5 Brilliant FPS Games That Deserved So Much Better

We have all been down this road before. You discover incredible FPS games that make you question everything you thought you knew about shooting things in video games, only to find out it sold about as well as a chocolate teapot. It’s heartbreaking, really. The gaming industry is littered with phenomenal first-person shooters that should have been household names but instead became the “hidden gems” we endlessly recommend to friends who never actually play them.

These aren’t your run-of-the-mill shooters that flopped because they were genuinely terrible. No, these are the games that make you angry at the universe for not giving them the recognition they deserved. So grab your tissues and let’s count down five FPS games that failed commercially despite being absolute masterpieces.

5. Metro Exodus – The Post-Apocalyptic Masterpiece Nobody Talked About

Metro Exodus had everything going for it. Gorgeous visuals that made you forget you were looking at pixels, a gripping narrative that actually made you care about characters, and atmosphere so thick you could cut it with a rusty knife. Yet somehow, this gem got overshadowed by bigger franchises with flashier marketing budgets.

The game’s world-building was phenomenal, creating a post-nuclear Russia that felt genuinely lived-in and terrifying. But despite critical acclaim, the Metro series continues to live in the shadow of other post-apocalyptic shooters. It’s like watching a brilliant indie film get steamrolled by the latest superhero blockbuster.

4. Singularity – Time Manipulation Done Right

Remember when Singularity dropped in 2010? No? Exactly the problem. This game featured time manipulation mechanics that were so clever, they made other FPS games look like they were stuck in the Stone Age. You could age enemies to dust or rewind broken bridges back to functionality. It was mind-blowing.

But thanks to Activision’s marketing department apparently taking a collective nap, this innovative shooter disappeared faster than free pizza at a gaming convention. The time-bending puzzles and combat were revolutionary, but poor marketing meant most gamers never experienced this temporal masterpiece.

3. Bulletstorm – Where Creativity Went to Die

Bulletstorm was the FPS equivalent of an action movie directed by someone on a sugar high. The “skillshot” system rewarded players for killing enemies in the most creative ways possible. Kicking someone into a cactus? Points. Using a chain leash to fling enemies into electrical hazards? More points. It was gloriously ridiculous.

Despite being praised for its fresh take on shooter mechanics and its tongue-in-cheek humor, Bulletstorm couldn’t compete with the marketing juggernauts of its time. It deserved to spawn a franchise, but instead became a footnote in FPS history.

2. The Darkness – Horror Meets Gunplay Perfection

The Darkness proved that FPS games could tell mature, emotionally complex stories while still delivering satisfying gunplay. The demonic tentacle powers were genuinely unsettling, and the game’s exploration of grief and violence was surprisingly sophisticated for 2007.

But launching in a crowded market with minimal marketing support meant this dark gem got buried under flashier competitors. It’s criminal that more gamers didn’t experience this unique blend of supernatural horror and solid shooting mechanics.

1. Titanfall 2 – The Crown Jewel of Wasted Potential

If there’s any justice in the gaming universe, someone at EA is still losing sleep over how badly they handled Titanfall 2’s launch. This game was practically perfect. The single-player campaign was a masterclass in level design and storytelling. The multiplayer was butter-smooth with its wall-running mechanics and giant robot combat.

But EA decided to sandwich it between Battlefield 1 and Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, essentially feeding it to the wolves. It’s like opening a gourmet restaurant between two McDonald’s. The game was critically acclaimed and beloved by everyone who played it, but terrible timing and marketing decisions meant it never found the massive audience it deserved.

Final Thoughts