The Godfather of FPS games is about to make a return with an exciting new installment in the form of Doom: The Dark Ages. The long-running series has had its ups and downs and received a major revival through Doom (2016) and Doom: Eternal (2019). Both games take the series back to its origins after Doom 3 (2004) tried something different.
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Doom: Every Game In The Series, Ranked
Fancy some ultra-violence? From the 1993 original to the brand new Doom Eternal, we’re ranking every game in the Doom franchise from worst to best.
But with an undisclosed 2025 release date, it’s going to be a while before you can get your hands on Id’s latest ultraviolent shooter. So what do you do until you can play Doom: The Dark Ages? How about trying out, or revisiting some classic FPS titles?
Doom (2016) And Doom: Eternal
We’re stating the obvious here, but it’s a good idea to play Doom (2016) and Doom: Eternal before you play Doom: The Dark Ages. Both of these are excellent games and Doom: Eternal could possibly be considered the best FPS game you’ll ever play. These games retain the core DNA of the original Doom games and put it together in an exhilarating, action-packed experience. Oh, and did we mention the kickass soundtrack featuring Mick Gordon’s 9-string guitar?
Assign hotkeys for every weapon and memorize them for the best experience. Doom: Eternal is especially enjoyed most when you’re constantly cycling between weapons and using combinations to eliminate hordes of enemies.
While Doom: The Dark Ages represents a shift in tonality from the cartoon-like ultraviolence of Doom: Eternal, playing these games before it releases will give you a good idea of how far the series has come, and also help you link together the wider series.
Metro: Exodus
Metro: Exodus is the final game in the Metro Trilogy. It’s based on the book, Metro: 2035, the final novel in the Metro series of books by Russian author Dmitry Glukhovsky. The game manifests in the form of a hauntingly beautiful FPS experience. While the first two Metro games, Metro: 2033 and Metro: Last Light, mostly take place in dark, underground spaces, Metro: Exodus allows you to explore the game’s gorgeous post-apocalyptic setting, delivering an immersive aftermath to nuclear war.
It’s a great idea to try this game before The Ancient Gods. Particularly because of the instances during the single player campaign where you fight hordes of creatures against the gorgeous backdrop of a post-nuclear apocalyptic setting.
In 2020, Metro: Exodus received the remaster treatment with Metro: Exodus Enhanced Edition, which is a noticeable step-up in terms of visuals, while improving performance and adding modern features such as DLSS.
Wolfenstein: The New Order
Another revival of a legacy FPS title, Wolfenstein: The New Order brings the old school Wolfenstein games to life in the form of a modern first-person shooter. You play as B. J. Blaskowitz and your job is to eliminate Nazis in an alternate history timeline in which they win World War II. It’s also one of the few FPS games that’ll give you a chance to
dual-wield assault rifles
and relive your Rambo fantasies.
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The original Wolfenstein games share their DNA with the original Doom Games. And in similar fashion, The New Order marks the revival of the Wolfenstein series, while retaining the same themes of the original games.
Titanfall 2
The Titanfall series of games spawned the subgenre of movement shooters, which features fast, fluid movement mechanics along with frantic gunplay. Best of all, fighting while you’re in a giant mech is just as exhilarating as when you’re on foot.
The easy to play difficult to master skill ceiling along with the fqast pace, makes Titanfall serve as great practice for other hardcore FPS titles. Furthermore, you’ll also get to control a giant mecha suit in Doom: The Dark Ages, something Titanfall 2 will prepare you for very well.
The Titanfall series shares its universe with Apex Legends, one of the most popular multiplayer FPS Battle Royales and the gameplay mechanics in Apex Legends are devised from the movement and gunplay in Titanfall 2.
Halo: The Master Chief Collection
- Released
-
November 11, 2014
- Multiplayer
-
Online Multiplayer
, Local Multiplayer - Engine
-
Saber3D Engine for the single player portion of Halo: CE Anniversary and Halo 2 Anniversary; Unreal Engine 4 for UI and player customization; Halo Engine
- ESRB
-
M for Mature: Violence, Blood and Gore, Language
- How Long To Beat
-
60 Hours
- X|S Optimized
-
Yes
- File Size Xbox Series
-
115 GB (November 2023)
- Metascore
-
85
- Platforms That Support Crossplay
-
PC, Xbox One & Xbox Series X|S
- Split Screen Orientation
-
Vertical Or Horizontal
- Cross-Platform Play
-
PC, Xbox One & Xbox Series X|S
The Halo: Master Chief Collection is a must-play for anyone that considers themselves a serious FPS gamer. In fact, the argument could be made that the Halo series is as important as the Doom series in the genre’s history. It’s got its own unique set of weapons, incredibly satisfying combat mechanics and it’s often invoked in the same conversations as Doom, particularly because it follows the same basic formula.
If you want to jump into a famous FPS series with plenty of titles, a silent protagonist who acts as a one-man army, and an excellent soundtrack, then Halo has you covered.
Doom 3: BFG Edition
Doom 3 was the first time the series tried something different with its tonality. Instead of playing the Doomslayer, you play a Marine who has just joined the UAC mission on Mars, right before everything goes haywire. The game goes from the animated slapstick horror theme of the original Doom games to a dark, spooky vibe similar to horror games like Dead Space and Alien: Isolation.
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If you want to experience a different side to Doom then make sure you’ve taken a look at this installment. It may not be the best the series has to offer, but it’s an important piece of the puzzle and is still enjoyable to play.
Serious Sam 4
2.5/5
Serious Sam 4
Serious Sam 4 is comes from classic FPS series, one often overlooked in favour of bigger titles. The original Serious Sam games saw their hayday at the same time as Quake 3 Arena and Unreal: Tournament. Needless to say, they were never quite as popular as the iconic arena shooters, but they still carved out their own niche.
Serious Sam 4 is a game that feels like Doom, but isn’t Doom. You’re in a large, open wasteland-like setting, given a strong arsenal of weapons that make you feel like a God, and fighting hordes of monsters. Serious Sam 4 was released in 2020, officially reviving the series and giving it a fresh new makeover.
Quake 3 Arena
Quake 3 Arena allows players to fight enemies across a diverse set of maps, with a unique arsenal of weapons, ranging from rocket launchers and plasma guns to the infamous BFG. You’d have to jump through some hoops to get the game running on modern HD displays, but once you do, you’ll have a blast, literally.
The BFG10K in Quake 3 Arena is like a smaller variant of the BFG in Doom 2016 and Doom: Eternal and is present in both, the original Doom series as well as the original Quake Series, with both of them sharing the same developer.
The game was a hit with pro-players participating in LAN tournaments back in the day, and to this day feels ahead of its time with its gunplay. It’s an ancient game by comparison to the other titles on this list, but Quake 3 Arena deserves a spot on this list simply because of its shared DNA with the Doom Series. Furthermore, it’s some of the best FPS combat you’ll ever experience. Despite its age, you’ll feel like you can’t get enough of it.
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