It’s easy to forget that FPS games were not always great on consoles. Today, it is one of the most popular genres. The HD era is where things truly took off, but things began with the first Halo. It was a massive hit for the Xbox and proved first-person shooters could work on consoles.
After that everyone seemingly tried to chase that Halo effect. Some were successful and some weren’t. Even those that were praised have vanished into obscurity now. There are a lot of great games that deserve to come back in some form, or at least be remembered. These ten examples run the console gamut from the PS2, PS3, GameCube, Xbox, and Xbox 360.
10 Black
Black was a big deal at the time. It launched on the PS2 and Xbox in 2006. This was the same year as the PS3 and already a year after the Xbox 360 launched. The HD era of video games had already begun.
However, this game proved that there was still life left on those systems. Looking back now, it’s not the powerhouse it once used to be. For those curious, it is backward compatible with Xbox systems. It is still a good test for sound systems so that is something.
9 Condemned: Criminal Origins
Condemned: Criminal Origins was a console exclusive for the Xbox 360 in 2005. Its sequel also went to the PS3 though. Both games are interesting takes on the horror genre. Most of the combat is through bare-knuckle brawling or melee weapons, but there is some shooting too.
They are brutal games with horrific creatures coming right at the camera and practically screaming “boo” as players beat them off. It is not for the faint of heart.
8 The Darkness
The Darkness and its sequel both came to the Xbox 360 and PS3. They are based on comics but very loosely. The basic premise has a former mobster trying to leave only to die and get sucked back in as a demonic creature takes hold of him.
The shooting is fine but the real fun of these games was controlling the various tentacles of the titular Darkness. They are both backward compatible on Xbox but a proper remastered collection would be nice to see too.
7 Darkwatch
Darkwatch is still one of the most unique games let alone a fun shooter. It was a 2005 one-hit wonder for the PS2 and original Xbox. It’s a vampire Western fit with classic guns with a steampunk twist.
There was almost a sequel but it was canceled. It wasn’t the best shooter on either system but it still holds a special place in a lot of hearts. There seems to be a spiritual successor in the works via Evil West. Let's see if that shooter can top Darkwatch as a cult classic.
6 Geist
Geist is a horror adjacent shooter, exclusive to the GameCube. Players have the abilities of a poltergeist, hence the name, and can possess everything from a soldier to fire at enemies, or a mop bucket to distract NPCs.
It had a wild sense of direction that some developers have tried to emulate. None of them mastered what Geist brought to the table though. The shooting aspects came second after the possession techniques so don’t expect too much.
5 Haze
Haze was one of many first-person shooters chasing that dream of dismounting Halo from the top. It was planned for the Xbox 360 as well as far as consoles go but it was canceled. This 2008 shooter was and still is, a PS3 exclusive then.
The idea was sound enough. The armor set of the super-soldiers looked cool and the titular drug, Haze, produced some cool effects. The story and shooting were just average though.
4 James Bond 007: Agent Under Fire
James Bond 007: Agent Under Fire does not get enough credit. GoldenEye is still the pinnacle as far as games in the movie series go in the eyes of many. That game should be applauded for what it did at the time but it’s not exactly amazing in 2021.
The shooting aspects of Agent Under Fire hold up better as just one example. The story leaves something to be desired but overall it is better now than what some thought upon its release on the PS2 in 2001. For extra context, it got ported to the GameCube and original Xbox a year later.
3 Resident Evil Survivor 2 – Code: Veronica
Resident Evil Survivor 2 – Code: Veronica is an on-rails, first-person shooter. It goes through the events of Code: Veronica if the title wasn’t a dead giveaway. It adds a few things to the game’s lore along with switching gameplay perspectives.
This game has been almost completely forgotten because it was only released in Japan and Europe on the PS2 between 2001 and 2002 respectively. Assuredly it’s even more expensive to play now. It requires a light-gun controller. For the story alone, this should be looked into. Maybe all of these light gun games can get remastered at some point.
2 Resistance: Fall Of Man
Resistance: Fall of Man is the first game in the PS3 trilogy. It was a launch game for the system and took place during an alternate WWII wherein aliens invade Earth. The alternate world history angle worked well. The first game is a bit rough to return to now, but the second and third games are still tremendous shooters. Oddly, Insomniac never remastered them in any capacity. They seemed like a flagship series for a while before being dropped and forgotten.
1 XIII
XIII was first released on consoles in 2003 and included the PS2, GameCube, and original Xbox. It was a modern film noir story but told in a comic book-like visual style. Unlike these other shooters, this did have a chance to return to the limelight. A remaster was released in 2020, but not a lot of care went into it. It was one of the worst-reviewed games of that year. What kind of celebration is that? If possible, track down any of these original copies.