The changeover between generations is always a good time to introduce new IPs. It’s also just as opportune a moment to revive dormant franchises. Doing so is no easy task, since a particular series may have gone away because of a bad title or some controversy surrounding a release.
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However, gamers always believe in second chances and welcome properties back into the fray if they make a worthy comeback. The following list will focus on first-person shooter franchises we want to see come back in the next generation. HD remasters are nice and all, but new iterations taking full advantage of thePS5and Project Scarlett’s capabilities would be the most ideal.
10Half-Life
This one is probably never going to happen, but gamers can always dream, right?Half-Life 2: Episode 2ended on a shocking cliffhanger, and the story has yet to continue in the twelve years since its release. The last threads of hope whittled away when Marc Laidlaw, former writer atValve, leaked what appeared to be a synopsis for what would have beenEpisode 3.
As long as games exist, however, so does the chance for the series to make a comeback. Considering Valve’s VR platform, maybe they will craft an experience for that hardware, forcing fans to adopt the technology.
9Medal Of Honor
Medal Of Honorwas just about the bestFPSone could find on the PS1. For the following generation,Frontlineprovided a stellar single-player campaign on the early PS2 lineup, andAllied Assaultproved a hit inPCspace. Afterward, however, the series took a slow dive in popularity and quality.
A reboot in 2010 brought the action to modern-day Afghanistan, but it failed to recapture the magic. Respawn Entertainment recently announced a VR title set to bring the series back. Hopefully, this leads to a tried and true console FPS in the near future.
8Resistance
The PS3 launch title wasn’t exactly aHalokiller, but it was unique enough with its alternate history setting and focus on creative weapons to garner a decent fan base. The second game borrowed too much from contemporary FPS conventions, losing much of its charm.
The third game in the trilogy went back to its roots, but enthusiasm for the franchise was at a low point by then. Maybe it is time to bring it back. The recent popularity of games likeWolfenstein,Prey, andDoommeans gamers are open to FPS experiences different than the military shooters that dominated the market ten years ago.
7Perfect Dark
Perfect Dark’ssecond outing left a bad taste in people’s mouths, but enough time has passed sincePerfect Dark Zerofor fans to forget about it and focus on the good times they had with the N64 classic.
On next-generation hardware, Rare could craft a sequel faithful to the original gameplay, only this time with a reliable frame rate. Another option would be crafting a full-fledged remake. One already exists on the Xbox 360, but doing something more ambitious with the source material would get a lot of people excited.
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6Turok
The dinosaur hunter has been out of the spotlight for some time but recently made a few blips on the radar with the remaster of the firstTurokon theNintendo Switch. The last new game rebooted the franchise in 2008, but ultimately stopped the series in its tracks.
Exploration is a big part of the originals' allure, so a new entry would have to bring back this element. On a new console, the prehistoric jungle could look better than ever before.
5Red Faction
Red Factionhasn’t been an FPS for a long time, and whileGuerrillais great, some yearn for the classic narrative-driven FPS action of the first two. The debut title is an especially great early PS2 adventure. Players never found out what happened to Parker after the first game’s closing.
Considering howGuerrillaand its sequel are set generations after the first game, THQ Nordic could explore what Parker did after saving the Mars miners from Ultor’s oppression.
4Killzone
The latest entry in this Sony franchise launched alongside the PS4. AfterShadowfall, Guerrilla Games went on to craft the hugely successfulHorizon: Zero Dawn. Given its extreme popularity and demand for a sequel, it is unlikely the developer will ever return to theKillzone.
That doesn’t mean another studio cannot pick it up, however. The series brought something unique to the FPS space, and the third title included split-screen co-op throughout its campaign. It deserves a return to the gaming landscape.
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3Call Of Juarez
The originalCall of Juarezis a little janky, but its sequel,Bound In Blood, is a fantastic western FPS. In an age where the genre was populated by twitch-shooting mechanics, Techland’s tale of two brothers was slow and brutal, making every bullet count. The third title went to a modern setting and derailed the whole series.
Call of Juarez: The Gunslingertold a new story following a different character, and was considered a glorious return to form. Techland struck gold withDying Lightis hard at work on asequel, so they likely won’t be going back to the old west anytime soon, but fans anxiously await the day they finally do.
2Duke Nukem
Duke NukemForevertarnished the series' reputation, but it never had a fighting chance living up to more than a decade’s worth of hype. Since then,Duke Nukem 3Dhas seen several updates and re-releases on modern consoles. Gearbox is mostly focused onBorderlandsthese days, but bringing Duke back should be a top priority.
At least a movie adaptation starring John Cena as the titular character is in the works, but a new Duke adventure on consoles would be welcome with open arms. They would just need to bring back the expertly crafted labyrinthine level design ofDuke Nukem 3Dinstead ofForever’slinearity.
1TimeSplitters
This cult classic series was a dream come true for fans of hectic FPS action. The large cast of goofy characters and unique multiplayer modes made for countless fun nights with friends. The third game,Future Perfect, even added a comedic narrative stringing together all the settings in a creative fashion.
Free Radical no longer exists, but Dambuster Studios, made up of some former Free Radical devs, made it clear on Twitter they are working on something related to theTimeSplittersbrand. Here’s hoping it is a full-fledged FPS.
