I’m not a huge fan of FPS games, despite this there are a few that I really love and continue to love above others I have played. This is a list of my favorites; games I still dust off on occasion so I can tear through enemies with various weapons and feel like a one man killing machine of utter doom.

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5. Doom

There wouldn’t even be a list without this title. While Doom isn’t responsible for starting the genre, it is responsible for the wide spread attention it’s gotten. The FPS games that exist today owe a lot of thanks to this classic.

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4. Borderlands

Borderlands was a fun game, provided you had friends to play along with. Sure, the story sucked and the guns weren’t as impressive as they were toted, but there was a certain charm to the game. I have fond memories of creating my own guns by way of specially made editors, most of which were pretty awesome. I’m hoping to have as much fun with the sequel.

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3. Quake 2

Quake 2 did away with just about everything that made the first Quake so awesome and yet some how managed to equally make it awesome. Everything from the weapons to the music kept me playing long after I had beaten the game. This was my first foray into online multiplayer gaming and extensive game modifications. 

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2. Half-Life

What can I say about this wonderful game that hasn’t already been said a million times over? If I had to choose between this or the sequel I’d take this every time. While Half-Life 2 might have tons of improvements over this, it feels like a whole separate game in so many ways. The atmosphere in Half-Life combined with the stellar enemy AI makes this game an instant classic.

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1. Deus Ex

Deus Ex was the first FPS that made me really think about all the options, made me consider all the tactics, and also made me want to try all the avenues available. For the first time I was compelled to avoid combat instead of rushing in headlong, conserving ammo, and trying my best to remain stealthy. Deus Ex is one of those rare games that had it all and did just about everything I could have wanted from it.