# Best 'first person shooter' (PC) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 15, 2006, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-first-person-shooter-pc/384303 "2006-12-15T16:21:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Grossbottom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ba8739/32.png) [@Grossbottom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grossbottom)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2006, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-first-person-shooter-pc/384303/21 "2006-12-15T19:06:57Z")
[QUOTE=Argent Towers] I have to take this opportunity to say: S.T.A.L.K.E.R., after years of delays, actually appears to be done and is set for release in March. (The developer has just started its ad campaign and the various forums for people awaiting the game have had a flurry of excitement about the new trailers and other media over the past 3 weeks.) There are several good videos but this trailer on Youtube is my favorite one. (The US version of the game will have English voices but honestly I kind of like the Russian in that video!) [/QUOTE] The official website in English that I’m looking at hasn’t been updated since June, and only has yet another release date being posted. It also claimed in January this year that beta had started, only to say in March that playtesting hadn’t begun. Where’s the March 2007 release date been posted? Anyway, in the category of shooters that haven’t happened yet but actually will, Bioshock is going to own. Ken Levine & the Irrational team, successor to System Shock, Randite dystopia gone horribly wrong, etc. Schwing. > **[BioShock](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bioshock)** > > BioShock is a 2007 first-person shooter video game developed by 2K Boston (later Irrational Games) and 2K Australia, and published by 2K. The first game in the BioShock series, it was released for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360 platforms in August 2007; a PlayStation 3 port by Irrational, 2K Marin, 2K Australia and Digital Extremes was released in October 2008. The game follows player character Jack, who discovers the underwater city of Rapture, built by business magnate Andrew Ryan to be an is... ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2006, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-first-person-shooter-pc/384303/22 "2006-12-15T19:19:50Z")
[QUOTE=Grossbottom] The official website in English that I’m looking at hasn’t been updated since June, and only has yet another release date being posted. It also claimed in January this year that beta had started, only to say in March that playtesting hadn’t begun. Where’s the March 2007 release date been posted? [/QUOTE] The official trailers end with “March 2007.” Also, both of the game stores I went to told me had March listed as the release date. An interview with one of the lead programmers I read (can’t remember where) had him claiming this as well. The official website, as well as some other sites and interviews, give the release date as simply being “Q1 2007.” I’m assuming that this is referring to the Russian fiscal year, which is the same as a regular calendar year (unlike America’s which begins in October.) Going by that, March would make sense. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2006, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-first-person-shooter-pc/384303/23 "2006-12-15T19:52:39Z")
Thanks to all of you! This is terrific advice. I’ll hit the computer store tonight or Saturday - if I can elbow my way through the Christmas crowds. Thanks again. ---
**Author:** ![Dante](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dante/32/9673_2.png) [@Dante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dante)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2006, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-first-person-shooter-pc/384303/24 "2006-12-15T20:02:49Z")
[QUOTE=Argent Towers] Seconded on Soldier of Fortune. That’s one of the most fun FPSs I’ve ever played. I don’t think there is a gorier shooter out there. [/QUOTE] Soldier of Fortune is a great suggestion. And you can probably get it dirt cheap, if you can find it. I’d go with this one if you want bang for your buck. ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2006, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-first-person-shooter-pc/384303/25 "2006-12-15T20:06:12Z")
I’ll go ahead and second (or third) Half-life 2 and Half-life 2 episode 1. Episode 2 should be out early next year as well. Simply the best single player FPS game, evah! ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2006, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-first-person-shooter-pc/384303/26 "2006-12-15T20:08:20Z")
Oh, System Shock 2 is a pretty good game, nice storyline, singleplayer. Kinda spooky, too. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2006, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-first-person-shooter-pc/384303/27 "2006-12-15T20:08:26Z")
[quote] I’m assuming that this is referring to the Russian fiscal year, which is the same as a regular calendar year (unlike America’s which begins in October.) [quote] ? American fiscal years are usually up to the company. ---
**Author:** ![Dante](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dante/32/9673_2.png) [@Dante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dante)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2006, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-first-person-shooter-pc/384303/28 "2006-12-15T20:17:42Z")
[QUOTE=JohnT] [quote] I’m assuming that this is referring to the Russian fiscal year, which is the same as a regular calendar year (unlike America’s which begins in October.) > [@](#): > > ? > > American fiscal years are usually up to the company. Sims: Accounting [Homer]BORING![/Homer] ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2006, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-first-person-shooter-pc/384303/29 "2006-12-15T20:23:13Z")
I love Far Cry. Not so much the Trigen missions though. But for sheer fun I keep harking back to Doom because you can get the enemies to fight each other, something to which all later games only pay lip service at best. For multi-player, Duke Nukem 3D was ever so much fun - zooming around on the jetpack dropping pipebombs is a real laugh. And then there’s the rocket-launcher in Unreal Tournament. Rack up a full salvo and let rip! ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2006, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-first-person-shooter-pc/384303/30 "2006-12-15T20:26:29Z")
My mistake. I don’t know what the hell I’m talking about, actually. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2006, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-first-person-shooter-pc/384303/31 "2006-12-15T20:29:39Z")
The above post is in reference to the fiscal year thing. About Far Cry, I agree that the trigen missions suck. Overall I am not a big fan of mutants in games, especially not really annoying ones like the Trigens. The best part of Far Cry is fighting the cocky alpha-male mercenaries that are all 6’3 and 250 pounds of solid muscle and yell “I’m comin’ for ya!!!” and “SUCK THIS!!!” ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2006, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-first-person-shooter-pc/384303/32 "2006-12-15T21:15:51Z")
**Half-Life** has always been my favorite. Honorable mention goes to **Castle Wolfenstein** - the recent version. Great flamethrower! ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2006, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-first-person-shooter-pc/384303/33 "2006-12-15T21:24:37Z")
[QUOTE=Ethilrist] Oh, System Shock 2 is a pretty good game, nice storyline, singleplayer. Kinda spooky, too. [/QUOTE] Excellent game, but getting it to play on WinXP is a bitch and a half. It might be good enough, however, to actually do a dual-boot with Win98. ---
**Author:** ![Kiros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/439d5e/32.png) [@Kiros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiros)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2006, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-first-person-shooter-pc/384303/34 "2006-12-15T21:45:03Z")
For story-mode type stuff, I tend to think Half-Life and HL2 win almost by default - because they are “good” at that sort of stuff where the vast majority of FPS’s are “mediocre at best”. For the most fun just blowing things up, it’s Unreal Tournament, definitely (UT2004 is my version of choice). Very, very easy to throw on some loud music, start a game, blow stuff up for half an hour at whatever bot difficulty level you desire, and have a great time. Best of all, it’s not especially system-demanding compared to the stuff released in the last year or two. Highly recommended if you’re just looking for simple fun. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2006, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-first-person-shooter-pc/384303/35 "2006-12-15T21:47:10Z")
Oh, yeah, I feel like Painkiller also deserves a mention. This game is just non-stop killing, with lots of gore. It’s a lot of fun if you don’t care at all about the story. You don’t even have to deal with mission objectives, you basically just kill everyone in every level. The bosses are really creative, also. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2006, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-first-person-shooter-pc/384303/36 "2006-12-16T01:35:31Z")
Personally, I like Soldier of Fortune II—a tad more realistic than the original (just a touch), and available for the Mac. F’in gory, too. Speaking of gore, another honorable mention to _Postal 2_. Think “Grand Theft Auto” as made by the South Park guys. Gory, violent, crude, _fun_. Dozens of different ways to kill, maim, and torment people. Good way to vent frustrations. I give it four skulls! ---
**Author:** ![SandyHook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dec6dc/32.png) [@SandyHook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SandyHook)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2006, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-first-person-shooter-pc/384303/37 "2006-12-16T03:11:20Z")
Nothing will ever match the first two, “Serious Sam,” games. Absolutely the best ever! ---
**Author:** ![Viper2308](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/4491bb/32.png) [@Viper2308](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Viper2308)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2006, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-first-person-shooter-pc/384303/38 "2006-12-16T03:26:47Z")
I think Gears of War is on the PC, I have played it on the xbox 360 and love it so I iamgine it would the same on the PC ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2006, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-first-person-shooter-pc/384303/39 "2006-12-16T03:39:31Z")
I’m several years behind the times, but for classic playability I would go back as far as [Ubi Soft’s](http://www.ubi.com/US/default.aspx) Rainbow Six series; the first, to Rogue Spear through Raven Shield, Athena Sword, and Ghost Recon. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2006, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-first-person-shooter-pc/384303/40 "2006-12-16T04:17:13Z")
There was one FPS I also played around '98, probably around the release of Windows '98. It was great for lan-ablility. We played game after game of this game on lan nights-- drinking, some Magic The Gathering card games, and Networked FPS (Good times). I can’t remembr the name, but it was a “Desert storm” themed military game…probably Marine action. Full array of American and “enemy” coventonal weaponry, the grenade laucncher built into the M16 and devastating claymores were notable. We were humbled by the claymores, one minute we thought we had the upper hand and booom… the well placed claymore would take us out. Very realistic. I wish I could think of its name? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-first-person-shooter-pc/384303.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-first-person-shooter-pc/384303.md?page=3)