There are all sorts of different video game genres that are able to pull in players and help sell consoles, but there’s such a robust community around first-person shooters. Whether gamers are playing these FPS with their friends at home or warring against competitors online, they’ve turned into such an addictive genre of gaming.
First-person shooters have been around for decades, but the PlayStation 4 has turned into a strong home for these types of games. There are dozens of popular FPS that have turned into phenomena for the PS4, but they’re not all winners. Accordingly, here are 5 underrated first-person shooters for Playstation 4 and 5 that are overrated.
10 Overrated: Overwatch
There’s no denying the tremendous influence that Blizzard’s Overwatch has had on the first-person shooter genre. Initially, the transition to shooters had some people skeptical, but Overwatch has become not just a phenomenon, but its own industry.
Despite the title’s domineering presence and dedicated fan base, there are plenty of other games that do what Overwatch does just as well. The game had its moment in the spotlight, but with the announcement of Overwatch 2, there’s clearly a need to add more to the formula.
9 Underrated: Superhot
When there are so many titles in the first-person shooter that use a similar backdrop of wars, alien apocalypses, or future dystopias, it can be easy to get tunnel vision. Innovation is a huge deal for FPS. Superhot is a brilliant experiment from an indie developer that plays around with time in an inspired way.
In the shooter, time only moves when the player does, which creates such a surreal adventure. The stripped down art style also works in the game’s favor. Despite Superhot’s obvious innovation, it’s managed to fall through many cracks.
8 Overrated: Metro Redux
Metro Redux—and the majority of the Metro titles for that matter—are very polished games that combine the basics of a first-person shooter with a post-apocalyptic futuristic wasteland. The bright world that’s created in Metro Redux is easy to fall in love with, but the title has a tendency to blend in with all of the other cyberpunk shooters that have come along. If this is the only game of its kind that someone has played then it’s a rewarding experience, but the Metro series is starting to become derivative of itself.
7 Underrated: Titanfall 2
Titanfall 2 is another first-person shooter extravaganza from Electronic Arts that amounts to a very mixed experience. The shooter is far from perfect and a short single-player campaign holds it back, but it’s the support and community for the title where it really stands out. There’s still a dedicated group of players on the Titanfall 2 servers and years of content and additions that have improved the initial title. It’s a vast improvement over its predecessor and it sometimes gets overlooked in favor of flashier titles. Titanfall 2 is still a reliable shooter.
6 Overrated: Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
It’s always discouraging when a developer will return to a beloved property, only for their return to fall flat and sully the reputation of the stronger titles in the series. The Deus Ex games have committed fans, but unfortunately the PlayStation 4’s contribution to the series, Mankind Divided, is a missed opportunity. The new entry in the series looks beautiful, but between the convoluted and disappointing storyline and the regrettable combat system, there’s more to frustrate players than satisfy them here. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided is only for the biggest fans of the franchise.
5 Underrated: Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus
The Wolfenstein series has been a staple of the first-person shooter genre since its earliest days and it’s extremely satisfying to see the franchise come back from the dead and show a new generation of gamers how important it is. The updates to the Wolfenstein series do not hold back and Wolfenstein II: The Now Colossus is the most enjoyable and over the top of the games. It takes the core of the franchise and pushes it in surreal new places while it also offers extremely fun gameplay, whether alone or with others.
4 Overrated: Apex Legends
Apex Legends has a lot going for it and it provides another sleek online first-person shooter experience that is able to rival comparable titles like Overwatch or Fortnite. There's still a lot to enjoy in the title, but Apex Legends comes from EA, who don't always have the best reputation for how they treat their audience. This is reflected in how the game can often have unstable servers and other quality of life issues. It's not bringing much of anything new to the table and it's still hindered by the politics surrounding EA.
3 Underrated: Destiny 2
It’s disappointing when early adopters to a title can get shortchanged and experience what’s not intended to be the full gameplay experience. There was unprecedented excitement around the release of Destiny 2, but the title launched to a shaky start that lost it a lot of goodwill. Thankfully, the addition of lots of new content and refined gameplay has turned the title into a very pleasurable FPS. It’s worth checking out, even if it initially seemed like a disappointment.
2 Overrated: Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare
The Call of Duty games aren’t going anywhere. For many traditional gamers, they’re exactly what a first-person shooter should be. They’re tense experiences that try to ground themselves in the real world away from fantastical characters, costumes, and weapons. Modern Warfare is a satisfying and impressive addition to the canon, but it’s still easy to feel a little let down when it’s so similar to the other games in the series. For many gamers, Call of Duty fatigue is definitely setting in and some people need more than simply a polished sequel.
1 Underrated: DOOM
Much like with the Wolfenstein series, the DOOM games are nearly synonymous with the first-person shooter genre. DOOM helped show gamers what could be accomplished in a FPS, so it’s only appropriate that the reboot of the franchise is able to re-invent the genre in new modern ways. Graphics, gameplay, and attitude are all perfect in DOOM and it beautifully taps into that retro experience, but in new, frightening ways. Even though the sequel, DOOM Eternal is also a treat, its predecessor is just a touch better.