Gears of War 2006
Why it still holds upCover, timing and a squad to keep alive still make every firefight tense today.
Shooters that still hold up
From cover, from the hip, and from a side-scrolling jet
Games
Gears of War 2006
Why it still holds upCover, timing and a squad to keep alive still make every firefight tense today.
Pathologic 2005
Why it still holds upA game that moves on whether or not a player keeps up is still worth meeting today.
Action Fighter 1986
Why it still holds upThe course is still new each time, with a change of vehicle from level to level.
SOCOM: US Navy SEALs 2002
Why it still holds upLeading a team on missions that depend on teamwork makes each one a small operation.
Sleeping Dogs 2012
Why it still holds upFights and chases set in a city you can roam between missions still keep it worth playing today.
Dino Crisis 2 2000
Why it still holds upToday, points that reward fighting without being hit turn every dinosaur into a score to chase.
SOCOM II: U.S. Navy SEALs 2003
Why it still holds upShort rounds with no respawns give each match tension.
Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes 2004
Why it still holds upEvery sneak is still a matter of staying unseen, with soldiers who talk to each other and notice you by sight and sound.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl 2007
Why it still holds upToday, a Zone where exploring decides what you carry gives each trip a reason to look further.
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Blacklist 2013
Why it still holds upEach level can still be played as the kind of operative you want, between silence and aggression.
Call of Duty 2003
Why it still holds upThe war still has several viewpoints, across three armies and three campaigns.
Shadow Complex 2009
Why it still holds upEach return to an old room still has a new purpose, in a world that opens as new tools arrive.
Rez 2001
Why it still holds upEach stage is still something you play as much as watch, with music that changes as you shoot.
Velocity 2X 2014
Why it still holds upEach level still has two ways to move, with a ship that teleports and ground sections between flights.
Splatoon 2 2017
Why it still holds upEvery match is still about covering ground and not only about defeating opponents, as Turf War scores ink rather than defeats.
Star Wars: Jedi Knight - Dark Forces II 1997
Why it still holds upChoosing which kind of power to grow still gives each run a shape of its own.
BioShock 2 2010
Why it still holds upA weapon and a power held at once still make each encounter a mix of shooting and plasmids today.
F.E.A.R. 2005
Why it still holds upYou still choose a loadout rather than just a gun, since the heavier weapons trade weight for power.
Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath 2005
Why it still holds upWhat you fire is still a choice in every fight, since the ammunition is made of living creatures.
Amid Evil 2019
Why it still holds upEnemies that resist weapons differently still make what to fire at each one a choice today.
Resogun 2013
Why it still holds upRescues that sit beside the shooting still add a choice about risk to every level today.
Ratchet & Clank 2002
Why it still holds upA pile of strange weapons to buy and find still gives every fight a new toy to try today.
Star Fox 1993
Why it still holds upEveryone still becomes a careful flyer, since a clipped obstacle can break a wing off your ship.
Metal Slug 2 1998
Why it still holds upA fight that never stops, in scenery you can blow apart, still makes each level a rush toward the boss.
Mega Man Zero 3 2004
Why it still holds upZero still has a reason to aim in every direction, with a rod that doubles as a pogo stick.
Fistful of Frags 2014
Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown 2019
Why it still holds upWeather still has a part in every mission, because clouds hide targets and ice your wings.
Jurassic Park 1993
Why it still holds upPlaying as the raptor still gives the island a second point of view.
Turrican II: The Final Fight 1991
Why it still holds upEvery world is still a place to explore and to listen to, with big labyrinth levels and a score of their own.
RoboCop Versus the Terminator 1994
Why it still holds upIt is still a clean run and gun today, because the controls answer at once and the scenery gives you a reason to keep shooting.
Conker's Bad Fur Day 2001
Why it still holds upSimple moves and pads that hand you the right tool at the right spot still keep each stretch moving today.
Thief: Deadly Shadows 2004
Why it still holds upIn a city where each guard is a problem you solve your own way, you still choose how to get in.
Bucky O'Hare 1992
Why it still holds upThe opening still gives you freedom, with four planets in any order and a team you can switch between.
Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando 2003
Also known as Ratchet & Clank 2: Locked and Loaded
Why it still holds upMinigames between planets still keep the journey changing pace today.
Alien vs. Predator 1994
Why it still holds upFour fighters who reload in different ways still make the choice of character matter.
Metal Slug 3 2000
Why it still holds upA run still has more than one shape, because a level that forks lets you pick a harder or an easier route.
Super Stardust HD 2007
Why it still holds upHigh scores keep a quick shooter worth another run, even now.
Star Wars: Rogue Squadron II - Rogue Leader 2001
Why it still holds upEach mission still has a new angle when you replay it in a different ship.
Zombies Ate My Neighbors 1993
Why it still holds upEach level still has a job to finish, a hunt for neighbors across horror movie settings.
Wolfenstein 3D 1992
Why it still holds upHunting for secret rooms and beating a par time still give each level a reason to be played again.
Hitman 2: Silent Assassin 2002
Why it still holds upPlanning a clean job, in levels that leave the method to you, still pays off today.
Battlefield: Bad Company 2 2010
Why it still holds upA wall that gives way under fire is still a good reason to rethink your cover.
MechAssault 2: Lone Wolf 2004
Why it still holds upStepping out of the machine to drive a tank gives the war a new angle.
MechWarrior 3 1999
Why it still holds upA loadout you build yourself, and supplies on bases that can be destroyed, turn every mission into a question of what to carry today.
Crysis 2007
Why it still holds upA shooter that hands the player this many tools is still a fine place to experiment.
Outlaws 1997
Why it still holds upThe hardest level still forces a different style of play.
Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2 2008
Why it still holds upA multiplier that grows with every geom makes each run a gamble.