In any good FPS game, two core tenets fundamentally decide how enjoyable the experience is: gunplay and level design. A shooter is only as great as the gun gameplay, and in the same way, the combat only really shines when it has an equally impressive and well-thought-out area to take place in.

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While some games nail one of the two, a few special titles manage to perfectly deliver on both fronts without any complaints from the playerbase. These games show that maps and gunplay are integral pieces of the FPS puzzle and can singlehandedly decide whether they become an instant classic or fall into obscurity like so many others.

Titanfall 2

Seamlessly Transitioning From Movement To Fight

• Maps heavily factor in the game’s many movement options.
• Larger-scale areas to account for titans as well as pilots.

***Titanfall 2 ***has some of the most fluid and crisp gunplay of any FPS ever made. Every shot matters, and rather than just sprinting around spraying bullets in every direction, players instead need to factor in their own momentum as well as the enemy’s in order to have a chance at winning the duel.

The maps themselves perfectly elevate the already impressive gameplay, giving players plenty of chances to use those mobility options to traverse buildings and gain new vantage points without any awkward ladders or long staircases. When playing in a high-quality match, the whole experience is truly unmatched, feeling more like a cinematic movie sequence than another game of Team Deathmatch.

Counter-Strike 2

The Perfect Tactical Shooter

• Maps have been refined and tweaked over the course of several decades.
• Precise gunplay that has remained unchanged for generations.

***Counter-Strike 2, **and the majority of the Counter-Strike ***franchise, is well-known for having exceptional maps alongside equally exceptional gameplay. The game is anything but a walk in the park, demanding a level of aim and precision that is rarely seen elsewhere, but also delivering a responsive level of feedback behind every well-placed shot, rewarding skillful players with a kick of dopamine and a couple of extra dollars to help them out in the next round.

Many of the game’s maps come from older entries in the series, but altered, refined, and modernized, all while still retaining the core gameplay loop that so many loved in the first place. Despite being quite basic overall, there are so many opportunities for players to show their map knowledge with everything from wall-bangs to smoke lineups, differentiating novices and professionals with something other than aim.

DOOM Eternal

Running And Leaping All Over

• Intentional jump placement for maximum mobility.
• Weighty gunplay with plenty of gore.

***DOOM Eternal ***is, for many, the most complete and perfect experience in the franchise, maintaining a lot of the core gameplay elements from earlier entries but innovating enough in the right places to please fans and newcomers alike. Carnage is king, as players get to wield a huge range of firearms, from shotguns to pistols, all with enough demon-slaying power to take on hell itself.

Each level is meticulously designed with player movement in mind. A lot of the time, players will be zipping around at high speeds and shooting as they go, and the game understands this very well, presenting long stretches that spawn enemies at ideal times and locations. Even when things do slow down, the environments remain compelling enough to keep players hunting for secrets for hours on end.

Overwatch 2

Opportunities For Everyone To Shine

• Each hero has a use case and ideal placement within each map.
• Huge opportunities for skill expression within combat.

***Overwatch 2 ***manages to create exceptional gameplay experiences for every player, regardless of what map they are playing on or what hero they are playing as. Some areas will favor characters with mobility that can utilize high-ground positions, while others benefit a more stable core that can leverage power at shorter ranges, with both styles often existing on the exact same map.

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From a gunplay perspective, the DPS lineup delivers every kind of shooter fantasy a player could ever want. There are devastating snipers, riflers that can unload sustained damage over a longer period, and even a few melee outliers that can be equally strong and enjoyable for players who prefer something a little bit different from the traditional shooter gameplay.

Half-Life 2

Revolutionizing The Entire Genre

• Simple yet satisfying gunplay.
• Engaging level designs that never feel too linear.

Half-Life 2 may be over 20 years old at this point, but that hasn’t stopped it from remaining a talking point within the shooter space all this time later. The gunplay is anything but dated, feeling responsive and fast, and letting skilled players navigate levels in style while also letting more casual ones enjoy the ride.

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Despite being a linear game overall, *Half-Life 2 *still manages to feel far more open, even inside structures. There are hidden crates and pathways that lead to new vantage points, and every enemy feels as though it was born to exist in the exact spot it appears, making the fights feel engaging and tense no matter how far into the game the player is.

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege

Breaking Down All The Walls (Literally)

• Destructible environments add tactical depth to every map.
• Raw aim mechanics still reign supreme.

***Rainbow Six Siege ***brings an entirely different experience to the tactical shooter genre, removing limits on map design by allowing players to shoot and destroy virtually every surface. There are specific breach points that can lead towards objectives, but creative players can find new routes that completely shift the tempo of a match.

In terms of gunplay, players are in for a real treat. They have access to a wide arsenal of powerful weapons that serve distinct purposes, but all feel equally weighty. It’s all about timing and accuracy, and the difference between good and bad players is night and day, simply due to the raw skill required to be successful.

Battlefield 4

One Of The Best There Has Ever Been

• Impact is felt behind every single weapon.
• Dynamic maps that change in a matter of moments.

***Battlefield 4 ***excels at delivering large-scale battles across gigantic maps that are still modern despite the game’s age. The weapons feel so good to use, and every shot fired sounds as though it literally launched from the player’s hands due to the emphasis on realism in the visuals and sound design.

Level design has always been the franchise’s bread and butter, and this entry is no different. Skyscrapers collapse, highways explode, and entire metropolitan cities can turn to rubble over the course of a match, drastically changing the flow of the combat and ensuring that no two rounds feel the same.

Halo: Combat Evolved

From Driving Outdoors To Tense Fights Indoors

• Clear weapon roles with distinct purposes.
• Open levels that incorporate vehicles in unique ways.

Halo: Combat Evolved established a gold standard for console FPS gunplay, emphasizing a clear balance between clarity and non-stop action. The gunfights don’t ever end in a single shot, instead requiring constant repositioning and aggression in a way that few other games can replicate.

The level design complements this pacing with wide-open spaces that encourage exploration and tactical maneuvering, as well as tighter areas that change fights into faster, more close-quarters engagements. With several sequels that all tried to replicate the same level of quality, *Halo: CE *remains one of the best and most well-designed FPS games of all time.

Far Cry 3

An Intelligently Designed Open Landscape

• Punchy, realistic weapons.
• Multiple points of attack for enemy outposts.

***Far Cry 3 ***takes an incredibly satisfying and well-made gunplay loop and thrusts it into a responsive open-world that never feels boring, no matter how many times the game is played. Players are free to approach outposts and camps however they choose, taking out enemies from afar or using built-in flanks to carefully pick off enemies from stealth.

As good as the map is, the gunplay manages to match and even surpass it in quality. There is not a single useless weapon in the game, and at no point will players feel like they can just mow down everything in sight. Instead, they need to plan their approaches tactically, using whatever tricks they can to clear each area unscathed.

Metro Exodus

Immersive From Start To Finish

• Slower, more tactical fights.
• Wider arenas for players to approach however they choose.

Metro Exodus takes a grounded approach to its gunplay, focusing more on immersion and scarcity than arcade-style encounters. Weapon recoil feels heavy, and ammunition is precious, meaning that every shot matters in the midst of the countless tense encounters.

Its level design departs from traditional corridors and rooms, offering semi-open regions that allow players to wander from the main path without ever feeling like they are exploring for nothing. Also, in the more crowded action sections, areas of cover are placed naturally rather than being forced into the world, keeping things feeling as realistic as possible and maintaining that high tension throughout.

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