Shooters, predominantly, were a genre that thrived on PCs in the 90s and 2000s. Eventually, the consoles started to catch up on making decent shooters that worked well with controls. By the time the HD era started, shooters became one of the dominant genres in the video game market.
Every company wanted to try their hand at capitalizing on this trend thanks to series like Call of Duty and Halo making big waves. That means there were a lot of bad games that just wanted money. There also were some good but flawed ones that could just never make a breakthrough into a mainstream audience. From third-person to first-person, these recent shooters deserve more praise from the PS4, Xbox One, and Switch generations.
10 Alienation
Alienation is a 2016 full PS4 exclusive top-down looter shooter. It has full co-op support too for up to four players. It looks a little like Halo based on the weaponized suits players can customize. There are tons of levels, aliens, and weapons to make this one of the best exclusives on the system. It’s perfect for some friendly arcade action for any type of gamer be they young, or old.
9 Anthem
Anthem is a 2019 multiplatform 3rd-person shooter/aerial combat game. It was a big flop out the gate which is unfortunate. It seems like people wanted to hate on it based on other decisions EA made in games.
It did have problems to be sure such as a lack of content and a bizarre roadmap. What’s there was still fun though simply for the aerial combat and visuals alone and was great for co-op.
8 Daemon X Machina
Daemon X Machina is a 2019 Switch console exclusive mech-based shooter. It was part of the Nintendo Directs for a while, finally came out, and then nothing came of it.
It got decent reviews although nothing that screamed instant classic. For fans of mech games, they loved it. Not everyone else was sold though but it is definitely worth a second look.
7 Deadly Premonition 2: A Blessing In Disguise
Deadly Premonition 2: A Blessing in Disguise is a 2020 full Switch exclusive 3rd-person shooter, detective game. It is a sequel a decade in the making. The original was on multiple consoles but the series then became a Switch exclusive.
The original game was not for everyone. It was The Room equivalent to video games. It, and this sequel, are so bizarre and yet charming that they need to be played to be believed.
6 Earth Defense Force 5
Earth Defense Force 5 is a 2017 PS4 console exclusive third-person shooter. This entire series is a B-movie from the 1950s but as a video game. Giant bugs invade Earth. A special force is rounded up to take them down.
That is nearly every game. It’s the shooter equivalent to Dynasty Warriors which is not a bad thing. This game, in particular, may look cheap, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t fun especially with friends in co-op.
5 Gato Roboto
Gato Roboto is a 2019 multiplatform 2D Metroidvania shooter. It is pretty much the original Metroid game except instead of a lady piloting a mech suit, it’s a cat fighting against a nefarious set of aliens and other seemingly normal critters.
It’s cute but don’t let that fool anyone. This is a hard game. The black and white visuals, gameplay loop, the feline star all make this an unforgettable experience.
4 Headlander
Headlander is a 2016 multiplatform 2D Metroidvania shooter. This is even more obscure than Gato Roboto in terms of Metroidvanias. It was one of Double Fine’s smaller projects wherein you lose your body and become a rocket-powered head.
Don’t worry. Players can dock their heads on other bodies such as humanoid robots and even dogs. It is bizarre to be sure but also a good Metroidvania with some decent puzzles.
3 Shakedown Hawaii
Shakedown Hawaii is a 2019 multiplatform top-down shooter in the vein of Grand Theft Auto. That’s how Grand Theft Auto began, from the top-down so this is a nice callback to its except with better visuals and gameplay. Players are basically trying to become the king of this island through ruthless expansion. To be specific, it is like a retro version of Vice City in more ways than one.
2 Starlink: Battle for Atlas
Starlink: Battle for Atlas is a 2018 multiplatform space shooter. It is a toys-to-life game that was perhaps a little too late to the party as the genre pretty much dried up by this time. The game on its own is a decent space shooter that looked and played well.
The reason why gamers should look into this game though is due to the fact that the Switch version featured Star Fox characters and ships. It might be the best game in the series in years.
1 The Mummy Demastered
The Mummy Demastered is a 2017 multiplatform Metroidvania shooter. The movie, on which this game was based, did not review well. In fact, it reviewed so poorly that it destroyed the Dark Universe that they were trying to set up.
That may be one reason no one touched this game seeing as the movie was so bad. That is unfortunate because, unlike most movie tie-in games, this one is far better than the source material.