There have been an abundance of game engines throughout the years, with the DOOM Engine and Unreal being some of the most recognizable ones out there. More recently, user-friendly game engines such as Unity and Godot have been gaining more ground in the indie scene.
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FPS games have been around for decades, and despite the age of some of these games they can still be played to this day.
However, the Build engine is arguably one of the most iconic, thanks to the instantly recognizable look and feel of the games produced using its software. Blood, Duke Nukem 3D, and Shadow Warrior are among the best first-person shooters of their time, let alone today, all thanks to this innovative engine.
5 PowerSlave
A Unique Combination Of FPS And Metroidvania Elements
PowerSlave: Exhumed
- Released
- September 19, 1996
- Platform(s)
- PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
- Developer
- Lobotomy Software
- Genre(s)
- First-Person Shooter
PowerSlave's console and PC versions differ rather dramatically, with the console version being an arguably better (and more unique) game thanks to its Metroidvania elements and focus on exploration above all else. While not a fully-fledged Metroidvania, the elements of the genre that are present in PowerSlave help to elevate player exploration.
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While some players may prefer the original PC version of PowerSlave for its more straightforward approach to design, the console versions of the game are a welcome reprieve from the run-and-gun, key-collecting nature of DOOM clones. Though, that's not to say PowerSlave doesn't have its fair share of those gameplay mechanics, as well.
Where To Play PowerSlave?
Though PowerSlave was originally developed with the Build engine, Nightdive Studios recently remastered this underappreciated FPS under the title: PowerSlave Exhumed. This well-crafted update of the game allows players to play a port of PowerSlave's console versions. The PC version of PowerSlave is also available on sites such as GOG.
4 Ion Fury
A Modern Build Engine Game
Ion Fury
Ion Fury is a recently released indie FPS that takes clear inspiration from industry legends such as Duke Nukem 3D, with the developers going as far as developing the game in the Build engine. This has resulted in a faithfully constructed old-school FPS packed with secrets and retro imagery, with large-scale levels and expansive battle arenas that are a joy to fight in.
The game's tongue-in-cheek humor and action-hero protagonist, as well as the game's classic shooter gameplay, will likely appease many fans of Duke Nukem 3D. However, Ion Fury is also a tremendously accessible experience thanks to the addition of auto-saves and headshots, providing a Build engine game with modern features.
Where To Play Ion Fury?
Ion Fury is a modern indie game that was released in 2019 and is available on the Steam store. Thanks to its relatively recent release, Ion Fury is easy to get up and running and runs well on most machines.
3 Shadow Warrior
An Old-School FPS With A Unique Setting And Useful Melee Options
Shadow Warrior (1997)
Known as one of the greatest Build engine games along with other titles such as Blood and Duke Nukem 3D, Shadow Warrior is among the best old-school first-person shooters. Despite aging somewhat poorly in certain regards, Shadow Warrior is, thankfully, more focused on its action than its narrative, much like many FPS games of the time.
Shadow Warrior's greatest strength is arguably its diverse arsenal of weaponry that allows players to go from hacking and slashing enemies with a katana to gunning them down with dual-wielded machine guns. Shadow Warrior also makes the most out of its unique setting, providing a variety of creative environments to explore.
Where To Play Shadow Warrior?
A definitive edition of Shadow Warrior is currently available on both Steam and GOG, allowing players to easily access this classic Build engine game. The Steam version also includes added Steam achievements, for players that enjoy seeking out a challenge.
2 Duke Nukem 3D
A Classic Boomer Shooter With An Iconic Protagonist
Duke Nukem 3D
Duke Nukem 3D is a legendary entry in the first-person shooter genre, in large part thanks to its iconic (albeit misguided) protagonist and unique setting. This expansive old-school shooter creatively used the limitations of its engine to create dense, large-scale environments that are frequently fun to explore. These environments are plentiful and feature a great deal of variety across the game's three original episodes (more episodes were added with subsequent releases).
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While Duke Nukem 3D offers a variety of zany weapons that are equally fun to use, its large-scale level design is arguably its greatest strength. This is only bolstered by the attention to detail in the environments that reward players for exploring.
Where To Play Duke Nukem 3D?
Duke Nukem 3D: 20th Anniversary World Tour is a remastered version of the original game that's currently available on Steam. This version adds a new episode, and while some fans may prefer the original version of the game, there's no doubt that Duke Nukem 3D: 20th Anniversary World Tour is the easiest and most accessible entry point.
1 Blood
A Gothic Shooter With Creative Level Designs
Blood: Fresh Supply
- Released
- May 9, 2019
- Developer(s)
- NightDive Studios
- Platform(s)
- PC
- Genre(s)
- First-Person Shooter
Featuring a dark story and Gothic setting revolving around the slaughter of countless cultists, Blood is an immensely satisfying first-person shooter with a dense, eerie atmosphere. The game's surprising variety of environments, from a dark carnival to a moving train, make Blood a consistently wild ride — despite the limitations of its engine.
Blood features a variety of fun weapons with alternate fire modes, as well as an abundance of brilliantly designed (and sometimes maze-like) levels with dense environments. These levels are always fun to explore thanks to smooth movement controls and a number of hidden secrets to keep you busy checking every corner.
Where To Play Blood?
Originally released in 1997, Blood is currently available on Steam under the name Blood: Fresh Supply, an updated version of the game developed by Nightdive Studios using a new engine.
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