Shooting is one of the most common pillars of gameplay that many titles have played around with to great effect. There's no denying that the vast majority of popular games do a great job of integrating this mechanic and giving it its own unique spin. While many people might argue that shooting has become so commonplace in video gaming that it's now quite uninteresting, the truth is that many video game developers have identified this problem and put their own unique spin on things.
As a result, the simple act of shooting can become one of the most engaging parts of the overall experience, with players loving the very act of landing that satisfying headshot or triggering an environmental hazard with a well-placed bullet. The following games do a great job of ensuring that shooting a bullet or any other projectile is an absolute blast from start to finish.
10 Doom
The 2016 reboot of Doom was a landmark title in the FPS genre. After the genre was forced into a realistic and modern angle for the longest time, Doom brought back the classic feel of run-and-gun shooters that never cease to be entertaining.
The incredible gameplay and surprisingly intricate lore in Doom made for a great time. Shooting up enemies before ripping them up with a glory kill is a gameplay mechanic that players will love interacting with time and time again.
9 Bulletstorm
To be fair, the shooting mechanics in Bulletstorm probably wouldn't stand all that well on their own. However, it's the scoring system and the ingenious manner in which this game rewards creative kills that make it such a blast.
Simply shooting an enemy is nowhere near enough to unlock a satisfying amount of style points. Jumping, sliding, and sprinting around while using the environment to a player's advantage is paramount to unlocking the full potential of Bulletstorm's combat.
8 Unreal Tournament: Game Of The Year
Unreal Tournament is a classic video game that needs no introduction. This arena shooter was full of gore and profanity, making it one of the most revolutionary titles during the early 2000s.
The Game of the Year Edition did a great job of letting players experience the most optimal version of this game. Unreal Tournament's arena shooting is incredible, with each weapon packing a serious punch of its own that makes the game infinitely playable even now.
7 Superhot
The idea of time only moving with the player is an ingenious concept that Superhot uses to full effect. Players are tasked with going through levels where time moves at a snail's pace and combat goes into real-time when players move.
A single hit can end the player's run, making each and every move in Superhot pretty integral to ensuring victory. Superhot's shooting is simple yet reaches a different level of fun with the addition of the game's time-bending shenanigans.
6 Receiver
Speaking of indie games with riveting shooting mechanics, another title that comes to mind is Receiver. The game aims to emulate a realistic shooting experience, with the simple act of reloading being pretty complicated in its own right.
There are different button presses for everything from loading a cartridge to checking the barrel of a gun. Receiver is a pretty stressful but rewarding experience, with the zen mode that players reach after understanding the mechanics of a game being pretty engaging indeed.
5 Dead Space
Dead Space is one of the scariest survival horror games ever made. It also incorporates a brilliant mechanic into the title where limb dismemberment is crucial to defeating enemies.
As a result, this defense mechanism against the various Necromorphs on the USG Ishimura becomes vital for Isaac Clarke's survival. The game is pretty gory, and cutting off an enemy's limbs to kill them while conserving ammo makes for a pretty riveting gameplay loop.
4 BioShock Infinite
The BioShock trilogy is one of the most popular around. The first game had a great story, even if its gameplay mechanics were slightly wonky at times. The second title improved the gameplay on many fronts, but the real evolution of this series would arrive with its last entry.
BioShock Infinite is one of the most beautiful and action-packed shooters anyone can play. The story is great as always, with the gameplay rewarding constant movement while also mixing up the gunplay with some well-placed Vigors.
3 Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus
The Wolfenstein series is one of the most legendary FPS franchises around, but there's no denying that the games had remained dormant for a while. However, the advent of Wolfenstein: The New Order was a return to form for the franchise and integrated some excellent shooting action that was a joy to play through.
The follow-up to The New Order upped both the visuals and gameplay to a whole new level. The New Colossus is a blast to play through, with its gunplay being absolutely unparalleled. It might not be as great as the first game in the eyes of many fans, but these people can't deny that going akimbo with two shotguns in this game is a riot.
2 Max Payne 3
Max Payne 3 received a ton of mixed opinions from a fanbase that grew up with the gritty detective noir that the first two games were known for. However, in terms of pure shooting, there's no denying that Max Payne 3 is on a whole new level.
The combination of cover shooting and bullet time is a blast, with the simple act of landing a headshot being extremely satisfying. The fact that the game pans over to the last enemy of an encounter as Max peppers them with bullets is pretty satisfying indeed.
1 Sniper Elite 5
A Sniper Elite game was bound to make this list at some point. These games are notorious for featuring some of the goriest long-range kills around as players eliminate their targets in violent x-ray kills.
Sniper Elite 5 might not hit it out of the park when it comes to its level design or enemy AI, but it doesn't really need to. The game's primary focus is on long-range kills, forcing players to make each and every shot in Sniper Elite 5 count and rewarding them for nailing a great shot.