The PS4 has seen a plethora of first-person shooters over its almost seven-year lifespan. Not all of them are created equally, however. A great FPS uses the perspective to immerse the player in the story and make them more heavily feel like they are a part of the action.
A bad one, however, is often janky, boring, and gives little reason to continue playing. Some of the lackluster titles listed below have redeeming qualities, but they will never touch the greatness of the best the PS4 has to offer. With this generation slowly coming to a close, now is a good time to revisit any of these that someone may have missed.
10 Best: Killzone: Shadowfall
Before Guerrilla Games struck gold with Horizon Zero Dawn, they ushered in the generation with a final contribution to the Killzone franchise. Anybody who picked the console up on launch day could not have chosen a title much better than this.
The gameplay feels different than the prior entries and eschews most genre tropes made normal by the plethora of military shooters from the last generation.
9 Worst: Battlefield: Hardline
The Battlefield series tried something different with Hardline by moving the action from a war zone into a police department tracking down a drug kingpin. Most considered the campaign worthless, bogged down by poor partner AI and a cliched narrative filled with predictable twists.
The multiplayer faired a little better, but anybody only interested in single-player is better off leaving this one alone.
8 Best: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
Call of Duty really outdid themselves with 2019's Modern Warfare reboot. The more grounded and intimate story is infinitely more impactful than most other campaigns from the series.
The multiplayer comes packed in with a variety of modes and is constantly changing with updates. The free battle royale update, Warzone, has ensured its continued existence for years to come. The only lackluster feature is the disappointing cooperative mode, but it is difficult to complain when every other part of the package is golden.
7 Worst: Rico
Sometimes poor quality contributes to a game's charm, and Rico is unequivocal proof of this. The gameplay is slow, floaty, and often imprecise, but playing through the levels with a buddy provides some quick entertainment.
Even with all of this taken into account, one cannot justify calling it a great game, since the loop grows tiresome eventually. Additionally, there is no sense in playing alone.
6 Best: DOOM
The original Doom will always be a classic worth any gamer's time, but ID Software's reboot proved the formula is still relevant in the modern gaming landscape. It took every iconic facet from the 1994 classic and updated it for modern times.
While some voiced criticism towards the multiplayer component, the single-player campaign provided more than enough entertainment to justify a purchase. The 2016 game was followed by a 2020 sequel, DOOM Eternal, which continues the series' traditions.
5 Worst: Homefront: The Revolution
Dambuster Studios is the remnants of Free Radical, known for the cult classic TimeSplitters trilogy. Unfortunately, their take on a North Korean occupation of the United States did not garner similar praise.
Technical issues and poor graphics were cited as problems plaguing the open-world shooter. The studio is currently working on Dead Island 2, though here's hoping they work on a new entry in the TimeSplitters series soon.
4 Best: Titanfall 2
Titanfall 2 did not sell up to expectations upon release, but word of mouth and people picking it up during sales has continued this FPS's life. The single-player campaign is short but dense, with every level introducing new mechanics and environments ensuring not a single second feels redundant.
Poor sales out of the gate probably mean a sequel won't be coming any time soon, but Titanfall 2's legacy will endure long after this generation ends.
3 Worst: Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3
While seen as one of the best entries in the series, Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3 is still not a highlight of the PS4 library. The open-world does not feel as alive as other games, and many thought it would have been better as a linear shooter.
To its credit, however, other critics praised the open-world and mission structure. Even with those positive reactions mixed in, it still only has a 55 score on Metacritic.
2 Best: Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus is the perfect mixture of riveting storytelling and adrenaline-pumping action. The gloomy alternate history narrative is far more impactful than anyone would expect from the pulpy impression one receives from the gameplay.
A player comes in thinking Inglorious Basterds but leaves with a heavy dose of The Man in the High Castle. It sticks to the first game's linearity while offering several bonus missions for those who want some extra content.
1 Worst: Fallout 76
While mainly an RPG, most of the action in Fallout 76 involves shooting from a first-person perspective. The online game launched in an inexcusably broken state. Updates have fixed several major issues, but glitches are still abundant in Appalachia.
The recent Wastelanders update finally added NPCs, which breathe more life into the world. However, for many, this is too little too late.