Ranking The Best Tactical Shooters

Summary


The shooter has been a mainstay of gaming since N64's GoldenEye dropped back in 1997. That legendary title changed the gaming landscape. Since then, shooters have been some of the most successful entertainment franchises of all time. The inherent drama of the set pieces and situations make excellent fodder for compelling gaming experiences. Not all shooters are created equal, however. While some work on rails, directing players through cinematic set-piece battles, others require a more strategic approach.


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Tactical shooters differ from rail shooters because they offer the player various approaches to accomplishing the mission. Freedom of choice is a critical reason tactical shooters have grown into a beloved genre. Here are the very best titles in the genre.


10 PUBG





PlayerUnknown's BattleGrounds , or PUBG, is the only game on this list that can legitimately claim to have spawned an entire genre. Since its release in 2017, others have taken on the battle royale model and arguably done it better. However, despite outdated visuals and snail's pace development, PUBG remains greater than the sum of its parts.


Creator Brendan Green envisioned the landmark title as an Arma-inspired shooter that lives closer to the arcade than the military sim end of the shooter spectrum. The result is a high-stakes winner-take-all pressure cooker that sees teams of up to four vying to dominate an ever-shrinking battle space. Whether flying solo or teamed up, PUBG still provides hours of tactical fun, but subpar graphics and aging game infrastructure prevent it from being higher on this list.


9 SOCOM II: U.S. Navy SEALS





The second installment of the SOCOM series hit the PlayStation 2 way back in 2003, putting players in command of a four-person team of the famous naval commandos. You can order your squad using key commands or via the USB headset in single-player mode. Deciding how to accomplish a mission, whether to go loud or maintain stealth, and fighting successfully even when the plan goes down the tubes, is all part of the fun.


SOCOM II included primary, secondary, and bonus objectives. Achieving all the primary objectives means a successful mission, but true warriors will only return to base once they meet every objective. SOCOM II was also an early indicator that the multiplayer online scene was not just for PC. Teams of eight operators could meet online and Alternativeso wrote duke it out in multiplayer mode. Though SOCOM II has a permanent place in the tactical shooter hall of fame, at this point it has aged out of being enjoyed by all but the most enthusiastic tactical shooter historians.


8 Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising





Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising places players in command of a group of US marines fighting on the fictional island of Skira. In the age of Call of Duty -style rail shooters, the title might have just slightly missed the mark.


Boosting the difficulty level leaves players with less HUD information at their disposal until, at the most challenging level, no information is provided about enemy location, ammunition count, status of teammates, or direction of objectives. Players must use communication, context clues such as where teammates are firing, and teamwork to defeat the enemy. The result is a worthy but aging tactical experience a couple of generations behind the latest and greatest.


7 Brothers In Arms: Hell's Highway





This mostly forgotten tactical shooter puts players in charge of a squad of soldiers fighting their way through the European battles of World War II. It's an incredibly popular setting in the shooter genre, but Brothers In Arms: Hell's Highway sets itself apart by allowing players to order their squad to move, take cover, provide suppression, and solve tactical problems using open-ended solutions.


Effective operation of the squad is paramount to achieving victory. The lone wolf style players love to employ in some shooters won't work in Brothers in Arms. Excellent sound design, attention to historical detail, and compelling voice acting are icing on this tactical cake.


6 Rainbow Six: Siege





Limiting this list to just one Clancy title was not easy, as his work has spawned a half-dozen games of the shooter/survival genre. The original Rainbow Six PC game revolutionized mission planning and split-second timing, but that was just the beginning.


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Rainbow Six: Siege is perhaps the most enduring of the Clancy titles, pitting teams of five against each other in multiplayer mayhem. Forget the expansive maps of Arma or Squad; Siege is all about close-quarters chaos. Hold angles, breach-and-clear, and use a selection of tactical gadgets to dominate the enemy. Siege remains a fan favorite despite being nearly a decade in the saddle, earning it the middle spot on our list.


5 Escape From Tarkov





The punishing and beleaguered survival shooter has had its share of bad press, but still maintains a passionate fan base. Exquisitely detailed weapon models, unexplained maps, and complex modding systems that practically require an owner’s manual all add up to an intense tactical experience.


Players seek to raid war-torn Tarkov, a fictional city in Russia, for loot and gear that improves their ability to survive the apocalyptic danger zone. The game is legendarily punishing and is certainly not for the faint-hearted, but deep systems and breathtaking combat keep players coming back for more. Though mired in a beta stage longer than the life expectancy of most consoles, Escape From Tarkov remains a tactical experience unlike any other. The high stakes and huge barrier to entry lomit its appeal somewhat, sadly, as punishing gameplay and cheating controversies make it frustrating to play at times.


4 Counter-Strike 2 skins: Global Offensive





Counter-Strike 2 beginner guide: Global Offensive is just as popular now as it was upon its release back in 2012. In a world where games become outdated almost as soon as they're released, CS: GO's longevity speaks to its just-plain-fun team-oriented competition.


Teams of five take turns playing defense and offense, with the tug-of-war revolving around the all-important bomb. Winners are dictated by how successful a five-person team is, either planting a bomb or preventing the other team from doing so. It's a simple formula, but it makes for thousands of hours of compelling play in a series of fun, well-designed maps that have stood the test of time. All shooter genres have their classics , and this is one of them.


3 Ready Or Not





The title says it all. Perilous hostage situations, unknown danger, and unforgiving foes await Special Weapons and Tactics (S.W.A.T.) officers behind closed doors. Head in with a squad of human or A.I. allies or take on the role of a lone officer who must make entry whether they're ready or not.


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This is no full speed ahead, guns blazing experience. In a Ready Or Not scenario, rushing into ill-advised decisions means the civilians you're supposed to save will be in terrible danger. There are a range of different tactics to employ to rescue them, though: Players can even order hostage-takers to their knees and effect an arrest.


2 ARMA 3





Released in 2013, Bohemia Interactive's mil-sim franchise has stood the test of time, inspiring passionate communities of enthusiasts who organize themselves into military units, develop training regimens, and pit themselves against similar teams online.


The focus on military simulation rather than edge-of-your-seat cinematic action captures some of the mundanity of soldiering. Uneventful patrols and the confusion of combat may not strike a chord with everyone. Still, the passionate modding and mil-sim community ten years on is a testament to the game's playability. ARMA 3 lands the coveted second spot on this list thanks to a passionate community, extensive modding universe, and plain old longevity in the tactical sphere.


1 Squad





Originally named Project Reality, Squad emphasizes realistic large-scale combat through a series of maps based on actual combat zones. Each team has a limited number of roles reflecting those of a modern infantry squad. Medics, designated marksmen, anti-tank troops, grenadiers, and the vital squad leader work together to defeat the enemy as envisioned by the commander. Each faction comes with unique abilities and roles.


There’s a high barrier to entry that may not appeal to casual shooter fans, but Squad provides deeply satisfying gameplay. Squad tops the list not only because of a focus on realistic infantry combat and a variety of ways to play tactically, but because the developers and community alike are so passionate.


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