Best FPS Games On PS Plus Extra & Premium

Sony’s PlayStation Plus tier service gives subscribers to the Extra and Premium levels access to hundreds of games, although the latter has a considerably bigger collection than the former. This library covers nearly every genre someone could want, be it RPGs, platformers, horror, or hack and slash. Unsurprisingly, PS Plus Premium and Extra also have their share of first-person shooters from across PlayStation’s history.

As with most genres, shooters come in various shapes and sizes. Some focus on split-second reactions, while others are tactical in nature. Certain FPS games expect players to run and gun, while others encourage them to hide behind cover. What are the best PS Plus FPS games? Which shooters can Premium subscribers play? Let’s take a look at this genre’s standout titles on Sony’s service.

The upcoming games are all part of PS Plus Premium, but the same cannot be said for the Extra tier. Each entry states whether the game is part of both tiers.

Links to each game’s Amazon page are also included in case someone would like to purchase a physical copy.

Destiny 2: The Witch Queen

Metascore: 87

In 2022, Sony acquired Bungie, bringing the decorated developer under its umbrella. At the moment, the company is working on Marathon, an extraction shooter inspired by its ’90s trilogy; however, Bungie’s Destiny 2 is still going strong, and The Final Shape expansion is set to drop on February 27, 2024. Ever since debuting in 2017, Destiny 2 has amassed an ocean’s worth of content, including seven expansions. The sheer volume of material out there might put off newcomers from jumping on board, even if the base game is free-to-play.

PS Plus Extra currently has Destiny 2: The Witch Queen, which is the game’s sixth expansion. Now, the package is not backloaded with the previous expansions, so it only comes with the content associated with its name. Consequently, it is not the greatest pick for new players since they might feel lost unless they put in the effort to investigate the universe’s overall lore. Still, on its own, The Witch Queen is one of the best Destiny expansions, and its campaign offers more than enough content to basically act as its own game. The story, while tying into the larger narrative, can be enjoyed even by someone who is only slightly familiar with the overarching plot. More importantly, Destiny 2‘s gunplay is among the best in the FPS genre, and The Witch Queen highlights the game’s strengths while diminishing its weaker points.

Bungie’s game is always online, and it naturally comes with some multiplayer options. Compared to most other MMO-style games, Destiny 2 is relatively single-player friendly and allows users to decide whether they want to interact with other people; that said, the game’s co-op features and, to a lesser extent, PvP have their positives.

Far Cry 6

Metascore: 73

PS Plus Extra is a gold mine for Far Cry games, with the service having four numbered entries, two tie-in spin-offs, and a prehistoric adventure. Generally, Far Cry 3 and 4 are considered the best main entries in the series, and they are easy recommendations for anyone searching for open-world shooters; however, the subsequent sequels improve on the franchise’s basic gunplay, even if they do suffer from being too similar to their predecessors. As such, Far Cry 6 serves as a solid entry point into the franchise for newcomers, and it features great action, an intense villain portrayed by a fantastic actor, and a gorgeous Caribbean setting.

Now, Far Cry 6 introduces or expands on a few polarizing mechanics, including a ranking system and some light RPG elements. It also has the biggest map in the series, which could be a positive or a negative depending on the player. The game also removes skill trees in favor of a gear system, a change that might not work for everyone. Ultimately, most Far Cry projects are good-to-great FPSs in isolation, and this entry is essentially a placeholder for the entire franchise. If focusing solely on the most recent games, Far Cry 5 has a better story than its successor, although Far Cry 6‘s setting is more interesting.

Back 4 Blood

Metascore: 77

Back 4 Blood has found it difficult to escape the shadow of its obvious inspiration, Valve’s Left 4 Dead. The first-person shooter pits teams of four against the Ridden, which are basically zombies in every way besides their name. Solo players can team up with the AI to play through the campaign, but Back 4 Blood shines brighter when all the characters are controlled by humans. Teamwork is a big part of the experience, and the game should be regarded as a multiplayer title with a single-player option.

Gunplay-wise, Back 4 Blood is perfectly enjoyable, and the stages are typically fun and packed to the brim with action. Turtle Rock Studios shake things up by introducing some customization options; for one, the playable characters are not just reskins, as each one comes with unique abilities. The game also has a card system that permits players to customize their character’s performance, bringing a touch of nuance to loadouts. The AI can even pick cards that alter a mission’s difficulty, adding some variety to repeat runs.

Doom Eternal

Metascore: 87

PlayStation Plus has Doom well covered. Id Software’s 2016 reboot revamped the legendary FPS franchise in a big way, and that game is available on Sony’s service for anyone who feels like tearing their way through hordes of demons. A convincing argument could be made for that entry representing the license at its peak, but Doom Eternal also deserves a mention. Taking a few more risks than its predecessor, the sequel maintains Doom‘s pitch-perfect gunplay while expanding the slayer’s movement options and adding new abilities like the grappling hook.

Although not that significant on paper, Doom Eternal‘s changes give it a different rhythm to the 2016 game, which could be off-putting to die-hard fans of the latter. Regardless of which modern entry someone prefers, they are both polished, aggressive, and satisfying shooters that rank among the genre’s best projects of the last decade.

Doom (1993)

Metascore: 82 (Xbox 360)

Along with Doom Eternal, PS Plus’ April 2023 lineup also included a bunch of the franchise’s classic entries. These projects are all worth playing, even the divisive Doom 3; however, newcomers to the series should start with the original. Three decades later and Doom is still a glorious experience, provided someone goes in with reasonable expectations. While simplistic compared to modern shooters, id Software’s gameplay is timeless despite screaming “early-90s” with every blast.

After completing the 1993 masterpiece, players should try out the rest of the games, especially since Doom 2 is arguably slightly better than its predecessor. Basically, any Doom game on PS Plus should be given a spin, and the older titles are fairly short too.

Killing Floor 2

Metascore: 75

Blasting wave after wave of Zeds never gets old. Killing Floor 2 is a fairly straightforward co-op shooter that pits players against seemingly endless hordes of deadly zombies in a campaign set across Europe. The premise lends itself to over-the-top chaos, embracing the inherent joy of mowing down a sea of enemies using an impressive assortment of weaponry. If this was all it offered, Killing Floor 2 would be a fun time, but the game also throws in a surprisingly creative progression system via perks.

Players upgrade their abilities by actively utilizing weapons, and they can mix and match guns to create unique builds. This concept greatly enhances Killing Floor 2‘s replayability since it encourages teams to play around with their setups in search of optimal configurations. Even beyond that, the core gunplay is punchy and satisfying, so even people who are just looking for a way to kill a few hours should have a good time. Although possible, Killing Floor 2 is not really a great option for solo players, and there are better FPS games on PS Plus for that type of experience.

Serious Sam Collection

Metascore: 76

Serious Sam is a straightforward run and gun shooter series that generally knows exactly what it wants to be. As the titular hero, players mow down huge hordes of monsters in reasonably large areas. At its best, the franchise’s gunplay is simplistic but satisfying, and this collection captures Serious Sam at the peak of its powers.

All three games are fun, and there are just enough differences between them to keep things fresh. Serious Sam 3 is the most modern entry in the compilation, but its shift to a more linear level design might not hit home quite as much as the earlier games’ open zones.

Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition

Metascore: 75

Bulletstorm is an over-the-top action romp about a space pirate with a whip that can tear enemies in half. It is awesome. A throwback to classic run and gun shooters without the back-breaking difficulty, this FPS originally came out in 2011 to a decent reception, and the Full Clip Edition provides a fresh coat of paint to ensure that the game delivers beautiful mayhem.

Utilizing a skill system reminiscent of hack and slash games like Devil May Cry, Bulletstorm wants players to experiment with all the tools available to them, and that extends to the environments. This is one of the most fun FPS games on PS Plus Premium, and fans of the genre who skipped out on this project should give the title a try while it is on Sony’s service.

F.E.A.R.

Metascore: 72

Although it was released back in 2005, F.E.A.R. still holds up exceedingly well in 2021 thanks to its impressive visuals for the time. Although F.E.A.R. was originally marketed as a “horror-themed FPS,” it gained a bit of a cult following thanks to its entertaining gameplay elements.

The time-slowing effect is similar to a first-person Max Payne and the movement is pretty fluid. That said, there are still a lot of tense moments to be found sprinkled throughout the release. Players looking for chaotic gameplay will love F.E.A.R. but it should also appeal to those looking for something “scary” too.

Warhammer: Vermintide 2

Metascore: 81

Fatshark’s Warhammer: Vermintide 2 isn’t solely a first-person shooter as the multiplayer game combines melee and ranged weapons, with the five playable characters each having access to a plethora of both types. A co-op game, Vermintide 2 is all about players coming together to stave off wave after wave of enemies across the story’s 13 missions. Although repetitive in places, the game is elevated by a stellar combat system that feels suitably meaty considering the arsenal available to players.

Vermintide 2 is one of the better games associated with the Warhammer license, offering a satisfying experience that delivers immediately engaging gameplay along with a serviceable storyline. Familiarity with the franchise’s universe is not required to appreciate this first-person shooter.

Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus

Metascore: 87

The April 2023 PS Plus Extra and Premium games greatly enhanced the service’s FPS roster. The month introduced both Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus and The Old Blood, two games that are arguably superior to the very good The New Order, which was already on PS Plus. The Old Blood is a tight expansion without any fluff, and it can easily be completed in one or two explosive sessions. Conversely, The New Colossus is a full-length sequel to The New Order.

The 2017 release is a contender for the best Wolfenstein game of all time. MachineGames’ gunplay is nothing short of fantastic, and the levels are designed to promote different playstyles. While it is certainly possible to power through encounters similar to Doom, The New Colossus encourages players to use all the tools at their disposal, including a satisfying stealth mechanic. The pulp story is silly but also fairly awesome, and it features one of the most detestable villains in gaming.

Shadow Warrior 2

Metascore: 72

PS Plus Extra and Premium have Shadow Warrior 2, a run-and-gun shooter with fun melee combat. While the gunplay is quite typical for the genre, the game mixes things up with a robust loot system and a plethora of secondary content to complement the main storyline.

Shadow Warrior 2 is simply fun, nothing more and nothing less. While nothing to write home about, the story serves its purpose of guiding players from one level to the next so they can slaughter hundreds of demons along the way.

The Darkness

Metascore: 80

Superhero and comic fans will find a lot to love about The Darkness, an FPS that first dropped back in 2007. The Venom-like storyline follows an individual named Jackie Estacado who is “infected” by a powerful demonic entity known as “The Darkness,” which has been present within his family’s bloodline for generations.

The hook gives players access to some amazing gameplay highlighted by shooting elements and engaging “darkness powers” that make Jackie feel like a one-man army at times. It’s a blast to play through even in 2021, and newcomers to the series should also make sure to play The Darkness 2. The sequel is also one of the best shooters on PS Plus Premium.

Resistance 3

Metascore: 83

Only the final entry of Insomniac’s Resistance PS3 trilogy is available on PS Plus Premium, which is a shame as all three games have something to offer. Newcomers might feel a touch lost jumping directly into Resistance 3, but the 2011 game holds up well in terms of its action and atmosphere.

Unlike its predecessors which play out more like military shooters, Resistance 3 adopts a horror tone, adding elements of survival along the way. Unfortunately, the game’s multiplayer is no longer available, however, the single-player is robust, visually pleasing, and captivating.

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided

Metascore: 84

The sequel to 2011’s beloved Human Revolution, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided offers a very similar experience, albeit with a more polarizing narrative, a tweaked control scheme, and larger levels. While its predecessor is probably more universally liked, the sequel is still very good in its own right, and the gameplay is generally solid. Now, Mankind Divided is an action RPG with FPS gameplay, and the latter regularly takes a backseat in favor of exploration, investigation, and stealth. Consequently, if someone is specifically seeking a non-stop shooter fest, they might be disappointed by Mankind Divided‘s slower pace.

Deus Ex is famous for the freedom it provides players, offering them the opportunity to take on missions in a variety of ways. The 2000 original is still the most impressive entry in this area, but Mankind Divided comes in at a somewhat distant second. The game does a good job of balancing out the validity of different play styles, and it does not punish players for preferring a guns-blazing approach.

Killzone: Shadow Fall

Metascore: 73

Hard as it is to believe in this day and age, Killzone was once positioned to be Sony’s answer to Microsoft’s Halo. Even though the latter franchise has seen better days, the former has been dormant for roughly a decade, and there is nothing to suggest a comeback is on the horizon. More frustratingly, only Shadow Fall from the main entries is on PS Plus, although the PSP spin-off Liberation is also part of the premium tier.

Shadow Fall is arguably the license’s worst entry on home consoles, especially nowadays that multiplayer is no longer an option. While still visually impressive, the single-player campaign is a mixed bag that struggles to build much momentum; that said, it still features a couple of decent set pieces. The gunplay is also fine enough.

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege

Metascore: 73

Unlike the publisher’s other first-person shooters on the service, this 2015 title does not take place in a vast open-world nor is it single-player. Rainbow Six Siege is an online shooter that pits two teams against each other in a terrorist situation, and the game blends tactical awareness with reasonably fast-paced gunplay for the Tom Clancy moniker.

Rainbow Six Siege has cemented itself as one of the most popular FPS on the market, but the game’s longevity translates to a steep hill that newcomers will need to climb. Teamwork is the heart of Siege, and matches tend to be highly competitive.

Payday 2: Crimewave Edition

Metascore: 71

Fans of Grand Theft Auto 5‘s heisting mechanics will find a lot to love in Payday 2. The first-person release has everything players could want in a bank-robbing, heist “simulator.” Some missions can be completed in a variety of ways, with stealth and loud mechanics available.

There are skill trees with unique abilities to unlock, a variety of weapons to try, and some of the best multiplayer gameplay under the sun. Payday 2 is a blast to play and is still very relevant with fans in 2021 thanks to a multitude of updates from developers.

Prey

Metascore: 79

Dishonored shares several similarities with Deathloop, particularly its unlockable abilities, and is arguably Arkane’s most beloved game. That said, Prey might be even better, and that’s a statement that is not made lightly.

Set in a splendidly designed space station, Prey is an atmospheric Metroidvania that also incorporates RPG and horror elements. While not the sole focus of Prey, the game’s gunplay is precise and impactful, and a few abilities are even acquired along the way. Prey‘s open-world is immaculately designed and detailed, one of the best in the FPS genre.

Along with a wide selection of first-person shooters, PS Plus Extra and Premium also have their share of third-person projects capable of delivering similar thrills. Now, this simple camera change significantly alters the feel of gameplay, to the point of first-person and third-person shooters being regarded as different genres despite sharing many overlapping traits. Nevertheless, fans of one category are likely to enjoy a few of the other’s PS Plus offerings, especially if they have already exhausted all the FPS games on the platform.

Returnal

Metascore: 86

Housemarque’s resume predominantly consists of shooters, albeit typically of the isometric or bullet hell variety. The Sony-focused developer has crafted more than a couple of fantastic projects over the years, and its crowning achievement might just be Returnal. Landing on a peculiar alien planet, Selene finds herself stuck in a time-loop as she must battle through a series of biomes, all culminating in tough-as-nails boss fights. Yes, Returnal is a roguelike third-person shooter, a statement that might discourage some folks from giving it a run. However, even people who do not generally enjoy roguelikes should give Housemarque’s release a try since it is quite unlike nearly everything else on the market.

As far as its third-person shooter gameplay is concerned, Returnal is fast-paced, intense, and diverse, the latter courtesy of a solid arsenal of weapons. The game has a decent weapon progression system too, so Selene does feel like she is growing stronger over the course of a run. While failure means a return to the start (or the halfway point of the campaign), Returnal’s gameplay is so strong that runs rarely become dull. The title also tells a pretty good story, which is not that common for roguelikes.

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart

Metascore: 88

Insomniac might no longer produce Rathet & Clank games as frequently as back in the early 2010s, but every new release tends to be something special. All the mainline titles available on PS Plus Premium are easy recommendations since they practically never go below “pretty good,” and at their best, they rank among the best action-platformers of all time. More than two years following its debut, Rift Apart is still one of the most impressive native PS5 projects, both visually and mechanically.

Rift Apart’s third-person shooter combat builds beautifully on everything that came before it. Containing an unbeatable selection of weapons and gadgets that can be upgraded, the game perfectly balances style and substance to deliver an accessible experience that rewards creativity. The action is pleasing, exciting, and frequently challenging, almost serving as a third-person shooter version of something like Doom.

Control: Ultimate Edition

Metascore: 85

Remedy has been on a roll in recent years, culminating in one of 2023’s most highly-rated games, Alan Wake 2. While that survival horror title is not on PS Plus, players can check out Remedy’s previous release, Control, which arguably has better gameplay than any of the developer’s other modern projects. The setting is also novel since the game takes place in the Federal Bureau of Control, an organization that explores reality-bending phenomena (inspired by the SCP Foundation). Jesse heads to the Oldest House to learn what happened to her brother, only to realize that a mysterious entity known as the Hiss has thrown everything off balance. Before she knows what is going on, Jesse is handed the bureau’s director chair, given a unique gun, and tasked with getting things in check.

Control has a lot of things going for it – The Oldest House is a delight to explore, and it is filled with minor encounters dripping with creativity and intensity. While the main story tends to be divisive, the same cannot be said for the combat. Control centers around a special gun that can morph into different forms and an array of powers that Jesse unlocks throughout the campaign. These two elements combine to create a flashy and engaging system that is also quite flexible. While an argument could be made that there are superior third-person shooters on PS Plus Extra, the Director’s Gun might be the most fun weapon in any available game.

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