Summary
- DOOM (2016) epitomizes the one-man army concept in an intense FPS experience against hordes of demons.
- Ghost of Tsushima features Jin as a lone samurai out to defend his homeland against Mongols.
- Sniper Elite: Resistance showcases Harry aiding the French Resistance in a brutal stealth game against Nazis.
The concept of a one-man army can be traced back to movies largely in the 80s when stars like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone exploded on the scene with too many hits to count. Video games on the NES and beyond tried to emulate that feeling. The idea is that one character faces hundreds if not thousands of enemies by themselves in foreign terrain.
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Maybe they have help at a home base in between missions or over the radio, but for the most part, they are in it alone. A game like Halo, for example, isn’t quite a one-man show, as there are many missions throughout the series where Master Chief is fighting alongside other marines. So, what games do qualify as the best one-man army games? Let’s tap in and find out.
8
DOOM (2016)
One Man Versus The Armies Of Hell
- Released
-
May 13, 2016
- ESRB
-
M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
The 2016 reboot of Bwas a long time coming, and it turned out better than expected. It was a nice throwback to the old-school first-person shooter genre with modern 2016 trappings that emphasized shooting more than taking cover. Ammo is still a factor but players are encouraged to run-and-gun effectively and then eliminate enemies with stylish takedowns.
The DOOM Guy was in his element, reborn in the pits of Hell to fight demons with ease, be it with a rifle, shotgun, or rocket launcher, and all he can rely on is himself. Satisfying does not begin to describe the feeling players will have when getting into this shooter.
7
Ghost Of Tsushima
Defeat The Mongols, Save Your Home
Action-Adventure
Open-World
- Released
-
August 20, 2021
- ESRB
-
M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language, Partial Nudity
Ghost of Tsushima is somewhat based on the historical fact, detailing when Mongols invaded Japan. In this game specifically, they invade the island of Tsushima, and after the opening battle goes horribly wrong, Jin Sakai must retake his homeland and drive off the invaders.
While he is aided throughout his adventure by friends and family, Jin is primarily a one-stop slap-chopping samurai on missions who can double as a ninja and stealthily take down enemies. It’s a giant open-world game filled with activities, from retaking towns to observing beautiful shrines.
6
Just Cause 2
Grappling With Disaster
Open-World
Third-Person Shooter
- Released
-
March 23, 2010
- ESRB
-
r
Just Cause 2 was the entry that put this series on the map thanks to the innovative grappling hook. Rico is flown into the troubled island nation of Panau, which is overrun with corruption. Players need to retake territories by eliminating guards and destroying outposts in this open-world adventure.
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What makes this game fun is the aforementioned grappling hook, which can be used as both an exploration tool and as a weapon. Grapple two enemies together or attach a bomb to an enemy and see what happens. Experimentation is Rico’s closest ally, besides his arsenal of guns.
5
Max Payne
A Father’s Love Knows No Bounds
- Released
-
July 23, 2001
- ESRB
-
M For Mature 17+ due to Blood, Violence
Max Payne was the start of a dark trilogy that followed the titular man down a winding road of revenge. Mobsters killed his wife and child and from then on only bottles of countless pills numbed the pain, literally.
Not only is Max by himself on this quest for vengeance, he even talks to himself, narrating the whole thing like a film noir from the 1930s. The gameplay featured tons of bullets and slow-mo effects akin to The Matrix. Max’s battlefield was the streets, and he made it Hell on Earth for those who crossed him.
Big Boss’ Big Break
- Released
-
September 1, 2015
- ESRB
-
M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language
Every Metal Gear entry could be framed as a one-man army story, whether it features Solid Snake or Big Boss. Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain feels the most fitting though, as the last main title in the franchise which also takes place in bigger open areas. This meant Big Boss had more enemies to face in diverse more terrain.
The game is also unique in that, while Big Boss is alone on missions, he recruits others at Mother Base to create an army so that he doesn’t have to do it alone. If only Konami and Kojima could have finished this fight together to see where this makeshift army would go next.
3
Middle-Earth: Shadow Of Mordor
Saved From Death
- Released
-
September 30, 2014
- ESRB
-
M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is a spinoff to The Lord of the Rings about a Ranger, Talion, who dies but is brought back to life by the spirit of Celebrimbor. Now together as ghost and man, the two must get revenge across an open world filled with Orcs and other mutations.
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Technically, one could say this game is a two-man army, but since they inhabit the same body, it still counts. This was the innovative game that introduced the Nemesis System to the world, which makes standard enemies more unique depending on how players executed their missions. This made the quest for revenge more impactful for both sides.
2
Sniper Elite: Resistance
France’s Freedom Depends Upon You
Third-Person Shooter
Action
Adventure
- Released
-
January 30, 2025
- ESRB
-
M For Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language
Sniper Elite: Resistance is the game that inspired this list. It’s the latest entry in the Sniper Elite series, all of which are great one-man army examples. This spinoff replaces the main character, Karl, with one of his allies, Harry, who is helping the French Resistance take back their country from the Nazi regime.
What makes this stealth game unique is the execution animations players can get upon bullet or melee kills. They are as gruesome as the recent Mortal Kombat games, so for those who love World War 2 games about taking down Nazis, there’s none better than Sniper Elite: Resistance or other entries in the series.
1
Wolfenstein: The New Order
An Alternate History Worth Fighting For
FPS
Stealth
Action
Adventure
- Released
-
May 20, 2014
- ESRB
-
M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs
The only man better at executing Nazis is B.J. Blazkowicz from the Wolfenstein series, who has been taking them down since the series premiered in 1981. Wolfenstein: The New Order is a series reboot set after the Nazis win World War 2. However, the good of humanity is not altogether satisfied with this result, leading B.J. and others to fight back through decades of oppression.
While the game lacks X-ray kills similar to the Sniper Elite games, B.J. still gets pretty bloody with his executions. This brawling bag of meat is itching to set right what once went wrong and this reboot series certainly goes in some interesting and violent directions.
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