Best Shooter Games
Shooters are defined by what's in your crosshairs — whether that's a precise sniper shot, a point-blank blast, or a perfectly timed burst from across a map. The genre rewards accuracy, positioning, and quick spatial decision-making, and it contains some of the most played games on the planet: Counter-Strike, Call of Duty, DOOM, Halo, and Borderlands. The satisfaction of landing a difficult shot or clearing a room efficiently is one of gaming's most reliable pleasures.
Platform
486 games
9.4
PCPlayStationXbox
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
2023 · Action
9.3
−50%PCPlayStation
The Last of Us Part I
2022 · Action
$59.99from $29.99
9.2
PCPlayStationXbox
Portal 2
2011 · Shooter
from $9.99
9.1
−85%PCPlayStationXbox
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition
2021 · Action
$59.99from $8.99
9.1
PCPlayStationXbox
The Orange Box
2008 · Shooter
9.0
PCXbox
Half-Life 2
2004 · Action
from $9.99
9.0
PlayStation
Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End
2016 · Action
9.0
PCPlayStationXboxNintendo
BioShock: The Collection
2016 · Action
8.9
PCXbox
Half-Life 2: Episode Two
2007 · Action
8.9
−57%PCPlayStationXbox
Fallout: New Vegas
2010 · Action
$9.99from $4.30
8.9
PCPlayStationXbox
Max Payne
2001 · Action
from $8.06
8.9
PCPlayStationXboxNintendo
Ultimate Doom
1995 · Action
8.9
PlayStation
The Last of Us: Left Behind
2014 · Action
8.8
−90%PCPlayStationXboxNintendo
BioShock Infinite
2013 · Action
$29.99from $2.99
8.8
PCPlayStationXboxNintendo
DOOM (2016)
2016 · Action
from $26.99
8.8
PCXbox
Half-Life 2: Episode One
2006 · Action
8.8
−80%PCPlayStationXboxNintendo
Hotline Miami
2012 · Action
$9.99from $1.99
8.8
−60%PCPlayStationXbox
Dead Space (2008)
2008 · Action
$19.99from $7.99
8.8
−50%PCPlayStationXboxNintendo
Red Dead Redemption
2010 · Action
$49.99from $24.99
8.8
−24%PlayStation
The Last of Us Part II
2020 · Action
$49.99from $37.99…
About Shooter Games
The shooter genre divides along several axes. First-person shooters — Half-Life, DOOM, BioShock — put you directly behind the barrel for maximum immersion. Third-person shooters — Gears of War, The Division, Max Payne — pull the camera back and often lean heavier on cover mechanics. Tactical shooters — Counter-Strike, Rainbow Six Siege, Valorant — punish mistakes heavily and reward team coordination above individual skill. Hero shooters — Overwatch 2, Apex Legends — layer character abilities on top of the shooting foundation. Story-driven shooters — BioShock, Titanfall 2, Halo — prioritize campaign narrative alongside the gunplay.
When choosing a shooter, the most important distinction is competitive multiplayer versus solo campaign. Games like Counter-Strike and Valorant are almost entirely multiplayer experiences — your enjoyment depends on finding a server and a team. Campaign-focused shooters like DOOM Eternal or Titanfall 2 offer exceptional solo experiences that are complete without touching multiplayer. On PC, also check anti-cheat software requirements: some solutions have known compatibility issues with certain hardware configurations.
Live-service multiplayer shooters are often free to play — Apex Legends, Valorant, and Warzone cost time, not money. Premium story shooters still command full launch prices, but campaigns are shorter than RPGs or adventure games, which means the per-hour value is lower. GameTheca tracks prices across all stores and flags when a premium shooter drops to a price that makes the campaign genuinely good value.
486 shooter titles tracked — ranked by rating and popularity.