The Best Shooters To Play In 2025

Shooting has stood out as gaming's most prominent verbs since its inception, evolving tremendously from the simple, flat 2D blasting of Asteroids, to the genre-defining release of first-person shooter Doom, to the bursting scene of creativity that the genre operates in today. Shooters are now far more than just giving you a gun and some enemies to blow away–they're highly inventive games that take place from every perspective you can imagine, interweaving unique mechanics to make the base action of pulling a trigger continually inventive and captivating.Variety is the shooting genre's greatest strength, catering to an ever-growing appetite of tastes for the next big adrenaline fix. First-person shooters have come a long way since Doom, but the franchise itself has endured with critically-acclaimed modern sequels such as Doom: The Dark Ages. Others of this ilk, such as Titanfall 2 and Halo, add their own spin and feeling to the first-person action that makes their own brand of shooting feel distinct, while Call of Duty has carved out a whole portion of the market for itself in its annual dominance of the space. There are so many great options in this space, that we have an entire list breaking down the best FPS games around today.The same could be said for Fortnite, which hosts its action in a relentless battle royale format but expands to be so much more than just the sum of its parts. Returnal, another third-person shooter, couldn't be more different, with a roguelite approach and much more demanding action that requires pinpoint precision to get through each level. Others, like Gears 5, slow things down, having you shift from cover to cover while skirmishing with enemies in more tactical warfare.These are just the tips of the iceberg, with examples below including combinations with deckbuilders, roguelites, and enduring classics that serve as a reminder of just how long a perfectly tuned experience can endure. There are some of the best shooters you can play today, from some of the most recent examples to underappreciated gems. For more, check out our lists for the best RPGs, the best racing games, the best PS5 games, the best Xbox games, and the best Nintendo Switch games. Doom: The Dark AgesDeveloper: id SoftwareRelease Date: May 15, 2025Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PS5, PCYou could argue that Doom was one of the first games to shepherd the idea of shooters, at the very least those in first-person, into the mainstream. It's a series that is decades old but still finding ways to delight, with its latest entry being no exception. Doom: The Dark Ages is the third game from id Software since rebooting Doom in 2016, once again reinventing its combat loop to focus on sticking your ground and fighting it out. The Doom Slayer returns with time period accurate weaponry and an extremely satisfying shield, giving you new ways to rip and tear through demons across a highly enjoyable campaign. It's a delicately balanced shooter that sways between grueling challenges and blood-pumping power fantasy, making it a gruesome and gratifying ride from start to finish. See at Amazon ReturnalDeveloper: HousemarqueRelease Date: April 30, 2021Platforms: PS5, PCDeveloper Housemarque made a big leap to third-person action with arguably one of the best PlayStation exclusives yet in Returnal. The blend between bullet-hell shooter and roguelite elements supports an eerie and mind-bending narrative, replete with both fake and secret endings. But it's the combat that truly shines, with a variety of satisfying weaponry that can transform your approach to enemies from run to run. Returnal is grueling and challenging, and can feel especially unforgiving at the start thanks to a lack of permanent upgrades to ease you into its flow. But once you start stitching together runs and powering through some incredible boss fights, it's an intoxicating loop that's difficult to put down. See at Amazon Fortnite Developer: Epic GamesRelease Date: July 21, 2017Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, PC, Nintendo Switch, MobileThere's no denying what impact Fortnite has had on the gaming industry. What started as a quick pivot to capture the exploding battle royale market has become its own thing entirely. While the core of Fortnite is still rooted in its competitive, last-man-standing multiplayer shooting, it has become a platform for anything from movie trailer premieres to full-blown interactive concerts, with no celebrity or brand seemingly off the table for a collaboration. It's almost impossible to wrap your head around who has appeared in Fortnite at one time or another, or just how difficult it is for other games to try and attract away some of its players. Fortnite is a force that keeps on enduring, and is still a riot to hop back into at any time. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6Developer: TreyarchRelease Date: October 25, 2024Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, PCIt wouldn't be a best shoote

Jun 9, 2025 - 23:50

Shooting has stood out as gaming's most prominent verbs since its inception, evolving tremendously from the simple, flat 2D blasting of Asteroids, to the genre-defining release of first-person shooter Doom, to the bursting scene of creativity that the genre operates in today. Shooters are now far more than just giving you a gun and some enemies to blow away–they're highly inventive games that take place from every perspective you can imagine, interweaving unique mechanics to make the base action of pulling a trigger continually inventive and captivating.

Variety is the shooting genre's greatest strength, catering to an ever-growing appetite of tastes for the next big adrenaline fix. First-person shooters have come a long way since Doom, but the franchise itself has endured with critically-acclaimed modern sequels such as Doom: The Dark Ages. Others of this ilk, such as Titanfall 2 and Halo, add their own spin and feeling to the first-person action that makes their own brand of shooting feel distinct, while Call of Duty has carved out a whole portion of the market for itself in its annual dominance of the space. There are so many great options in this space, that we have an entire list breaking down the best FPS games around today.

The same could be said for Fortnite, which hosts its action in a relentless battle royale format but expands to be so much more than just the sum of its parts. Returnal, another third-person shooter, couldn't be more different, with a roguelite approach and much more demanding action that requires pinpoint precision to get through each level. Others, like Gears 5, slow things down, having you shift from cover to cover while skirmishing with enemies in more tactical warfare.

These are just the tips of the iceberg, with examples below including combinations with deckbuilders, roguelites, and enduring classics that serve as a reminder of just how long a perfectly tuned experience can endure. There are some of the best shooters you can play today, from some of the most recent examples to underappreciated gems. For more, check out our lists for the best RPGs, the best racing games, the best PS5 games, the best Xbox games, and the best Nintendo Switch games.

Doom: The Dark Ages

Developer: id Software
Release Date: May 15, 2025
Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PS5, PC

You could argue that Doom was one of the first games to shepherd the idea of shooters, at the very least those in first-person, into the mainstream. It's a series that is decades old but still finding ways to delight, with its latest entry being no exception. Doom: The Dark Ages is the third game from id Software since rebooting Doom in 2016, once again reinventing its combat loop to focus on sticking your ground and fighting it out. The Doom Slayer returns with time period accurate weaponry and an extremely satisfying shield, giving you new ways to rip and tear through demons across a highly enjoyable campaign. It's a delicately balanced shooter that sways between grueling challenges and blood-pumping power fantasy, making it a gruesome and gratifying ride from start to finish.

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Returnal

Developer: Housemarque
Release Date: April 30, 2021
Platforms: PS5, PC

Developer Housemarque made a big leap to third-person action with arguably one of the best PlayStation exclusives yet in Returnal. The blend between bullet-hell shooter and roguelite elements supports an eerie and mind-bending narrative, replete with both fake and secret endings. But it's the combat that truly shines, with a variety of satisfying weaponry that can transform your approach to enemies from run to run. Returnal is grueling and challenging, and can feel especially unforgiving at the start thanks to a lack of permanent upgrades to ease you into its flow. But once you start stitching together runs and powering through some incredible boss fights, it's an intoxicating loop that's difficult to put down.

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Fortnite

Developer: Epic Games
Release Date: July 21, 2017
Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, PC, Nintendo Switch, Mobile

There's no denying what impact Fortnite has had on the gaming industry. What started as a quick pivot to capture the exploding battle royale market has become its own thing entirely. While the core of Fortnite is still rooted in its competitive, last-man-standing multiplayer shooting, it has become a platform for anything from movie trailer premieres to full-blown interactive concerts, with no celebrity or brand seemingly off the table for a collaboration. It's almost impossible to wrap your head around who has appeared in Fortnite at one time or another, or just how difficult it is for other games to try and attract away some of its players. Fortnite is a force that keeps on enduring, and is still a riot to hop back into at any time.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

Developer: Treyarch
Release Date: October 25, 2024
Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, PC

It wouldn't be a best shooters list without a mention of a franchise that has heralded some of the genre's biggest entries. Ever since Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare in 2007, this franchise hasn't missed a year without a new entry. And while not all of them have been showstoppers, the latest in the franchise does deliver a captivating, spy-fuelled campaign with some of the series' most innovative missions to date. That's just a fraction of what's on offer, with the ever-evolving multiplayer giving you countless hours of competitive fun to enjoy, with frequent content drops and updates. Call of Duty has become a platform of its own, and it's difficult to see it slowing down in the future.

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Helldivers 2

Developer: Arrowhead Games Studio
Release Date: February 4, 2024
Platforms: PS5, PC

As a sequel to a top-down shooter, it's remarkable how much Helldivers 2 retains from its initial outing while equally enhancing it in every imaginable way. This cooperative third-person shooter channels the sensibilities of anti-capitalist media such as Starship Troopers, while also capturing its slapstick humor through its chaotic gunplay. You're working as a team in Helldivers 2 to squash alien bugs or eradicate vicious robots, but it's often the unexpected moments in between that will last long in your memory. Surviving a teammate's poorly placed airstrike, managing to be the only one to make it onto the dropship to complete a mission, or just barely surviving a wave of enemies as ammo and resources run out are the moments that elevate Helldivers 2 above its unassuming premise, and entice you to take on mission after mission.

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Halo: The Master Chief Collection

Developer: 343 Industries
Release Date: November 11, 2014
Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC

While Halo Infinite might be the most recent entry in the series, it's hard to deny how much heritage is packed into the expansive Master Chief Collection. Not only is the original Halo trilogy still a treat to play through, the inclusion of some of the series' strongest entries in Halo 3: ODST and Halo Reach only enrich the entire package. It's a treasure trove of some of the best first-person shooter campaigns ever engineered, along with healthy support for its enduring flavor of multiplayer mayhem. Halo might not hold the same reverence that it used to, but The Master Chief Collection is still the best way to experience the series at its height.

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Black Mesa

Developer: Crowbar Collective
Release Date: March 6, 2020
Platforms: PC

The impact of Half-Life on the gaming industry cannot be understated, but with it being several decades old at this point, Valve's original FPS can be challenging to return to. Black Mesa bridges the gap between the 1998 original and modern sensibilities, at least if you're looking for a way to play Gordon Freeman's first outing at the titular Black Mesa facility. This remake retains the overall look and feel of the classic shooter while overhauling it visually. It's striking how much of the game's original design is retained in a far more eye-catching package, letting you relive some of the series' stellar set pieces with new fidelity. There are even some gameplay enhancements to the tailend of the campaign, which improve the final act significantly.

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Neon White

Developer: Angel Matrix
Release Date: June 16, 2022
Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4

A deckbuilder in my first-person shooter? Neon White combines two entirely different genres with a strong focus on speedrunning to create an intoxicating formula that you'll likely lose hours to once you're found your footing. This first-person shooter is all about precision and execution, punishing small mistakes and rewarding out-of-the-box thinking as you attempt to shave off precious seconds from your fastest time in each level. If you're not into the leaderboard hunt, Neon White still delivers with its over-the-top narrative and distinct mechanics, making it an experiment that pays off in spades.

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Gears 5

Developer: The Coalition
Release Date: September 6, 2019
Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC

Gears of War might be one of the most recognizable shooters from the Xbox 360 era, right next Halo. The series hasn't quite matched the highs of its initial trilogy, but it has endured on the modern slate of Microsoft hardware with some welcome experimentation to the established narrative-driven third-person shooting action. Gears 5 (without the war this time) exemplifies this, with wide-open hub levels for you to explore and tackle objectives in whatever order you like, while also giving you a slew of new weapons, and a host of fresh enemies to turn into bloody bits. The series' next entry–the prequel, Gears of War: E-Day–is due soon, so now is a great time to get caught up on this entertaining cover shooter in anticipation.

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Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2

Developer: Saber Interactive
Release Date: September 9, 2024
Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PS5, PC

It took over 12 years for it to happen, but the wait was worth it for the follow-up to a truly underrated entry in the ever-expanding Warhammer 40,000 universe. Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 maintains the mixture of third-person shooting and up-in-your-face melee action, pitting you against far larger swarms of enemies than the first game possibly could on the hardware at the time. Its campaign is a thrill both alone and in co-op, with the addition of a horde mode added after release giving the engrossing action a longer life. Space Marine 2 is just one way to get a fix of Warhammer 40,000 action, but it's certainly one of the best right now.

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Splatoon 3

Developer: Nintendo
Release Date: September 9, 2024
Platforms: Nintendo Switch

Near the end of the Wii U's life, Nintendo introduced a brand new franchise that would go on to become one of its most recognizable on the Nintendo Switch. Splatoon's blend of competitive multiplayer and third-person, paint-based shooting is uniquely charming, rewarding deft teamwork as you fill each map with as much of your color paint as possible to achieve victory. While its debut outing was all about online play, its sequels added more single-player content, eventually culminating in a complete package with Splatoon 3. The third entry's single-player campaign is a delightful blend of puzzle-solving and shooting, extending to a cooperative horde mode and the main attraction of everlasting competitive multiplayer matches afterward. Splatoon 3 is oozing with style, with an emphasis on street fashion to kit out your squid kid with and a soundtrack filled with strangely captivating earworms. It's still some of the most fun you can have on a Switch today.

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Counter-Strike 2

Developer: Valve
Release Date: September 27, 2023
Platforms: PC

It's difficult to talk about online multiplayer shooters without mentioning Valve's Counter-Strike. For years, this round-based team shooter has dominated the esports space, providing a grueling competitive ground with a high skill ceiling for some of the most talented first-person shooter players around to show off in. Counter-Strike dominated early LAN parties and still enjoys a thriving playerbase today, regularly topping the most-played game charts on Steam at any given time. It's the same simple formula that has been refined over years and years of iteration, with the game's recent sequel providing game-changing mechanics for the first time since its inception. Counter-Strike 2 is free to play and only requires our dedication to get the most out of it, so there's really no better time to get started.

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Marvel Rivals

Developer: NetEase Games
Release Date: December 6, 2024
Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PS5, PC

The stumbling of Overwatch 2 left a void in the hero-based multiplayer shooter space that Marvel Rivals has confidently filled since its launch. It brings with it an impressively large roster of Marvel characters, from recognizable faces such as Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, and Captain America, to deeper cuts like Squirrel Girl, Namor, and Magik. Its gameplay doesn't stray far from the formula that lapsed Overwatch fans have been craving, and it does a good job of adapting each of the superpowers from its varied rosters into recognizable team-based shooter roles. Marvel Rivals is well-balanced and engaging, with a steady stream of new content and characters to keep the action feeling fresh and lively. If Overwatch hasn't done it for you for a while, Marvel Rivals is waiting to welcome you.

Titanfall 2

Developer: Respawn Entertainment
Release Date: October 28, 2016
Platforms: Xbox Series One, PS4, PC

Titanfall's initial multiplayer-only debut came and went as an early Xbox One exclusive, but it wasn't until its sequel that the true potential of this parkour-powered first-person shooter was realised. Titanfall 2 has one of the best modern first-person shooter campaigns, with some standout levels that introduce and fully explore wholly distinct mechanics to create truly memorable setpieces. That's on top of the returning thrill of calling down a giant mech from the sky, scaling its back, and piloting a hulking war machine onto the battlefield. The blend of mech combat and the ability to weave through the colossal battles around you as a nimble human pilot still remains Titanfall's most distinctive gameplay hook, and one that is still exhilarating to jump into today.

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Mullet MadJack

Developer: Hammer95 Studios
Release Date: May 15, 2024
Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox Series One, PC

Loud and proud of it, Mullet Madjack is an adrenaline rush that you'll struggle to pull yourself away from. The action is moulded around the idea of a time attack, where each run is kept alive by the time you gain from each enemy you kill. It makes the first-person action frenetic, challenging you to memorize rooms and enemy locations in order to extend each run by a precious few seconds. While there are roguelite elements, there's an emphasis on the "lite," with just a few upgrades available between levels for you to make a new run feel slightly distinct. The real focus is on the color-soaked, high-octane action that never lets up, making Mullet Madjack stand out in a market filled with other arcade-like shooters.

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Destiny 2

Developer: Bungie
Release Date: September 6, 2017
Platforms: Xbox One, PS4, PC

Bungie's initial attempt at combining its first-person shooting prowess with the structure of an MMO showcased its ambition, but it wasn't until the sequel that the formula really felt like it had been honed. Eight years after its release, Destiny 2 is still one of the best-feeling shooters on the market, with a dizzying amount of content to consume. It's a bit difficult to parse it all as a new player in 2025, and Bungie has started pumping the brakes on larger content expansions for it. But there's no doubting what impact Destiny 2 has had on the larger industry, and how much fun you can still have with it today.

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Rez Infinite

Developer: Enhance
Release Date: October 13, 2016
Platforms: PS4, PC, PSVR

Reinvigorating one of the best games from the PlayStation 2 and Dreamcast, Rez Infinite showcases just how timeless a great game can be. Aside from its sharper visuals and VR support, Infinite changes nothing about the original's on-rails shooting, challenging you to balance enemy acquisition and timing to stay alive. It's a beautifully balanced ballet that takes place in some gorgeous levels, with its style now synonymous with developer Enhance's library of games. Its additional mode, Area X, is a delightful surprise on top of an already compelling package, letting you explore Rez in a way older hardware might not have afforded. Rez is old, but it's still one of the best shooters you can play.

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Hotline Miami

Developer: Dennaton Games
Release Date: October 23, 2012
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC, Mobile

Long before Devolver Digital became a household name for high-quality, smaller games, Hotline Miami was one of the publisher's biggest successes. This top-down shooter is unforgiving, with the smallest mistake or second of hesitation meaning instant death. Each of the game's crafted levels is a deadly puzzle to solve, challenging you to think on your feet and react even quicker. It's bloody and brutal in its expressions of violence too, using its limited view to great effect when showcasing the brutality of its protagonist. It could be argued that its sequel can sometimes take things too far in terms of subject matter, but there's no denying that this first entry in the series is still a thrill to play today.

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Hyper Demon

Developer: Sorath
Release Date: September 19, 2022
Platforms: PC

Devil Daggers distilled first-person shooting down to its most basic elements, crafting a pure but punishing formula perfect for its short runs. Its follow-up, Hyper Demon, is a natural next step in that thinking. It adds new mechanics for you to balance, such as alternative firing modes, but also pulls back on other elements, such as the ever-present threat of death and overwhelming enemy types. Instead, Hyper Demon is all about incentivizing aggression. By rewarding you with time for each enemy killed, but not ending your run when the timer hits zero, Hyper Demon rewards measured but risky play, with your best runs sometimes also being some of your shortest. It's an exhilarating experience with ethereal visuals that suck you in from the moment you start.

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Control

Developer: Remedy Games
Release Date: August 27, 2019
Platforms: Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, PS5, PC

Control is probably the closest we're going to get to a proper X-Men action game. Being able to blow away enemies with a transforming gun and smash them into walls with telekinetically-propelled debris make its intense skirmishes an absolute joy, giving you an assortment of tools to experiment with as you explore the twisting and turning Oldest House. With Remedy's signature storytelling flair and some of the most inventive setpieces in recent memory, Control might not be the most traditional shooter out there, but it's an experience you must give a go.

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OTXO

Developer: Lateralis Heavy Industries
Release Date: April 20, 2023
Platforms: PC

If you enjoyed the unrelenting action of Hotline Miami but craved something with a little more replayability, then roguelite OTXO is probably a match made in heaven. This top-down shooter is heavily inspired by the brutal action of Hotline Miami, but adds its own twists with an emphasis on slow-motion gunplay and engrossing runs through randomly stitched-together levels. Its monochrome presentation is punctuated with splashes of bright red blood as you carve your way through each level, creating a distinct and memorable backdrop to OTXO's captivating action.

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Nex Machina

Developer: Housemarque
Release Date: June 20, 2017
Platforms: PS4, PC

Before moving to third-person with Returnal, developer Housemarque was knowng for its twin-stick shooters, and it released what is arguably its best with Nex Machina. A homage to Robotron 2084 (and even getting original creator Eugene Jarvis onboard), this chaotic top-down shooter has all the hallmarks of the best Housemarque has to offer. Screens filled to the brim with neon projectiles, brutal difficulty that rewards fine reflexes, and a wealth of weapons and upgrades to experience make the otherwise brief campaign endlessly replayable. If this is going to be the last game of this kind from Housemarque, it's a blessing that we got one this good.

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Max Payne 3

Developer: Rockstar Games
Release Date: May 15, 2012
Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, PC

Remedy established the moody backstory of Max Payne in the series' first two entries, but Rockstar took it in an entirely different direction for his third outing. The good news is that while this sequel is tonally very different, its third-person shooter is the best the series would get. There's copious amounts of slow-motion diving, letting you launch yourself at almost any angle to blow away gangsters in a flurry of empty bullets casing. With Rockstar and Remedy teaming up again to develop remakes for Max Payne 1 & 2, here's hoping the magic from over a decade ago can be recaptured.

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