Welcome, Dear Reader, to Rogueliker’s newly minted guide to the best first-person and FPS roguelikes.
If you’re after an array of top-down and third-person roguelite shooters, then the link will take you to my existing article on the matter. Here, however, we’re sticking to games that play from a first-person perspective. Starting with…
Gunfire Reborn | Duoyi Games | Android, PC (Win), PS, Switch, Xbox | My first thought when I saw the name Gunfire Reborn was: “that’s a bold claim!” However, after playing the game myself on Xbox, I’ve come around to the fact that the developers might well be on to something.
There are lots of shooters in this feature, but I’m not sure that there’s a single one that can claim to have gunplay that is more satisfying than it is here. There are so many creative weapons to choose from and they can all be upgraded and enhanced. Throw in co-op and a ton of replayability and you’ve got a great option for any first-person shooter fan looking for something a bit different.
Roboquest | RyseUp Studios | PC (Win), Xbox | The environmental design and cel-shaded graphics are reminiscent of Borderlands, but the structure of Roboquest is all rogue. This highly replayable first-person shooter has bags of charm and seriously solid gunplay, which results in a highly enjoyable experience.
Not only is Roboquest a brilliant solo game, the fun increases exponentially when you bring a friend along for some co-op. It’s fast, it’s slick, and it’s full of robots – what more could you possibly want?
Blue Prince | Dogubomb | PC (Win), PS5, Xbox | To be fair to Dogubomb, while Blue Prince is a first-person experience, it is unlike any other game on this list. Blue Prince is different, and not just within the realm of roguelites – it’s mind-melting challenge has been embraced by the wider gaming family.
Blue Prince is a game that lives on the screen but also beyond it, and you’ll need to take notes as you explore, unravel clues, piece together mysteries, and try and find a hidden room tucked away in an ever-shifting mansion.
The Best of the Rest
Battle Shapers | Metric Empire | PC (Win) | And now for something a bit fresher, and that is Metric Empire’s new first-person blaster, Battle Shapers. Playing as a robot lady with highly upgradable abilities and a wonderful arsenal of weapons, you must take back New Elysium from the giant metallic monsters that rule there. The combat arenas are small but full of interesting features, and they’ve usually got two floors, which gives them a good sense of verticality. If you’ve played the likes of Roboquest and Gunfire Reborn to death and you’re looking for something new, I think this one might tick enough boxes for you.
Superhot: Mind Control Delete | Team Superhot | PC (Lin, Mac, Win), PS, Xbox | The simple premise of Superhot is: time moves when you do. If you stand still, the chaotic gun battles that rage around you immediately slow to a virtual crawl. This moment of calm amidst the storm allows you to plan and execute your next steps in such a way that John Wick himself would be pleased. It’s a puzzle shooter at heart, but the Mind Control Delete entry in the series introduces a roguelite progression system to maximise potential replayability.
Sulfur | Perfect Random | PC (Win) | It might still be in Early Access at the time of writing, but I think that Sulfur already has enough about it to warrant inclusion here. Not only is it a great shooter, but it’s also doing something just a little bit different, by infusing extraction mechanics into the roguelite mix. Sulfur is punishing, and you’re going to die a lot, especially at first. However, you can teleport back to base with good gear when you find it, and start the process of making yourself stronger for your next attempt. It does take a while to get going, but once it gets its hooks in you, Sulfur doesn’t let go easily.
Mullet MadJack | Hammer95 | PC (Win), PS5, Switch, Xbox | This spot on the list was between Hammer95’s ultra-violent blaster and Post Void, but when it comes to lightning fast first-person shooters, the extra substance of MMJ makes a difference and ensures that this is a must play (though both are good). The aim of this frantic FPS is to get to the top of a tower filled with countless robotic enemies. The hook is that upon starting each floor, you’ve got a mere ten seconds to get going. Each time you take down an enemy you get more time added to the clock and so the pace is always relentless. On top of having a killer gameplay loop, the retro vibes and pitch perfect delivery of old school staples makes Mullet MadJack a true delight.
Prey: Mooncrash | Arkane Studios | PC (Win), PS, Xbox | The dissolution of Arkane Austin was a sad day for the industry, but the studio left behind a really interesting first-person shooter set in the Prey universe, while also laying some of the groundwork for Deathloop (Arkane Lyon). Mooncrash isn’t the best shooter, nor is it the best roguelike, but it is a genuinely interesting blend of ingredients built on the rock solid foundations of Prey, an immersive sim that has players desperately fighting for survival against aliens with powerful psychic powers and the ability to shapeshift. Mooncrash takes the mechanical depth of Prey and respins it into something new and unique where you must guide survivors off a base in the grip of an alien infestation.
Robobeat | Simon Fredholm | PC (Win) | One of the more recently released games on this little listicle, Robobeat does exactly what the name implies. In this frenetic FPS, you play as a robot and, yes, you must pull the trigger in time with the beat to maximise your score. What that means in practice is rad rhythmic combat and toe-tapping action as you blast away at Tron-like enemies framed in the neon glow of a futuristic setting. It’s chaotic, it’s addictive, and the soundtrack slaps. To put it another way: Robobeat rocks.
Deep Rock Galactic | Ghost Ship Games | PC (Win), PS, Xbox | Despite Deep Rock Galactic being a good distance away from the original Rogue and therefore stretching the definition of “roguelite” to its limit, the procedural generation and the enduring replayability that it brings means that I’m happy to include it here. At the time of writing there’s DRG and also its younger sibling, DRG: Survivors (and there’s another on the way). Both of the released games are fun shooters, but my pick for this article is the original FPS experience – there’s so much to do and the gameplay loop has been carefully refined over the years.
Gunhead | Alientrap | PC, PS | Mothergunship | Terrible Posture Games | PC (Win), PS, Xbox | Oh man, this was a difficult one; I was torn between including Gunhead or Mothergunship. Both games are about jumping around in a giant mech suit and shooting the crap out of robots on monstrous spaceships. Mothergunship is a fun FPS with a great weapon crafting system, but Gunhead offers tactical flexibility via its expansive arenas. Both games are flawed, especially with regards to narrative, but I’d say that Mothergunship is a bit more welcoming. Either game would be a fine choice if you’re looking for a shooter that lets you hop around huge metallic space hulks in a mech with massive yet creative weapons.
Witchfire | The Astronauts | PC (Win) | A counterpoint to the pixelated simplicity of Vampire Survivors is Witchfire, a stunning and complex roguelite shooter from The Astronauts (a studio made up of key people behind the likes of Bulletstorm). Set in a murky grimdark alternate history where an evil witch has humanity on the brink, you must experiment with arkane powers and become that which you hate. It’s still in Early Access at the time of writing, but this first-person shooter is already looking fantastic and offers a significant challenge. You might want to wait until it’s finished before diving in, as the developers are adding new content, working on balance, and then implementing new systems, but if you don’t mind playing a game in development that’s subject to change, Witchfire is worth a look.
Everspace | Rockfish Games | PC (Lin, Mac, Win), PS, Switch, Xbox | I’ve seen a fair bit of discontent about Everspace but I’m including it because it’s my list and I like it! This space shooter puts you in the cockpit of (or just behind) a star fighter and tasks you with blasting your way through a series of different sectors of enemy space. In between attempts you can make upgrades to your ship, which helps you get stronger for each new run. If you prefer a more expansive RPG experience, the sequel offers that in spades, but if what you’re after is a pure dogfighting experience without too many talking heads (and VR support for those who want it) then Everspace has you covered.
Deadlink | Gruby Entertainment | PC (Win), PS, Xbox | If you’re a fan of boomer shooters and classics such as Doom and Quake, Deadlink’s fast and fluid first-person gunplay may well tickle your fancy. This cyberpunk-themed FPS has you playing as a ghost in a shell – the shell being an autonomous combat suit that lets you zip and zap your way around futuristic multi-level combat arenas. The pace is furious and the action is well balanced considering how everything has been procedurally arranged for each new run. There are a few first-person shooters in this list, but none of them are as fleet of foot as Deadlink.
Barony | Turning Wheel | PC (Lin, Mac, Win) | One first-person rogue that has been around for what feels like forever is Barony. Not only is this Minecraft-esque first-person dungeon crawler playable in local co-op, there’s also a tremendous amount of content to play through thanks to years of dedicated development. Don’t be fooled by the cutesy graphics either, Barony will kick your retro-3D ass.
Mortal Sin | Nikola Todorovic | PC (Win) | I’ve been saving this one for last, because while it’s still in Early Access, I’m really enjoying Mortal Sin, and have been for many months. This eye-bleeding first-person fantasy game is hard-as-nails and full of death. However, once you start to get to grips with the pace of the game and the severity of the combat, Mortal Sin reveals itself to be a truly immersive FPS roguelike.
The Kinix Perspective
This sub-section of the article is reserved for the recommendations and musings of our own Kinix Reviews (not his real name, just in case you were wondering), who has a particular interest in this genre. Here are his picks, with words pulled from his reviews here on RL.
White Knuckle | Dark Machine Games | PC (Win) | If you click through to the Steam page linked above then you’ll see a pull-quote from Kinix’s review. The quote tells you everything you need to know about how he feels about this terrifying climbing roguelite: “The core gameplay is perfect.”
Receiver 2 | Wolfire Games | PC (Lin, Mac, Win) | This sequel honed and then perfected the formula put forward in the first game, and it remains an “all-time favourite” despite it requiring plenty of patience as you handle all aspects of the gun in your hand. “There’s nothing like it out there and there probably never will be again,” Kinix wrote.
Space Beast Terror Fright | nornware AB | PC (Win) | If you’re reading between the lines, you’ll notice that all of the games in this corner of the article are quite intense, but perhaps none moreso than Space Beast Terror Fright, which Kinix explains as having “hyper-focused mechanics, brutal difficulty, and fantastic atmosphere.”
Desecrators | Woodhound | PC (Win) | We’re almost half-way through the year and this is already a GOTY contender for our in-house sharpshooter. According to the Kinix review, there’s “a level of polish involved in Desecrators’ game design that is impressive.” In particular, if you’re a 6DOF shooter, this “is definitely one of the best.”
