Shooters are a massive part of gaming, with first-person shooters specifically playing an important part in its history. Games like DOOM and Quake changed the way people thought about games, and many of these early first-person shooters focused on movement and fast-paced gameplay.

Related

12 Oldest First-Person Shooters (That You Can Still Play)

FPS games have been around for decades, and despite the age of some of these games they can still be played to this day.

Although games such as Half-Life pushed shooters towards a more narrative-focused approach, many games still retained that aspect of fast-paced movement and shooting. Despite some larger studios still producing movement shooters (it could be argued that Halo 5 fits the bill), a recent resurgence in "boomer shooters", which often include solid movement controllers, has seen indie games, in particular, taking up the mantle.

1 Impaler - A Minimalist Roguelite Arena Shooter

Steam User Rating: 94%

This retro-inspired game takes influence from classic 90s shooters for both its aesthetic and gameplay. In Impaler, players zip around a small arena, fighting off waves of enemies and impaling them with magical spikes.

Impaler's gameplay is brutally fast-paced, and its retro aesthetic is well-crafted. The game features a variety of upgrades that players can pick and choose from throughout each run, and the movement options include the ability to bunny hop and strafe jump.

2 REAVER - A Unique Twist On Ultrakill

Steam User Rating: 96%

Although it's apparent that REAVER took a heavy dose of inspiration from New Blood Interactive's Ultrakill, REAVER has a few tricks up its sleeve that help to distinguish it from the indie behemoth. One trick in particular is REAVER's weapons, which feature two firing modes, as well as combos akin to a fighting game.

These weapon combos set REAVER apart from its influences, and make up a lot of the game's skill-based gameplay. Furthermore, many of these combo-moves use the player's "Rage," a resource that must be managed carefully to succeed.

3 Turbo Overkill - A Cyberpunk FPS With A Chainsaw Leg

Steam User Rating: 96%

Inspired by classic old-school shooters like Duke Nukem 3D, DOOM, and Quake, Turbo Overkill is a brutal, gore-filled cyberpunk FPS. The game features plenty of movement options that allow players to wall-slide and dash around levels, but most notably, Turbo Overkill gives players a chainsaw leg to slide around with, simultaneously using it to kill enemies.

Related

16 Best Cyberpunk Games

The Cyberpunk genre never seems to get old as everyone loves the idea of looking into the future, and these are the best examples of it in video games

Turbo Overkill features cyberpunk-style augments, weapon upgrades, and even a talent tree. However, it's the game's chainsaw slide, grappling hook, wall running, and the visceral break-neck speed of its combat that make it worth playing.

4 Quake - An Influential Classic

Steam User Rating: 96%

This classic shooter developed by id Software changed the way that fully 3D first-person shooters were made, having a dramatic impact on the genre and gaming as a whole. Quake still holds up today as a smooth movement shooter with well-crafted levels, a variety of enemies, and weighty weaponry.

While Quake may be rougher around the edges than a modern shooter, its ingenuity and well-crafted design still shine through its increasing age, making it an old-school game that's still readily accessible today. For fans of movement shooters who want a pure, old-school experience that still feels good to play, Quake is arguably the best choice.

5 DUSK - A Unique Love Letter To Quake

Steam User Rating: 97%

Created by indie developer David Szymanski (the developer behind Iron Lung), DUSK takes clear inspiration from 90s shooters, predominantly Quake. DUSK'sQuake influences are apparent in its visuals, the frequent verticality of its level design, and its movement.

Bunny hopping, rocket jumping, and - most importantly - sliding, allow players to move around quickly in DUSK. These movement options are important to master if players want to discover the game's many secrets, but players will also need to master the movement to beat the game on its harder difficulties. DUSK isn't afraid to ambush the player, or to throw waves of enemies and projectiles at them at once, and moving quickly and efficiently through its levels is integral to success.

6 DOOM (2016) - A Modern Revival Of DOOM

Steam User Rating: 95%

This complete revitalization of the classic DOOM franchise took the series in a new and modernized direction while remaining faithful to its roots. Because of its loyalty to its source material, DOOM manages to be a refreshing shooter experience that frequently hearkens back to its origins.

Related

Best Doom Games, Ranked

The Doom franchise is one of the most well-known and beloved first-person shooters, and these are the best ones in the series by far.

DOOM gives players a tremendous amount of speed, a generous jump, and snappy glory kills that allow players to dash toward enemies that would otherwise be just slightly out of range. While DOOM doesn't feature crazy movement abilities that push boundaries, it's undeniably built for speed, and its design often results in fast-paced, non-stop intensity.

7 Titanfall 2 - A Cult-Hit Modern Classic

Steam User Rating: 95%

This slick science fiction movement shooter features giant mechanized suits, high-octane gunfights, ridiculously high speed, and an abundance of movement options that focus on momentum. Gaining and maintaining momentum in Titanfall 2 is integral to success, as being still for more than a few seconds almost always results in death.

It's this focus on momentum that makes Titanfall 2 such a well-made movement shooter, as its well-designed movement options turn gameplay into a non-stop experience that's constantly moving forward. Wall-running, grappling hooks, and break-neck speed make Titanfall 2 an action-packed shooter that's perfect for fans of fluid movement.

8 ULTRAKILL - A Stylish, Ultra-Violent Indie Hit

Steam User Rating: 98%

This ultra-violent, fast-paced shooter, like many indie movement shooters, takes heavy inspiration from classic 90s shooters. However, Ultrakill has many elements that set it apart. The game's crisp, pixelated textures, ultra-violence, style system, and "blood-is-fuel" mechanic make it a truly unique movement shooter experience that's shaping up to be a modern classic.

Bunny hopping, wall-sliding, rocket jumping, sliding, and dashing, among other technical tricks, mesh together to create a varied and expressive set of movement controls. This fluid movement allows Ultrakill to be one of the most intense, fast-paced, and stylish movement shooters available.

More

15 Best Retro-Inspired FPS Games Ranked, According To Metacritic

The FPS genre is experiencing a retro revival of sorts, and here are 15 awesome new titles to check out for those nostalgic for 90s shooters.