Summary
Tactical shooters are a notoriously hard genre to get into. It doesn’t help that the most popular games in the genre arecompetitive multiplayer shootersthat have been out for a long time, and servers are mostly populated by highly experienced players. While many of those players will probably welcome newcomers, those beginners might still feel inadequate or lost.
But tactical shooters aren’t all the same. Many games in the genre offer coop or PvE experiences, which help make them more welcoming to less experienced players. Mostmultiplayer tactical gamesare also focused on teamplay, which can also help. Finally, while it’s rare now, some older titles in the genre offer single-player modes.
Hell Let Looseis a first-person shooter inspired in equal measure by slow-moving tactical shooters and bymassive multiplayer battlesof the likes ofBattlefieldandPlanetside. In this game, two teams of up to 50 players each will take part in some of the most iconic battles of the Second World War. Even if the sheer size of those multiplayer scenarios is not uncommon now,Hell Let Loosemight be the first game to set its incredibly large battles in the 1940s.
The importance of cooperation is what really sells the tactical nature of the game. Just like theBattlefieldgames of old, the players' classes are most effective when they work together. Every player also needs to keep up with their team’s resources, which are accumulated as they hold a sector of the map and will help win the game.
SCP: 5Kis quite weird for a tactical shooter. Inspired by the SCP foundation, this first-person shooter sees players collaborate with one another to survive the facility, which is home to a slew ofstrange creatures and paranormal phenomena. The collaboration is exactly why this is a great tactical game for beginners. Learning the ropes from other players is pretty much the intended experience.
SCP: 5Kis a co-op shooter where all players attempt to survive together. Unlike other multiplayer shooters where the players are trying to beat the other team, new players are unlikely to feel much pressure. Even if they do,SCP: 5Kis kind of aparanormal horror game, too, meaning that failure and mistakes are part of what makes it fun.
Squadis a modern war tactical shooter with matches that can hold up to 100 players, classes, smaller squads, vehicles, and even more. While all those features might at first intimidate some players, the best quality ofSquadis that it does all this without being one bit less playable.
While it’s certainly a tactical shooter, and players used to faster games will need to readjust their behavior,Squadis far from the most punishing example of the genre. The large maps, 50-person armies, and dedicated team system also help foster collaboration and stop new players from wandering onward alone.
WhileTom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlandssells itself as theultimate military shooter, fans of the genre have been quick to criticize that label, noting that it’s far too action-focused. On the one hand, self-declaring one’s game to be the ultimate example of a genre is bound to draw scorn. On the other hand, at least for some players,Ghost Recon Wildlandsmight be a great tactical military shooter.
Since it’s a sequel/reboot of a beloved tactical shooter series from Ubisoft,Ghost Recon Wildlandsis certainly one of the more polished military shooters. As such, the game allows for co-op mode with up to four players and boosts a massive map and plenty of vehicles to move around.
Insurgency: Sandstormhas been available for a while. This slow-moving, team-based multiplayer FPS has been around since 2018, but it’s still popular enough to have full servers in an active community. It certainly helps that the developers continued to maintain the game through the years.
Another great aspect ofInsurgency: Sandstorm,which is perfect for beginners, is that it allows a group of friends to participate in matches against the AI. This removes much of the stress of competitive multiplayer games, where poor performance hinders the progress of one’s teammates, making it much easier to just enjoy the game.
SWAT 4is a classic of tactical shooters. Released in 2005, it has receivedexcellent maintenance from its fansin the form of mods. Players who aren’t used to (or don’t wish to go back to) the early days of polygonal 3D shooters can count on a variety of modernizing mods.Elite Forceis considered a must-have, but there are other mods worth trying.
On the one hand,SWAT 4is great for beginners because it’s a seminal title in the genre while still being far more playable than the 1990sRainbow Sixgames.SWAT 4is a game that encourages carefulness and strategy, but it still allows players to go in guns blazing once in a while. On the other hand,SWAT 4has co-op for up to four players, allowing more experienced players to accompany their newcomer friends into the genre.
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas 2is a classic shooter with some tactical elements, but it’s not a solely dedicated tactical shooter, which makes it much easier to approach for newcomers.Rainbow Six Vegas 2also has a lengthy campaign, which is now, years after its original release in 2008, the main offering of the game.
Rainbow Six Vegas 2might be a bit old, but single-player tactical shooters have become more and more rare following its release. Meanwhile, middle-of-the-road approaches to the genre have disappeared almost completely.Rainbow Six Vegas 2is now one of the last of its kind, a slow-moving, single-player FPS with enough influences from tactical shooters to serve as an introduction but not enough to scare new players away.
