FPS games had a huge year in 2025, thanks to the huge popularity of standout titles like Battlefield 6. There was also the release of Escape From Tarkov 1.0, the consistently excellent Doom: The Dark Ages, and another version of Call Of Duty with Black Ops 7.
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I don't think anything will surpass Battlefield 6 in terms of pure FPS chaos this year, and it's been great to see the series regaining its former popularity. Arc Raiders may have won in terms of popularity on Twitch and Steam, but unfortunately it's a third-person shooter, so I guess I can't help but get an honorable mention here.
8
System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remastered
System Shock 2 Remastered is the definitive version of a game widely regarded as one of the founding fathers of the genre, blending both FPS and RPG elements. Whether you've played the original or not (it came out last century, after all), System Shock 2 runs flawlessly on modern hardware without the need to fiddle with mods.
The game is still as clunky as it was then, but I think it has its own charm. You can't beat the atmosphere, music, and feeling of playing one of the classic FPS games.
7
Wigerdum
Wizordum is a fantastic little indie game from Emberheart Games that fuses classic 90s boomer shooters with a modern twist. The art style and music here really stand out, but it also feels good to use a variety of spells to traverse the map.
This is a nostalgic and innovative game. I had a great time slowly uncovering the world of Terrabruma, finding its secrets.
Metal Eden is a stylish sci-fi FPS from studio Reikon Games that's been a bit underrated this year. If you know the name Reikon Games, it's because they developed the excellent Ruiner, a 2017 twin-stick shooter that received widespread acclaim upon release.
Metal Eden is fast-paced, visually gorgeous, and has satisfying, split-second gunplay reminiscent of Doom. It's also a very concise experience. Once you finish the campaign, that's it. 2025 was full of games, and I thought that was a bit of a blessing, as it was nice to have something that was supposed to just be an in-and-out experience. My colleague George Foster called it a mix of Doom and Ghostrunner, and it fits perfectly.
5
Borderlands 4
Borderlands 4 was the highly anticipated sequel to 2019's Borderlands 3, but it wasn't particularly well-received. This is mostly related to a number of issues, including slow game performance on PC, crashes, multiplayer desynchronization, and the game sometimes deleting hours of saves.
Those who have played the game agree that it's a pretty good shooter with upgraded UI, movement, and gunplay mechanics, making it feel like a proper modern entry in the long-running series.
4
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7
Often mentioned alongside the sick-sounding portmanteau Blops 7, Black Ops 7 is widely regarded as the best game of all time. multiplayer The series has been around for a while. Treyarch is notorious for eliminating skill-based matchmaking, and everyone seems to love it, and camouflage work is still as obsessive as ever.
However, this campaign has become the butt of many jokes in 2025. Because most of it is just a bot shooting gallery with some really crappy moments, like fighting giant heads, throwing giant machetes out of the sky, and failing to tell any kind of coherent story. Reviewer Charles Burgar said the game was “too big and too innovative.” Oh, how the mighty have fallen. I still remember the original Black Ops campaign, and sometimes it pops into my head on random Tuesdays. It's a number, Mason.
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3
Doom: Dark Ages
Doom: The Dark Ages is the sequel to 2016's successful reboot series, DOOM, and the latter's similarly well-received Doom Eternal. Dark Ages takes the genre in a slightly different direction, giving you more freedom in weapon choice and a parrying mechanic that adds depth to your demon slayings.
Although it received generally favorable reviews, the consensus was that it did not match Doom Eternal. Mainly because of Mick Gordon's excellent Eternal soundtrack. As reviewer Jade King points out here . However, this is available on Game Pass, so it's worth checking out if you're a fan of the series or want to spend some time chopping apart demon skulls.
2
Escape from Tarkov
Escape From Tarkov's 1.0 release may have been more of a hum than a roar thanks to the surprising success of Arc Raiders, but the long-running early access rip-off shooter (considered by many to be the grandfather of the genre) finally received a full release in 2025 after nine years in development.
As part of the 1.0 release, Escape From Tarkov adds significant new story content that tells the story of the world of Tarkov, and for the first time since it entered Early Access in 2016, players will be able to actually escape from Tarkov. Many new attachments have also been added, along with new guns and a new map.
1
Battlefield 6
Battlefield 6 has been the best installment in the series for some time. The live service is still in its infancy, but with Season 2 scheduled for early 2026, Battlefield has already received positive fan response and critical acclaim. With its focus on chaotic multiplayer, the game's player count soared, cementing its place as the best-selling game of 2025.
Battlefield 6 is under the new leadership of Vince Zampella, who brought us games like Apex Legends via Respawn Entertainment, and the overall feel is closer to a proper live service product with rolling seasonal content, as opposed to the big, old expansion packs we've seen for Battlefield. In addition to the main game, the game also features two free-to-play offerings: RedSec, a Battle Royale mode, and Gauntlet, a team-based objective mode.
The smaller multiplayer maps and fast-paced gameplay may have left fans split down the middle like so-called Battledads taking on Call of Duty zoomers, but the dust has settled on what is and will be one of the best Battlefield games ever.
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