Call of Duty stormed the beaches of World War 2 in 2003, and wasn’t quite the hit then as it is today. Now, it’s seen as one of the biggest first-person shooters around, thanks in large part to Call of Duty: Modern Wa rfare. Players come to the series every year expecting a wealth of multiplayer modes, a bombastic campaign, and stellar shooting.
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Is the shooting perfect in these games, though? For console games, it is without a doubt top-notch, but there are areas where other shooters succeed. It’s debatable whether or not these games are better overall, but they certainly have some gunplay tricks over Call of Duty games.
Halo Infinite
Nothing Beats Master Chief
Halo Infinite
- Released
- December 8, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Blood, Mild Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- 343 Industries
- Genre(s)
- First-Person Shooter
- Platform(s)
- PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Halo: Combat Evolved is what brought first-person shooters to prominence on consoles. Halo Infinite is the latest sequel, and while it isn’t as popular as Call of Duty games, it’s always a good reminder that a new Halo game is special, thanks to the gameplay.
As a super soldier, Master Chief is more agile as a protagonist when it comes to movement, shooting, and reloading. The weapon handling and variety are impeccable, as each weapon is different, from the Marine Corps rifles to Covenant weapons like the Needler.
Destiny 2
In Space, Everything Shoots
Destiny 2
- Released
- August 28, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For TEEN for Blood, Language, and Violence
- Developer(s)
- Bungie
- Genre(s)
- FPS
- Platform(s)
- PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC, Stadia
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Part of the reason why Halo became a legendary shooter series is because of Bungie, and after leaving that franchise behind, they started up a new one, Destiny, and brought with it their shooter expertise. Destiny 2 is the current main game in the series, and despite a very low current player count, it has seen the release of several iconic DLCs since its release.
The shooting is just as good as any Halo game, along with the movement, perhaps even more so, as the various classes have different techniques, from floating to double jumps. The weapon variety is also decent, from rifles to rocket launchers, and it’s never a challenge to aim properly and pull off some fancy gunplay in the Crucible.
Doom
Encountering The Reboot
DOOM
- Released
- May 13, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
The 2016 Doom game brought back one of the most legendary shooters of the '90s and updated the mechanics for a new generation. It’s a more arcade-style shooter wherein guns are fired at an alarming rate, compared to the reload cycle of a typical shooter like Call of Duty.
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Move over, Master Chief. While the Halo series has told its fair share of excellent stories, these other FPS narratives have it beat.
Also, to replenish ammo consistently, Doom added a counter system to finish off demons, and tearing them apart never got old. The countering gunplay mechanic had a learning curve as it was unlike anything else out there, but with practice, fans grew to love it.
Titanfall 2
Nailing Mech Combat
Titanfall 2
- Released
- October 28, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Respawn Entertainment
- Genre(s)
- FPS
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Like the Bungie example, Titanfall 2 was developed by Respawn Entertainment, which was made up of former Infinity Ward members who helped make Call of Duty games. Titanfall 2 is a stellar shooter on two fronts because players can control both a human character and a mech that they can pilot.
Each character plays distinctly, as the main character, Jack, is agile, while his mech, BT, is slow-moving but incredibly powerful. Leave it to former Call of Duty designers to make yet another quality shooter on consoles.
Borderlands 4
Guns, Guns, And More Guns
Borderlands 4
- Released
- September 12, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, In-Game Purchases, Users Interact
- Developer(s)
- Gearbox Software
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Nintendo Switch 2, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
The Borderlands series does not have the steadiness of a Call of Duty game when it comes to firing weapons. However, what Borderlands 4 and other entries have over other shooters in general is weapon variety and a near infinite amount of them.
Guns can fire everything from bullets to rockets and can be imbued with fire or poison to ignite or corrode enemies into unrecognizable husks. Each character class also has unique powers to further the unique gameplay, but strictly on gunplay, Borderlands 4 will keep players on their toes.
Counter-Strike
From Mod To Multiplayer Dominance
Counter-Strike
- Released
- November 9, 2000
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Blood, Intense Violence
- Developer(s)
- Valve
- Genre(s)
- First-Person Shooter, Tactical
- Platform(s)
- PC, Xbox (Original)
Counter-Strike began as a mod to Half-Life before it became so popular that Valve helped it become its own thing. There is no campaign, just a series of multiplayer modes with the main one featuring professionals going after terrorists.
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Despite the game being decades old, with updates, and the player base of Steam being larger than any one console, players have been enjoying it non-stop. There’s something so visceral and satisfying about the gunplay in Counter-Strike, even though it doesn’t feature any wild guns or innovative mechanics for shooters. It’s just a tight and infinitely replayable multiplayer shooter.
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege
A Tactful Shooter
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege
- Released
- December 1, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood, Drug Reference, Strong Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Ubisoft Montreal
- Genre(s)
- Shooter
- Platform(s)
- PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Amazon Luna, Stadia, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
The Tom Clancy games definitely learned a thing or two from Counter-Strike, as many of them are also about counter-terrorism. Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege is an example of a game that is still incredibly popular in the competitive space, with tournaments being held by Ubisoft to this day, even though the game came out in 2015.
Unlike many of the shooters on here, the characters in this game are a bit more weighted, which makes sense given that levels aren’t as large, and players instead have to be more mindful of their actions. The gameplay is still accurate, which can create some thrilling interactions with online opponents.
F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin
A Ghostly Shooter
F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin
- Released
- February 10, 2009
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Monolith Productions
- Genre(s)
- First-Person, Shooter, Horror
- Platform(s)
- Steam, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Even though F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin is over a decade old now, it still feels incredibly accessible as a shooter, and because it can be played on Xbox systems thanks to backwards compatibility. Players will feel more weighed down as their hero, even though they aren’t in hulking armor like Master Chief or the Doom Guy.
This weightiness is a positive though, because it grounds shots to be more accurate. The switch between hip fire and iron sights is so quick and accurate between most weapons in the game that it can be easily mistaken for the proficiency known throughout the Call of Duty games.
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