Giving Xbox a major push upon its release, Halo revolutionized the first-person shooter genre with its unique style of gameplay and exciting world-building. Though it was far from the first FPS game ever, Halo made the genre more accessible to a larger audience and it spawned a sea of imitators.
From classic series like DOOM to modern masterpieces like Gears of War, there is a wealth of great FPS games to enjoy. Though most games established their own tone and style, there are plenty of options for fans to play after finishing Halo.
Crysis (2007)
Coming on the heels of Halo's successful release, Crysis utilized the real-life concepts of advanced military technology and worked it into the game. Playing as the Nomad, the user takes control of a super-soldier that is equipped with a high-tech nanosuit that increases his ability to fight various human and alien enemies.
Similar to Halo, the user is able to not only fight on the ground, but in a series of vehicles as well. Also similarly, the main character's mysterious appearance and armor are reminiscent of Master Chief. However, Crysis pushes the nanosuit much further by integrating different suit modes which affect what the player can do.
Apex Legends (2019)
While the Halo series is known for its well-crafted storylines, it also helped to usher in the modern era of cooperative gaming with its many multiplayer modes.
Apex Legends is a battle royale online game that puts players together in squads to compete against other teams in a variety of different maps. Interestingly, Apex Legends incorporates elements of the Titanfall games, such as the ability to climb small walls, slide, and use zip lines to move across the map quickly. With each subsequent season, the game has introduced new playable characters and items that can be used. Though on the surface they are very different, Halo and Apex Legends both exist in a hyper-militarized environment and integrate alien and futuristic technology into the gameplay.
Red Faction (2001)
While most games that are compared to Halo have come in the wake of the game's release, Red Faction is a rare contemporary. In the game, the user takes control of a downtrodden miner on Mars who, fed up with poor working conditions, leads a rebellion against the vicious corporation that runs the planet.
With its unique terrain-altering weaponry, the game gave users a brand new mechanic for FPS games that allowed them to manipulate their surroundings. Outside of that, the storyline and combat of the game are top-notch and give even Halo a run for its money when it comes to replay value.
DOOM 3 (2004)
While Halo has a few horror elements, the DOOM series showed just how scary FPS games could be. DOOM 3 essentially reboots the franchise and casts the player as a space marine who is tasked with fighting demons on Mars after scientists accidentally open a portal to Hell.
Adding to what previous installments had established, Doom 3 was a bigger game than any of its predecessors. With a wide variety of enemies to fight, the user is equipped with an exciting assortment of weapons, including the infamously impractical BFG. While the game introduced competitive modes, Doom 3 still lacked the variety of gameplay that was present in the Halo series.
Resistance 3 (2011)
The post-apocalypse is a popular location for FPS games, and the Resistance series had a clever approach to the tired sub-genre. Resistance 3 brings back familiar characters from the previous games and removes them from a military environment and substitutes it with a survival horror atmosphere.
Resistance 3 shines because it manages to build on top of what previous games had established. With all of the familiar weaponry returning, the game also adds new weapons including the incredibly gruesome Mutator gun. Unlike Halo which is set on alien worlds, Resistance 3 drops its characters in a fascinating, post-apocalyptic version of many recognizable American cities. Unfortunately, the game didn't sell well and is generally seen as an underrated classic of the FPS genre.
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus (2017)
Taking place in a twisted alternate version of history, the Wolfenstein series explores what would have happened if the Allied Powers lost WWII. Set in the 1960s, Wolfenstein II allows the user to take control of an American military veteran as he leads an assault against the Nazis who occupy the United States.
The only thing that brings Wolfenstein and Halo together is their very similar combat style which would be familiar to any fan of FPS games. Wolfenstein's dynamic health system adds a layer of difficulty, and there is a fair amount of strategy when it comes to attacking enemies. What makes Wolfenstein most fun though is the exploration of traditional 1960s landmarks such as diners and classic car culture throughout the game.
Half-Life 2 (2004)
Generally regarded as one of the best FPS games of all time, Half-Life 2 has a reputation that has been matched by a slim few other games. Playing as Gordon Freeman, the user joins a resistance force that attempts to liberate Earth from an alien empire known as the Combine.
While Half-Life 2 has a fair amount of traditional FPS elements, what sets it apart from other games is its physics-based gameplay. By using unconventional methods to solve puzzles, the game has a dynamic level of difficulty that goes beyond just fighting. Like Halo, the game also integrates vehicles into the gameplay which adds another layer to the challenge.
Titanfall (2014)
In recent years, online gaming has become the standard of excellence, and games like Titanfall helped lead the way. In the game, players take control of pilots who are able to use high-tech Titan suits that are capable of a variety of different combat modes.
Eschewing any offline play, Titanfall still manages to have a storyline that is told through cut-scenes. What makes the game most exciting is the various abilities that the Titan suits are capable of, including things like X-ray vision and physics-defying wall runs. Though less focused on traditional FPS elements, Titanfall's locations and weaponry is reminiscent of the style of most Halo games.
Gears Of War (2006)
Unlike the more cartoonish action of the Halo series, Gears of War was a more gritty and intense game. The player takes control of a soldier who is part of a daring mission to save the last human inhabitants of the planet Sera from subterranean aliens known as The Locust.
As opposed to Halo's first-person style, Gears of War is a third-person shooter and relies less on run and gun style of play. Ducking from cover to cover, the player is required to be more strategic to dispatch the seemingly endless onslaught of enemies. Like Halo's Flood, The Locust are a terrifying vision of alien life that will surely keep players up at night.
Destiny 2 (2017)
Who better to create a game in the vein of Halo than the developers who created the game in the first place? Destiny 2 was developed by Bungie, and it is an online-only FPS game that also combines elements of RPG and open-world-style adventure games. The user takes control of a Guardian who is tasked with protecting Earth's last safe city from the encroaching evil of the Darkness.
The versatility of Destiny 2 is its greatest strength. With a wide variety of game modes available, players get the best of every type of action-adventure game. Like Halo before it, Destiny's competitive modes are extremely popular and offer players a wealth of fun and exotic sci-fi weapons to compete with.