This is a list of some of the most popular freeware and free and open-source softwarefirst-person shooter games.
Title | Developer | Release date | Last update | Operating system | Engine | License | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Action Quake 2 | The Action Team | 1998 | 2003 | Linux, Windows | id Tech 2 | Freeware | Team and Deathmatch based very fast FPS |
AssaultCube | Rabid Viper Productions | 2006 | 2013 | Linux, Mac OS, Windows | Cube Engine | zlib License (code), Individual licenses (media) | Realistic environments, fast arcade game play, many game modes. Single/Multiplayer. |
Black Shades | Wolfire games | 2001 | Linux, OS X, Windows, Mac OS, iOS | Wolfire Games | Freeware | Free First-person shooter | |
BZFlag | Chris Schoeneman, Tim Riker | 1993 | 2016-10-10 (2.4.8) | Linux, BSD, OS X, Windows, other UNIX | GNU LGPL | Tank combat | |
Chub Gam 3D: Director's Cut | ChubGamSoft | 1998 | MS-DOS | Pie in the Sky | Freeware | Surreal horror single player game | |
CodeRED: Alien Arena | COR Entertainment, LLC | 2004-11 | 2011-12-29 (7.53) | Linux, BSD, OS X, Windows | CRX Engine | GNU GPL (code), Proprietary license (media) | Science fiction, with single or multiplayer modes. |
Cube | Wouter van Oortmerssen | 2001 | 2005-08-29 | Linux, BSD, Mac OS, Windows | Cube Engine | zlib License (code), Individual licenses (media) | Quake style multiplayer deathmatch. Single/Multiplayer. |
Cube 2: Sauerbraten | Wouter van Oortmerssen | 2004 | 2020-11-30 | Linux, BSD, OS X, Windows | Cube 2 Engine | zlib License (code), Individual licenses (media) | Quake style deathmatch, includes built in level editor. Single/Multiplayer. |
The Dark Mod | Team Dark Mod | 2009 | 2015-02-08 (2.03) | Windows | id Tech 4 engine | CC-BY-NC-SA | First person stealth game in the style of the Thief (series) games (1 and 2) using a modified Id Tech 4 engine |
Fallen Empire: Legions | GarageGames, InstantAction | 2009-06-30 | 2013-06-27 | Windows | Torque Game Engine | Proprietary license | First-Person Shooter with Jetpacks, Multiplayer, CTF, Deathmatch |
Freedoom | Freedoom project | 2019-10-22 (0.12.1) | Linux, OS X, Windows, Android, Mac OS, MS-DOS, others | Doom engine | GNU GPL (code), BSD (media) | A Doom WAD file intended to be used instead of the copyrighted file from the original Doom and Doom II. | |
The Glorious Mission | Giant Interactive Group | 2013-06-20 | Windows | Proprietary license | Online multiplayer. Developed with the People's Liberation Army of China for use as a recruitment and training tool. | ||
Gore: Special Edition | 4D Rulers | 2008-07-04 | Windows | AMP engine | Proprietary license | ||
Hidden & Dangerous | Illusion Softworks, Take-Two Interactive | 1999-07-29 | 2001-11 | Windows | Insanity Engine | Proprietary license | |
.kkrieger | .theprodukkt | 2004 | Windows | Proprietary license | Won first place in the 96k game competition at Breakpoint in April 2004. | ||
KumaWar | Kuma Reality Games | 2004 | 2006-07 | Windows | Source engine | Proprietary license | Tactical episodic shooter. Single/Multiplayer. |
Marathon | Bungie | 1994-12-21 | 2007 | Mac OS (original), ported to Linux, OS X and Windows via AlephOne | Aleph One | GNU GPL (code) | Released as freeware and source code. |
Nexuiz | Alientrap | 2005-05-31 | 2009-10-01 (2.5.2) | Linux, OS X (10.4 or later), Windows | DarkPlaces Quake engine | GNU GPL | Unreal Tournament style deathmatch. Single/Multiplayer. |
OpenArena | OpenArena team | 2005-08-19 | 2012-02-20 (0.8.8) | Linux, OS X, Windows | GNU GPL | Free software content remake of Quake III Arena. Single/Multiplayer | |
Point Blank | Zepetto, NCSOFT | 2008-03 | Windows | N/A | Proprietary license | Free FPS created by Zepetto in 2009. Close Beta version. | |
Red Eclipse[1] | Quinton Reeves, Lee Salzman | 2009 | 2019-12-19 (2.0.0) | Linux, BSD, OS X, Windows | Cube 2 Engine / Tesseract | zlib License | New take on the first person arena shooter, featuring parkour, impulse boosts, and more. |
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. build 1935 | GSC Game World | 2009-02 | Windows | xrCore build 1935 | Proprietary license | 2004 Alpha build of S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl. Contains content and features cut from the final release. Has a number of bugs but contains a full, playable single player campaign. | |
Savage: The Battle for Newerth | S2 Games | 2003-09-09 | Linux, OS X (commercial), Windows | Silverback Engine | Proprietary license | Hybrid FPS/RTS with both ranged and melee combat | |
Savage 2: A Tortured Soul | S2 Games | 2008-01-16 | Linux, OS X, Windows (commercial) | K2 Engine | Proprietary license | The sequel to the award-winning game, Savage: The Battle for Newerth. | |
Smokin' Guns | Smokin' Guns Productions and Iron Claw Interactive | 2009-01-01 | 2012-06-08 | Linux, BSD, OS X, Windows, others | GNU GPL (code/some media) Proprietary license (some media) | Western Quake-like FPS. Single (with bots)/Multiplayer. | |
Starsiege: Tribes | Dynamix, Sierra Entertainment | 2004 (free release) | Windows | Darkstar engine | Proprietary license | Futuristic team based combat, released for free to promote Tribes: Vengeance. Multiplayer only. | |
The DinoHunters | Kuma Games | 2006-04-24 | Windows | Source engine | Proprietary license | Also a machinima series. Single/Multiplayer. | |
Tremulous | Dark Legion Development | 2006-03-31 | 2009-12-04 (preview release) | Linux, OS X (unofficial), Windows | GNU GPL | Aliens vs Humans multiplayer team combat with some RTS elements. | |
Tribes 2 | Dynamix, Sierra Entertainment | 2004 (free release) | Windows | Torque Game Engine | Proprietary License | Futuristic team based combat, released for free to promote Tribes: Vengeance. Single/Multiplayer. | |
UberStrike | Cmune | 2010-09-17 | OS X, Windows | Unity | Proprietary license | Free-to-play 'social shooter' on Facebook, MySpace and Apple's Dashboard Widgets. | |
Unreal Tournament | Epic Games | TBA | 2015-03-09 | Linux, OS X, Windows | Unreal Engine 4 | Proprietary license | Crowdsourced and free first-person shooter. |
Unvanquished[2] | Unvanquished Development | 2012-02-29 | 2018 (Alpha 0.51.1) | Linux, OS X, Windows | modified ioquake3 | CC BY-SA 2.5/GPL | Fork of Tremulous with new assets |
Urban Terror | Silicon Ice Development / Frozen Sand | 2000-08-05 (Beta 1.0) | 2016-09-30 (4.3.0) | Linux, OS X, Windows | GNU GPL (ioquake3 engine), Proprietary license (mod code, media) | Fast-paced, Hollywood tactical shooter. Originally a Quake 3mod, now a standalone game. | |
Warmonger: Operation Downtown Destruction | NetDevil | 2007-11-28 | 2009-08-27 | Windows | Unreal Engine 3 | GNU GPL (code), Proprietary license (media) | High-end Free-to-play first person shooter with destructible environments.. |
Warsow | Warsow team | 2005-06-08 | 2016-04-14 (2.1) | Linux, OS X, Windows | GNU GPL (code), Proprietary license (media) | Quake style deathmatch focussed on high-paced action and trickjumps. | |
Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory | Activision, id Software, Splash Damage | 2003-05-29 | 2015-08-21 (ET:Legacy 2.74) | Linux, OS X, Windows | id Tech 3, ET:Legacy | GNU GPL (code), Proprietary license (media) | Intended expansion pack turned freeware. WW2 multiplayer team combat |
World of Padman | Padworld Entertainment | 2007-04-01 | 2011-07-16 (1.5.4 beta Windows/Linux), 2011-01-24 (1.5.1 OS X) | Linux, OS X, Windows | GNU GPL (code), Proprietary license (media) | A free Quake 3 like comical FPS game | |
Xonotic | Team Xonotic | 2010-12-23 | 2017-04-01 (0.8.2) | Linux, OS X, Windows | DarkPlaces Quake engine | GNU GPL | Fork and direct successor of the Nexuiz Project. |
Team Fortress 2 | Valve | 2007-10-7 | 2019-3-28 | Windows, Mac OS, Linux. | Source | Proprietary license | Also available on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, formerly pay to play, sequel to Team Fortress Classic. |
And then macOS Catalina came, kicked us in the shin, and ran away laughing. Half of the few games we could play were suddenly unsupported. And without 32-bit support, what was already a harrowing game experience became that much worse. Like a ragged pack of emaciated Hyenas, we were left to watch while Windows and Console lions gorge themselves. Destiny 2 is a free-to-play PC and console shooter game by Bungie, where players experience responsive FPS combat, explore the mysteries of our solar system, and unleash elemental abilities against powerful enemies. The free-to-play version includes a large variety of activities 88 The Walking Dead: Our World.
Freeware clients[edit]
Some free-to-play online first-person shooters use a client–server model, in which only the client is available for free. They may be associated with business models such as optional microtransactions or in-game advertising. Some of these may be MMOFPS, MMOTPS or MMORPG games.
Title | Developer, Publisher | Release date | Operating system | Engine | License | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Blacklight: Retribution | Zombie Studios | 2012-04-03 | Windows | Unreal Engine 3 | Proprietary license | Online multiplayer, futuristic setting. |
CrossFire | Z8Games | 2006 | Windows | Lithtech Jupiter | Freeware | Modern team-based shooter. Many game modes. |
Mission Against Terror | Kingsoft Dalian JingCai Studio, Wicked Interactive / Suba Games | 2012 | Windows | Proprietary license | Free-to-play online fps, developed by KingSoft, published by Wicked Interactive / Suba Games. | |
Fallen Earth | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | Online multiplayer[3] |
Heroes and Generals | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | Online multiplayer[3] |
War Rock | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | Online multiplayer, features controllable vehicles |
Combat Arms | Nexon | 2008-07-11 | Windows | Lithtech | Proprietary license | Online multiplayer, modern setting; microtransaction business model. |
CrimeCraft | Vogster Entertainment | 2009-08 | Windows | Unreal Engine 3 | Proprietary license | Massively multiplayer online with 3rd and 1st-person perspectives; microtransaction business model. |
PlanetSide 2 | Sony Online Entertainment | 2012-11-20 | Windows | Forgelight Engine | Proprietary license | Massive battles with 2000 players per continent at a time. 3 factions fighting over 4 continents. Player customization, microtransaction business model. |
Sudden Attack | Nexon | 2005-4-11 | Windows | Lithtech | Proprietary license | Online multiplayer |
Tribes: Ascend | Hi-Rez Studios | 2011-12 | Windows | Unreal Engine 3 (modified) | Proprietary license | Online multiplayer; microtransaction business model. |
- The Borderlands series is known for its winning formula of mixing FPS gameplay with RPG mechanics, and Borderlands 2 just got it all right. Here, you will kill and loot, and gain experience points and skills. Enough features to keep you busy in the enormous world that is entirely at your disposal.
- Valorant Mac OS X. We are proud to present a new game from Riot Games, the creators of the phenomenon League of Legends and many other big titles. Valorant for macOS is one of the best multiplayer FPS we have ever played. Some critics compared this game to Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, because of its 5v5 gameplay system.
Game engines[edit]
Engine | Developer, Publisher | Release date | Linux | OS X | Windows | other | License | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aleph One | Bungie (originally) | 2000-01-17 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Mac OS, BSDs | GNU General Public License | Aleph One is an open-source project based on the Marathon 2: Durandal code, which was released to the public by Bungie. |
Build engine | Ken Silverman/3D Realms | 2000-06-20 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes[which?] | Custom licence, GNU General Public License | First released by Silverman; 3D Realms later did GPL releases of Duke Nukem 3D and Shadow Warrior |
Cube Engine | Wouter van Oortmerssen | 2001 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | zlib License (code), Individual licenses (media) | FPS with sandbox style level-editor |
Cube 2 Engine | Wouter van Oortmerssen | 2004 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | zlib License (code), Individual licenses (media) | FPS with sandbox style level-editor |
Dim3 | Brian Barnes | No | Yes | Yes | No | MIT License | Development set | |
id Tech 1 | id Software | 1999 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | GNU General Public License | Known as the Doom engine, originally used for Doom, Doom II, and clones |
id Tech 2 | id Software | 2001-12-22 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | GNU General Public License | Quake 2, CRX and Qfusion are open-source derivatives |
id Tech 3 | id Software | 2005-08-19 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes[which?] | GNU General Public License | Quake 3, ioquake3 is an open-source derivative |
id Tech 4 | id Software | 2011-11-22 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes[which?] | GNU General Public License | Doom 3 |
Quake engine | id Software | 1996 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | GNU General Public License | Quake, DarkPlaces is an open source derivative |
Torque Game Engine | GarageGames | 2012-09-20 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | MIT License | |
Unity | Unity Technologies | 2009 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Purchasable license for commercial use, iPhone license, Free indie license | Development set |
Unreal Engine | Epic Games | 1998 | Yes | Yes | Yes | PlayStation 4, Xbox One, iOS, Android | Proprietary | Free to download and use |
Wolfenstein 3D engine | id Software | 1995 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | GNU General Public License | Also available from Blake Stone: Planet Strike source release; earlier versions in Hovertank 3D and Catacomb 3D source releases, and further developed in Rise of the Triad source release |
References[edit]
- ^Red Eclipse
- ^Unvanquished
- ^ abList of free MMOFPS games
First-person shooters (FPS) are the games where you’re the guy playing behind the gun. You’re playing from the point of view of the shooter. This article is for those trying to get started playing them and looking for games to start off with. Alternatively, you’re trying to get friend or significant other interested in them. Here’s a small introduction and games to start them off with. If this is your first time reading about it, we are going to start off with the absolute basics. If you feel like you don’t need an introduction, go to the list.
What are FPS games?
FPS is a genre of action video games in which you defeat your enemies from a first-person perspective. We usually see the world of the game through the point of view of the a character, usually a protagonist. In most games, we can see the arms of the character at the bottom of the screen with some kind of weapon equipped in them. You control where your character moves, shoots, and other actions.
In FPS games you are usually given a gun or a similar fictional weapon where you aim and shoot at your enemies. It can become very overwhelming very fast. The enemies are constantly moving and shooting back at you. There are things are blowing up and making loud sounds. There’s many controls you have to know. You are playing in the first-person perspective which decreases your field of vision. All of this combined with playing against friends or people online with years of experience is especially demoralizing. I hate to this, but there’s no easy way around this. You just have to keep practicing.
The first question that comes to every gamer’s mind when thinking about FPS games is if they should play these games on a PC or console. Personally, I prefer to play FPS games on PC, but the choice should be left to you. I started on PC because I had a computer and my parents wouldn’t buy me a game system.
FPS games on PC
FPS games are a little more intense on PC because of the freedom of movement provided by a mouse. The mouse lets the player look in any desired direction and take the aim very quickly. This type of freedom can never be replicated by a controller. You are also given better graphics and frame-rates on a gaming PC as compared to a console.
FPS games on console
FPS games are quite intense on console as well, but the movements are slower because of the controller. However, that is where aim-assist comes in! FPS games on console usually come with an aim-assist option which can help you get better aim. Aim-assist makes aiming on a console just as easy as the PC. FPS games on console have the same graphical settings and frame-rates for every gamer, which means that no gamer can have an unfair advantage.
How to improve your game
The best way to improve your aim whether you’re on PC or console is to just keep on playing. At first, you will get quite frustrated because of your bad reflexes in the game, but slowly, you will start to see small improvements, which will eventually develop into big improvements. If you’re on PC, you can also download some aim training software to practice your aim before every match.
Beginner Games to Play
Notes for games below:
– Difficulty is scored by 1 being the easiest and 10 being the hardest (1 is like aiming practice, 10 is like nonstop action and many controls)
– Difficulty for single player games or modes are based on the easiest possible setting
Single Player Games
Far Cry 5
Released: March 27, 2018
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One
Difficulty: 3/10
Far Cry 5 is the perfect game for you if you like to play story-driven games which are free from all the online multiplayer aspects. Essentially, the story is that a doomsday cult led by leader Joseph Seed has taken over a county in Montana. You’re a junior deputy sheriff working with other resistance groups to free the county. If you like storylines, side quests and not having to deal with online multiplayer, this one is for you. Far Cry 5 is just a nice casual, but yet exciting game.
Fallout 3
Released: October 28, 2008
Platforms: Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Difficulty: 3.5/10
This is a good game beginner game because it’s very straight forward. Don’t expect crazy graphics because it’s from 2008. I recommend it because it’s a pretty simple game to run through. In the game, there are options of what to say when you talk to someone (see below). The choice is usually pretty simple compared to other games where it can be more complicated. However, there’s also not that much constant shooting. It’s more story-line based so don’t play it if you’re not into that.
Doom Eternal
Released: March 20 2020
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Stadia and Nintendo Switch
Difficulty: 5/10
Doom Eternal is the latest addition to the Doom franchise, which is a story-driven game. The most beautiful thing about this game is the fact that because of its push-forward style of gameplay, this game can be very intense and entertaining. Simply put the game is about you trying to liberate earth from demons who have invaded earth. It’s up to you to kill these demons and save earth. It’s a gory violent game with insane graphics.
Note: Has multiplayer but not recommended for beginners
Single & Multiplayer Games
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
Released: October 25, 2019
Platform: PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4
Single Player Difficulty: 4/10 | Multiplayer Difficulty: 7/10
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is the latest addition to the Call of Duty line-up. The franchise itself is a well known classic. The game can serve as both a story-driven game and an online multiplayer game. You can play on the story mode on the easiest difficulty setting as you get a hang of FPS. No shame in that.
It’s designed to have a more realistic story line, but still a fictional one. You’re working towards liberating Urzikstan from Russian Forces.Both the campaign and online multiplayer modes for this game are very beautifully built.
Halo Reach
Released: September 14, 2010
Platform: PC, Xbox One and Xbox 360
Single Player Difficulty: 4/10 | Multiplayer Difficulty: 7/10
I felt like I had to include this one because it’s a classic. I was debating between Halo 3 and Halo Reach but Halo Reach can be played on PC. For the sake of accessibility, I chose this one. I’m choose this one because, similar to COD, it has options for story mode with difficulty setting and multiplayer. In pretty much all the Halo games you’re in a war with an alien group call the Convenant. Each game is pretty much a different part of the conflict . You should get a hang of the plot within the first few levels. If you like shooting aliens and playing in a fictional places this one’s for you.
Battlefield 3
Released: October 25, 2011
Platform: PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3
Single Player Difficulty: 3/10 | Multiplayer Difficulty: 7/10
Battle field 2 was actually the first FPS game I played so I don’t know if I’m adding this because I’m biased or it’s actually that good of an intro game. This one also has the option to play first player or multiplayer. I just find that it’s a simpler game to play when it’s more nonfictional, because you’ll already have a sense of what the weapons are for. For example you’ll know what a shotgun is in real life but you’ll have no idea what an MA5D assault rifle is from Halo.
Titanfall 2
Released: October 28, 2016
Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Single Player Difficulty: 4/10 | Multiplayer Difficulty: 7.5/10
If you like robots, cool graphics, fictional sci-fi plots and fictional weapons then this is the one for you. The plot is a little hard to follow though because it’s building on the previous game. The multiplayer is very fast paced though so don’t start off playing that. Play the single player campaign to get a hang of things first.
Star wars Battlefront II
Released: November 17, 2017
Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Single Player Difficulty: 3 | Multiplayer Difficulty: 5.5
The video game is loosely based on the movie franchise. That can make it more interesting for beginners if they’ve watched Star Wars. The characters and places are from places in the movies. Some people are critical about the game because there’s nothing too complicated about it. I find that that is why it is advantageous to beginners.
Multiplayer Games
Apex Legends
Released: February 4, 2019
Platforms: PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4
Multiplayer Difficulty: 6.5
This beautiful online multiplayer FPS game took the gaming world by storm! Regardless of the fact that Apex Legends was released without any prior announcement, this game got very popular in the whole gaming community. Apex Legends is a battle royale game which was published by EA. It is fun to play together with your friends, but cross-play (playing on the same server on different consoles) is not available in the game right now. Hopefully it’ll be added soon. The premise of the game is 20 three person teams land on an island and the last team standing wins. There’s gadgets, shields, and other things you can use to your advantage.
Counter Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO)
Released: August 21, 2012
Platform: PC, Mac OS, Linux, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360
Multiplayer Difficulty: 9
CS:GO is the one of the most traditional type of FPS game which is loved by gamers all over the world. CS:GO is a very competitive game, and it is a huge part of the world of e-sport. This also means playing online is hard. I’ve only really included this because you it’s on pretty much any console and it’s free or low cost.
Top Fps Games For Mac Os X 10.9.5
The game separates a group of players into 2 teams. One is a group of terrorists, and the other one is a group of counter-terrorists. Both the teams must eliminate each other whilst completing certain tasks to win the game.