Summary
There is an abundance of first-person shooters on the market, and the genre is only becoming more saturated with the surge in popularity of boomer shootersand movement shootersover the last few years. Massively popular indie games such asULTRAKILLandDUSK(both of which were published by New Blood Interactive) in particular have helped to push indie-FPS into the mainstream.
As a result, more and more indie developers are developing first-person shooters. While some of these games, likeULTRAKILL, reach wide audiences, others fall by the wayside. These are just a few examples of well-made,underappreciated first-person shooters created by indie developers.
8Sentry
Steam User Rating: 85%
This combination of tower-defense and first-person shooter features fast-paced action in which players defend their spaceship from an abundance of aggressive aliens.Sentryis currently in Early Access, but its fluid and intuitive gameplay make it a promising indie title.
In order to succeed inSentry’s action-packed combat, players will have to manage and master their arsenal of weapons, traps, and turrets alike. Making the most of every available defensive option is the only way for players to defeat the overwhelming number of enemies thatSentryhaphazardly throws at them.
7Supplice
Steam User Rating: 88%
Wearing its influences on its sleeve, this 90s-styled boomer shooter is a love letter toDOOMand its modding scene. As a result,Suppliceplays very much like a modernized version of earlyDOOMgames. While this won’t be for everyone, it is a near-guaranteed good time for fans of boomer shooters.
Supplicestays true to its inspirations with both its fast-paced, boomer shooter gameplay and its crunchy visuals and stylish directional sprites. Level design is one ofSupplice’sgreatest strengths, with large-scale maps and detailed environments that paint a clear picture of its sci-fi world.
6Vomitoreum
Steam User Rating: 91%
Vomitoreumis a unique combination of first-person Metroidvanias such asMetroid Primeand classic 90s shooters. The game uses its visual limitations in an admirably creative fashion, drawing inspiration chiefly from Polish painter, Zdzislaw Beksinski.
Vomitoreumisan atmospheric experiencewith a well-told story, fluid movement controls, and a dark world that’s frequently fun to explore. Although the game lacks the fast-paced, brutal action of 90s-styled shooters, its Metroidvania elements and dense atmosphere more than make up for it.
5Fortune’s Run
Steam User Rating: 92%
This quirky FPS is a combination of old-school 90s shooters and immersive sims such asDeus-ExandSystem Shock.Fortune’s Runfeatures fluid, fast-paced gunplay and stealth elements, allowing players to tackle encounters from a variety of different angles.
Fortune’s Runalso features a deep melee system complete with combos and even a parry mechanic. It can also bea tremendously challenging game, but it features customizable difficulty settings for those who just want to enjoy its well-crafted world.
4Dino Trauma
This lower-budget affair isa survival-horror FPSin the vein of games such asDino Crisis.Dino Traumafeatures a variety of aggressive dinosaurs, which it frequently throws at the player in its dark and unnerving environments.
To combat these dinosaurs, players are equipped with a stun-rod and various other weapons, many of which are among the standard set of FPS weaponry.Dino Traumais a decidedlyretro-styled FPS game, and its clunky low-budget design won’t be for everyone, but it provides a nostalgic and fun experience for those who can get on board.
3Calcium Contract
Steam User Rating: 95%
Calcium Contractsteers closer to the boomer-shooter genre than the other examples listed here, focusing onfast-paced action and movement.Calcium Contract’s visuals are fairly basic, and its lighting in particular leaves something to be desired, but its stellar gameplay more than makes up for it.
Calcium Contract’s biggest strength is arguably its unique save system. Throughout the game, players can choose to rewind time at any point. This allows gamers to quickly get back into the action when they die, increasing the already fast pace ofCalcium Contractand making it a game that FPS fans will likely find hard to put down.
2Bears In Space
Steam User Rating: 96%
This light-hearted, vibrant FPS action-adventure game tasks players with battling through a fun and comedic single-player campaign.Bears in Spaceis a zany experience packed with silly jokes, and that alone will turn some players away. However, the game does feature a demo that will quickly tell players whether or not they’ll enjoy its humor.
The overall gameplay and combat ofBears in Spaceis a fairly standard routine, though it does use elements fromthe Bullet Hell genreto mix up its otherwise run-of-the-mill gameplay. However,Bears In Spaceremains a wildly off-the-rails, colorful experience that’s sure to satisfy fans of retro-futurism and classic FPS gameplay.
1Zortch
Steam User Rating: 97%
Showing clear influence from the classic first-person shooters of the 90s and early 2000s,Zortchis a light-hearted science-fiction adventure with fast-paced FPS action. Like many games of its ilk,Zortchasks the player to master an arsenal of diverse weaponry to take down various enemies.
Zortchfeatures some horror elements, though it’s not a particularly scary game. Instead,Zortchdoesn’t take itself too seriously, occasionally injecting its unique sense of humor into its levels. The game’s levels are brilliantly designed, its environmentsa joy to explore, and its enemies fun to fight. Overall,Zortchis an arguably under-priced hidden gem that any fan of 90s FPS games is likely to get a kick out of.
