Summary
While the cover-based gameplay and automatic regeneration of health in modern shooters such asCall Of Dutyhave put an emphasis on positioning, timing, and reflexes, first-person shooters were once focused on tactical, expressive movement. Games such asQuake, its sequels, andUnreal Tournamentare just a few examples of those that built a competitive scene around skill expression through movement.
With the modern resurgence of old-school shooters, players are getting to enjoy a wealth of retro-style indie games with nostalgic, low-poly graphics and movement-focused gameplay. Be it the granular movement abilities ofULTRAKILLto theQuake-inspired gameplay ofDUSK, there’s something here for all kinds of FPS fans.
Developed by David Szymanski, the prolific indie developer behind games such asIron Lungand theGremlins-inspiredChop Goblins,DUSKis a first-person shooter with a retro style, taking inspiration from games such asQuakeand evenStalker.DUSKtakes players on a wild romp through a variety of low-poly missions, elevated by a brilliant sense of mood and a creepy atmosphere.
The combat arenas and selection of weaponry are certainly amongDUSK’s greatest strengths, along with its aforementioned atmosphere, but the game does feature expressive movement controls that hearken back to its inspirations. Crouching, crouch-jumping, sliding, and diagonal running all play a part in the maneuverability of the player, making for a frequently-expressive system.
Repletewith psychedelic imageryand painted over with a scratchy, grimy style,Post Voidis a fast-paced and frenetic first-person shooter that tasks players with barreling through a series of small levels at breakneck speeds, gunning down enemies along the way.
Players are encouraged to play as fast as they can, as their health, represented by a glowing idol, is constantly draining. As a result,Post Voidnaturally plays at a fast speed, and this is only elevated by the game’s fluid movement controls and sliding mechanic.
3Maximum Action
A No-Frills Shooter Inspired By 80s Action Cinema
Maximum Actionis a first-person shooter that’s all about style. Little challenge is offered by its design, and there’s no narrative to speak of, but its FPS action, inspired by 80s/90s action cinema, is elevated by a diverse pool of weapons and expressive movement controls.
Fans ofgames such asMax PayneandFEARwill likely appreciateMaximum Action’s addition of bullet-time mechanics and slow-motion diving, both of which help in making the game’s movement more expressive. All in all, players who enjoy action sandboxes and the bombastic firefights of films such asHard BoiledandThe Matrixare more than likely to get a kick or two out ofMaximum Action.
FPS fans who have yet to enjoyQuake’sunique flavorof arena combat and expressive movement controls are perhaps missing out.Quakehas aged tremendously well and, though perhaps more technologically impressive at the time, is an important milestone in the world of video games.
The game’s unique movement, often exploited in the game’s competitive multiplayer, plays an important role inQuake, and this is also the case in single-player, especially when playing on the harder difficulties. Maneuvering through the 3D environments can be especially dangerous when dealing with multiple enemy types, each of which adds its unique challenge to the combat puzzle, and mastering the game’s expressive movement is integral to success.
Channeling the energy of old-school first-person shooters such asBloodas much as it doesthe survival-horror ofResident Evil 4,CULTICis a unique flavor of FPS developed with extreme love and care. The dark atmosphere and retro-style gameplay are backed by excellent art direction and crunchy sound design, resulting in an experience that feels both immersive and impactful.
CULTIC’s movement toolkit allows for plenty of expression with its combination of fast running, a well-tuned jump, a dodge mechanic, and a slide. Players can even use the game’s kicking mechanic to boost themselves forward, though it’s not exactly necessary to make use of this technique.
Neon Whiteis much less about shooting and a lot more about speedrunning, blasting through each short mission as quickly as humanly possible by utilizing the expressive movement mechanics and even the levels themselves. Its variety of missions is interspersed with a narrative that certainly caters to an acquired taste, but players who enjoy FPS titles for speedrunning shouldn’t letNeon Whitepass them by.
Though its movement is fairly basic on the surface,Neon Whiteelevates its player controller withits variety of weapons. These weapons serve as an alternative method of taking out enemies, but each of them also harnesses its own unique power. These powers can be used to maneuver through the levels in creative ways, allowing players to express themselves at every turn.
Featuring a surprisinglyfun, pulpy campaign, this sci-fi FPS is a truly expressive shooter that keeps a tight focus on fast-paced movement. The variety of mechs and the unique movement that they bring with them also make for a fresh spin on more traditional FPS games such asCall Of Duty.
Titanfall 2may take a little while for newcomers to get to grips with, as it plays fairly differently from most shooters, but it’s worth learning the game to experience its expressive movement. For those who don’t enjoy competitive multiplayer environments,Titanfall 2may be less appealing, but its single-player campaign still has a lot to offer.
ULTRAKILL, published by the prolific and commonly celebrated New Blood Interactive, is a visceral, fast-paced first-person shooter packed with action and propelled by its sense of style and expressive movement controls.ULTRAKILL’s levels are designed with expression in mind, providing plenty of opportunities for players to test the limits of their movement, interspersed with expressive combat arenas.
Players who enjoy retro-style first-person shooters may find a lot to like withULTRAKILL. However, this title packs a lot of its distinctive punch, channeling the energy of games such asQuakeas much as it doesthe action ofDevil May Cry.
