Most Realistic Tactical Shooters

Tactical shooters have long been a popular sub-genre of FPS gaming, with many players preferring the intensity and high-stakes gameplay to regular competitive shooters. Some developers take things one step further and go the extra mile to add layers of authenticity to their games to make them more realistic. Whether it's with slower movement speed, longer respawn times, or gameplay mechanics that put an emphasis on teamwork and tactics, there are many ways in which developers seek to refine the tactical shooter genre to make it appealing to hardcore players while not becoming insurmountably difficult to newcomers.

While most tactical shooters are set in the modern era, it is certainly worth mentioning some games set in historical periods such as World War 2 and the American Civil War. Though gameplay can be comparatively simple compared to a modern setting, the immersion these titles can provide is almost entirely unmatched within the multiplayer space. As the genre continues to grow in popularity, players can expect to see more tactical shooters with a focus on realism.

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Updated December 1, 2024, by Andrew McLarney: Tactical shooters are continually evolving to create a sense of immersion like no other genre. With recent projects such as Bodycam and Ready Or Not receiving high praise from their fans, developers have continued to work on their titles to bring fresh ideas and innovations into FPS games. While some may find the refined approach to realism distasteful, others see it as a great way to get an entertaining insight into the tactics and skills that are demanded of the world's elite soldiers.

15 SWAT 4

One of the First True Tactical Shooters

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FPS

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Systems

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Released

April 5, 2005

ESRB

m

Developer(s)

Irrational Games

Publisher(s)

Vivendi Universal

Engine

vengeance engine

Multiplayer

Local Multiplayer

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Defend the streets with the tactical elite. Take the law into your hands and command the best - the last line of defense when things get nasty. Make split-second decisions with teammates depending on you, guns trained on you and lives at stake. You won't be able to catch your breath...and you won't want to.

Command your elite team through 13 life-or-death missions where an unprecedented level of interaction with your squad makes SWAT 4 the most realistic tactical experience ever.

Random enemy placement means the danger around every corner is never the same.

The action is intense and limitless when you customize your missions or join online multiplayer with three 16-player modes and 13 co-op levels.

Licensed weaponry like the Colt M4 Carbine, non-lethal innovations like the bean-bag shotgun and real-life SWAT technical advisors provide the highest level of authenticity.

Platform(s)

PC

Genre(s)

FPS

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Sierra Entertainment's SWAT series was the precursor to many later tactical shooters, and heavily influenced the likes of Ready or Not, which came later. As a fireteam leader, players have to deal with a variety of situations, ranging from simple gas station holdups to a full-scale nightclub shootout.

Utilizing many different tools and gadgets, as well as team orders and versatile weaponry, players can deal with each scenario in a variety of different ways. Every corner has to be taken with caution in this unforgiving FPS.

14 Rainbow Six Vegas 2

Intense Close Quarters Combat From A Beloved Franchise

In what is widely considered the best game in the series, Rainbow Six Vegas 2 puts the focus on squad-based gameplay and emphasizes cover mechanics above all else. On top of a great story, there are also a variety of entertaining 'Terrorist Takedown' and multiplayer modes.

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One of the best aspects of the game is customization. Not only can players choose from a huge arsenal of weapons to tune their loadouts, but there is also a vast range of different outfits and armor for players to choose from.

13 Red Orchestra/Rising Storm

Legendary Historical Battles With Tactical Depth

Starting out as the Red Orchestra series and later evolving into Rising Storm, Tripwire Interactive and Antimatter Games truly created a masterpiece here, which is fondly remembered by all who played the titles.

The Red Orchestra series takes place on the Eastern Front, while Rising Storm focuses on the pacific and later the Vietnam War as well. Players can give commands, use vehicles, call in for support and much more in this intense tactical shooter.

12 Ghost Recon Wildlands

An Open World Shooter With Near-Infinite Possibilities

Ubisoft's Ghost Recon Wildlands is an open-world tactical shooter that gives players huge amounts of freedom and creative choice when it comes to approaching missions. Players can make use of a range of weapons, vehicles, and gadgets to take on the Santa Blanca cartel in an impressive and highly immersive recreation of Bolivia.

Its sequel, Ghost Recon Breakpoint, has a more futuristic theme, while Wildlands remains gritty and realistic in comparison. A range of diverse environments combined with hundreds of different missions and objectives will give players hundreds of hours of entertainment, but they can also expect a fair challenge from the game's many enemies.

11 Operation Flashpoint (Series)

An Early Pioneer With A Nice Balance Of Realism And Fun

Originally developed by Bohemia Interactive and later Codemasters, the Operation Flashpoint series features a number of tactical shooters dating back to 2001. Generally, Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising is considered to be the best, but unfortunately, the series has ground to a halt with only one release since 2009.

The games provide a nice balance of military simulation with fast-paced gun play, and they also feature vehicles heavily, with players often being required to travel across large, open maps. A series of disputes between the developers have somewhat killed the series, but it seems likely that many fans would welcome a comeback entry into the series.

10 Insurgency Sandstorm

An Intense Multiplayer Warfare Experience

Insurgency Sandstorm was one of the first multiplayer shooters to go all-in on the tactical realism aspect. With an emphasis on group tactics, weapon variety, and close quarters combat, Insurgency Sandstorm still holds up today as one of the better Gulf War games.

A variety of updates and expansions have kept the game fresh, without losing the original authentic and realistic feel that the game started out with. Few games demand quite so much attention and alertness as Insurgency Sandstorm, and it can be a total blast with friends, too.

9 Hell Let Loose

Realistic Gunplay And Environments

Team 7's Hell Let Loose may not quite reach the same levels of tactical authenticity as some other tactical shooters, but it certainly has many positive elements. Visually, it is one of the best WW2 shooters around, and gameplay is very intense no matter which role players are taking on.

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A variety of large maps and servers of up to 100 players lead to enormous battles, and players will need to use teamwork and intelligence to survive. While Hell Let Loose does not have quite so many vehicles as Squad or ARMA, there are still plenty of tanks, trucks, and artillery weapons for players to utilize.

8 Squad 44 (Post Scriptum)

A Rebranded Multiplayer Shooter With A Focus On WW2 Action

Post Scriptum, which has since been renamed Squad 44, is a tactical shooter set during WW2 which largely centers around squad-based team play and strategy. Players can take on a variety of roles from Commander right the way down to logistical operations like supplies and fortifications.

Combat is intense and consequential, with lengthy respawn times ensuring that every kill genuinely sets the opposition's progress back. Much like Squad, the game is home to a very welcoming and enthusiastic online community, making it very accessible for newcomers.

7 ARMA (Series)

A Huge Variety Of Content, Missions, And Mods

For a long time, very few games were able to compete with ARMA when it came to the authenticity of both tactics and scale. With open-world settings the size of entire countries and tense, realistic missions, ARMA can really be considered one of the first true military simulation video games.

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A variety of technical issues have held the series back somewhat, but it still retains a large community of dedicated followers, and multiplayer battles can be absolutely epic when servers are able to remain free of connectivity issues. The single player campaigns of each game still have plenty to offer, along with a plethora of mods and custom mission scenarios, each adding to the already immersive sense of realism spread throughout the series.

6 Escape From Tarkov

A Brutal Online Shooter With A Strong Incentive Not To Get Killed

Escape From Tarkov is notorious for being one of the most punishing and difficult battle royale multiplayer shooters around. What makes Escape From Tarkov a unique PvP experience is the high stakes of every game. Players are required to complete tasks and extract from areas while surviving against other players, and dying means that all equipped gear is lost forever.

While this formula can be quite unforgiving, particularly for newer players who are playing solo, it only makes success all the more satisfying when it is truly earned. Developers Battlestate Games have worked tirelessly to bring updates to the game and address player's criticism since its beta release in 2017.