Earlier this year Chit Hot ran a feature discussing the increasing lack of single-player FPS games. The response to this article was one of agreement and exasperation. In the months since our team has delved deep into the catalogue to bring you the 7 best FPS games on Game Pass. Specifically, those which feature a good single-player campaign.
‘But, some of these games can be played co-op!’ I hear you scream. While this is true, we’re more concerned about the fact that there is a single-player component at all. The intent here is to identify the games which offer a fantastic single-player experience, regardless of what else they come packaged with.
7 Best FPS Games on Game Pass
Before we begin, we have to address the fact that the likes of Prey, DOOM Eternal, and the Wolfenstein series hasn’t made the list. Why, you ask? Well, frankly, this is because as a matter of opinion, the below titles offer a better single-player FPS experience. Even Fallout 3, which while a fantastic exploratory RPG/FPS hybrid, didn’t make the list. But that’s a different story…
Now, without further ado, here’s the 7 best FPS games on Game Pass available to play today!
The Master Chief Collection
A pretty obvious selection, you may think. And you’d be right. The Master Chief Collection offers five unique campaigns and some of the best Halo action ever made. In particular, Halo Reach drives home exactly what made Halo so special, without even offering the chance to play as the titular hero. If you haven’t played (or replayed) any of these campaigns yet, it’s time to download and jump in asap!
Perfect Dark
No, we’re not talking about the Xbox 360 launch title, Perfect Dark Zero. Although that is also available. Instead, we’re talking the original Nintendo 64 classic. The spiritual successor to the groundbreaking GoldenEye 007, Perfect Dark went in hard. Upping the ante with a campaign that had phenomenal depth for it’s time, a huge variety of sci-fi weapons and some incredible level design, Perfect Dark stands as a landmark FPS game. Even now, more than 20 years after it’s release, Perfect Dark is widely considered one of the best FPS games of all time.
Rage 2
Much like the original Rage, Rage 2 was harshly criticised at initial release. However, in the years that passed both titles found a strong audience. Rage 2 delivers less depth in it’s campaign than the original title, but at the same time significantly less boring fetch quests. A much more well rounded experience that will take a dozen hours to play through, before you even think about sidequests. Rage 2 is not the game you’ve been told: it’s very much worth your time.
Halo Infinite
Another title that has been unfairly judged. However, this time it’s due to an extended wait and fanboy wars. Taken in a vacuum, Halo Infinite‘s campaign is a fantastic open world adventure. It manages to mix the high quality combat with exploration and objective-based missions, opposed to the series’ hallmark walkthrough. The renovation of the formula while maintaining that incredibly high standard of action is perhaps the best series transformation since Super Mario jumped into 3D in Super Mario 64. Simply put, ignore the fanboys and jump in. Today.
Titanfall 2
Titanfall 2 flopped. A series of unfortunate events lead to the game dramatically underperforming commercially. However, there’s still a strong audience for the game. And this is because, despite the first couple of level’s infuriating reuse of assets, the campaign eventually bursts out to be an incredibly high quality experience. This, coming from expectations that it would be tacked-on after the first Titanfall‘s multiplayer-only release, is nothing short of fantastic.
DOOM (2016)
DOOM (2016) is better than DOOM Eternal. There, I said it. While DOOM Eternal is built well for the fast reflex, high-score challenge gamers, DOOM (2016) is much more approachable. It’s not a simple case of platforming-combat bottleneck-platforming. DOOM (2016) offers far greater depth, encouraging the player to explore the levels for more than simple extra lives or momentary combat boosts. DOOM (2016) is arguably one of the best FPS games of the last decade, and you’d be doing yourself a disservice not to download it today.
Black
Didn’t expect this one, eh? Black is a game that reportedly changed a lot during development. The end result is a short but incredibly satisfying campaign. The gameplay is essentially a straightforward first-person shooter. The formula is strikingly reminiscent of Perfect Dark: mission-based, with each mission separated by a cutscene. On harder difficulties, there are more objectives that must be completed before the player can progress. Successful completion of the objectives in all missions in difficulties above ‘Easy’ results in the awarding of in-game bonuses, such as new weapons. It can’t be understated that while Black is a pretty formulaic experience, it’s a wonderfully playable one. A spiritual successor was developed by Codemasters some years later, Bodycount, which is a massively underrated FPS game also well worth looking into.
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