PixlBit

I've never been able to get into shooters for some reason? Aside from a few 3rd person games like RE series, or the occasional good reviewed solo shooter like Wolfenstein or Call of Juarez. What am I missing?  

I used to be the same, don't worry. I cannot play FPS on console, it just feels wrong. Play with a keyboard and mouse at 60 fps. First Person Shooters are where your framerate matters most, as you feel the lack of smoothness more than anything else. While I prefer my PCs, in every other genre I don't care what the framerate is as long as it's close to 30 and consistent, but with FPS, I need that smoothness.

 Also, are there any other first person shooters you do like? Which genres do you prefer usually? Maybe I could give you some suggestions.

I played Turok, Halo, Gears of War. I just don't go back to them like I do other games after finishing them. I mainly prefer JRPGs, RPGs, Survival Horror, Action RPGs. Was F.E.A.R a 1st Person shooter? I really liked that game, as well as Bioshock and Deus Ex. I think I have a problem with Multiplayer type shooters like COD or Battlefield. What shooters do you think are worth playing? I'm thinking of playing through System Shock 2 soon, but I don't think that counts. Does Dead Island or Left4Dead count? 

I do think Fear, System Shock 2 and Left 4 Dead count. Those three games have guns as a center in the gameplay and what you use most of the time. Then again, i've only played the latter game....

L4D is more of a coop game. I think I prefer 1st person shooters with some sort of atmosphere or story.

System Shock 2 absolutely counts, as does FEAR. FEAR almost got mentioned in this article, since it's one of my faves as well. I also really, really dislike Halo and Turok, so maybe you got off on a bad foot.

 Here are some suggestions I feel you'd like: S.T.A.L.K.E.R., either Call of Pripyat or Shadow of Chernobyl, both are awesome, but do need patching to run properly and I'd recommend using the complete mod. They're open world games, almost rpgs. It's like a more hardcore Fallout 3 where you have to eat and drink and be more weary of environmental hazards and stuff.

 Serious Sam: They're cheap, and they put the fear in me more than most horror games, due to how insane the challenge is and how many enemies you have to deal with at once. You constantly have to move, and you constantly have to adapt to the situation.

Half Life 2: The ultimate single player FPS. Seriously, it is a must play if you haven't already played it.

 Singularity: It's like Bioshock but with time manipulation and better shooting mechanics. It's a hell of a lot of fun. 

 Also, I'm currently playing System Shock 2 for the first time: Damn that game is immersive. I have no graphic mods or anything, just playing the GoG version of the game. I'll give you one tip: turn off the music, and you'll be in for one hell of an atmospheric experience.

I feel like you've provided a great list for Game Club in the next few months. Which one of these games do you think everyone needs to play? System Shock 2 perhaps? Shall that be our next game after Demon's Souls?

Yeah System Shock would be a great pick since it's usually cheap and would run on an old ass laptop. As for recommendations for Game Club goes, I have a few:

 Vanquish: For when we need an insane, over the action game.

 Catherine: Because it's fucking Catherine.

 Thomas Was Alone: Short, sweet, and has an awesome plot/script/soundtrack/everything. 

For whatever it's worth, we did a Backloggers on System Shock 2 about a year ago (wasn't my favorite). Check it out here if you're interested:

Part 1 - http://www.pixlbit.com/feature/2012/system_shock_2_part_1
Part 2 - http://www.pixlbit.com/feature/2440/system_shock_2_part_2

Two whole podcasts? Is the game that deep? Oh my! 

System Shock 2 (and 1) is a game relatively few people have played, yet has influence games for 15 years after its release. Think how many games in this last gen that have had audio logs, an omnipresent radio contacts who guides you through your mission, and unreliable "narrators." 

I think it's a must play even if it's just for the sake of game scholarship. That it's stil as compelling today as it was upon release is a nice bonus.

I second HalfLife 2 as the best single player FPS.  

I can't really say much about FPS's because besides Halo, I wasn't very used to the genre and it's just recently that i'm getting more deepely into them. I would say that atleast some games (from what i've seen, I could be wrong) like the new Wolfenstein are actually trying to break the monotomy of those mechanics that were popular below 2011 or so.

Though gameplay is also important, I take more interest in the setting. Like, due to overexposure I don't care for any of the modern settings, which is why I haven't played any of those games like CoD or Battlefield (atleast in recent memory). I prefer Sci-Fi settings (like Halo or Half-Life), or ones with unique designs (Bioshock or Team Fortress2).

I like my gameplay to feel good. I like it to be chaotic and fun, or tense, or satisfying. However, there are exceptions. Both Bioshock and System Shock have terrible gunplay, and yet I love them because of the way they tell their story and their unique setting.

Just a random bit on Bioshock from what I played, the gunplay is definitly a weak aspect. However, I find it serviciable and I think the plasmids, mechanics, exploration, atmosphere or simply anything else make up for it.

I want to point out that slaveowners were all Sega Genesis owners. We Nintendo people never did that. 

Also, Quake moves way too fast on N64 and those lava pits get annoying as a result. 

As a Sega Genesis owner, I'd like to point out that Nintendo consoles were white and the far more popular. Try and argue with me? Sorry, I can't hear you over your Nintendo Power chants...

They were gray, and Geneses were more popular in Europe as I understand. Y'know, the continent with GERRRRRRMANY.

Oh yeah, because Japan is known for their cultural tolerance :p

That was beautiful. The modern shooter seems to focus on gunplay (and many times THAT'S not even done right) while everything else falls to the wayside.  

Funny, I got done writing a similar blog with similar rants. Damn you and your telapathy,Blake! Could it be our bro-mance allows you to look into the deepest darkest crevices of my mind?! Dun!Dun!Dun!

The last single-player FPS that really got me hooked was S.T.A.L.K.E.R.. So, so good, one of a kind. I hear the Metro games are similar in tone but with a conventional corridor structure.  Before that it was FEAR. Underrated. No FPS has had better gunplay since.

It's funny because I recently restarted Bioshock (didn't finish it when it came out because during that time I had finally gotten System Shock 2 to work on my PC....Bioshock just couldn't compare after that). I've progressed further than I did before, but I'm remembering why I quit in the first place. Then a couple days ago, I look over and see my FEAR box sitting across the room and think to myself "Why am I not playing a FPS with good shooting instead of BS?"  Yeah, I don't think I'll be finishing Bioshock anytime soon. Plus, FEAR 2 has recently come into my radar. Want to see how it compares to the original.

Point is that it wasn't even that long a go when FPS were still bringing interesting gameplay to the table. WTF happened?  Borderlands is fun, but it can't compare on a mechanical level.  Bulletstorm has that two gun bullshit. Destiny looks slow and pedestrian as fuck. Other than Metro: Last Light and Wolfenstein: NWO, the genre is lacking imo.

Ah FEAR 2... it is in some ways superior to the original, but at the same time, it's also not as good. They consolified it a bit, making it a bit easier, removing the lean system, and replacing the squad based enemy system with more traditional waves. 

 However, it is also gorier, there are some really fun weapons to use, especially the kickass sniper that literally blows people in half. There are mech section, and a section that trumps every bit of horror from the original, it's just fucking awesome, to the point I was smiling the whole time whilst jumping at every noise. It is a good game, it's just not F.E.A.R. 1. And don't go anywhere near F.3.A.R. it's fucking awful.

Stalker SOC is in my top 10 games of all time. I fucking adore it. Last Few FPS I've enjoyed: HD versions of Serious Sam, the new Shadow Warrior game, and the new Wolfenstein is pretty tits too. Doom 4 looks to be going back to roots which is awesome, and there are a few indie shooters coming out like Wrack that are looking quite good.

 Oh, and if you haven't played it, play Call of Cthulhu Dark Corners of the Earth. It is one of the best horror fps I've ever played... if you patch it of course.

I concur. With FEAR 3 they amped up the glowy neon sci-fi shit and threw in more mechs. The more tense supernatural sections totally clash with the heavy weapon sections and the ninja type guys who look as if they're straight out of Tron.

I would not say FEAR 3 is "terrible" but the campaign is short (For both Pointman and Fettel). And therein is the novely,playing as either a vengeful ghost with psychic powers (and the ability to possess soldiers) or the traditional fps character that can go into bullet-time. Yeah, it "should" be pretty intriguing but the description is more interesting than the actual execution of the ideas themselves. 

There are two endings but I'm hesitant to say either of them are good. True,they offer a bit of closure to the story arch with Alma Wade but something about the whole experience of FEAR 3 left me feeling cheated somehow.

Allow me to reiterate: FEAR 3 is fucking garbage. It's not a FEAR game, it's Call of Duty: Ghosts.

No it is not,Blake. It's "Glowing Ghost Ninjas: Recon!" 

I just started System Shock 2. It was forthcoming on my game list anyway, and I'm surprised at how immersive the game is with just the tutorial and opening movie. I love it already. We'll see what the rest of the game has in store for me. I do love exploration! 

Some notes I took on reading your awesome article:

Cutscenes, taking away your weapons, and adding puzzle or stealth levels
ruins the pace of a good FPS.
These features are nice but I like to play non stop action.

Borderlands has too many samey weapons.
Old school shooters have just the right amount
and they're all very different.

Wanting to put hoards of enemies on the screen,
modern games end up with all the same type to simplify design.
 
Modern games try to be accessible to everyone
and so dumb down the level design
so even a baby can negotiate it.

I agree with the borderlands thing. Fuck I hate those games.

 Good points overall, especially the taking weapons away! And cutscenes. If you're going to do cutscenes in a first person game, don't use 3rd person! Why would you do that?!