Summary
First-person shootershave been one of the most popular video game genres ever since retro shooters such asDOOMandQuakepioneered and innovated the genre. As thefirst-person shooterhas become more popular, however, the mechanics and gameplay have become more streamlined for modern audiences.
Despite this, there has been a place for tactical and hardcore shooters since the 90s, with theSWATandRainbow Sixfranchises leading the charge. Now, these games are predominantly PC-exclusive affairs, likely due to the fact that their controls and the need for lightning-fast reactions aren’t well suited to controllers.
7ZERO Sievert
A Top-Down Tarkov-Like Extraction Shooter
Zero Sieverttakes the addictive gameplay loop of extraction shooters such asEscape From Tarkovand combines it with a top-down perspective and a 2D visual style. UnlikeEscape From Tarkov, however,Zero Sievertoffers a challenging single-player experience. While its top-down perspective may provide a different challenge than a first-person shooter,Zero Sievertwears its hardcore influences on its sleeve.
Zero Sievertis packed with challenges, resource management, and intense shootouts, but lacks the frustrations that multiplayer games bring, such as cheaters. After the horrendous behavior of the team behindEscape From Tarkov,Zero Sievertis a refreshing extraction shooter experience for those who can look past its vast visual difference and lack of multiplayer interaction.
Blood, released all the way back in 1997, was one of many fast-pacedfirst-person shooters that were released in the 90s. This classic shooter has since inspired other fast-paced, hardcore boomer shooters, such as the indie hit,CULTIC.
Bloodis a challenging shooter for many reasons, but primarily for its infamous hit-scan enemies that can quickly take out unaware players. As a result of this, its many ambushes, and its variety of weapons that need to be mastered,Bloodis a shooter that requires the player’s full attention at all times.
This old-school, hardcore shooter is arguablyone of the best SWAT gamesavailable today. AlthoughSWAT 4is nearly two decades old now, having been released all the way back in 2005, it remains a visceral shooter experience that requires tactics and swift reactions alike.
SWAT 4tasks players with leading a squad of SWAT officers through a variety of challenging missions.SWAT 4’s FPS gameplay may be showing its age by now, but its tactical elements and focus on suspenseful design lend itself well to the hardcore style.
4Ground Branch
Quick Time-To-Kill And Team-Based Tactics
Thishardcore tactical shooteris an immersive military FPSwith deep customization systems. InGround Branch, players are able to deeply customize their character and, more importantly, their weapons.
Ground Branchfeatures both PvE and PvP game modes, with up to eight players being able to work togetherin online co-op. Teamwork is massively important to success inGround Branch, and the quick time-to-kill and team-based tactics are what make it such a hardcore experience.
This military first-person shooter focuses on attention to detail and high levels of simulation. With a maximum of fifty players on each side, a quick time-to-kill, and a focus on teamwork across twenty-four large maps,Squadis a particularly hardcore multiplayer shooter. Communication is a massive part ofSquad, and this is facilitated by the game’s systems for proximity voice chat.
InSquad, players are placed in a nine-person squad of soldiers, and must work together with that squad to do what’s best for the team in any given match. Players can even fortify locations on the map with barbed wire and sandbags, and each squad must also manage their ammo efficiently. This focus on tactics and teamwork, as well as the game’s immersive gunplay, makesSquada relatively inaccessible hardcore shooter.
This highly immersive tactical shooter features visceral, high-octane gunfights with a quick time-to-kill. AlthoughReady Or Notfeatures single-player support, it’s arguably better when played in a group, as this adds an added level of tactics and teamwork.
Ready Or Notalso features solid systems for customizing weapons and gear, giving the player more agency and making the already steep learning curve somewhat steeper. Like many tactical military shooters, players will have to worry about excessive force and shooting civilians in the crossfire as they attempt to complete their objectives, making the experience all the less forgiving.
As the third mainline game in this long-running series of hardcore military simulation games,Arma 3had a lot to live up to. Thankfully,Arma 3is a well-crafted, immersive experience that features an impressive level of detail.
The high attention to detail and intricate systems giveArma 3a relatively high difficulty curve that’s easy for newcomers to bounce off. However, players who stick around to learnArma 3’scontrols and systems will soon find themselves immersed in its military sandbox.
WhileEscape From Tarkovis, mechanically, a tactile and immersive hardcore experience, it’s hard to recommend in its current state. AlthoughEscape From Tarkovis a more than competent first-person shooter with an addictive gameplay loop, it’s unfortunately plagued by cheaters. Furthermore,the recent actions of its managementhave left many fans ofTarkovwith a bitter taste in their mouths, worsening its reputation in a way that might be hard to turn around in the future. As a result, it’s harder than ever to recommend the game to newcomers.
