There have been some positivelyfantastic multiplayer shooters released over the years. From revolutionary titles like Halo 2, DOOM, and Call of Duty 4, to the more recent spree of live-service games, there’s a wealth of multiplayer shooters out there for you to enjoy.
Yet, for all the classic multiplayer games out there, there are just as many that have come and gone with little fanfare. Whether it is because of poor marketing, underwhelming sales, or just a general lack of interest, these ten multiplayer-focused shooters are roughly past recollection.
10Warface
A Free-To-Play Military Shooter
Thefree-to-play model has become increasingly commonplacein the gaming world, especially with a rise in live-service games. Yet, free-to-play titles, including shooters, have been popular for years. One of those games that endured for a remarkably long time was Warface.
Developed by Crytek, Warface is a free-to-play online FPS that first launched in late 2013. While Warface still claims a decent player base, titles like Fortnite, PUBG, and Warfare have utterly overshadowed this military shooter.
9Hawken
Mech Versus Mech Warfare
There are few things cooler than mechs. Piloting giant robots will always make for an exhilarating gameplay experiences regardless of what genre of game you’re playing. Developer Adhesive Games decides mechs are most enjoyable when everyone gets one.
Hawken may not have been a massive smash hit, but it was successful enough to eventually garner a sequel to a decade after its initial release. Still, with such a cool premise and fun gameplay loop, it’s lamentable that Hawken’s not more lauded than it is.
8Defiance 2050
An Ambitious TV Show Tie In
We all remember Defiance, right? No? That’s fair. The sci-fi western hybrid television series ran for three seasons, earned lukewarm reviews, and was aired on the hit-and-miss Syfy network. However, one special fact about Defiance was it had a video game tie-in.
Defiance 2050 was an arduous MMORPG that featured cross-play, a massive open world, and tons of things to do. While developer Trion World’s ambition should be commended, Defiance 2050 failed to produce much of an impact and its servers were ultimately shut down in 2021.
7ShootMania Storm
Fast-Paced, Skill-Based FPS Combat
Ever since Call of Duty Modern Warfare came out in 2019, it seems like multiplayer shooters are getting faster and faster. It’s clear that the days of the slower paced, more tactical shooters are a thing of the past. There’s perhaps no shooter quicker than ShootMania Storm.
A spin-off of the Trackmania series, ShootMania Storm was developed by Ubisoft Nadeo. Because of the games’ fast player speed and slow firing weaponry, ShootMania Storm relies heavily on your skill, reflexes, and anticipating your enemies’ movement.
6Brink
Team-Focused Stylized PVP
Developer Splash Damage is no stranger to the multiplayer shooter genre. It got its start by crafting the PVP modes for classic games like Return to Castle Wolfenstein, DOOM 3, Enemy Territory: Quake Wars. Then in 2010 they made Brink.
Employing slick parkour gameplay and a unique visual aesthetic, Brink possesses many great elements. Unfortunately, the game didn’t quite catch the eye of FPS fans, resulting in Brink turning into one of the more lapsed titles in Splash Damage’s library.
5Dusk 514
A Spin-Off Of The Popular Space Online Title
EVE Online is arguably the quintessential space-based MMO. 13 years after the game launched, developer CCP Games tried something different. It made a first-person shooter that directly connected to its trademark creation. Enter Dust 514.
Despite providing entirely distinctive gaming experiences, EVE Online and Dust 514 featured immersive interconnecting mechanics. Sadly, CCP weren’t as proficient at constructing a stable FPS and in 2016 a group of hackers shut down Dust 514 for good.
4Nexuiz
A Shooter Crafted Using Free Software And The Quake Engine
You’d be surprised how many superb games were born from the Quake engine. Much like Doom, Quake’s fundamentally perfect foundation provided an excellent blueprint for a myriad of amazing titles. Nexuiz was one such game.
Built usingopen-source softwareand Quake’s DarkPlaces engine, Nexuiz was a stylized futuristic arena shooter that captivated an impassioned player base. While Nexuiz was never quite the magnum opus of the multiplayer landscape, it had its time in the multiplayer spotlight.
3Turok: Rage Wars
Battles Between Solider And Dinosaurs
If you were to list video game series that fell off dramatically, Turok would most certainly be in the conversation. Ever since 2008’s Turok underperformed, the dinosaur action series more or less disappeared. The same could be said for 1999’s Turok: Rage Wars.
A multiplayer game that beats heavily armed soldiers versus dinosaurs sounds too good to be true, yet it was a reality in Turok: Rage Wars. Much like the series it’s a part of, Turok: Rage Wars went the way of the dinosaurs as a fossil of the past.
2Hybrid
An Underrated Gem From Xbox’s Summer Of Arcade
Xbox 360’s Summer ofArcade gave the world numerous awesome games. Castle Crashers, Shadow Complex, Trials HD, Limbo, and Bastion all came from Microsoft’s seasonal promotion. Another title that launched during the summer of 2012 was Hybrid.
Hybrid was a third-person multiplayer shooter with a twist; the floors, walls, and ceiling could all be used as cover thanks to a powerful jetpack that lets you fly around without limits. Hybrid is one of the arcade games that deserved a lot more love and recognition.
1Gotham City Impostors
A Fun FPS Shooter With A DC Coat Of Paint
It’s hard for anyone to make astandout game based on the Batman character. From fighting games, to beat-em-up, single players, and even MMOs, it seems like the world of Batman has been presented in every flavor of the gaming genre. Gotham City Impostors is an anomaly.
Gotham City Impostors sees you play as a member of either a Joker-themed or Batman-themed gang and then lets you duke it out in fast-paced multiplayer combat. Between its satisfying gunplay, whacky charming art style, and replayability, Gotham City Impostors is a multiplayer shooter that deserved so much more.
