Aim for: Which shooters are worth playing right now
Shooters are a genre in which both big studios and indie developers always have something to say. Long cult series, updated masterpieces and novelties of recent years, cheerfully mixing mechanics are in the Izvestia collection.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
A shot from the game Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Developer: Treyarch
When it was released: 2024
What to play on: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One
Call of Duty, a franchise that has shaped the genre in many ways, simply cannot fail to be included in the list of cool shooters. Since Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare in 2007, new games in the series have been released every year. Although not all parts were breakthrough, Black Ops 6 can be singled out for an exciting espionage campaign with some of the most interesting missions in the series. And multiplayer with constantly updated content offers hours of exciting competitive gameplay.
Doom: The Dark Ages
A frame from the game Doom: The Dark Ages
Developer: id Software
When it was released: 2025
What to play on: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
Doom was certainly one of the first games to popularize the first-person shooter genre. Although the series is several decades old, it remains iconic. Doom: The Dark Ages is already the third game from id Software after the relaunch of Doom in 2016 and another stage in the development of the game mechanics of the series. The Executioner of Doom was transported to the dark Middle Ages to deal with demons in new exciting ways using authentic weapons of the era. This shooter skillfully balances between hardcore gameplay and hypertrophied, almost ironic, but extremely hilarious violence in the name of saving the world.
Returnal
A frame from the game Returnal
Developer: Housemarque
When it was released: 2021
What to play on: PC, PlayStation 5
Housemarque Studio has created Returnal, one of the best PlayStation exclusive games of recent years. This shooter is an explosive mix of bullet—hell mechanics and rogue elements with a confusing plot with several false and secret endings. Returnal is not for weaklings, especially at the start — there are no permanent improvements that would make the entrance to the game soft. But once you complete a few successful sessions and defeat a couple of powerful bosses, it's hard to stop playing.
Black Mesa
A frame from the game Black Mesa
Developer: Crowbar Collective
When it was released: 2020
What to play on: PC
The impact of Half-Life on the gaming industry cannot be overestimated. But the very first game can be difficult for modern players to approach. Black Mesa is a bridge between the classics of 1998 and current gaming standards. The remake retains the visual spirit and structure of the original, but has been redesigned to reflect modern realities. Gameplay improvements have also been added to the finale, significantly enhancing the last third of the game.
Helldivers 2
A shot from the game Helldivers 2
Developer: Arrowhead Game Studios
When it was released: 2024
What to play on: PC, PlayStation 5
Helldivers 2 surprisingly carefully preserves the spirit of the first part, while enhancing all the best features of the game. In this cooperative third-person action game in the style of the movie "Starship Troopers", players fight shoulder to shoulder to destroy alien bugs and deadly robots. There are plenty of opportunities for sudden interactions that make the gameplay truly diverse.
Neon White
A shot from the Neon White game
Developer: Angel Matrix
When it was released: 2022
What to play on: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One
Neon White combines seemingly incompatible genres: card deck building and high-speed first-person shooter. The game requires impeccable accuracy and speed from the player: the slightest mistake is punished, and out-of-the-box thinking is encouraged. Each level is a race against time, and this spurs gambling gamers to break their own records. And for those who don't like competitions, Neon White can impress with a vivid story about a murderer from hell who suddenly finds himself in paradise. Along with other assassins who have also been resurrected from the underworld, he participates in a tournament aimed at exterminating demons who have invaded paradise. The winner will get a chance to stay in paradise forever.
Gears 5
A frame from the game Gears 5
Developer: The Coalition
When it was released: 2019
What to play on: PC, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One
The Gears of War series are iconic Xbox 360—era shooters along with Halo. Although parts of the senior third failed to achieve the emotional intensity of the original trilogy, the franchise feels confident on modern Microsoft platforms and is experimenting with the usual formula of third-person action story. Gears 5 is an example of such an evolution: the game has large open hub zones where you can complete tasks in any order, and a variety of new weapons and enemies.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2
A shot from the game Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2
Developer: Saber Interactive
When it was released: 2024
What to play on: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
Everyone has been waiting for the Space Marine sequel for a very long time, but it was worth it. There are many more enemies in the second part, and each battle feels like a large-scale meat grinder. The campaign is perfectly played both alone and in co-op, and the horde mode adds a hurricane of action.
Splatoon 3
A frame from the game Splatoon 3
Developer: Nintendo
When it was released: 2024
What to play on: Nintendo Switch
At the end of the life of the Wii U platform, Nintendo introduced a new franchise, which later became one of the most recognizable on the Nintendo Switch. Splatoon is a competitive multiplayer shooter in which success depends on teamwork. The first part of Splatoon focused on online mode, the sequels added more and more solo content, and Splatoon 3 came to the perfect balance: a shooting and puzzle campaign, a cooperative mode, and endless multiplayer matches. Splatoon also has a unique "cartoon" style, which makes it still one of the most popular games on Switch.
Mullet MadJack
A shot from the game Mullet MadJack
Developer: Hammer95 Studios
When it was released: 2024
What to play on: PC, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One
Mullet MadJack is a loud, crazy and adrenaline—fueled arcade shooter. The action takes place in the year 2095 in a world where mega-rich robots rule society, and people are literally addicted to dopamine. The main character Jack Banhammer is a "moderator" who was hired by the Peace Corp. His mission is to break through a skyscraper full of killer robots and rescue the Influencer in exchange for a new pair of sneakers. The central feature of the game is time. Each level is a floor of a skyscraper, which Jack has 10 seconds to complete. Players get extra seconds for kills, finishing moves, and destroying vending machines. After death, the hero returns to the last checkpoint, all earned upgrades are reset, but between floors you can upgrade weapons and purchase upgrades.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
