Summary
- Ranked modes in games start easy and increase in difficulty as players progress, requiring time and dedication to reach the top rank.
- Different games have varying skill ceilings in their ranked modes, with some being more challenging due to complex mechanics and high skill levels.
- Successful ranked gameplay often requires team coordination, quick decision-making, precise aim, and mastering game mechanics to progress and achieve top ranks.
Playing a ranked mode in any game is a fun way to match with skilled players and enjoy a highly competitive environment. Some games have an easy ranked experience due to a lower skill ceiling, while others have a high skill ceiling and provide a challenging-ranked experience.
All ranked modes start easy and gradually increase in difficulty as players gain experience and progress. Still, some games have a less subtle difficulty increase and have a skewed rank distribution. Many players have invested thousands of hours to reach the highest rank in their preferred game. Once at the top rank, these players can flex their hard-earned ranked badge to others.
8 FPS Games That Offer The Best Bang For Your Buck
This list is for anyone looking to get the most bang out of their buck. You get it?
Updated on February 9, 2025, by Mehrdad Khayyat: Competitive gaming is probably one of the best things to ever exist, giving every gamer some hope and some attitude to try hard, get better, and rank up among thousands of players in the world.
That being said, playing ranked mode in competitive games is nothing easy, especially in team-based games, where having good communication and coordination is key for winning. So, it's always crucial to step into the ranked well-prepared in these games.
1 The Finals
Fast-Paced Gunplay Requiring Quick Decision-Making
The Finals
- Released
- December 8, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Embark Studios
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- Genre(s)
- FPS
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Unlike most online shooters where there is only one ranked mode, The Finals actually delivers two different ranked experiences: Tournament and Terminal Attack. The former is played in a 3-round playoffs stage with an overall of 8 teams. Each match in Round 1 and Round 2 is played with four teams, and the two teams scoring the highest point qualify for the next round. The final round, however, is a 1v1 match.
The Terminal Attack on the other hand is a more traditional 5v5 experience, but it comes with no respawn chances, which is why it is more punishing than Tournament. That being said, both modes are quite difficult to progress in.
Terminal Attack will reward players for a single win, but the Tournament is more about consistency, as players of a team need to keep their good performance in three different matches to achieve victory. This format, however, is getting more popular these days, though it is also more difficult.
2 Rocket League
Vehicle Control, Ball Skill, And Team Play
Rocket League
- Released
- July 7, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
Despite appearing to be a casual game at first glance, Rocket League is the polar opposite of that. While many consider Rocket League a fun party game to play with friends, the title is full of intricate mechanics that are hard to master. Rocket League has a strong player base due to its easy-to-learn and hard-to-master gameplay style.
Players must learn many skills, such as shooting, passing, ball control, vehicle control, and game sense. Team play is another vital part of matches, and players on voice comms will have an advantage over their enemies. The highest rank in Rocket League is Supersonic Legend, which requires players to advance through 7 rank tiers to reach.
3 Fortnite
Extreme Building Skill And Gunplay
Fortnite
- Released
- September 26, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Epic Games
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PC, Android, iOS
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Fortnite stood out during the early Battle Royale craze thanks to its unique building mechanics. While the gun mechanics and movement aren't noteworthy, players still need to maintain an above-average skill level. Mastering shotguns is the key, as they tie into the building mechanics.
The building mechanic will require new players to learn a new skill and master it. Building adds an entirely new skill and has a nearly impossible ceiling to reach. The game has two ranked modes, one with building and the other without.
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Fortnite's highest rank is Unreal and players can check their position among the rank through Unreal global leaderboard. To reach Unreal, players need to fight their way through seven ranks to reach the top.
4 Destiny 2
Quick Reactions, Good Aim, And Teamwork
Destiny 2
- Released
- August 28, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Bungie
- Franchise
- Destiny
- Platform(s)
- PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC, Stadia
- Genre(s)
- FPS
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
While Destiny 2 is a PVE shooter on the outside, the game runs an active PVP scene. The crucible is where PVP takes place and players are given rewards based on their performance and rank. The Glory ranks are the hardcore competitive games within Destiny 2 that offer a challenge for all players.
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Rising through Glory ranks heavily depends on good aim, fast reactions, and positioning. Due to the presence of bullet magnetism, shooting accuracy has a lot of leniency. A coordinated team will easily defeat another team by not communicating or being spread out. The highest crucible rank in Destiny 2 is ascendant I.
5 EA Sports FC
Ball Control, Team Formation Understanding, and Tactic Use
EA Sports FC 25
- Released
- September 27, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- EA Canada, EA Romania
- Franchise
- EA Sports FC
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC
- Genre(s)
- Sports
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
EA Sports FC games generally carry the same mechanics and player skill carries over to each new game. Ranked games involve a 1v1 with the clear victor emerging at the end. There is a factor of RNG that plays a significant role in influencing the game's ability to have a strong e-sport scene. While Seasons mode is immune to pay-to-win elements, the ranked mode in the Ultimate Team features heavy pay-to-progress elements.
To rise through the divisions, gamers must master the ability to attack, defend, and score goals. Handling the ball requires finesse and is the area most players focus on as they can pull off flashy moves. Players need to fully understand team formations and team tactics to get the most out of their team. The highest division in EA Sports FC is Division 1. Each match faces players against challenging opponents that will push them to their limits.
6 Hunt: Showdown
Team Communication, Positioning, And Precise Aim
Hunt: Showdown 1896
- Released
- February 22, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Crytek
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- Genre(s)
- First-Person Shooter, Extraction
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
With no casual mode in Hunt: Showdown, players are thrown into the ranking system. Players will be faced with the unique and challenging gunplay offered by Hunt: Showdown, alongside its PVE nature. With only 1 automatic weapon in the game, players will need to master their aim to make each shot count, on top of learning the bullet velocity for each gun.
Team play is crucial to Hunt: Showdown as its low time to kill will severely punish any poorly positioned players. Sticking to the team and planning engagements will give any team a significant advantage. Ranks in Hunt: Showdown range between 1 and 6 stars, with the 6-star MMR housing the best players.
7 Valorant
Team Coordination, Map Knowledge, And Gunplay
Valorant
- Released
- June 2, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Riot Games
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- Genre(s)
- Shooter
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Valorant was the most-watched FPS game on Twitch in 2022 and is showing no signs of slowing down. The game has a vibrant competitive community with frequent tournaments and thousands of online guides. Valorant is an FPS with a heavy emphasis on team coordination. The more coordinated a team is with their abilities, timing, and pushes, the more likely they are to outperform their opponents.
Players need to understand all agent abilities, have strong map knowledge, and consistently aim to hold their own in ranked. Players have created aim routines on AimLabs to improve their aim and give them an advantage in competitive play. The top rank in Valorant is called Radiant and only holds 500 players. Reaching Radiant is a testament to their skill and unmatched understanding of the game.
8 Counter-Strike 2
Gunplay, Map Knowledge, and Teamwork
Counter-Strike 2
- Released
- September 27, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Valve
- Franchise
- Counter-Strike
- Platform(s)
- PC
- Genre(s)
- FPS
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Valve's updated Counter-Strike 2 still embodies the competitive spirit that shined throughout Counter-Strike: Global Offensive's career before it was replaced. The game regularly sees over one million concurrent players and shows no signs of slowing down.
With such an active player base, Counter-Strike 2 requires players to stand out from a mountain of players and pick up the easy-to-learn yet difficult gun mechanics of the game. Gamers need to develop a deep understanding of map layouts and team play methods. Counter-Strike 2's highest rank is The Global Elite, and it consists of the best players and premade teams with excellent comms.
9 Dota 2
Hero Knowledge, Team Coordination, And Item Understanding
Dota 2
- Released
- July 9, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
Dota 2 has a bigger pool of heroes and more intricate items than League of Legends and has more mechanics players need to learn and master. Players need to dedicate a vast amount of time to stay on top of all the updates and changes Dota 2 receives. The tournament scene of Dota 2 reveals how difficult it is for players to reach the highest level of skill. The 2023 International tournament had a prize pool of $3,380,000 and displayed the high skill ceiling that the game has.
Dota 2 is ranked as one of the best MOBAs of all time and stands out by offering a more challenging experience compared to the more popular League of Legends. The highest rank in Dota 2 is immortal and requires players to grind their way through seven rank levels.
10 Apex Legends
Gunplay, Team Coordination, and Movement
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
The ranked grind in Apex Legends is a grueling task. Apex Legends has a high skill ceiling as it has intricate movement and a high time to kill compared to other games. The Battle Royale format in ranked leads to a chaotic match that requires players to understand positioning and playing alongside the ring.
Having a team is crucial, as Apex Legends requires intense team coordination in the higher ranks. The highest rank is Apex Predator, which holds 750 players per platform. Apex Legends saw a failure in its ranked season 17 as a pro player was able to reach Apex Predator without using a gun. The majority of players are ranked at Masters, which is the rank directly below Apex Predator.
Apex has implemented changes to rebalance its ranked distribution and prevent players from reaching the higher ranks with ease. In a previous season, the top two ranks held 0.20% of the player base.