Summary

  • Perfect Dark for Xbox was a standout FPS in 2000 due to great levels, multiplayer, and replayability. (112 characters)
  • Halo: Combat Evolved in 2001 marked the moment consoles caught up to PC in terms of FPS games. (101 characters)
  • TimeSplitters 2 for GameCube and PlayStation 2 in 2002 stood out with a fantastic campaign and innovative level editor. (124 characters)

Since Doom came out in 1993, FPS games have remained one of the most popular gaming genres. Unlike certain genres like stealth or adventure, FPS games never waned in popularity, and with how much the genre changed and evolved over the years, you can see why. The biggest decade for FPS games was the 2000s because going from 2000 to 2009 was a huge shakeup with all the innovations.

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Consoles saw big advancements in the genre, online play grew stronger and stronger, and some of the best cooperative FPS games were released. There are so many amazing FPS titles, and picking the best one in a given period can be tough for certain jam-packed, incredible gaming years.

10 2000: Perfect Dark

An Absolute Masterpiece

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Perfect Dark (2000)

First-Person Shooter Released May 22, 2000 ESRB m Developer(s) The Initiative, Nintendo, Rare, Crystal Dynamics Publisher(s) Rare, Nintendo, Xbox Game Studios Engine unreal engine 4 Multiplayer Local Multiplayer Franchise Perfect Dark Platform(s) Xbox 360, Nintendo 64 How Long To Beat 8 hours File Size Xbox Series 784 MB (June 2023) Powered by Expand Collapse

Easily, the best FPS game from 2000 has to be Perfect Dark. Sure, the N64 version was a little rough, but most people playing today are playing via an Xbox console, which resolves all those issues. You have great levels, great replayability with multiple difficulties, a fun story, and excellent multiplayer.

What really puts Perfect Dark over the edge is the sheer amount of stuff you can do, similar to Metal Gear Solid 3. Even if you're familiar with this game, you'll still find new things you didn't even know existed all these years later.

9 2001: Halo: Combat Evolved

When Consoles Finally Caught Up To PC

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Halo: Combat Evolved

FPS Released November 15, 2001 ESRB M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Violence Developer(s) Bungie, Gearbox Software Publisher(s) Microsoft Game Studios Engine Blam Engine Franchise Halo Platform(s) PC, Xbox (Original), Xbox 360, Xbox One How Long To Beat 10 Hours Metascore 97 Powered by Expand Collapse

2001 actually had many stellar FPS titles, and the first Serious Sam would have been FPS of the year if it wasn't for Halo. GoldenEye 007 was the first big step in console FPS games, but Halo was when consoles finally caught up, and it was a great showcase for the Xbox hardware.

Big open areas on such a vast scale were something no other console FPS could do at the time, and it was mindblowing. The gunplay was great, the vehicles were really fun, and while Halo 1's a little dated today, the gameplay remains solid, especially at a high level.

8 2002: TimeSplitters 2

A Sixth-Gen Classic

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TimeSplitters 2

FPS Released October 8, 2002 ESRB T For Teen // Blood, Language, Violence Developer(s) Free Radical Design Publisher(s) Eidos Interactive Engine unreal engine Multiplayer Local Co-Op, Local Multiplayer Franchise TimeSplitters Number of Players 1-16 Platform(s) GameCube, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox (Original) How Long To Beat 9 Hours PS Plus Availability Premium Powered by Expand Collapse

After Perfect Dark, many of its developers made the TimeSplitters games. The first installment was pretty decent, but TimeSplitters 2 was a totally different beast. One of the best console FPS games of the generation, TimeSplitters 2, had a fantastic campaign, but what really stood out was the level editor.

Yes, before Halo 3 with Forge, the console FPS to do a level editor right was this game, and it was a blast creating levels and playing them with your friends. Thankfully, you can play TimeSplitters 2 on both modern PlayStation and Xbox systems, so there's no excuse not to check this game out.

7 2003: Call Of Duty

The One That Started It All

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Call of Duty (2003)

FPS Released October 29, 2003 ESRB Teen // Blood, Violence Developer(s) Infinity Ward Publisher(s) Activision Engine id Tech 3 Multiplayer Local Multiplayer, Online Multiplayer Franchise Call of Duty Platform(s) PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 How Long To Beat 7 Hours Powered by Expand Collapse

2003 didn't have a lot to offer in terms of big FPS games. There were some smaller titles, like XIII and Postal 2, but the best had to be the original Call of Duty. Still, to this day, Call of Duty 1 is an incredible WW2 experience.

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It frankly outclasses the Medal of Honor games that were coming out at the time, which started to become stale. The immersive feel with those big triumphant war moments, complete with a great soundtrack, is still effective today, and its 2005 sequel was even better.

6 2004: Halo 2

A Monumental Achievement

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Halo 2

Shooter Released September 4, 2004 ESRB M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Language, Violence Developer(s) Bungie Publisher(s) Microsoft Game Studios Engine havok Multiplayer Local Multiplayer Franchise Halo Platform(s) Xbox (Original), PC How Long To Beat 9 Hours Metascore 95 Powered by Expand Collapse

Two big years in the 2000s were jam-packed with stellar FPS games, and 2004 is one of them. You had Doom 3, Chronicles of Riddick, and Far Cry, but the two top contenders were Halo 2 and Half-Life 2. The edge is going to Halo 2 because it was more game-changing for the industry in regards to console online play, and the story was unbelievably good.

Halo 2 was an Empire Strikes Back-type of sequel where it beautifully expanded the lore and universe to such a degree that it was clear Halo was going to be the top sci-fi franchise in gaming. What Bungie was able to do with Halo 2 and its story is a bigger accomplishment than what Valve did.

5 2005: Fear

When Action And Horror Collide

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F.E.A.R.

FPS Horror Released October 18, 2005 ESRB M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language Developer(s) Monolith Productions Publisher(s) Vivendi Universal Engine havok, lithtech Multiplayer Local Multiplayer Platform(s) PC, PS3, Xbox 360 How Long To Beat 8 Hours PS Plus Availability Premium Powered by Expand Collapse

Call of Duty 2 is amazing, and SWAT 4 is a close second, but you just can't top the action-filled ride that is Fear. An FPS with a Max Payne-style slow-mo system where you go around shooting people up close left and right; it never gets old. The weapons feel so destructive, and the enemy AI is debatably the best ever made for an FPS up till that point.

Fear nicely mixes in horror elements as well, and the jump scares are pretty good. Fear is one game you have to play on PC because the console versions just don't replicate the controls and fast flow of the combat on mouse and keyboard.

4 2006: Prey

A Must-Play FPS Just Like The New Prey

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Prey (2006)

FPS Released July 11, 2006 Developer(s) Human Head Studios, 3D Realms, Venom Games Publisher(s) 2K Games Platform(s) PC, Xbox (Original), Xbox 360, Xbox One How Long To Beat 7 Hours Powered by Expand Collapse

Like 2003, 2006 didn't have much to offer, with the second-best game being Rainbow Six: Vegas 1. The best FPS of the year, however, is a title that's sadly overshadowed by its reboot. That game is the original Prey, which follows Tommy's journey into an alien spaceship to save not only himself but his girlfriend.

The title was quite unique, with a great visual style, a diverse protagonist, and a pretty good story. The environments still look good to this day. Prey often goes on sale on the Xbox Store, and it's absolutely worth playing, just like the 2017 reboot.

3 2007: BioShock

The Most Important FPS Of The Year

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BioShock

FPS Released August 21, 2007 ESRB m Developer(s) Irrational Games Publisher(s) 2K Games Engine havok, unreal engine 2.5, unreal engine 3, vengeance engine Franchise BioShock Platform(s) PC, PS3, Xbox 360 How Long To Beat 12 Hours Metascore 96 Powered by Expand Collapse

2007 was one of the greatest years in all of gaming, especially for FPS fans. There was The Orange Box, COD4, Halo 3, and Crysis, but the best has to go to the game that changed the industry the most: BioShock. The spiritual successor to System Shock, BioShock had one of the most interesting and creative worlds in gaming at that point, with a timeless, iconic opening sequence.

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Everyone who played this game back when it came out remembers the twist and how powerful it was. BioShock also appealed to many types of players because it worked as both a solid FPS and a horror game. That was a big strength that not a lot of people realized, and it made it reach a much larger player base.

2 2008: Call Of Duty: World At War

Going Out With A Bang

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Call of Duty: World at War

FPS Released November 11, 2008 ESRB M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language Developer(s) Treyarch Publisher(s) Activision Engine IW Multiplayer Local Multiplayer, Local Co-Op Franchise Call of Duty Platform(s) PC, PS3, Wii, Xbox 360 How Long To Beat 8 Hours Powered by Expand Collapse

For the longest time, Call of Duty: World at War was the final WW2 installment of the series, and to be frank, it should have stayed that way. You just can't top the brutal and gruesomely dark nature of this campaign. You see all the horrors of WW2 here, and you have great characters, with Reznov being the highlight. It's a great contrast to the more triumphant, colorful WW2 CODs that came out prior.

The main reason WAW tops the year is because of Zombies, one of the biggest aspects of the entire franchise. The most popular cooperative game mode in the series debuted here, and while it's a bit dated, it still holds up on its own, especially the later maps. Many will argue that Left 4 Dead is the superior zombie game, but its sequel was far better.

1 2009: Left 4 Dead 2

A Zombie Game GOAT

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Left 4 Dead 2

Shooter Released November 17, 2009 ESRB M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language Developer(s) Valve Publisher(s) Valve Engine Source Multiplayer Local Co-Op, Local Multiplayer, Online Co-Op, Online Multiplayer Franchise Left 4 Dead Number of Players 2 (Local Co-Op), 4 (Online Co-Op) Split Screen Orientation Vertical Or Horizontal Steam Deck Compatibility Verified Platform(s) PC, Xbox 360, Linux, macOS Metascore 89 Powered by Expand Collapse

2009 had quite a few stellar FPS games, with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 being an overall GOTY contender for most outlets. However, in terms of what game holds up the most and still sees support, the best FPS is Left 4 Dead 2. First off, the title's infinitely replayable due to the randomization of enemies, but it also improves upon the original tenfold.

You had a wider selection of guns, brand-new melee weapons, new items, new enemies, and even the overall gameplay was tweaked. The ammo stockpiles found abundantly in the original have been restricted, so you'll have to swap weapons more often. The gameplay's depth is so much bigger here, and with the mod support on offer, Left 4 Dead 2 will still see play decades from now.

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