The 15 Best PS5 First-Person Shooters, Ranked (December 2023)

Although there were some fantastic FPS games released on consoles throughout the nineties, it wasn’t until controllers with dual analog sticks became standard that the genre really took off outside of the PC gaming space. Franchises like Call of Duty and Medal of Honor helped to lead the charge, with the former still standing tall as one of the genre’s heaviest hitters.

Thanks to those aforementioned series and the many others like them, the FPS genre is one of the most popular in the modern age. As a result, there are plenty of incredible first-person shooters available on the PlayStation 5, though the very best PS5 FPS games find ways to set themselves apart, either through their unique mechanics or their unbeatable online support.

15 Atomic Heart

Metacritic Rating: 70 (PS5)

For a first effort, the team over at Mundfish deserves a lot of credit for what they accomplished with Atomic Heart. Granted, the writing feels a little generic in places and there’s a bit too much padding overall, but the game brings plenty of interesting ideas to the table and does a pretty decent job of recreating the classic Bioshock formula that so clearly inspired it for a new generation of gamers.

Atomic Heart is a game that dares to dream big and offers a much better experience thanks to these lofty ambitions, even if not all of them are quite fully realized. It’s a pretty weird game on a lot of levels too, but this helps it to stand out where it might otherwise get lost in the crowd of similarly-themed titles. It’s far from a perfect game, but it’s definitely not a bad one either. In fact, most will likely find it to be pretty good if they decide to give it a chance.

14 Far Cry 6

Metacritic Rating: 73 (PS5)

When most people think about Far Cry, it’s usually bundled together with all of the other open-world franchises that became popular around the turn of the century. At its core though, it’s every bit as much a first-person shooter series as it is an open-world one, and this is once again the case with 2021’s Far Cry 6.

Though it definitely lacks the sparkle found in some of its predecessors, it’s still a fantastic game with a decent story and yet another fantastic video game villain; an area where the franchise has always excelled. For those who are fans of the many great Far Cry villains, it’s even possible to play as some of them thanks to the game’s three DLC episodes.

13 Dead Island 2

Metacritic Rating: 73 (PS5)

After spending nearly a decade trapped in development hell, Dead Island 2 finally hit shelves and digital storefronts in April of 2023. Like its predecessor, its core gameplay loop is built around the idea of butchering zombies in the most fun and creative ways possible, and, in this regard, the game definitely succeeds.

Those looking for a deep and meaningful narrative will almost certainly come away disappointed, but for fans of fast-paced FPS combat, Dead Island 2 should be more than capable of scratching that itch. There’s a wide variety of weapons on offer to keep things from feeling stale too quickly, not to mention the potential for some pretty epic environmental kills.

12 Chernobylite

Metacritic Rating: 78 (PS5)

Set right at the heart of the Chornobyl exclusion zone, Chernobylite places players into the shoes of Igor Khymynuk, a Ukranian physicist investigating the decades-old disappearance of his fiance Tatyana. Unlike a lot of the other great FPS games on the PS5, it’s a single-player-only experience and falls heavily into the survival horror genre.

Though it may lack polish in places, Chernobylite is built around a lot of interesting ideas by a development team who are clearly very passionate about what they do. This passion really shines through in places tangible, resulting in a game that is full to the brim with character. Some of the plotlines are a little weird, but for fans of supernatural mysteries and gorgeous-looking video games, it’s definitely worth a look.

11 After the Fall

Metacritic Rating: 78 (PS5)

Virtual reality is arguably the perfect platform for the FPS genre, helping to provide players with levels of immersion that up until fairly recently could only have been dreamed about. After the Fall is a great example of this, with the post-apocalyptic adventure offering up one of the best first-person experiences on the PlayStation 5.

Like most VR games, there are still a few issues here and there, most of which relate to interacting with objects at close range. However, the gunplay is more or less perfect most of the time, allowing players to kick back with a group of friends or strangers and mow down wave after wave of undead creatures in a really well-designed world.

Metacritic Rating: 78 (PS5)

Metal: Hellsinger feels a bit like a cross between Doom and Guitar Hero, with players encouraged to lose themselves in the hectic riffs of heavy metal music while destroying a neverending army of hell demons. In that respect, it sounds a lot more like Doom of the two, yet rhythm ends up playing a much more important role than one might think.

Aside from its fantastic gameplay, the game also boasts an incredible soundtrack performed by some of the metal genre’s heaviest hitters. These include Serg Tankian of System of a Down fame, Matt Heafy from Trivium, and several members of the Swedish death metal band Dark Tranquility. It’s not perfect, but it makes for a nice change from the genre’s usual offerings.

9 Deep Rock Galactic

Metacritic Rating: 85 (PS5)

Deep Rock Galactic is a cooperative sci-fi shooter in which players take control of a badass space dwarf as they fight off hordes of terrifying enemies and attempt to mine precious resources. For many, that premise alone will be enough to warrant the game’s more than reasonable price tag, which is around half what one would expect to pay for a game of this quality.

Every element that makes up the game is perfectly measured, from its challenging yet enjoyable combat to its heavily stylized visuals. The biggest selling point is probably the co-op experience though, with few titles able to offer up quite as much fun as this one. It’s one of the best FPS games on the PS5, not to mention one of the most unique.

8 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

Metacritic Rating: 56 (PS5)

Call of Duty may no longer be the behemoth that it once was, but for many, it remains the go-to franchise when it comes to FPS gaming. To be fair, the multiplayer experience on offer in both the series’ most recent mainline installment and the latest iteration of Warzone is still a lot of fun, with the latter offering a little extra longevity than the annual releases typically do.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is able to provide something extra though, that being a fantastic single-player campaign that fans of FPS games will absolutely adore. With this in mind and with Dice having dropped the ball with Battlefield 2042, those looking for the best FPS games on the PlayStation 5 could certainly do a lot worse than Modern Warfare 3​​​.

7 Borderlands 3

Metacritic Rating: 91 (PS5)

Another game that struggles to live up to the lofty standards set by its predecessors, Borderlands 3 suffers from a rather bad case of cringe writing, with some of the game’s dialogue so bad that players may well prefer to mute it altogether. However, the rest of the game more than makes up for this, reminding players why so many consider Borderlands to be the king of the looter shooter.

Released 14 months on from the PS4 version, the PlayStation 5 version of Borderlands 3 brings improvements across the board, with better visuals, higher frame rates, and faster loading times being chief among them. The game’s next-gen versions also allow for up to four-player local co-op, doubling the number of players supported in the PS4 and Xbox One versions.

6 Apex Legends

Metacritic Rating: 89 (PS4)

Apex Legends has come a long way since its initial release back in early 2019, with a flurry of new features and general improvements helping to transform the title into one of the most-played video games of all time. More than 130 million people had tried the free-to-play title as of February 2022, placing it somewhere between League of Legends and Grand Theft Auto 5 on the highest player count list.

Like many other free-to-play FPS games, Apex Legends falls into the battle royale genre, with loot boxes and microtransactions helping to subsidize the cost of development. Unlike a lot of its peers though, the game opts to focus more on realism and tight gunplay, which has helped it to carve out a place in what remains a hugely competitive space.

5 Metro Exodus: Enhances Edition

Metacritic Rating: 83 (PS5)

Initially released in early 2019, Metro Exodus is a first-person shooter with survival and stealth mechanics. Although it is the third game in a trilogy, players don’t really need to have played the first two titles to enjoy its excellent gameplay, nor to understand its excellent narrative. Like its predecessors, Metro Exodus is single-player only, which actually makes for a nice change of pace given the huge volume of multiplayer FPS games.

As one might expect, the enhanced edition of Metro Exodus offers several improvements over the base version, all of which can have a noticeable impact on the gameplay experience. Chief among these are the improvements made to frame rate, with the game now running at a buttery smooth 60 FPS. Strangely, despite physical copies of the game being available at all good retailers, Metro Exodus: Complete Edition cannot be purchased from the PlayStation store, with players instead needing to buy the game’s gold edition and then download a free upgrade.

4 Pistol Whip

Metacritic Rating: 90 (PS5)

Despite having initially been released way back in late 2019, Pistol Whip remains one of the most satisfying virtual reality experiences of all time. It’s one of the best PSVR 2 games too, and a shining example of how the technology can be used to really bring the FPS genre and first-person experiences in general to life.

Rather than being a straight-up shooter though, Pistol Whip incorporates rhythm game elements; a combination that works surprisingly well. Players are given a wide variety of guns to play around with and plenty of great stages in which to do so. There are loads of accessibility options as well, making this an excellent title for both beginners and experts alike.

3 Destiny 2

Metacritic Rating: 85 (PS4)

With Sony hoping to move into the live service space over the course of the next few years, the Japanese giant’s decision to purchase Bungie in mid-2022 makes an awful lot of sense. Unlike many of its peers, the former Halo developer knows exactly what is needed to make the “Games as a Service” model work, as evidenced by the continuing success of Destiny 2.

The free-to-play title still boasts a sizeable player base despite having first released back in 2017. Of course, a big part of this is down not just to the excellent post-release support provided by Bungie, but also to the titles’ fantastic core gameplay. Destiny 2 is easily one of the best first-person shooters on the PS5, and with at least one more big expansion still to come before the end of the Light and Darkness Saga, that seems unlikely to change anytime soon.

2 Deathloop

Metacritic Rating: 88 (PS5)

Although Deathloop does feature online multiplayer support, it’s not in the way that most players would assume. Rather than high-octane team death matches or frantic battle royale action, players will only have to worry about a single opponent, or a single target if they happen to be the one joining another player’s session. It’s a bit like the PvP multiplayer on offer in many FromSoftware games in that respect, only much more well-realized.

Although the everlasting showdown between Julianna and Colt works incredibly well, it is only a small part of what makes Deathloop such a fantastic game. Its story is thought-provoking and its combat is both intuitive and satisfying. In many ways, it feels like a natural progression from some of Arcane’s past games, particularly those from the Dishonored series.

1 Doom Eternal

Metacritic Rating: 87 (PS4)

There are a lot of great first-person shooters on the PlayStation 5, but there is only one Doom Eternal. Building on the excellent foundations laid by its 2016 predecessor, the game manages to hit all the right notes, with its brutal and bloody combat helping to make hell feel a lot more hospitable than it has any right to feel.

One of the biggest new mechanics found in Doom Eternal is the grappling hook, which makes map traversal an absolute breeze. Unlike a lot of other games though, the grapple mechanic can also be worked into combat, helping players to string together attacks with an unparalleled degree of fluidity. Given how important Doom and id Software are to the genre, Doom Eternal being one of the best FPS games on the PS5 should surprise no one, but the sheer brilliance of what exactly is on offer here just might.