Doom 3 2004
Why it still holds upIts atmosphere is why it is worth playing now: the dark, the sound and the empty base keep it tense.
Shooters that still hold up
From cover, from the hip, and from a side-scrolling jet
Games
Doom 3 2004
Why it still holds upIts atmosphere is why it is worth playing now: the dark, the sound and the empty base keep it tense.
Silk Worm 1988
Why it still holds upTwo different vehicles to share still make it a natural game for two players on one screen.
Killzone 2 2009
Why it still holds upTaking cover and leaning out to fire is still a good way to learn a firefight.
On sale
Freedom Fighters 2003
Why it still holds upThe three orders still decide the fights by where you point twelve people today.
On sale
Furi 2016
Why it still holds upThe parry still carries ten fights and nothing between them, with a block that is also the cure.
Medal of Honor: Pacific Assault 2004
Why it still holds upA squad that follows orders gives a sense of command, and it still does.
On sale
Return to Castle Wolfenstein 2001
Why it still holds upA mix of stealth and combat still leaves each mission a choice of how to approach it.
Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction 2005
Why it still holds upHaving a sandbox to flatten still gives you creative choice in how you approach missions.
On sale
Hell Let Loose 2021
Why it still holds upA squad with a role to fill still gives a big battle its structure.
The Binding of Isaac 2011
Why it still holds upThe stacking still turns a run into a creature nobody designed.
MDK 1997
Why it still holds upEach level has its own enemies, layout and way of beating the pilot, which still keeps the run varied.
In a bundle
Mega Man 5 1992
Why it still holds upEight stages with tricks of their own, such as switching gravity or riding a vehicle, are still there to be picked in any order.
Aliens versus Predator 1999
Why it still holds upThree campaigns that play so differently still give you three reasons to start over.
Headhunter 2001
Why it still holds upGuns that hurt without killing still make each arrest a tense decision.
Killzone 3 2011
Why it still holds upConstant action and a balanced online side make a campaign that is short still hold your attention.
On sale
Borderlands 2009
Why it still holds upA role-playing shooter with four hunters is still a reason to return to Pandora.
Ghostbusters: The Video Game 2009
Why it still holds upTrapping a ghost is still the reason to play it now: weaken it, wrestle it with the capture stream and drag it into the trap, with the films' cast and music around you.
Mega Man III 1992
Why it still holds upTwo sets of four Robot Masters and E-Tanks to help with the hard parts still make a compact Mega Man game.
Spy Hunter 1983
Why it still holds upA spy car with a machine gun and a gearshift still has its place today.
On sale
Ruiner 2017
Why it still holds upA fast, stylish shooter with a tree you can rebuild still suits replays.
R-Type 1987
Why it still holds upEven now, a charged cannon and an orb you place yourself make each stage a puzzle of positioning.
Arma 3 2013
Why it still holds upRealism and a huge sandbox still leave you to plan your own operation.
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 2008
Why it still holds upACES still pays you for how you fought, kill by kill.
Star Wars: Dark Forces 1995
Why it still holds upMissions with their own objectives and puzzles beyond the shooting still give each level a task.
Bulletstorm 2011
Why it still holds upA shooter that rewards creative kills is a distinct idea, and it still is.
Grand Theft Auto 2 1999
Why it still holds upToday a city to roam and jobs to take are still on offer.
On sale
Manhunt 2003
Why it still holds upThe violence and the snuff film look made it controversial in 2003, and hiding in the dark still makes it an unusual stealth game today.
Medal of Honor: Underground 2000
Why it still holds upThe campaign still has an unexpected extra, a bonus level that turns the war into a castle full of oddities.
On sale
Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth 2005
Why it still holds upThe sanity system still makes the fear come from the detective's own mind as much as from the enemies.
In a bundle
Mega Man 4 1991
Why it still holds upEight stages to choose from in any order, each with an obstacle of its own, still leave the route to you.
Medal of Honor: Frontline 2002
Why it still holds upA campaign that moves from D-Day to covert operations still changes the pace from level to level.
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars 2009
Why it still holds upIt still has a look of its own, with a camera that looks down on an open city and outlined comic book shapes.
On sale
The Thing 2002
Why it still holds upThe squad is still what makes it worth playing: you need them, and any one of them could be the Thing.
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 2007
Why it still holds upDrones, tanks and aircraft under your orders still widen a firefight.
Earthworm Jim 2 1995
Why it still holds upMost levels change the rules, so there is still something new to work out in each.
On sale
Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number 2015
Why it still holds upEvery death is still a better plan, since a restart takes only a moment.
Battlefield: Bad Company 2008
Why it still holds upWalls that blow open still turn every firefight into a rearrangement of the map.
Space Invaders 1978
Why it still holds upA shrinking gap between a cannon and a descending formation still builds pressure today.
Medal of Honor 1999
Why it still holds upThe war still feels varied, with missions that range from rescue to sabotage and undercover work.
Star Wars: Rogue Squadron 1998
Why it still holds upMissions with different goals and medals to chase still give each flight a purpose.
Twisted Metal 2 1996
Why it still holds upA last driver standing still makes each match a short fight.
On sale
Warhammer: End Times - Vermintide 2015
Why it still holds upThe rats are still a horde that squeaks, and holding a street against them is a job for four.
Unreal Tournament III 2007
Why it still holds upEight modes, from Duel to Warfare with vehicles, still give a server many ways to play.
Descent 1995
Why it still holds upThe six degrees still mean there is no up, and the corridor you came down is also a ceiling.
On sale
Risk of Rain 2013
Why it still holds upA ticking clock still turns every stage into a decision about greed.
On sale
Call of Juarez: Bound In Blood 2009
Why it still holds upTwo brothers who play differently still give each shootout a choice.