Summary
- Bethesda's non-Fallout, non-Elder Scrolls published titles are diverse and stand out for their quality.
- Rage 2's chaotic combat and distinctive aesthetic make it a must-play action-packed shooter.
- Wolfenstein 2 and Doom redefine the FPS genre with engaging narratives and relentless gameplay.
For a studio that’s known for two of the biggest RPG franchises of all time, Bethesda’s publishing portfolio outside Fallout and The Elder Scrolls is surprisingly rich with variety. From high-octane shooters to cerebral horror and immersive stealth sims, these are the games that prove Bethesda doesn’t need dragons or nukes to make a mark as a publisher.
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These are their best titles that aren’t from the studio's main two franchises that showcase a different flavor of what the studio’s publishing side has helped bring to life, and some of them are among the best in their respective genres.
8 Rage 2
The Wasteland Is Loud, Pink, And Very, Very Angry
Rage 2
- Released
- May 19, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes
- Developer(s)
- Avalanche Studios, id Software
- Publisher(s)
- Bethesda
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
- Genre(s)
- FPS
- OpenCritic Rating
- Fair
If Mad Max and Borderlands had an extremely caffeinated child, it would look something like Rage 2. Co-developed by Avalanche Studios and id Software, this open-world shooter didn’t come to quietly meditate on themes of survival. Instead, it came to rip through mutants with a shotgun in one hand and a gravity-defying slam move in the other.
Set in a post-apocalyptic world that’s not exactly subtle with its color palette, Rage 2 is all about chaotic combat and exaggerated powers. Driving feels ripped straight from Avalanche’s Just Cause DNA, but it’s the gunplay, carried by id’s legendary FPS pedigree—that’s the real selling point. Weapons hit like trucks, and the over-the-top abilities give combat a kinetic rhythm that’s closer to Doom than Far Cry.
Sure, the story fizzles out and the world isn’t quite as reactive as it wants to be, but few things feel as satisfying as launching an enemy fifty feet into the air with a force push, then vaporizing them mid-flight.
7 Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus
Sometimes You Need To Punch A Nazi With A Fire Axe
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus
- Released
- October 27, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Drugs
- Developer(s)
- MachineGames
- Publisher(s)
- Bethesda
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
- Genre(s)
- FPS
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
BJ Blazkowicz has always been good at killing Nazis, but Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus makes him feel like a tragic legend trying to hold onto whatever scraps of humanity he has left. Set in an alternate timeline where the Nazis won World War 2 and now occupy America, this is a shooter that doesn’t shy away from dark, uncomfortable territory—and still manages to be completely unhinged.
The game’s greatest strength lies in how it pairs gut-punching emotional beats with absurd pulp storytelling. One moment, players are witnessing BJ reconnect with his broken past, and the next, they're hijacking a U-boat or sneaking into Area 51 while wearing someone else's severed face. It’s a tonal highwire act, but somehow it works.
Mechanically, it's a beast. Dual-wielding shotguns while sliding under fire feels incredible, and the game actively encourages aggressive, push-forward combat. With gorgeous visuals, memorable characters like Grace and Sigrun, and some of the boldest narrative swings in modern shooters, this one’s impossible to forget.
6 Wolfenstein: The New Order
Rebooting A Classic With Guts, Heart, And A Lot Of Bullets
Wolfenstein: The New Order
- Released
- May 20, 2014
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs
- Developer(s)
- MachineGames
- Publisher(s)
- Bethesda
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Before The New Colossus pushed the envelope, Wolfenstein: The New Order laid the groundwork. Released in 2014, it reimagined the franchise with surprising narrative depth and a heavy dose of retro-futurism. BJ Blazkowicz went from meathead shooter guy to a deeply broken man carrying the weight of resistance on his shoulders.
It’s a classic FPS at heart, complete with giant mechanical dogs, laser weapons, and secret Nazi moon bases, but it’s the downtime moments that hit hardest—like listening to allies play music in the Kreisau Circle hideout or BJ’s quiet monologues about war and regret. The game isn’t afraid to slow down and let its characters breathe.
On the gameplay side, the mix of stealth and all-out chaos gives players plenty of room to experiment. It also has one of the more interesting early-game choices in modern shooters, subtly affecting the narrative and the player's arsenal throughout. For a reboot, it didn't just revive Wolfenstein—it redefined it.
5 The Evil Within
Welcome To The Haunted House Inside A Haunted House Inside Your Brain
The Evil Within
- Released
- October 14, 2014
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Tango Gameworks
- Platform(s)
- Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter, Survival Horror
- OpenCritic Rating
- Fair
Directed by Shinji Mikami, the creator of Resident Evil, The Evil Within feels like a love letter to classic survival horror mixed with psychological terror cranked to eleven. Players step into the shoes of detective Sebastian Castellanos as he investigates a gruesome mass murder, only to be pulled into a shifting, nightmarish world where reality collapses in on itself.
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The atmosphere is suffocating. Blood-slicked hallways stretch into infinity, grotesque monsters stalk the player from cracked mirrors, and the safe-room music somehow makes things worse. While the controls and performance were divisive at launch, the game’s layered narrative and surreal visuals make it a standout in horror circles.
It’s also full of memorable enemy design. Who could forget The Keeper, a hulking butcher with a safe for a head, dragging his blood-soaked hammer behind him? And that’s not even getting into the later chapters, where space itself bends in on Sebastian like a cruel joke. It’s not perfect, but it’s unforgettable.
4 Dishonored 2
A Royal Revenge Tale Where Rats And Style Rule The Streets
Dishonored 2
- Released
- November 11, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes
- Developer(s)
- Arkane Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Bethesda
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Arkane Studios took everything that made the original Dishonored great and polished it into a near-masterpiece with Dishonored 2. Set in the sun-drenched, southern-inspired city of Karnaca, this stealth-action hybrid lets players slip into the roles of either Empress Emily Kaldwin or returning bodyguard Corvo Attano, each with their own set of supernatural powers.
The design philosophy here is simple: give players tools, then let them break the game in creative ways. Whether it’s blinking between balconies to avoid guards or using Domino to link enemies together so they all suffer the same fate, every power combo feels like a puzzle solved with flair.
Level design is on another level entirely. The Clockwork Mansion is often cited as one of the greatest in gaming—an architectural Rubik’s Cube that shifts walls and floors at the pull of a lever. And then there’s A Crack in the Slab, a level that lets players jump between past and present in real time, changing the future with every decision. Few games reward curiosity like this one does.
3 Prey
What If BioShock Got Trapped In A Lovecraftian Fever Dream In Space?
Prey
- Released
- May 5, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood, Language, Use of Alcohol, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Arkane Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Bethesda
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
- Genre(s)
- FPS
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Prey might be one of the most underrated immersive sims of the last decade. Set aboard the Talos I space station, players control Morgan Yu—an amnesiac scientist caught in the middle of a catastrophic alien outbreak. The Typhon, a shape-shifting alien species that can mimic everyday objects, are among the most terrifying enemies in a genre not short on monsters.
What makes Prey special is its systems-first approach. Everything is interactive, everything can be weaponized, and every challenge has multiple solutions. Need to get into a locked office? Hack the door, find the keycard, crawl through the vents, or turn into a coffee mug and roll through a gap. The game never tells players what to do—it just quietly encourages experimentation.
Talos I itself is a character—an art-deco maze filled with logs, environmental storytelling, and secrets hidden in every nook. The deeper Morgan dives, the more horrifying the implications of their research become. It's smart, stylish, and deeply unsettling.
2 Doom
Rip And Tear Until It Is Done… And Then Rip Some More
DOOM
- Released
- May 13, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
When id Software rebooted Doom in 2016, they didn’t just revive a legend—they reminded the entire industry what a shooter could feel like when it drops the cutscenes and lets the guns do the talking. Players become the Doom Slayer, an unstoppable force whose job is simple: destroy every demon in Hell, preferably with a double-barreled shotgun.
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Combat is rhythm-based carnage. Movement isn’t optional, it’s required. Standing still is death. Enemies are health packs with legs, and the only way to stay alive is to stay aggressive. Glory kills aren't just flashy—they're vital, pushing players into danger to survive.
But Doom also hides some brilliant level design under all the blood. The maps are open, looping arenas that reward exploration and contain secrets tucked into crevices like old-school cheat codes. Mick Gordon’s metal soundtrack doesn't just accompany the violence, it fuels it. Every encounter is a mosh pit with demons.
1 Doom Eternal
Heaven, Hell, Earth… Nobody’s Safe From The Slayer
DOOM Eternal
- Released
- March 20, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence
- Developer(s)
- id Software
- Publisher(s)
- Bethesda
- Platform(s)
- Xbox One, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Nintendo Switch
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Where Doom 2016 brought the franchise back, Doom Eternal dialed everything up to dangerous levels—speed, difficulty, movement, strategy, and lore. It's not just bigger, it's smarter. Enemies have weak points, resources are scarce, and combat is an almost surgical balance of gunplay, chainsaw ammo refreshes, flamethrower armor pickups, and blood-soaked glory kills.
Every fight is a puzzle of death, and solving it requires precision. The game treats the player not like a soldier, but like a concert pianist performing at 200 BPM while flaming skulls scream in their face. It’s absurdly fast, brutally difficult, and somehow still fair.
There’s also a surprisingly dense lore underpinning it all, reimagining the Doom Slayer as a fallen warrior with god-slaying potential. It dives into the mythology of Hell, the corruption of Heaven, and the ancient wars between dimensions with shocking earnestness. Somehow, it all works. Doom Eternal isn’t just a great Bethesda-published game. It’s a masterclass in modern FPS design.
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