In November 2001,Halorevolutionized first-person shooters and the entire gaming industry. In addition to making Microsoft’s first console a force to be reckoned with, Bungie also finally figured out how to make a console first-person shooter experience on par with what PC gamers had been experiencing for years.
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That is not to say console FPS games were not around beforeHalo, however. The ten games below are all classics within the genre and did so before Bungie’s magnificent Xbox launch title. Even though most of them have unconventional controls by today’s standards, they are still worth checking out.
10TimeSplitters (2000)
This PS2 launch title came from developer Free Radical, a team made up of former Rare developers. As such, DNA from Nintendo 64 shooters likeGoldenEyeandPerfect Darkis evident.TimeSplittersdoes not have much of a story, but it is packed with content and players are able to play through the campaign cooperatively. The dozens upon dozens of playable characters is another appealing feature.Two sequels came out in the same generation, but fans are still clamoring for more.
9Medal Of Honor (1999)
This World War II era shooter started with a collaboration between filmmaker Steven Spielberg and developer DreamWorks Interactive. Considering it came out on the original PlayStation, do not expect large-scale battles.Medal of Honorstill manages to feel intense, however. Another sequel would come out on the console, though many consider the PC exclusiveAllied Assaultto be the best in the series and a predecessor to theCall of Dutyfranchise.
8Doom 64 (1997)
It is easy to ignoreDoom64,thinking it is a port of the debut entry. However, it is an original game with completely new levels and different graphics. While just a spin-off at first,Doom Eternalsurprisingly makes the N64 game a more important part of the lore.
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A remaster was also released alongsideEternal, making it significantly easier to play these days. ClassicDoomgameplay is easier to translate to older consoles than other FPS games.
7Alien: Resurrection (2000)
Alien: Resurrectionis probably one of the weaker games on the list, but it deserves mention for being ahead of the curb with its control scheme. Ironically, many reviewers criticized the dual-analog controlsHalowould standardize just a couple of years later. Sometimes being ahead of the times means not being appreciated in your era. To be fair, the game itself is merely okay.These days anAlienfan is better off playingAlien: Isolation.
6Faceball 2000 (1987)
First released in 1987 asMIDI Maze,Faceball 2000takes a minimalist approach to the design. Characters are smiley faces and levels are blank mazes. This is all you need for some classic fast-paced FPS action. The version on the SNES even has split-screen support for both competitive and cooperative play. Having come out six years beforeDoom, it is interesting to see the genre years before its mainstream prominence.
5GoldenEye (1997)
Even though the film of the same name came out in 1995, it took another two years for Rare’s game to come out. It was well worth the wait sinceGoldenEyeis often considered one of the finest gameson the console.The single-player is expansive enough, but the multiplayer was responsible for endless nights of fun among friends. Competing in classic maps like Archives and Facility solidifies bonds, or destroys them if someone picks Oddjob.
4Red Faction (2001)
Red Factioncame out on the PS2 on May, 2001, about six months beforeHaloand the Xbox’s launch. While it also came out on PC, the PS2 version deserves commendation for how well it plays and runs. Usually, console gamers would have to wait for an inferior version of a product long after its PC release. However,Red Factionincludes all the features from the PC release except for the online multiplayer. The game’s signature feature, highly destructible environments, retains its full glory on the PS2.
3Perfect Dark (2000)
PerfectDarkwas Rare’s follow up toGoldenEyeand also one of the last games released on the N64. It is more ambitious than its predecessor and requires the console’s expansion pack to access all the features.
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The campaign has local co-op,a rarity for the console. The multiplayer also had other expansive features and even challenge modes, which would be utilized inTimeSplitters.
2Disruptor (1996)
Before Insomniac was crafting madeSpyro the Dragon, they crafted this science fiction shooter for the original PlayStation. The game does a great job of creating an atmospheric FPS on the console. Players utilize special powers to defeat enemies in addition to conventional guns. The company would later return to the genre with theResistanceseries for the PS3.
1Turok: Dinosaur Hunter (1997)
Turok: Dinosaur Huntershowed off the first-person shooter potential of the console before evenGoldenEye. Playing the original N64 version shows the limitation of the console, particularly with the fog effects limiting visibility,but Night Dive studios made a gorgeous remasterfor modern consoles and PCs, which is the definitive way to play. Unfortunately, the series had a hard time living on after the N64, though fans fondly remember the debut entry.
