First-person shooters are one of the most popular genres in all of video games. Players have to master movement and aiming all while under intense situations. Even with a focus on shooting bad guys, this genre finds a way to differentiate itself with unique mechanics and general variety.
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Unfortunately, the popularity of this genre also means many great FPS franchises get left in the dirt. Whether they had unique settings or offered a different experience, some abandoned franchises are more than deserving of another chance. Here are 10 FPS franchises that should come back sometime in the future. This list is in no particular order.
10TimeSplitters
The release ofHaloandCall of Dutymarked the end of classic shooters such asGoldenEye 007andPerfect Dark. There was one franchise that stuck around with its endless charm and slick gunplay, however.
That franchise wasTimeSplitters. Ex-Rareemployees founded Free Radical and helped develop this franchise. In a sense,TimeSplittersis a spiritual successor toPerfect Dark, with its retro gameplay and level design. Its great mix of humor and absurd missions made for a memorable franchise that issorely missed in the hearts of many. With how serious and formulaic shooters are becoming, bringingTimeSplittersback is exactly the kind of shakeup the genre needs.
9Medal Of Honor
Medal of Honorwas the de facto World War II FPS franchise beforeCall of Dutybecame the new FPS champion. Realistic yet adrenaline-fueled missions and cinematic sequences helped create an experience unlike anything else at the time.
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The franchise’s downfall was chasing trends by becoming a boring modern military shooter. Ironically,Call of Duty’sfocus towards realism thatoriginally set it apartfromMedal of Honorhas been abandoned. Respawn Entertainment’sMedal of Honor: Above and Beyondmight convince EA that there is a demand for realistic FPS titles.
8Perfect Dark
Most knowPerfect Darkas aGoldenEye 007contender, but it was much more than that. The game’s brilliant selection of weapons and gadgets allowed for a degree of freedom that few shooters have seen. Dedicated fans and speedrunners still stick withPerfect Darkfor its unique atmosphere and gameplay sandbox.
All it took was a terrible launch title to kill off this franchise. Microsoft killed off futurePerfect Darkprojects afterPerfect Dark Zero’slackluster reception. Considering the potential this series had for more open-ended mission design, it’s a shame it was put on ice when it did. APerfect Darktitle developed by Rare as an Xbox Series X title would be a great opportunity to expand on the franchise while developing an Xbox exclusive.
7Left 4 Dead
Dedicated cooperative shooters are hard to come by as most focus oncompetitive multiplayer elements. Some games such asCall of Duty’sZombies mode make for a fun co-op experience, but few games can match the adrenaline thatLeft 4 Deadbrought.
Simple shooting mechanics and hundreds of zombies is all it took to make this a smash hit. That isn’t to undermine the franchises' sophisticated AI, however. Players being swarmed by dozens of zombies or pounced on by a Hunter is a great catalyst for laughter and screaming amongst friends. It’s a shame thatLeft 4 Dead 3never saw the light of day. SinceValvedid bring back theHalf-LifeIP withHalf-Life: Alyx, nothing is off of the table.
6Evolve
While many enjoyed thecooperative mayhemofLeft 4 Dead,Turtle Rock Studiosset their sights on an asymmetrical multiplayer shooter namedEvolvefor their next project. A team of four hunters would get to take on a player monster in intense 4v1 matches.
Evolvenailed its core gameplay rhythm with unique characters that mimic modern character designs in hero shooters. Unfortunately,Evolvewas overpriced at $60 and employed some frustrating business practices. With the surge of ability-based shooters and unique multiplayer experiences as of late,Evolvecould make a triumphant return if Turtle Rock gave it another try. They just need to make sure it has a campaign and a reasonable business model.
5Call Of Juarez
Considering the massive success of theRed Deadfranchise, it’s shocking justhow few shooters are set in the wild west. One franchise that tried to capture the feeling of gunslinging wasCall of Juarez.
Many regard the first game as a bloated title, but its endearing spirit and great use of the setting helped garner enough attention for a few sequels.Bound in Bloodmight have been underwhelming, but the arcadey action ofGunslingeris fantastic and still holds up today. After the disastrousCall of Juarez: The Cartelwas released, the franchise has been on ice. If the franchise went back to what the first game andGunslingeraccomplished,Call of Juarezwould have a solid shot at maintaining relevancy in today’s saturated market.
4Turok
There aren’t many games that let players take down dinosaurs by firing a head-seeking projectile thatdrills into their skull. Indeed, theTurokfranchise is one of the most unique shooters that have ever graced the genre.
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Turokis the best example of the “rule of cool.” Dismembering enemies and using a wide arsenal of weapons is just the start of what makes this franchise so special. The unique setting and gameplay sandbox stood out as much back in the day as they do today. A modern reboot of the franchise could do well today considering the success id Software had withDoom 2016and Machine Games’Wolfenstein: The New Order.
3Deus Ex
Conspiracy theories and player choice are the backbones of theDeus Exfranchise. The firstDeus Exgame is frequently regarded as one of the best PC games ever made, while many consider its sequel,Deus Ex: Invisible War,to be one of the worst sequels ever made.
Human RevolutionandMankind Dividedwould bring the franchise back to relevancy, if only for a time. It seems that Square Enix is more focused on other projects and has putMankind Divided’ssequel on ice for the foreseeable future. That’s a shame considering how the soft-reboot of the franchise was leading to a satisfying climax that would tie the prequel and main titles together.
2Red Faction
Considering a new generation of consoles is right around the corner, now would be a perfect time to bring back theRed Factionfranchise.Red Factionblew players away with its destructible terrain and buildings.
Red Faction: Guerillashifted the franchise towards a third-person open-world sandbox with great success as well, but nothing has been done with the IP sinceRed Faction: Armageddon’spoor reception. If there was a time for this franchise to come back in full swing, it’s now.
1Unreal Tournament
Epic Gamesis known mainly forFortniteand the Unreal Engine, but the company used to also be known for itsUnreal Tournamentfranchise. Compared toQuake,UTwas much more focused on team-based modes and community support.
That community support laid the backbone ofUnreal Tournamentfor Unreal Engine 4. This game was mostly developed by the community with Epic supervising updates. The sudden success ofFortnite’sBattle Royale mode resulted in the game being abandoned by Epic, however. Since then, the franchise has laid dormant. Team-based modes and frantic gunfights are sorely missing in today’s Battle Royale-dominated market, something Epic has up its sleeve but refuses to update.
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