With the hype surrounding the return of Doom, the build up to the Halo 5: Guardians beta, as well as the multiplayer reveal for Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, there’s a plethora of first person shooters to choose from. But what is it that sets them apart? With so many shooters on the market, many feel like they are ‘all the same’ and it doesn’t matter which one you buy. While this is of course true to some extent, the fundamental difference between the core gameplay of each type of FPS is what defines your overall experience. Knowing what ‘type’ of FPS game it is will help you know if it’s right for you, allowing you to decide whether you want to pick up Advanced Warfare or Destiny this holiday season. Or both.
[promo title=”Arena Based Shooter”][/promo]
Examples: Halo, Quake, Doom
One of the oldest types of FPS, these games rely on a tightly focused maps with weapon pickups and deep voiced announcers heralding your kill prowess. The gameplay in these games is fast, frantic and sometimes overwhelming, where the skill of players is what separates the top of the leaderboard from those considering rage quitting. Map knowledge is essential, as it allows you to scope out not only where all the good weapon pick ups are, but also where you’re best at advantage against a potential attacker. Players who are interested in these types of games will appreciate the exciting rush gained from always being on the move and switching weapons on the fly to combat your bunny-hopping, rocket jumping opponents.
[promo title=”Class Based Shooter”][/promo]
Examples: Battlefield, Team Fortress, Killzone
Teamwork is essential. In a class based shooter, victory depends on how well each member of a team or ‘squad’ compliments each other using their individual classes. These sorts of games tend to have bigger maps that allow players to find multiple routes to conquering a specific objective. Bomb planting and flag capturing are staples of these kinds of games. While these games can be based on a player’s ‘gun skill’, the emphasis is more on how your kills can help the team and the objective and less about how they help yourself. In these games, you’ll find some of the most exciting and fulfilling moments of teamwork and execution, at least when everything goes right. Players interested in these types of FPS gain satisfaction through being part of something bigger than themselves and working together with others for a common goal.
[promo title=”Twitch Based Shooter”][/promo]
Examples: Call of Duty, Crysis
Gaining more popularity in recent years, ‘twitch based’ shooters are all about fast reflexes and stacking kills. These games retain the teamwork and fast paced nature of other games but are based more in moment to moment combat with itchy trigger fingers. Tight corners, split decisions, one kill away from getting the next reward boost; twitch based shooters place all the focus on an individual’s aptitude to kill and stay alive. These games usually have the option to customize classes, changing a loadout to your own personal specifications. Even though there is a lone wolf mentality in games like this, teamwork does exist and it can be devastating when executed correctly. Instant gratification is a staple of the gameplay and the mechanics are created to allow multiple play styles and different ways of thinking. Players who are into these kinds of games love the feeling of displaying their knowledge of gun battles and can operate either on their own or as part of a team.
[promo title=”Hybrids”][/promo]
Destiny, Far Cry, F.E.A.R etc
While the 3 main types mentioned above are the ones that dominate the market, there are many other games that blend together several features of them to create unique experiences. Games like Rainbow Six Vegas use a mixture of third person and first person views to create a tactical experience using cover and squad movement. While most FPS nowadays use a XP (experience point) progression system, some go further with this and incorporate even more RPG style elements, such as Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Borderlands and Destiny. Destiny in particular has a mixture of twitch based PVP combat, open world exploration with the use of third person cinematic super moves, and a third person social hub world. Titanfall, one of the biggest shooters released recently, borrows heavily from all 3 types and is a very interesting experience that is very twitch based but reminiscent of the movement in arena style shooters.
There are also the more story driven shooters that feature classic styles of shooter mechanics such as Bioshock and Wolfenstein, which use health bars and item pick ups. Even more branching styles exist with shooters that incorporate other genres entirely, such as Far Cry which is a stealth action shooter in an open world, or F.E.A.R which uses horror elements. Story driven shooters tend to loosely subscribe to one of main types, so Far Cry can be considered a ‘twitch based’ shooter and Bioshock can be considered an ‘arena based’ shooter. Of course, there are many other variations and combinations out there, with some being the premier flag carriers of their types, such as Counter Strike which can be considered a tactical objective based shooter.
So while it’s easy to think that all shooters are the exact same based on seeing a first person view of a guy with a gun, knowing how to tell the gameplay apart will determine which experience is relevant to you. Call of Duty is for those looking for lightning fast, twitch shooting moments. Battlefield is for those aiming to play in a team and use classes to work in unison for a common goal. And Halo is for those who enjoy tight maps and movement based shooting engagements with weapon pickups. There’s something for everyone.
