2023 was a year with a variety of shooters of all booming styles, and here are my favorites of the genre, not counting those that are still in early access at the time of me writing this.
1: Remnant 2
Remnant From the Ashes was one of my favorite games in the soulslike style thanks to combining it with third person shooting, and the sequel delivers on everything and more. The gunplay and character building has been improved, there is more variety in the level design, and it feels a little less punishing than the first one. A really solid game and one that’s even better with friends.
2: Turbo Overkill
Until Ultrakill hits 1.0, it will still be on my most excited list of push-forward shooters to play. But in the meantime, Turbo Overkill delivers an over-the-top cyberpunkesque shooter that keeps getting more and more crazier as the game goes on. Of the list this year, it is by far the most bombastic shooter and one that anyone who likes a lot of action to go with their shooting should play.
3: Hrot
HROT is a Quake-styled game where you must survive against monsters, humans, and inanimate objects all gunning for you. A game that can go between scary and strange within seconds, as you never know what is going to come after you next. This is a challenging boomer shooter that also comes with what I imagine to be delicious recipes for beating each chapter.
4: Dread Templar
Dread Templar feels like a marriage between the high speed play of Doom 2016 with a modern perspective on perks and builds. Featuring a fantastic metal soundtrack, the game goes hard with a variety of locales, enemies, and weapons you can use to rip and tear. Very underrated in my opinion, it is a great shooter for someone looking for something a little old school, a little modern, and a lot of metal.
5: Blood West
Blood West tries to do a lot of things for shooters. It is a stealth game, a grounded shooter, part RPG, with a dose of horror and lovecraft as well. This one gets on the list for being entirely different than anything else out there. This is a title you’ll either love or hate, but if you’re looking for a shooter that rewards smart play as well as good shooting, it is a solid pick.
