Free and cool: a review of free-to-play shooters for PC

The video game industry is rapidly evolving, offering more and more genres and mechanics. The selection of the best shooters is always relevant. FPS-games give you a sense of the tension of battle, tactics and dynamics of shootouts. In recent years, the genre has changed a lot. Modern projects impress with special effects, realistic physics and intelligent AI enemies. Some shooters require tactics, others rely on speed, and others offer a deep plot and cinematography.

Choosing the perfect shooter depends on a variety of factors. It is important to consider the game style, platform and interest in multiplayer battles or story campaigns. The selection of the best shooters includes classic hits, modern blockbusters and promising new products. Let’s take a look at the top shooters worth trying in 2025.

How to choose the perfect shooter

The gameplay of combat action games can vary greatly. Some games require tactics, realistic physics and discipline. Others, on the contrary, offer chaos and high dynamics.

Counter-Strike 2 is a classic example of a competitive tactical shooter, where every move must be calibrated and reaction must be lightning fast. Different styles of combat can be cautious or aggressive. It is important to understand weapon mechanics, map features and strategy. In the game you need to aim quickly, use grenades correctly, keep an eye on the economics of the round and work as a team.

A completely opposite approach is taken by Bulletstorm, an action game that relies on spectacle and creativity. Here, the standard methods of combat are relegated to the background, giving way to style kills, acrobatic techniques and destruction of the environment. The use of the whip to pull up enemies, combo system and various kills makes the game special among classic FPS.

The movement dynamics also have a strong impact on gameplay. Serious Sam: The First Encounter offers arcade mechanics where the player is forced to constantly move, manoeuvre and shoot back waves of enemies with no time to respawn.

In contrast, PUBG: Battlegrounds (Playerunknown’s Battlegrounds) is based on realism: shooting requires precise calculation of the trajectory of the bullet, taking into account ballistics and gravity. It is important to shoot accurately and choose the right position, take into account the shelter and plan the route of movement.

Understanding these differences will help you choose an option among the selection of the best shooters, focusing on personal preferences in gameplay.

Network battles or single-player adventure

The choice between PvP and single-player campaign directly affects the perception of a shooter. While in Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege team play and planning are important, inMetro Exodusthe emphasis is on atmosphere, story and character development. Kane & Lynch: Dead Men combines both aspects, offering co-operative gameplay and a grim crime story. The selection of the best shooters includes single-player and multiplayer projects so that everyone can choose the best option.

Shooter legends: iconic games not to be missed

Titanfall 2 proved that vertical gameplay can make firefights more interesting. The use of mechs, parkour and instant change of tactics make it a benchmark of dynamic FPS.

Hunt: Showdown combines PvP and PvE in one format. Players fight each other and hunt monsters. Stealth and sounds of the surrounding world play an important role.

It’s hard to imagine a modern FPS without Half-Life 2. Its revolutionary physics puzzles, then cutting-edge graphics and non-linear narrative made it a legend.

Max Payne 3 brought a cinematic feel, making shooters look like Hollywood action films. These projects are an integral part of the top shooters that still impress with their depth.

Novelties that cannot be missed

The market of FPS-games is constantly replenished with fresh projects that can change the usual standards of the genre. In 2024 several shooters were released, which surprise with original mechanics and atmosphere.

RoboCop: Rogue City captures the spirit of classic films, offering players to experience the role of a legendary cyber cop. Gameplay combines tense shootouts, investigative elements and authentic 80’s style.

Neon White is a unique blend of dynamic shooter and card mechanics. Here players must make quick decisions using a special deck to move and attack. This makes every battle unpredictable and spectacular.

Metal Hellsinger turns shooting into a rhythmic process, synchronising shots with heavy music. The more accurately the player hits the beat, the more powerful attacks and spectacular special effects that create a unique atmosphere of hardcore action film.

These novelties are worthy of a place in the selection of the best shooters. Each of them offers a fresh take on the genre and combines classic elements with innovative ideas.

Genre classics worth returning to

Some games stay in gamers’ hearts for decades. Quake laid the foundations for multiplayer FPSs, Doom Eternal developed the idea of continuous action. Wolfenstein: The New Order showed how an old brand can be intelligently relaunched. These games are always worth revisiting. They are widely regarded as some of the best shooters of all time.

Co-operative and competitive shooters

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege requires co-operative play and precise execution of strategies. Borderlands 2, on the other hand, combines co-operative gameplay with role-playing elements. These projects bring players together, forcing them to interact and coordinate. A selection of the best shooters includes them as a benchmark of co-operative experience.

Conclusion

The variety of FPS games allows everyone to find a project to their liking. Tactical, story-based, co-operative and PvP-oriented shooters offer an extraordinary experience. The selection of the best shooters combines time-tested hits and promising novelties. They give you the opportunity to choose a game for an exciting gameplay. Modern technology and new mechanics make this genre more exciting. The top shooters continue to expand, and every year brings new masterpieces worthy of attention.

Who said that the post-apocalypse can only be seen on the screen? The game Metro 2033 invites us not only to watch the unfolding events but also to become part of a dark and exciting world. Feel for yourself what it means to survive in the depths of the Moscow metro, where every step is fraught with danger, and the atmosphere is saturated with hopelessness and hopelessness.

Scenario and setting: immersion in the world after a catastrophe

The dark universe grew out of the book by Dmitry Glukhovsky, who described the human confrontation with hopelessness, limited to the labyrinth of Moscow subways. The developers from the 4A Games studio did not just take the book as a basis – they created a detailed visualization of its pages. The concept reveals all the elements of the apocalypse: rusty pipes, graffiti on the walls, and shadows of mutants. The storyline is intertwined with a constant sense of danger, due to which the user does not just watch, but literally gets into the role of a person locked in this hell on earth.

Travel through ominous tunnels: the atmosphere of the game Metro 2033

The creators have made great efforts to embody the oppressive picture: every sound matters. The creaking of rails, distant voices, the light of a flashlight beating in the darkness – everything works like the instruments of a great composer who creates a symphony of fear. Every detail – be it a sharp scream or an inexplicable rustle – plunges the participant even deeper into a state of anxiety. Here you do not open fire at random but make every decision with trembling hands because a mistake is expensive.

Gameplay and survival mechanics

The post-apocalyptic first-person shooter does not make shooting a goal for the sake of a goal. Unlike ordinary projects, there is no such thing as “a lot of ammunition”. On the contrary, each hit must be precise: you should only pull the trigger when it is really necessary. Improvised weapons and the need to calculate each attack turn combat scenes into a real tactical challenge, and the fastest, but the most calculating ones, win.

Weapon types:

1. The Tikhar air rifle requires manual pumping to maintain pressure. It is ideal for covert operations, as it shoots almost silently.
2. Shotgun Double-barreled: a classic choice with a powerful spread for close combat. Indispensable in tight tunnels, when enemies attack in crowds.
3. The Kalashnikov assault rifle (AK-74) is familiar to everyone. Provides a reliable hit at medium distances, despite the constant shortage of shells.
4. The revolver can be upgraded to increase accuracy and range. Slow reloading is compensated by high killing power.
5. Throwing knives: an excellent solution for silently eliminating enemies. Allows you to save ammunition and eliminate targets without unnecessary noise.
6. The flamethrower is useful for fights with large groups of monsters and is especially effective against spiders. The weapon has a huge fuel consumption, but if used correctly, it can save lives.

Survival among mutants in the game Metro 2033: lack of resources and danger

A natural feeling of overcoming chaos. Here, the winner is not the one who shoots the most, but the one who thinks. Ammo is not only a means of protection, but also a currency. Each time, the player chooses between salvation or the opportunity to replenish supplies. Enemies become even more frightening when you realize that the combat arsenal is running out. The fight for life underground requires the ability to navigate, save resources, and select each element in order to use it as efficiently as possible.

Storylines and images: more than just a shooter

The concept breaks the standard templates of the shooter genre. The plot is not just a decoration for battles. It forces the user to make moral choices and shows the dark side of humanity. Here, each character has their own motives and past – they are not just a target or an NPC. Plot forks and moments when the player must decide who to save and who to leave create a feeling of real responsibility for the fates of others. Such elements add depth and realism to everything that happens.

Characters in the game Metro 2033: more than just allies

Each hero has their own fears, dreams, and stories that they tell around the fire when night falls on the tunnels. The concept reveals not only the characters of virtual personalities but also their contribution to the atmosphere of the plot. Interaction with subjects is not limited to orders and completing tasks – this is full-fledged human communication.

Characters:

Artem: the main character, through whose eyes the user sees the oppressive reality of the subway. He does not lose hope and strives to help his people survive in difficult conditions.

Bourbon: an experienced stalker, ready to do a lot for the sake of salvation.

1. Anna: a sniper and a combat unit that has high professionalism and discipline. Her image reveals what it is like to be part of the resistance.
2. Ulman: a charismatic and sometimes ironic person with jokes that help defuse a tense situation. Loyalty to his comrades makes him an indispensable ally.
3. Melnik: a leader and commander, always ready to take responsibility for the fate of his squad. A symbol of hope and fortitude inspires others to fight to the end.
4. Immersion in a dark reality

The scenario does not have a map, which obliges the player to carefully study every detail of the environment. You become not just a shooter, but an explorer trying to understand and adapt to reality. The setting of a cramped, damp, and deadly space creates a unique experience that makes your heart beat faster. The scenario presents not only physical challenges, but also psychological ones, when you literally have to live in a confined space, and every sound can foreshadow trouble.

Conclusion

The Metro 2033 project is not just another game. It is a story about survival in an environment where there is almost no hope left. It captivates you with dark tunnels, makes you think about the fates of the characters, and accept this world as it is – cruel, and cold, but still alive. Anyone who has once plunged into this environment will never be able to forget it. This is an experience that every fan of post-apocalyptic shooters should have.