within 25-second rounds, and each attempt builds upon the previous ones, creating a unique strategic challenge.
Do you interrupt your opponent’s moves, or focus on finishing the goals as quickly as possible? That’s the core of Lemnis Gate, a unique first-person shooter that stood out from the crowd. Sadly, its innovative approach wasn’t enough to attract a large player base, and the servers were shut down in 2023 – another loss for online multiplayer fans.
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2026-03-16 01:12