The New 2026 Shooter Games That Are Bonafide Masterpieces (So Far)

The year isn't even half over, and already 2026 has played host to a ton of stellar video games. From open-world games to shooters, must-play releases are coming almost every month. We haven't even made it to the jam-packed September release schedule yet, and backlogs are already filling up.

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If you're looking for the best of the best when it comes to 2026 shooters, then we've rounded them up here for you. Not every game on this list is being talked about as much as it should be, while others are getting hate they may not deserve, but there's a very good chance that when we look back years from now, these will be the shooters that stand the test of time.

Marathon

For The Hardcore

Bungie is always at the forefront of FPS innovation. Halo 1 and 2 were the blueprint for making competitive online shooters accessible. Destiny 2 remains the go-to example of a successful live-service PvE shooter model. With Marathon, the studio has now ventured into the extraction shooter space and done it all over again. The difference here is that extraction shooters were already popular prior to Bungie's involvement, so innovation had to take a different form.

To that end, Bungie made what is undoubtedly the most challenging extraction shooter on the market. Don't let the declining player count fool you. They aren't the indicators of a bad game; quite the opposite. Marathon is optimized to the nines, brilliantly balanced, and gorgeously designed. What it is not is welcoming to newcomers or friendly to casual players. Marathon requires dedication just to get your foot in the door. Let the stunning visuals and offbeat weapon designs draw you in, but stick around for the long haul, and it's a game that will reward your persistence. To that end, Marathon will be around for a long time, even if it isn't as accessible to a broad range of players.

007 First Light

The Best Bond In Years

Even though IO Interactive built itself a stellar reputation over the last decade with its Hitman trilogy, and the public's pining for a new James Bond, there was still some trepidation around 007 First Light. For one, IOI isn't known for its single-player story campaigns, and the James Bond franchise hasn't exactly had a stellar video game track record following the legendary GoldenEye onN64.

Good news, Bond fans. 007 First Light isn't just the best James Bond game ever made, but it's just a damn fine video game, period. Combining IOI's brilliant sandbox-style open-level design with an Uncharted-esque cinematic storyline, this game is everything that franchise fans could ask for from a gameplay perspective. The cherry on top is that the story isn't just good; it's the best Bond narrative since Skyfall, and maybe even Casino Royale. That's more than anyone expected from 007 First Light, but we'll take it.

Pragmata

Dad Games Are All The Rage

Pragmata had a weird development cycle following its announcement in 2020. The project was reportedly restarted and was delayed indefinitely in 2023, which is never a good sign. Credit to Capcom sticking with it, because with its 2026 release, Pragmata has become one of the most well-received games of the year.

You've probably heard reviewers describing Pragmata as a “video game-ass video game,” and it's honestly pretty accurate. It's a 15-hour campaign if you plan to track down all the collectibles (and you should, because they're awesome), and most of your time is spent fighting crazy monsters and jumping through environments. What story there is is excellent. The surrogate father-daughter relationship between Hugh and Diana is extremely heartfelt and genuine, making you root for them both and, more importantly, for them to stay together once it's all said and done.

Resident Evil Requiem

Capcom Can't Miss With RE

It's basically a given now that when a Resident Evil game is released, be it a remake or a new mainline entry, it's going to rank among the best games of the year. Capcom has a good thing going with this franchise, and it doesn't seem like these stories are going to lose steam any time soon. The latest entry, resident Evil Requiem, is also the latest example. It takes a few swings, adheres to a few franchise staples, and comes away feeling like one of the best games in the series, just like RE Village and RE7 did before it.

Grace's storyline is the latest twist in the narrative here, tying her mother's murder and the subsequent investigation into the larger Resident Evil mythos in unexpected ways that Harken back to the earliest games in the series. Then there's Leon, returning for the first time since RE6 and looking older and gruffer than ever. The balance between Grace's more survival horror gameplay and Leon's action-horror segments is pitch-perfect, keeping things moving at a steady clip while maintaining a delicate equilibrium between tension and fun.

Saros

Buttery Smooth Movement And Shooting

Unfortunately for developer Housemarque, Saros is always going to be compared to its masterful third-person shooter, Returnal. Is Saros better than Returnal? No, not quite. Is Saros still an awesome game with fantastic combat, gorgeous visuals, and a mind-bending thrill ride of a story? Absolutely. It may not get its flowers this year, but this is a game that will undoubtedly be looked at fondly in hindsight.

Where Saros truly shines is in its movement. Returnal's Selene kind of steers like a boat. She's fast and nimble, but not exactly mobile. Arjun, meanwhile, can turn on a dime, leap huge distances, and sprint across vast terrain with ease. Once you get the hang of his fleet-footed nature, combat feels less like a desperate play for survival and more like an action movie at 1.5x speed. Leaping through environments and wiping out swaths of enemies with ease feels fantastic. While it may not pose a steep challenge, Saros offers a ton of fun in exchange.

Far Far West

A Multiplayer Game That Respects Your Time

It often feels like the goal of modern live-service games is to become the only game you play, demanding dedicated hours multiple times a week to keep pace with a shifting meta and gradual content add-ons. Far Far West isn't like that. While it's still in Early Access and will likely have a lot more content on offer once its 1.0 release rolls around, the game's philosophy likely won't change much. Far Far West isn't going to demand hours of your time; in fact, you can get plenty out of it in just 30 minutes.

It follows a very similar formula to Helldivers 2, but without the quick deaths, lengthy objectives, and progression grind. Whether you're playing solo or with a few friends, you'll unlock new weapons and spells during every session. Missions take place in open areas where you can scour every corner for side activities, or beeline straight to the objective and extract in under 10 minutes. This is to say nothing of the gameplay itself, which is a ton of fun. Cool weapons and satisfying elemental effects that can be used in creative ways are just the tip of the iceberg. Again, Far Far West is still in Early Access, and we're excited to see how it looks when it releases in full.

MOUSE: PI For Hire

Come For The Visuals, Stay For The Challenge

MOUSE: PI for Hire is an interesting case. It had a lot of hype leading up to its release, but when the reviews came out, it was getting 7s and 8s instead of 9s and 10s, and the conversation seemed to die out pretty quickly. That could just be a typical post-release lull, or it could indicate a busy release schedule (fair enough), but one way or another, this Cuphead meets DOOM The game is going to be remembered fondly by anyone who tries it out.

The art style and animations immediately catch the eye. Yes, they draw comparisons to cuphead, but the style of both games is co-opted from classic 1930s Disney cartoons. It looked great when applied to a 2D platformer/shoot 'em up, but it looks even better in the chaos of a first-person shooter. Weapons are suitably weird (like a gun that melts enemies or a beam that explodes their heads), and combat is surprisingly challenging. It won't make you pull your hair out, but MOUSE: PI for Hire is more than willing to push back, which makes it all the more satisfying when you survive a tricky boss fight.

Luna Abyss

Straight To The Point, And Better For It

Linear games are a dying breed. Most triple-A titles these days feel the need to add complexity to virtually every aspect, from platforming to shooting to narrative design. Credit to Luna Abyss, This straightforward FPS does things the old-fashioned way, and it's a better game for it. There is no bloat here, just a well-designed shooter that shepherds you from point to point, throwing in platforming challenges or combat scenarios at regular intervals to keep you on your toes.

Those combat scenarios are the highlight, channeling some of Returnal's bullet hell madness from a first-person perspective. It can feel overwhelming at first, but you'll be clearing through rooms of enemies like a badass in no time. Platfomring, meanwhile, has an interesting sci-fi twist that makes it stand out, and if you aren't in the mood, there's the option to skip these challenges entirely. Then there's the visuals and atmosphere, which may be Luna Abyss' calling card. This is one of the best-looking games of the generation, despite being made by a team of just nine developers. Unfortunately, that team was laid off following the game's release, but Luna Abyss will be an enduring testament to their talent and creativity.