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Thankfully, Sony has provided its customers with numerous excellent shooters over the years, which can fill the void left by the Halo series’ exclusivity.
Updated April 22, 2022 by Jack Pursey: The latest game in the Halo series, Halo Infinite, was recently released to critical acclaim, exemplified by its impressive Metascore of 87 on Xbox Series X/S. As is the case when any exclusive game is released, it can be frustrating for those with different systems, as they are often left feeling excluded from all the fun. Thankfully, there is no shortage of excellent shooters on PlayStation consoles, so we’ve updated this list to include some more greatPlayStation games like Halo.
15 Resistance 3
Resistance 3 was released exclusively on PlayStation 3 in September 2011 and continued the series’ run of consistent high-quality. Insomniac Games’ shooter differentiated itself from its predecessors by moving away from the military aspects of the series and emphasizing its themes of post-apocalyptic horror.
Unfortunately, players can no longer enjoy Resistance 3’s online features, as they were shut down by Sony in April 2014, along with the Resistance: Fall of Man and Resistance 2 servers. Despite this, the game is still worth getting for FPS fans, as the campaign more than holds up today.
14 Crysis 3
Crysis 3 was developed by Crytek and originally released on PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 in September 2013, before a remastered version of the game was released in October 2021 on PC, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One.
Crysis 3 stands out from other shooters by equipping its protagonist with a Nanosuit, which grants players a range of skills and abilities to give them an edge in combat, such as invisibility and hacking.
13 TimeSplitters 2
TimeSplitters 2 was released on PlayStation 2, Xbox, and GameCube in 2002, and it remains one of the most beloved shooters from the sixth generation of home consoles.
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While the game does have a story mode, it’s TimeSplitters 2’s multiplayer that made it such a hit with gamers in the early 2000s, as the shooter’s fast-paced action made for incredibly enjoyable split-screen fun in classic modes like Deathmatch and Capture the Bag (the game’s take on Capture the Flag).
12 Shadow Warrior 2
Shadow Warrior 2 offers some of the most over-the-top action that the first-person shooter genre has ever seen; so much so that it even gave the rebooted DOOM - which was released in 2016 - a run for its money as the most adrenaline-pumping, action-packed game of the year.
One of the key differences between DOOM (2016) and Shadow Warrior 2 is the protagonists, with DOOM’s ultra-serious “Doomguy” contrasting the charismatic and wisecracking Lo Wang.
11 Rage 2
The announcement of Rage 2 came as a surprise to many people, as although the original Rage was a solid open-world shooter, it didn’t exactly turn heads or develop much of a long-standing fanbase.
Still, id Software and Bethesda decided to revitalize the series, releasing Rage 2 in May 2019. Whereas the original Rage was predominantly grounded and serious, Rage 2 tries to inject a ton of life, charisma, and action into the IP. This is evident from simply comparing the games’ front covers, as Rage 2’s is bursting with color in stark contrast to its dreary predecessor.
10 Titanfall 2
It’s fair to say that Titanfall 2 wasn’t a booming success when it was first released back in October 2016. This was likely due to Electronic Arts releasing the game just one week after another one of their first-person shooters, Battlefield 1. Electronic Arts didn’t see an issue with releasing the two games just one week apart, believing them to appeal to different audiences.
Despite the slow start, Titanfall 2 has an impressive player base today, as the game’s quality has reached ears through word of mouth.
9 DOOM Eternal
Arguably the most influential first-person shooter franchise of all time, DOOM received a modern reboot in 2016. The game performed well both critically and commercially, so it was little surprise when Bethesda gave id Software the thumbs up to develop a sequel, DOOM Eternal.
Unfortunately for PlayStation gamers, future DOOM titles may not appear on the blue brand following Microsoft’s acquisition of Zenimax Media, Bethesda’s parent company. Still, DOOM Eternal and DOOM (2016) should be more than enough to keep fans of the series occupied.
8 Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus
Although the DOOM franchise was undoubtedly more influential to the FPS genre overall, the Wolfenstein series deserves recognition, as id Software’s Wolfenstein 3D had many of the ideas that the developer would reuse in the groundbreaking DOOM (1993).
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Much like DOOM, the Wolfenstein series is still going strong today. MachineGames’ Wolfenstein II: The New Colossushas a similar, action-pact pace to DOOM Eternal with the slight change of slaying Nazis instead of demons.
7 Destiny 2
Destiny 2 is an obvious choice for this list as the game was developed by Bungie. Washington-based developer Bungie was responsible for the original Halo trilogy, along with Halo 3: ODST and Halo Reach.
Destiny 2 is a leading force in the free-to-play market, and the online shooter has maintained an impressive player base since it initially hit stores back in 2017. The game is consistently receiving new content, with The Witch Queen and Lightfall both set to release in the coming years.
6 Prey
The original Prey was released back in 2006 by 2K games to impressive commercial success; subsequently, a sequel was slated to release shortly after. However, Prey 2 slipped into development hell and ended up being canceled in 2014. Thankfully for Prey’s fans, the cancellation of Prey 2 didn’t mark the end of the franchise, as the IP was rebooted in 2017.
Arkane Studios’ Prey was highly ambitious, combing a range of genres such as first-person shooter, RPG, and stealth, and put them all in a modern open-world.
5 Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare
It’s fair to say that Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare isn’t the most beloved entry in the franchise, though it’s the best choice for anyone looking for a Halo-like experience. The game features numerous sci-fi elements, most notably a handful of missions and maps that take place in outer space.
The recently released Call of Duty: Warzoneis also worth checking out for FPS fans. The game lacks Infinite Warfare’s Halo-like features, though the battle royale shooter has one of the genre’s largest player bases thanks to its addictive multiplayer gameplay.
4 Apex Legends
Speaking of free-to-play battle royale titles, Electronic Arts teamed up with Respawn Entertainment to provide players with one of the best battle royale games in the genre’s short history. Respawn Entertainment is the same studio that developed Titanfall 2, and subsequently, the games have a similar, fast-paced theme.
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Apex Legendshas received numerous awards since it first hit stores in 2019, including Online Game of the Year from the 23rd Annual D.I.C.E. Awards and Best Multiplayer Game at The Game Awards 2019.
3 Overwatch
Overwatch is one of the few online-multiplayer games that can compare to Apex Legends in terms of its player base. The game was released in 2016 by Blizzard Entertainment and engaged players with its intense six vs. six team battles. Moreover, the game differentiated itself from most shooters with its selection of heroes, who provide players with unique styles to ensure that no two games feel the same.
Overwatch 2was announced in 2019, though the game isn’t expected to release in 2021.
2 Killzone Shadow Fall
Killzone Shadow Fall is the sixth entry in the Killzone franchise, including the two handheld titles Mercenary and Liberation. The series got off to a rocky start with its first title in 2004 but bounced back in impressive fashion with Killzone 2 in 2009, which is considered today to be one of the PlayStation 3’s best shooters.
It’s fair to say that Killzone Shadow Fall didn’t blow critics away, exemplified by its 73 Metascore. Still, the game is a solid, enjoyable shooter with numerous interesting mechanics to keep players engaged.
1 Borderlands 3
The Borderlands franchise has become a cornerstone of the open-world FPS market, along with Ubisoft’s Far Cry series. The games are known for their loot mechanics and unique art style, which surprisingly was a change that was implemented late in the original game’s development.
Borderlands 3didn’t blow critics away upon release, and the game only scored between 78 and 82 on Metacritic across its three releases. However, the game has recently been re-released on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and has received a whopping Metascore of 91 on PS5, thanks to numerous improvements from the original.
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