When playing first-person games, players don't usually assume there will be mechanics other than going down corridors and shooting at bad guys. But as gaming becomes more complex, certain genres like the first-person playstyle have grown, and do more for players. For example, instead of being linear experiences, the Far Cry games put players in this open world, which can make things immersive. Thanks to that, first-person games can become more diverse in how they play. Like making them open world, they're also expanding into another genre fully now.
That is by going into the platforming playstyle. While first-person games have dabbled in this genre before, it seems more and more developers are putting heavy platformer mechanics in their games. In turn, players can play these games in vastly different ways. Since more first-person games have adapted to the platforming playstyle, here are the games that stand out from the rest of the crowd.
5 Titanfall 2
In a time when the generic shooters in Call of Duty and Battlefield dominated the shooter scene, Titanfall was breath of fresh air. Players can do much more in Titanfall, from wall running to calling in these giant robots that changed the meta, the game held its own. When the sequel Titanfall 2 was released, players were in for so much more. The platforming of Titanfall 2 is unrivaled in the first-person genre because it adds that vertically to each match, that many other shooters did not have.
Because of this, the gameplay is far more exciting and makes players think before acting. On top of that, being a multiplayer game, being chased by an enemy pilot while wall running and doing other platforming sequences, brings everything together and makes things more engaging. Plus, the reason why Titanfall 2 is rather unmatched is how easy it is to do everything. The game may seem difficult to play with all the added mechanics, but because it's so accessible, players and their friends can adjust to Titanfall 2's playstyle quickly.
4 Doom
Over the years Doom has changed how it's played, while still being consistent with the first-person shooter, the game has certainly evolved over time. The reboot of Doom leaned heavily on platforming. Since Doom is a difficult game to play, platforming helps in many ways. It allows players to evade fluidly, to get behind an enemy with ease, or to just flee when things get too hot. It adds another element to gameplay. Much like Titanfall 2 where the platforming adds verticality, Doom does it the same way.
Much like the other Doom games that have a ton of over-the-top weapons, the reboots have the same concept. It allows players to fight aggressively, and fluidly, in turn, making them more versatile in how they deal with every conflict. Because rather than straight running and gunning, players can use the platforming in dynamic ways both for defensive and offensive ways. Plus, much of Doom tells players to use these mechanics a lot because it will save them.
3 Mirror's Edge
Mirror's Edge is probably one the most immersive platformer in the genre, because of how immersive the overall game is. Mirror's Edge is somewhat the complete package for players, from its one-of-a-kind art style to its fluid playstyle. Players will get into the rhythm of this game surprisingly quickly. However, the platforming is challenging, and the best part, once players figure everything out, they can find their own pace, which makes the later levels of Mirror's Edge much easier to play.
Mirror's Edge has some classic tropes of platformers like making players figure out the next step through trial and error, which can make players frustrated. However, there are many ways for players to calm themselves while playing Mirror's Edge, so once they master that, doing these sections will be more fun. Being in the first person allows players to get a better feel of these levels, because they can see things more clearly, and in a game like Mirror's Edge, knowing where the path goes counts more.
2 Portal
Portal is one of the most immersive and deep first-person games with a unique playstyle. One of the main aspects of Portal is platforming because it makes the puzzles a lot more versatile. Portal allows players to jump into the game and do things their own way, and by that, it shows off how freeing it is. Platforming completes everything, so when players are trying to solve a puzzle they can use the many ways to play, and that's done by platforming.
The platforming helps players figure things out in a bunch of different ways, so it can be rewarding for players who don't really play games like Portal. This way, as mentioned before, they can feel more immersed and in turn, it gives players a richer experience of this interesting game. While not for everyone, Portal allows each player's experience to be different from the others, and platforming can make this a reality.
1 Ghostrunner
Ghostrunner is a worthwhile game, but fans should also understand that it's got a massive learning curve. Ghostrunner is a true-to-form platformer with interesting twists that can make it stand on its own. It's quite unfortunate, because Ghostrunner is a unique game in the genre, and went overlooked when it first dropped. The reason why many players could have avoided Ghostrunner was how hard it is, by making players take no hits otherwise, they'd die. This makes the game really hard, but once players figure out the rhythm, much like Mirror's Edge, Ghostrunner becomes very rewarding.
Being hard is an understatement. However, if players take these tips with them and by mixing in the platforming, things can go in the player's favor. The platforming aspect of Ghostrunner stands out in many ways by making players play aggressively, but also strategically at the same time because of the one-hit rule. Like Mirror's Edge, if players figure out the rhythm quickly, then Ghostrunner becomes tangible, and dealing with enemies doesn't seem like a task, but rather an excuse to use the powers given to them.