What are the best FPS games? The first-person shooter genre is one of the largest and most popular genres in the industry. Some games are still leading the way even after more than a decade, while others we have chosen are new to the scene but are no less stellar. From hardcore tactical shooters like Rainbow Six Siege to behemoths like Call of Duty Warzone, this is our list of the best FPS games you can play right now on console.
Nailing an FPS game is no easy task, and the developers behind these games are experts in their craft. While FPS games are often criticized for being samey or looking generic, we couldn’t disagree more, and this list proves it. We’d even rank some of them among the best games of all time.
The best FPS games are:
1. Call of Duty MW3
As the latest entry in the hit FPS franchise, Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 is the best one in quite some time, offering a great return to form while also innovating in several areas. Though it’s a shame the MW3 campaign misses the mark, the multiplayer and MW3 Zombies modes are incredibly enjoyable, as we explain in our MW3 review.
Starting off with the main draw for most players, MW3 multiplayer smartly takes what worked about MW2, namely its excellent gunplay and sense of scale, and fixes the issues people had with it. What this boils down to is the best feeling CoD game in years. Movement is slicker than ever, which opens up plenty of sneaky flanking routes on the MW3 maps, despite most of them being faithful remakes of iconic MW2 (2009) maps (which series veterans like ourselves are loving). The many new MW3 modes like Cutthroat are welcome additions, as is the return of the popular War Mode from CoD WW2.
We can’t not mention the unique Zombies mode, a first for the Modern Warfare line of games. While we do miss the round-based structure of traditional Zombies, its open-world format gives a world of new opportunities and absurd moments, like driving through hordes with trucks or grouping up with other squads to take down boss zombies. We’re hoping post-launch updates will add a round-based map, but even so, the Zombies mode is a great addition.
Whether you’re playing multiplayer or Zombies, you’ll get to wield a huge arsenal of weapons – the largest of any CoD game, in fact. From the new MW3 guns to all the returning ones from MW2, there are a lot of weapons to use and master. We can’t not mention the MW3 Aftermarket Parts system either, which drastically changes the performance of certain weapons to add even more chaos into the mix. But perhaps the most fun part is unlocking all the MW3 camos, which is a game in and of itself in many ways.
If you’re in the mood for an arcade shooter, particularly for multiplayer and Zombies, MW3 should be on the top of your list. Are you intrigued? Check out the current MW3 meta before heading in so you know all the best MW3 loadouts and MW3 best guns to use right now.
2. Call of Duty Warzone
A list of the best FPS games would not be complete without mentioning Warzone, the free-to-play battle royale in the Call of Duty series. Here, 150 players drop into a sprawling map in an attempt to be crowned the last one standing.
With a second chance feature offered by the Gulag – a 1v1 arena – you have multiple chances at success. Loadout drops allow you to gather your resources and pick up your best Warzone loadout, and supply crates will let you pick up things like ammunition and killstreaks.
Overall, Warzone is a fast-paced battle royale with an ever-changing Warzone meta that will drag you in once you give it a go. It’s one of the most popular multiplayer games in the world right now and is a blast to play with a squad of friends.
If you’re already a fan of Call of Duty’s superb gunplay, Warzone expands on that in every single way possible. With MW3 integration, you’ll also be able to enjoy all the new features that stellar entry brings with it, including new weapons and movement that make Warzone events better.
3. Overwatch 2
Overwatch 2 is one of the most popular free shooting games on the market right now, largely due to the way the original game shaped the hero shooter genre all those years ago.
Overwatch 2 heavily relies on teamwork and team composition in its now-5v5 match-ups, compared to the 6v6 action of the original. With more than 30 heroes split into tank, DPS, and support roles, players can adapt their team’s line-up to counter their enemies. Our Overwatch 2 tier list explains more if you’re looking for a head start.
Whether you decide to take on the Overwatch 2 ranks or play casually in Quick Play or Arcade, the game offers a unique gaming experience for fans of the FPS genre. It certainly helps that the core gameplay feels incredibly slick, with great gunplay and audio feedback that makes every character feel unique.
Now, there are even co-op story missions added to the game every few months. Although these have to be purchased separately, Overwatch has never been more feature-complete than it is right now, despite a few odd changes from the first game. Thanks to its regular Season updates, there’s plenty of new content being added that makes the game better every time, including new maps, modes, and heroes. If you’re playing with friends, whether in PvE or PvP, Overwatch 2 is arguably also one of the best co-op games.
4. Halo Infinite
Despite the first installment of the Halo franchise, Halo: Combat Evolved, being released in 2001, the series has stood the test of time in the FPS genre. Since then, the franchise has evolved with eight additional games being released over the past twenty years, including Halo Infinite.
Infinite’s campaign includes a sprawling open world for you to enjoy, as well as new gadgets to try out and a range of vehicles that you can pilot. The landscape is absolutely stunning (something you can read more about in our Halo Infinite review) and will keep you entertained for hours, especially since it gives the intricate sandbox even more potential.
That’s not all though, as Halo Infinite also brings the traditional Halo multiplayer experience with some fun new additions. The multiplayer is free-to-play and features dozens of popular and unique game modes. Since Season 5 and 6, Halo Infinite’s multiplayer has seen massive improvements to its core systems, including progression and player customization. In other words, there’s no better time to jump in for the first time or back in if you’ve been absent since release.
It still doesn’t stop there, as Halo’s iconic Forge mode has now also made its way into Halo Infinite, alongside the hotly anticipated Firefight. Forge is a powerful creative sandbox tool where players can create custom maps and even absurd experiences like Star Wars in Halo or recreating old Halo missions.
There’s certainly a lot to sink your teeth into, especially with new seasonal content to keep up with, but the strength of Halo Infinite’s incredibly satisfying gunplay is the bedrock for it all.
While multiplayer is free for everyone, the campaign is sold separately or is available through Xbox Game Pass.
5. Apex Legends
With perhaps the most diverse cast of characters in the FPS genre, Apex Legends is a free-to-play battle royale that traditionally pits teams of three against each other.
Like other hero-based shooters on this list, Apex features a large number of legends with their own unique abilities and ultimates. This is perhaps its most defining feature, adding more personality, chaos, and strategy into the mix than other battle royales. While all Legends are viable while climbing the Apex Legends ranks, newcomers might want to pick the ones from the top of our Apex Legends tier list to get the best out of their games.
The game is regularly updated and features a whole host of extras, from limited-time game modes to cosmetics and events. And with such slick gunplay underpinning it all, it’s undoubtedly one of the best battle royale games on the market, and one you should try right away.
6. Doom Eternal
We can’t have a best FPS games list without a Doom title, can we? Doom Eternal takes everything we loved from the 1993 original and improves on it, giving the series a sleek new finish.
For the uninitiated, you’ll have to fight through hordes of demons, shooting everything in sight with metal music blasting away in the background. It’s the most ambitious game in the series, with a rich and diverse range of weapons and multiple different environments to do battle in. There are even environmental puzzles, arcade mini-games, and platforming, building on the strengths of the first reboot, Doom (2018).
Sure, the story isn’t exactly the most complex or interesting narrative, but it’s the perfect set dressing to push you into the next fast-paced combat encounter.
7. Doom (2016)
Speaking of Doom, we couldn’t bear to leave out Doom (2016), even if its successor often wins out. While it was released on last-gen consoles, the upgraded version can be played via backward compatibility and looks every bit as stunning as you’d expect from a modern Doom game.
Doom is still worth playing for much the same reason as Doom Eternal – you really can’t beat the satisfaction of punching through a demon’s chest or blasting them away with a shotgun. With fast-paced and strategic combat (although slightly less complex than Eternal), its various enemy types, weapons, and shield and health system, each provide a unique challenge you’ll have to manage in moment-to-moment gameplay.
8. Destiny 2
Bungie’s hit FPS game is perfect for fans of rich sci-fi universes, engrossing gunplay, and a whole lot of lore. With a narrative that is still evolving from the original game, there’s certainly a lot to wrap your head around in Destiny 2. But, once you are up to date, it is an excellent story-driven game that evolves with each new Season and expansion.
If you’re not here for the story, then don’t worry. Destiny 2 offers best-in-class gunplay, puzzles, and loot-chasing, as well as a solid PvP mode in which you can test your skills. There are even six-person raids and three-person dungeons that offer intense boss fights and puzzles to conquer alongside others that can’t quite be found anywhere else, especially on consoles.
New starters will want to check out our best Destiny 2 Warlock build, Destiny 2 Titan build, and Destiny 2 Hunter build before they enter their first raid, though.
Destiny 2’s base game, which offers up a decent amount of content including PvE and PvP modes, is free-to-play, though its best content is locked behind paid expansions and Seasons.
9. Rainbow Six Siege
This online tactical FPS allows players to choose from a variety of Operators (all with unique weapons and gadgets) to go head-to-head in 5v5 competitive action. You’ll need to work together as a team to both attack and defend set areas in order to win rounds in Rainbow Six Siege.
In many ways, Siege is like CS:GO mixed with Call of Duty and a sprinkle of Overwatch – it’s tactical, it’s slick, it’s modern, and it has a hero shooter element with its wide roster of operators.
Perhaps its most defining feature though is its incredible destruction effects, so you’ll need to watch your six if you’re looking to stay alive. One team will need to defend the objective, reinforcing walls and placing traps, while the other must infiltrate the building and complete the objective. The added elements of drones and rappelling keep you on your toes, especially when enemies are using the best Rainbow Six Siege operators in-game.
With a blazingly fast time-to-kill, Siege is an incredibly tricky but rewarding experience once you get the hang of it, easily placing it among the best FPS games for competitive-minded players. What’s more, the game also receives frequent seasonal updates, including new characters and maps.
Rainbow Six Siege is on PS5, PS4, Xbox, and PC.
10. Hunt Showdown 1896
Hunt Showdown is one of the most unique-feeling FPS games around, and in 2024 it got even better with its enhanced 1896 version. As the name suggests, Hunt Showdown 1896 is set in late 19th century America, with a gritty, dark western vibe. In keeping with that setting, you’ve got some old school weaponry to wield, with a vast arsenal of hunting rifles, crossbows, shotguns, revolvers, and more.
Hunt is a PvPvE extraction shooter where you and other rival players explore the map to track down and eliminate one of several bosses. These bosses are intimidating monsters that range from fiery demons to giant spiders.
While roaming the map and defeating less powerful enemies, you’ll need to keep your wits about you – other players will want to take you out and steal your hard-earned loot for themselves. Making noise by firing weapons is the biggest give away of your location, so try and play each match with an element of stealth. If you die before you manage to extract out of the map, you’ll lose all the gear you came in with and all the loot you picked up along the way.
Due to Hunt Showdown 1896 being an enhanced version of the game on a new engine, it is only now playable on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.
11. Titanfall 2
Respawn is no stranger to creating a stellar FPS experience, and Titanfall is one of its most celebrated outside of Apex. While accessing the multiplayer can be quite a challenge nowadays, especially on certain platforms, the campaign more than makes it up for.
Alongside Doom Eternal, Titanfall 2 offers one of the best story modes of any modern shooter. Boasting not only silky-smooth gunplay, but also an easy-to-learn, hard-to-master parkour system, incredible level design, and a surprisingly touching story, Titanfall 2 is a blast. Did we mention that you can also pilot a massive mech?
That’s right, Titanfall 2 isn’t just about the (amazing) on-foot gameplay, as you can also call in your Titan, a highly mobile tank with legs. The perfect melding of traditional FPS action as a Pilot and the bombastic, heavy gameplay of the Titans is reason enough to give it a go if you haven’t already. There’s a reason many are eagerly awaiting an unlikely sequel…
12. Superhot
If you’re in the market for an FPS game with a twist, look no further than Superhot. The tagline “time moves only when you move” sums up the whole experience, with a gripping gimmick in which you can line up shots and dodge attacks like Neo from The Matrix.
That’s not all though, as taking any damage causes you to fail the level. In many ways, this makes Superhot a great blend of satisfying FPS action with a puzzle game, as you need to find a safe route through the level, while also looking cool doing it
For PS4 players that have an original PSVR headset, there is also a thrilling VR version of Superhot that’s definitely worth playing.
13. Borderlands 3
The Borderlands franchise won’t be for everyone, with its rather childish writing, outlandish humor, and comic-book art style, but it’s hard to deny just how great the games feel to play.
Borderlands 3 takes this to the next level, upping the already engrossing gunplay and loot chasing with slick movement, animations, and more deep build-crafting than previous entries. So long as you can get on with the often wacky tone, Borderlands 3 offers FPS action and loot chasing on par with Destiny 2, solidifying its place as one of the best FPS games on the market.
With several free updates having added even more content to the base game, as well as a number of DLCs, there’s lots of content to sink your teeth into in just a single playthrough. And with four character classes to choose from, there’s plenty of incentive to replay the game multiple times.
14. Deep Rock Galactic
Deep Rock Galactic might be a surprise, but it no doubt deserves a spot among the best FPS games. This light-hearted extraction shooter is a cooperative game all about mining. As a dwarf working for Deep Rock Galactic, you’ll venture into the dangerous caves of Hoxxes IV to complete a variety of objectives, all while terrifying aliens and creatures try to stop you. Think Left for Dead, with a bit of Minecraft, amped up to 11.
Now, this might sound a bit repetitive, though DRG makes use of great procedurally generated levels and a lot of progression to keep this engaging. While procedural generation is usually a red flag for many games, Deep Rock has so many unique environments to pull from that no mission ever feels the same, nor feel like it was made by a string of numbers in a computer. There are also four classes to choose from, each with a distinct role and set of weapons and equipment. Either pick your favorite or give all four a go! They’re all incredibly entertaining.
Speaking of, the tone is perhaps the best part of DRG. No matter how you play, it’s hard to not have fun. Whether you’re getting drunk on Oily Oaf with fellow Dwarves at the bar before a mission or screaming out for ammo as a massive bug chases you, DRG is a blast.
15. Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition
A forgotten gem of a game that wins over the hearts of many who end up playing it, Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition is a remaster of the 2011 game where you play as a space pirate and former solider looking to enact his revenge on his former commander on a war-torn planet.
Bulletstorm’s narrative is, admittedly, nothing special, with frequently crude humor that may turn off some players. However, the core gameplay is solid, with a focus on performing awesome kills as a way of increasing your score and unlocking new upgrades.
Your first playthrough of Bulletstorm will only take around ten hours at most, meaning it’s a solid experience for any player looking for a short, sweet, and memorable time. And, it can also be found at a great price.
16. Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus
A reboot of the classic Wolfenstein series, the recent Wolfenstein games from developer MachineGames offer an exhilarating and chaotic experience with an interesting narrative that follows war veteran William “B.J.” Blazkowicz in an alternate universe where the Nazis won in WW2.
While playing the first game in this reboot series will help you get to grips with the world found in Wolfenstein 2, it’s not necessary to enjoy the thrilling plot and engaging gunplay. While there are plenty of uncomfortable and hard-hitting moments in the Nazi-occupied world, there’s an equal amount of silly and humorous points too.
Wolfenstein 2 excels at creating a balance between Doom-like gameplay, an emotional story, and an intriguing world. If this is your first experience with the Wolfenstein series, you’re in for a great time.
17. XDefiant
While it was hampered by some early technical issues straight out the gate, there’s no denying that XDefiant is an incredibly fun multiplayer shooter. It feels reminiscent of the mid-to-late-2010s era of Call of Duty, and that’s by no means a bad thing.
The XDefiant factions – which are all themed around various Ubisoft IP like Splinter Cell, Watch Dogs, and Far Cry – each come with a unique set of abilities, ranging from deployable barrier shields, to incendiary drones, to sonar goggles that give you brief wall hacks.
The gunplay is tight, and there is a CoD-style gunsmith system that lets you tinker with different attachments to create the best setup for your playstyle. The maps, which are also themed around locations and aesthetics from other Ubisoft games, are well-designed for objective-based game modes and slayer modes alike. XDefiant is free-to-play, so there’s no harm in giving it a spin if you’re looking for a new multiplayer FPS game to try.
18. The Finals
If you haven’t downloaded The Finals yet, then what are we doing here? Helmed by former EA DICE talent (you know, who led the Battlefield franchise), The Finals is an explosive, fast-paced shooter carving out its own niche in the genre.
Easily one of the most exciting games in the FPS scene right now, The Finals is all about competing in a virtual game show where cash is king. The environment is your playground as you destroy everything, and we mean everything, that lies between you and victory. You’ll use three different The Finals classes, each of them with unique weapons and abilities to learn, all while outfitting them with some of the finest drip your eyes have seen. Get The Finals installed immediately.
19. Battlefield 1
It’d rude not to mention The Finals without paying homage Embark’s heritage. Battlefield 1 gave new life to the long-running FPS franchise, giving players familiar BF-style action with a much-needed overhaul to its core gameplay. While it has a great campaign to dive into, the game’s multiplayer is where you’ll likely be spending most of your time.
Conquest is classic Battlefield thrills, as each team vies for control large map split in sectors, all while commanding vehicles and reigning hell from afar. Of course, you’ve got tradtitional modes like Team Deathmatch, but large-scale warfare is where Battlefield excels. There are loads of people still playing it to this day too, preferring it over the most recent entry, Battlefield 2024.
20. Valorant
After spending several years exclusively on PC, in 2024 Valorant finally arrived on consoles. This blending the tactical, round-based gameplay from Counter-Strike with abilities and heroes from games like Overwatch, Valorant requires mastery of gunplay, strategy, and communication.
While each hero – or ‘agent’, as they are known in-game – has a unique set of abilities that range from healing support, to scouting, to teleporting, everyone has access to the same weapons. Better weapons, as well as additional charges for your abilities, are purchased in between rounds, so being smart with your cash is advised. We recommend finding the best Valorant crosshair for you so that you can aim with pinpoint precision.
With several maps, plenty of casual game modes, a competitive ranked experience, and a seasonal model that brings new content to the game regularly, Valorant always manages to keep feeling fresh and exciting. A quick reminder as well that if you’re subscribed to Xbox Game Pass, all of the game’s agents will be automatically unlocked for you to use.
So there you have it, our list of the best FPS games on console right now. While there are some you’ll have to fork out for, we’re still amazed by how many of these awesome shooters are free-to-play. If you’re looking for more recommendations for intense experiences, why not check out the best horror games to get your blood pumping? Otherwise, get lost in a rich world in the best RPG games right now.