List of non-generic shooting games

Shooting games can feel very generic nowadays. You know all the typical elements - weak story, 5-hour-long SP campaign, no colors on the screen besides brown/grey, WW2 or similar setting, same old guns as any other FPS, and cookie-cutter multiplayer. However, there are some shooting games that really stand from the crowd and do something to bring the genre forward. Here is my list:

BioShock: The plasmid (generic engineering) weapons really seperate this game from any other shooter. Setting your enemies on fire, making them get swarmed with hornets (my favorite!), using telekenesis to throw an enemy grenade back at them really makes this game shine. Add a decent stroy with a lengthy campaign and you have some great gameplay. Oh, and the artstyle for this game is beautiful. Ever wonder most FPS games show just brown/grey on the screen without having any other colors? This is because most developers are scared that adding a tiny bit of color would apparently destroy the atmoshpere of a violent game and transform it into Cindarella or Teletubbies. Bioshock on the other hand isn't shy to add heaps of vibrant color, and as a result, you get a game that looks artistic, beautiful, creepy, and stunning all at the same time. Awesome game with awesome artwork.

Crysis: Apart from just technical graphics, this game has fairly vibrant colors and art direction which suit the atmoshpere. As for gameplay, the nanosuit modes (maximum speed, strength, armor) make things fun, plus the invisibility mode is way awesome because it lets you play using different tactics. The multiplayer aspect of Crysis is fun too.

Mass Effect: Yeah, I know this more an RPG/FPS hybrid, but you can still play it primarily as a shooting game if you want to. Either way, you have great story, romance scenes, tactical skills such as sabotaging enemy shields, throwing enemies, healing allies, and so forth. Almsot no other shooting game can even compare with the tactical combat or story of Mass Effect.

Fallout 3: Yes, another RPG/FPS hybrid that can also be played as a primary shooting game. Fallout 3 offers loads of playtime (no 5-hour-long campaign here!) in a big sandbox world where you can choose where to go and what to do. There are various enemy types, loads of skills to learn, cool VATS combat assistant, and the melee combat is FUN. I am currently playing this game as a melee-focused character that specialises in unarmed combat, and I love it. Story is great too.

So there you have it. If you want to play non-generic shooting games, its hard to top this list. Please let me know of your opinions/criticisms, and even add/give thoughts to my list if you want. Oh yeah, Fallout 3, Mass Effect, and Bioshock are best played on PC ;)

The Half life games.

Metroid Prime

bioshock wasn't generic but it wasn't a very good shooter overall.

bioshock wasn't generic but it wasn't a very good shooter overall.

JangoWuzHere

[QUOTE="JangoWuzHere"]

bioshock wasn't generic but it wasn't a very good shooter overall.

PandaBear86

Fallout does not have a lengthy campaign. It has the added benefit of being a sandbox RPG so sidequests can flesh out the game and in this case they basicically make the game. Real FPS's cannot add these sidequests so they typically would have much shorter campaigns. On a first runthrough just doing the story mission almost everyone here could beat the game in 5 hours if not faster. Stopping to "role play" stretches the game and makes it very good but on it's own the campaign is very short and pretty bad.

Fallout does not have a lengthy campaign. It has the added benefit of being a sandbox RPG so sidequests can flesh out the game and in this case they basicically make the game. Real FPS's cannot add these sidequests so they typically would have much shorter campaigns. On a first runthrough just doing the story mission almost everyone here could beat the game in 5 hours if not faster. Stopping to "role play" stretches the game and makes it very good but on it's own the campaign is Insanely short and horrible.

whackedjob213

fixed.

Crysis ( open world,nanosuit,vehicles,TAC cannon and a terryifying shark in the water )

Cryostasis ( adventure Fps with an amzing story and a slow paced gameplay that suits the atmosphere )

Half life 2 ( need to say anything? )

Fallout 3

System shock 2

What about something like The Darkness?

Crysis is the only recent one.

Since when is Fallout 3 and Mass Effect shooters?

Crysis is the only recent one.

Since when is Fallout 3 and Mass Effect shooters?

Aljosa23

I can't really say that any FPS isn't generic, pretty much every FPS concept that could be reasonably conceived has been done and dried out for quite a while now. If there was such a thing as a non-generic FPS, then it would be Crysis. In fact, the only game I can really compare it to is FarCry for the PC.

That being said, something doesn't have to be innovative to be fun.

Also, I wouldn't even begin to consider HL2 non-generic. It's an alright game, it's just not artistic genius.

It's a Crime on one has mentioned STALKER SoC or STALKER Clear Sky. They are about as non generic as you can get. BoloTheGreat

I completely forgot about STALKER, it's pretty non-generic as far as shooters go.

[QUOTE="Aljosa23"]

Crysis is the only recent one.

Since when is Fallout 3 and Mass Effect shooters?

PandaBear86

Sure:roll:

if they did that then they missed the point of the game.

No one's mentioned Halo? Funny that ... Considering it brought so much innovation to the console table, and spawned thousands of copycats.

The term generic is over used. Few games are generic.

No one's mentioned Halo? Funny that ... Considering it brought so much innovation to the console table, and spawned thousands of copycats.

The term generic is over used. Few games are generic.

-Snooze-

Well I suppose Halo brought some innovation to console FPS, but it didn't really do anything for the genre as a whole (besides regenerative shields).

EDIT:

And that was in its time, now Halo is about as generic as you can get.

The term generic is over used. Few games are generic.

-Snooze-

Also, care to explain this bit.

The finest non generic shooter ever and now that I thought about it, I've got the urge to play it again as it is a awesome & fun, fun, fun game ! :D

Oddworld, Strangers Wrath !!!

This game needs a sequel.

[QUOTE="-Snooze-"]

No one's mentioned Halo? Funny that ... Considering it brought so much innovation to the console table, and spawned thousands of copycats.

The term generic is over used. Few games are generic.

QuirkyUsername

Well I suppose Halo brought some innovation to console FPS, but it didn't really do anything for the genre as a whole (besides regenerative shields).

EDIT:

And that was in its time, now Halo is about as generic as you can get.

The term generic is over used. Few games are generic.

-Snooze-

Also, care to explain this bit.

Time Splitters 2 is one of the least generic, most fun shooters I've played.

Time Splitters 2 is one of the least generic, most fun shooters I've played.

webhead921

It has some generic themes, like spacemarines (although, can't remember a game before that with them)-Snooze-

Halo 1

The Darkness

The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay

Condemned: Criminal Origins/Condemned 2: Blood shot

F.E.A.R. 1

Gears 1

Metroid Prime

[QUOTE="-Snooze-"]It has some generic themes, like spacemarines (although, can't remember a game before that with them)Cherokee_Jack

Was Doom in space? i thought it was in Hell or some garbage like that.

Edit: Ah, on Mars.

Oh well, Space Marines are still not common place in gaming, so the term generic really dosen't apply.

What about something like The Darkness?

Nomad0404

Deus Ex.

That's a terrible list. And i to think the word generic is thrown around far to much here, most people that use it need to look it up and understand what it actually means.

• S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Shadow of Chernobyl
• S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Clear Sky
• Deus EX
• Cryostasis
• Bioshock
• System Shock
• System Shock 2
• Half-Life
• Half-Life 2 and Episodes
• Crysis
• Clive Barker's Undying
• The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay
• Return to Castle Wolfenstein
• Doom
• Doom II: Hellon Earth
• Hexen
• Hexen II
• Heretic
• Duke Nukem 3D
• Blood
• Strife
• Unreal and Return to NaPali
• No One Lives Forever
• No One Lives Forever 2
• Project IGI
• Serious Sam (both parts)
• Quake II
• Medal of Honor: Allied Assault
• Call of Duty
• Call of Duty 2
• Jedi Knight: Dark Forces 2
• Jedi Knight: Outcast
• Turok
• Turok 2: Seeds of Evil
• Rainbow Six: Rogue Spear
• Ghost Recon
• Hidden & Dangerous
• And a lot more I don't remember right now

Metroid Prime series

I find your lack of STALKER mention disturbing.

Well I suppose Halo brought some innovation to console FPS, but it didn't really do anything for the genre as a whole (besides regenerative shields).

EDIT:

And that was in its time, now Halo is about as generic as you can get.

QuirkyUsername

Thats because Halo was so good and so different (and better) than anything seen previously on consoles. It became the new standard for console shooters.

[QUOTE="PandaBear86"][QUOTE="Aljosa23"]

Crysis is the only recent one.

Since when is Fallout 3 and Mass Effect shooters?

JangoWuzHere

Sure:roll:

if they did that then they missed the point of the game.

[QUOTE="PandaBear86"][QUOTE="Aljosa23"]

Crysis is the only recent one.

Since when is Fallout 3 and Mass Effect shooters?

Sure:roll:

if they did that then they missed the point of the game.

• S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Shadow of Chernobyl
• S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Clear Sky
• Deus EX
• Cryostasis
• Bioshock
• System Shock
• System Shock 2
• Half-Life
• Half-Life 2 and Episodes
• Crysis
• Clive Barker's Undying
• The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay
• Return to Castle Wolfenstein
• Doom
• Doom II: Hellon Earth
• Hexen
• Hexen II
• Heretic
• Duke Nukem 3D
• Blood
• Strife
• Unreal and Return to NaPali
• No One Lives Forever
• No One Lives Forever 2
• Project IGI
• Serious Sam (both parts)
• Quake II
• Medal of Honor: Allied Assault
• Call of Duty
• Call of Duty 2
• Jedi Knight: Dark Forces 2
• Jedi Knight: Outcast
• Turok
• Turok 2: Seeds of Evil
• Rainbow Six: Rogue Spear
• Ghost Recon
• Hidden & Dangerous
• And a lot more I don't remember right now

RyuRanVII

Check into ArmA 2 and Operation Flashpoint 2. Those aren't your run-of-the-mill shooters.

Check into ArmA 2 and Operation Flashpoint 2. Those aren't your run-of-the-mill shooters.

Wasdie

[QUOTE="PandaBear86"][QUOTE="Aljosa23"]

Crysis is the only recent one.

Since when is Fallout 3 and Mass Effect shooters?

JangoWuzHere

Sure:roll:

if they did that then they missed the point of the game.

Why has no one mentioned SWAT 3:CQB and SWAT 4 ?:x

If you're going to put mass effect in there you may as well put in MGS4 as well.

I skip most cutscenes if I can. I hate it when developers take the game from me and shove a "story" in my face. I'd much rather the story be told while I was playing, through the game itself. The Half-Life games do this brilliantly.Wartzay

I think the real problem is that the TC included two RPG's in a Shooter list, and since the story is so important in current rpg's, skipping it is like skipping the game.

Kameo is also a shooter. :D