Explosive action and tactics: a selection of the best shooters for PC, consoles and smartphones

The world of shooters is constantly evolving, and every year new representatives of the genre appear on store shelves. But among the many soulless shooters, sometimes there are real masterpieces that can immerse the player in interesting and deeply developed gameplay. Shooters with a rich plot are full-fledged stories filled with emotional moments, mysteries and moral dilemmas. Let’s consider the best projects that not only give pleasure, but also make you experience along with the heroes.

BioShock Infinite: a surreal adventure with a deep history

BioShock Infinite can literally take your breath away with its atmosphere and plot. The events unfold in Columbia – a floating city in the sky, created at the beginning of the 20th century. This city, which seemed like a utopia, soon becomes a dark dystopia, torn apart by political conflicts and social inequality. The mystical atmosphere, combined with magnificent art design and a deeply developed story, creates a unique experience. Columbia comes to life in every detail, from the ornate facades of its buildings to its retro technology.

BioShock Infinite offers immersion in a detailed world with a rich past. The atmosphere is the result of the efforts of a team of designers and artists who incorporated elements of steampunk and retro-futurism, making every corner come alive.

A Hero with a Dual Past

The protagonist is Booker DeWitt, a former detective with many dark deeds behind him. Debts lead him on a mission to save a girl named Elizabeth, who is also the key to solving many mysteries. Booker is a figure whose actions and inner demons become the driving force of the story. His connection with Elizabeth gradually reveals his character, showing how much his past affects his decisions and their shared destiny. The plot of the shooter is more than just a shooter. It is a journey that allows you to look into the soul of the hero and understand his motivations.

How Player Decisions Affect the Story

BioShock Infinite features many moments where the player is faced with choices that will affect the story. The decisions the player makes can change the way events are perceived and their consequences.

Choices that change the course of history:

1. Save the hostages or leave them to die.
2. Join the resistance or stay away.
3. Uncover the truth about Booker’s past or keep it hidden.

Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus: an alternate history in the face of the resistance

Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus takes players to an alternate reality where the Nazis won World War II. Soldiers patrol the streets, technologically advanced machines monitor every step, and freedom is just a memory. The setting of Wolfenstein II is a dark vision of the world, where an atmosphere of horror and oppression combines with bright moments of heroism and the fight for freedom.

Blazkowicz as the Face of the Resistance

The protagonist, William “BJ” Blazkowicz, embodies willpower and defiance. His personal motives intersect with the global mission to free the country from Nazi oppression. He is not just a warrior, but the face of the resistance, a man whose personal story makes him an icon for all who continue to fight. The character is revealed through scenes showing his weaknesses, experiences and fortitude.

A shooter with a single-player campaign: a plot full of drama

Wolfenstein II offers more than just a regular single-player campaign – a full-fledged drama, divided into episodes that could become the basis for a TV series. Each mission is a new step in the history of the resistance, filled with intrigue, twists and unexpected alliances. The richness of the script and superbly written dialogue create a powerful emotional involvement.

Metro Exodus: Post-apocalypse with a Human Face

Metro Exodus continues the post-apocalyptic saga of human survival on a land devastated by a catastrophe. It features a vast world devastated by a nuclear war, which players can explore on the Aurora train. Traveling through the former territory of Russia reveals not only ruined cities and radioactive wastelands, but also rare moments of hope for a better future. The atmosphere is filled with a constant sense of danger and surprises that force the player to move forward despite the difficulties.

Artyom is looking for more than survival

Artyom is the main character of Metro Exodus, dreaming of finding a safe place to live, far from the remains of the metro. His desire to change his fate and give a new chance to his people makes him a leader and an inspiration. He faces numerous challenges, but does not give up, which makes him a strong and strong-willed figure who inspires and motivates others. Artyom doesn’t just survive, he strives for a better future, showing that even in the darkest conditions, you can keep faith.

Story-rich shooters: open world shooter

Metro Exodus allows the player to explore different areas and make decisions about which path to take next. Well-developed missions reveal different aspects of the scenario, giving the opportunity to understand the virtual universe more deeply. The variety of locations and freedom of choice allow you to explore the environment at your own pace, discover unique places and face unexpected dangers.

Gameplay elements:

1. Open locations available for exploration.
2. Missions that require a strategic approach and planning.
3. Unpredictable encounters with enemies and resource limitations.

Conclusion

Story-rich shooters offer more than just shootouts and action. They provide an opportunity to immerse yourself in a deep story filled with emotions, moral dilemmas and exciting moments. Top shooters with a story, such as BioShock Infinite, Wolfenstein II and Metro Exodus, show that projects of the genre can be not only adrenaline-pumping entertainment, but also works of art that can touch the soul and make you think. Try your hand at one of these games to understand what it means to be part of an incredible adventure.

The PIONEER shooter is an ambitious attempt to rethink multiplayer projects, mixing elements of role-playing games and survival. It combines an open post-apocalyptic territory, elements of a story campaign and full-fledged PvP zones within a live server. The developers announced the release in 2025 and are actively demonstrating system features that other online games lack.

Instead of formal pumping and a typical gameplay cycle, the concept offers a deeply simulated world living according to its own laws. The observation of day and night, dynamic weather, the ecosystem of mutants, and the influence of anomalies creates an interesting game environment. This implementation promises to break the pattern of scenarios where the enemy always comes from the same point and resources are constantly regenerated.

Setting: Soviet architecture and technogenic ruins

The setting is a fictional island isolated from the rest of the world after a massive catastrophe. The architecture, locations, and visual style are reminiscent of the late Soviet era, featuring distinctive five-story buildings, concrete scientific complexes, radio communication stations, and abandoned scientific facilities. This setting sets PIONER apart from its Western counterparts and creates an original visual and cultural perception of the environment.

Anomalous zones are a distinct gameplay element. They create survival conditions, such as distorted physics, radiation hotspots, and the emergence of unstable creatures. Moving through these zones requires preparation, equipment, and knowledge. These details make exploring the map a separate challenge rather than just moving between points.

Mutants, AI, and the difficulty of survival

In the PIONER shooter, the behavior of mutants is not tied to scripts. The artificial intelligence reacts to noise, light, smells, and the player’s previous actions. When attacking a lair, you can expect the creatures to migrate, increase their guard, and even attack in response. Mutants are divided into several classes: aggressive solitary creatures, swarm organisms, night hunters, and territorial alpha individuals. Encountering these creatures requires preparation and coordination with other players. The title offers not only firepower, but also planning, evasion, and reconnaissance. In PvE scenarios, it is the behavioral algorithms of enemies that create the main pressure, rather than their sheer number.

Shooting, the feeling of a weapon, and the mechanics of interaction

The shooting physics in PIONER is closer to realistic simulators. Each weapon has its own recoil, sound model, bullet trajectory, and destructibility. Firefights require calculating the distance, using cover, and properly utilizing the inventory. The weapon’s accuracy decreases when the character is heavily fatigued or has damaged hands. The developers have implemented advanced weapon modulation mechanics, allowing you to change the scope, attach a silencer, replace the magazine, or even adjust the caliber.

Game mechanics

PIONER shooter focuses not on a single feature, but on a complex system of interactions. Each component affects the balance, complexity, and interest:

1. PvE missions are tasks against AI, including clearing bases, escorting NPCs, decoding signals, destroying mutants, and exploring anomalies.

2. PvP zones are open areas where players engage in combat for resources, control over objects, or rare artifacts.

3. Crafting is a system for recycling loot. Players disassemble weapons, collect components, and create medicines, ammunition, and tools.

4. The storyline is a campaign divided into faction branches. Each decision affects access to areas, relationships with NPCs, and access to rare missions.

5. Economy – In-game currency is generated through trading, completing missions, and selling rare items. Some items can only be obtained in exchange for reputation with factions.

6. Anomalies are zones with unstable physics that exhibit special effects, such as levitation, electromagnetic pulses, and spatial tears.

7. Characters – system of stamina, temperature, hunger, fatigue. The player loses efficiency if he does not meet the basic conditions of survival.

8. Factions are four independent groups with conflicting interests: the military, scientists, stalkers, and looters. Choosing one affects the story and PvP encounters.

9. Graphics – Realistic engine with ray tracing support, procedural lighting and dynamic weather conditions. DLSS and AMD FSR support guarantees stable frame rates.

10. Multiplayer features up to 100 players on a single server, allowing for team play, voice communication, and cooperative missions.

Leveling up, customization, and in-game development

PIONER Shooter eliminates the usual “levels” and “experience” schemes by introducing a system of natural skill evolution. Players increase their effectiveness through practice: shooting improves accuracy, running increases stamina, and medicine unlocks new recipes. Each ability develops independently, without mandatory grinding or artificial limitations.

The character does not receive points, but access to specializations through achievements. For example, successfully completing three anomaly clearance operations unlocks the “Radiation Zone Specialist” branch with unique perks. This logic eliminates speculation and encourages participation in various types of activities.

Customization offers advanced options, ranging from armor and exosuit types to interfaces. PIONER’s shooter game provides not only visual skins but also functional modules that influence the character’s behavior. Installing improved filters, adaptive visors, and reinforced vests becomes part of a strategy, not just a cosmetic feature.

Development team and production philosophy

PIONER is being developed by GFA Games, an independent Russian studio with experience in military simulators and RPGs. The team uses Unreal Engine 5 and focuses on creating a dense, atmospheric world inspired by the aesthetics of stalker and Soviet visual code. Each stage of development is accompanied by open communication with the community, including technical diaries, votes, and test builds.

The studio has declared its rejection of Pay-to-Win. The main philosophy is a fair gameplay where victory depends on skills, tactics and cooperation, and not on the amount of money invested. Monetization will be limited to visual elements that will not give advantages.

The developers have announced the integration of a modification system. Support for mods will extend the life of the project, allowing gamers to create their own PvE missions, maps, enemy models and even factions. The solution opens up the potential for a creative community and increases loyalty to the project.

The visual component: technological superiority

Graphics are one of the strongest sides of the title. The use of Unreal Engine 5 allows you to recreate photogrammetric textures, dynamic lighting and detail at the level of AAA projects. Objects are not just drawn – they react to weather, physics and the impact of the player.

Support for ray tracing and global illumination technology gives locations photorealism. Fog over the swamp, sparks from a short circuit, reflections in puddles – every little detail enhances the atmosphere. PIONER Shooter not only shows the world, but immerses you in it at the level of feeling. Optimization is implemented through support for DLSS and FSR, which ensures smoothness even on average systems.

Conclusion

PIONER is shaping a new model for online multiplayer shooter games. Instead of endless matches and arcade modes, the project offers a holistic system, a living world, a story, strategy, and real consequences of actions. The integration of PvE, PvP, crafting, customization, and factional influence creates a rich environment where every choice matters.

The release in 2025 promises to change the expectations of the genre. For players who are tired of templates and simplifications, the project will be a starting point for a new quality of life.