10 FPS games with unique mechanics

The FPS genre is one of the most saturated in the market, with many titles fading into the background behind industry leaders.

These days, it pays to stand out. If you want to play some top-quality shooters who dare to be different, here are some incredible games with unique mechanics to keep you hooked.

10 Destiny 2

Eyes Up, Guardian

Destiny 2 is an ambitious looter shooter with some of the most satisfying gunplay in the genre.

Bungie’s juggernaut makes the list thanks to its imaginative Guardian abilities and incredible Raids. There are three Guardian classes in Destiny 2, each with six subclasses with distinct play styles and skills.

Weaving space magic with tight shooter mechanics makes Destiny 2 fun to play, even if the shooting is rudimentary on its own.

Destiny 2Raids are unforgettable, provided you have people to do them with. These activities provide the ultimate challenge and are masterclasses in creative-level design. Hardcore players love them for the difficulty and the exclusive weapons they contain.

9 Bodycam

In The Pursuit Of Realism

Bodycam is a hyperrealistic shooter that allows you to play from a body-mounted camera angle.

The camera choice makes Bodycam feel completely different from other shooters, but that’s not all. The art style and fisheye lens make Bodycam look real.

At first glance, you’d be forgiven for thinking you are watching a video recording instead of in-game footage.

In practice, Bodycam is a little clunky to play. Regardless, the perspective is unique, making the game immediately recognizable among its peers.

8 Superhot

Matrix Style

Superhot has a distinctive graphics style where enemies are marked in vibrant red. The part that really makes the game stand out is how time works.

The world only moves when you do, so you can stop time by standing still. You can effectively dodge bullets with this mechanic and even watch your performance in real-time at the end of each stage. It’s hard not to feel like a badass while playing, and there are plenty of ways to execute stylish kills.

Superhot even has a decent VR version, which takes the immersion to the next level.

7 Bulletstorm

For Style Points

Bulletstorm is a unique first-person shooter with a fresh approach to combat.

The game cares less about how many enemies you defeat and more about how cool you look while doing it. Bulletstorm is all about style, and you have futuristic toys to set up fantastic kills.

For example, you can blow up a barrel to throw an enemy into the sky, lasso them out of the air, and punt them off the map while peppering them with gunfire.

It’s over the top and ridiculous, and the chaos can even be enjoyed with friends.

6 Portal

Valve Does It Again

Portal is an ambitious puzzle game where you wield a portal gun and take on test chambers of increasing difficulty. You can create two portals at a time and use them to traverse each chamber in impressively creative ways.

Valve also has a firm grasp of physics with Portal and simply explains, “Speedy thing goes in, speedy thing comes out.” You can use momentum to fling yourself across chasms, and there are near-infinite possibilities in the game’s later stages.

The sequel explores portal shenanigans even further, but the original game is a masterpiece and should be played first.

GLaDOS is a superb antagonist in the Portal series, and the games wouldn’t be the same without her.

5 Bioshock

Dealing With A Plasmid Addiction

I could sing Bioshock’s praises from the rooftops, and its unique Plasmids are one of the many things it does well.

Plasmids are like injectable powers in the Bioshock universe. You can blow enemies away with abilities akin to a force push. If you’re feeling nasty, you can incinerate your foes with a snap of your fingers.

Abilities in Bioshock are imaginative, and each game in the trilogy expands upon the mechanics.

I recommend playing the original first for its excellent introduction to Plasmids, but there’s not a single bad game in the trilogy.

4 Splitgate

Halo Meets Portal

Splitgate is a futuristic arena shooter with a twist. Gunplay doesn’t feel dissimilar to Halo, partly thanks to the weapons, but the real kicker is the ability to make portals.

I’ve already sung Portal‘s praises on this list, but it turns out those mechanics feel incredible in a PvP shooter.

You can use portals to stealthily appear behind your opponents or catapult yourself around the map.

Pro-level Splitgate play is exceptionally impressive, and the mechanic is so fluid that it allows for incredible skill expression.

Sadly, Splitgate hemorrhaged players shortly after Halo Infinite came out, but a sequel is planned for 2025.

3 Sniper Elite 5

The Perfect Shot In Visceral Detail

Everyone loves sniping in first-person shooters, and Sniper Elite has arguably the coolest mechanics for it.

When you fire your sniper rifle, you can slow down time and follow the projectile as it hurtles toward your target. In fact, you can even watch the bullet penetrate your opponent and see it rip through every bone and organ in its path.

Sniper Elite kill cams are impressively gory, and few other games reward precision shots with such a fanfare. The Sniper Elite games have a decent quality bar across the board, but 4&5 are arguably the best. The final game is even available on PS Plus and is arguably one of the best shooters in the library.

2 Hunt: Showdown

There’s Nothing Quite Like It

Hunt: Showdown is an exceptional PvPvE Extraction Shooter set in the Bayou. There are monsters and intimidating bosses to conquer alongside bloodthirsty players.

Shooting mechanics are solid, but Hunt: Showdown makes the list because no other title offers a gameplay loop quite like it. Teams race to conquer a horrific boss monster and escape the map in one piece. As there are more players than bosses, a ton of strategy is involved in every match.

Do you run to the boss to quickly kill it first? Or do you try to figure out where the boss-killing team is heading and cut them off? There’s no correct answer, and that’s the thrill of the hunt.

The game isn’t on the list for any single mechanic and more a sum of its parts.

1 Titanfall 1&2

Unparalleled Movement

The Titanfall games are fondly remembered by anyone who played them back in their heyday. These titles make the list for two reasons, so let’s start with the game’s namesake.

You play as a Pilot in Titanfall and can periodically call down and command a giant hulking mech called a Titan. It’s a balancing nightmare that Respawn Entertainment approached head-on and made gameplay fun inside the mech or on foot.

The other reason Titanfall is on the list is the Pilot movement. You can effortlessly skate across walls and have incredible acrobatic abilities. Movement mechanics in Apex Legends exist because of Titanfall, and that’s a legacy few franchises can boast.