Summary
- First-person shooters like Halo 2 and DOOM Eternal push players to absolute mastery of gameplay mechanics.
- Difficult titles like Insurgency: Sandstorm prioritize teamwork over individual heroics for a tough challenge.
- Escape From Tarkov offers high stakes with permadeath and intense survival elements for a heart-pounding experience.
First-person shooters are a tough genre to get into if someone has never played them before. Mastering moving and aiming simultaneously can be a lot to take in. Shooters have since expanded this concept with tons of new mechanics while improving the feedback weapons give.
For many FPS fanatics, the genre might appear stale with how many games have copied Halo or Call of Duty. It is certainly a problem, but there are plenty of challenging FPS titles that will give the most experienced gamers a challenge.
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From competitive multiplayer games to one-life single-player campaigns, many of the hardest FPS games encompass a wealth of gameplay loops in addition to the shooting action that most players expect from their titles. These titles can be pretty challenging and cause players to tear their hair out at times, but players who manage to learn these games and how they work will manage to overcome these tough titles without getting too frustrated in the process.
Updated on February 2, 2025, by Mehrdad Khayyat: Single-player or multiplayer, there are a lot of shooters that require a significant amount of dedication and focus to let the players feel the true taste of success, be it defeating a die-hard boss or ranking among the best of the best in the world.
First-person shooter is one of the major genres in gaming with massive popularity, hosting a wide variety of sub-genres that come at different difficulty levels, though some of them just push the boundaries of what a difficult game should be like!
The list includes both single-player games with difficult missions and multiplayer games with a long and complex learning curve.
41 Fistful Of Frags
A Western Half-Life 2 Mod With Old-School FPS Gameplay
Fistful of Frags
- Released
- May 9, 2014
WHERE TO PLAY
A standalone game that started as a Half-Life 2 mod, Fistful of Frags serves as an homage to Western movies of the past, letting players take on the role of cowboys shooting each other to bits. The game is pretty whimsical and worth checking out for any fan of unique fan-made games that feel like complete and unique experiences.
The way players heal in this game is a great example of how the title strives to be tough and innovative at the same time. Players drink booze to heal, causing their aim and vision to sway. This makes healing a strategic decision that players must make outside of a firefight so that they don't end up woozy and disoriented in the face of enemy fire.
40 Crysis
All-Out Battles Without The Use Of Stealth Can Be Pretty Challenging, Even On Normal Difficulty
Crysis Remastered
- Released
- July 23, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Saber Interactive
- Franchise
- Crysis
- Genre(s)
- FPS, Open-World
- OpenCritic Rating
- Weak
For the most part, Crysis can be a fairly tough experience but not a frustrating one for many players as long as they use the capabilities of the suit. However, the difficulty of this game skyrockets if players opt for the highest level of challenge possible.
Enemies in Crysis become more aggressive and smart while trying to shoot the player into smithereens, which will happen quite often. A player's reflexes need to be perfect if they wish to get through Crysis' massive levels with such elite opposition.
39 Titanfall 2
Lack Of Reflexes Will Lead To Many Deaths In A Heartfelt, Story-Driven Campaign
Titanfall 2
- Released
- October 28, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Respawn Entertainment
- Franchise
- titanfall
- Genre(s)
- FPS
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Titanfall 2 is a game that was unfairly overlooked upon release. The game featured many improvements to the core gameplay along with one of the best single-player campaigns in an FPS to date.
The end result is an amazing experience that becomes quite challenging in multiplayer. Players will have to make the most of the extended movement suite and the game's wide array of firearms to overpower their opposition.
38 Dusk
One Of The Best And Toughest Boomer Shooters With Retro Visuals
DUSK
- Released
- December 10, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
David Szymanski is one of the most beloved indie developers around, and it's clear that the golden age of FPS gaming is something he loves. After all, Dusk is a game that channels the vibe of old boomer shooters, with everything from the retro aesthetic to the fast-packed gameplay making this title a blast to play through.
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It's one of the hardest FPS games that will force players to get better at this title by any means necessary, especially with the monsters ramping up the difficulty and the immaculate horror vibes testing a player's resolve. First-person shooter fans who give Dusk a shot will be more than elated by the high quality of this title.
37 Project I.G.I.
A Tactical Shooter Where Jumping Into The Fray Can End Things Quickly
Project I.G.I.: I'm Going In
- Released
- December 8, 2000
WHERE TO PLAY
Tactical shooters are some of the easier picks for FPS titles that promote difficulty above all. Project I.G.I. Is not a game for the faint of heart, with every objective being a heart-stopping affair where a single mistake can have dire consequences for the player if they attract too much enemy attention.
This makes it important to sneak in the shadows, employ a tactical approach, and try to attract as little attention as possible. The game's AI may not be its strongest point, but players who don't mind checking out an old-school shooter that's pretty challenging will find Project I.G.I. To be right up their alley.
36 S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky
A Combination Of FPS Gameplay, Survival Horror, And RPG Elements That's Pretty Challenging
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky
- Released
- September 15, 2008
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- GSC Game World
- Franchise
- S.T.A.L.K.E.R.
- PC Release Date
- September 15, 2008
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
The S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Series features some of the toughest open-world first-person shooters ever made, forcing people to manage their resources at all times and not get too overzealous in combat. All the games in this series boast a substantial level of challenge, and Clear Sky is no exception here.
Customizing equipment and engaging in faction wars are a few of the many things people will engage with regularly in this game. The learning curve is immense, but players who give this game a shot will find each and every victory to be an accomplishment after their initial struggles.
35 Apex Legends
Heroes Take A While To Master Before Players Get Into The Flow Of The Game
Apex Legends
- Released
- February 4, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Respawn Entertainment
- Platform(s)
- PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC, iOS, Android, Switch
- Genre(s)
- Battle Royale, First-Person Shooter
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
While Titanfall 2 might not have sold like hotcakes, the same can't be said for Apex Legends. Technically, the game is free-to-play, but the massive player base makes it clear that Respawn struck gold with this title.
Apex Legends is an FPS hero shooter where players will take some time to learn the mechanics of the various characters they can control in the game. The balanced experience provided by this game, coupled with its deep systems, makes for a scintillating FPS experience where players need to be attuned to the game and its mechanics if they wish to come out victorious.
34 Blood: Fresh Supply
Personifies The Difficulty That Pervaded Most Retro Shooters
Blood: Fresh Supply
- Released
- May 9, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- NightDive Studios
- Platform(s)
- PC
- Genre(s)
- First-Person Shooter
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Blood was one of the many DOOM clones during the golden age of PC gaming. It approached this genre with a pretty unique setting, with the supernatural elements of the game allowing for unique weapons and enemies that made it quite different from DOOM in its own way.
The remaster of this game retained the great aesthetics and challenging difficulty of this title. Blood: Fresh Supply is by no means an easy title, but people who love the atmosphere and humor of this title will have many excuses to power through this nostalgic gem of a game.
33 DOOM
Demons Don't Stop Inflicting Pain Every Step Of The Way
DOOM
- Released
- May 13, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
The reboot of DOOM was a source of great happiness among fans. However, these gamers were also rather skeptical about how id Software would be able to make the formula of DOOM work in a modern gaming environment.
Thankfully, the developers managed to strike a perfect balance between classic FPS gameplay and modern gaming nuances. This made for a rich first-person shooting experience that was tough as nails as well. It's easy to see why most people can't get enough of DOOM nowadays.
32 F.E.A.R
Challenging AI Coupled With An Oppressive Atmosphere
F.E.A.R.
- Released
- October 18, 2005
WHERE TO PLAY
When it came out, most people considered F.E.A.R. To be one of the hardest FPS games ever made. This was mainly achieved through a combination of unforgiving gameplay and smart enemy AI that could flank and surprise the player at every step.
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Of course, one has to admit that the constant fear of Alma and the other horrors present in F.E.A.R also contributed to the overall difficulty. After all, it would be hard for players to focus on the game's shooting when they're too busy trying to avoid any scares in the game.