Xbox has always been home to some of gaming’s best shooters. Ever since its launch in 2001 with Halo: Combat Evolved, Xbox established itself as a home for shooters. Here are ten of the best shooters available on Xbox in 2022.
10. Outriders
Outriders benefited from launching in a sparse April 2021 with little else for people to play. Still, People can Fly’s first Square Enix published game is a commendable shooter that’s even more fun with friends.
Set in a dystopian future, Outriders is an RPG third-person shooter with four classes to select from. While the world and RPG building mechanics left something to be desired for many, Outriders aimed to provide a fun single-player campaign that could easily be enjoyed with others. Focusing on a sole story rather than trying to create another game-as-a-service was a refreshing take for many fans of Xbox shooters.
Outriders may not provide you with the time sink other games on this list will, but it is sure to give you and your crew a fun week of online co-op shooting.
9. Halo: The Master Chief collection
Halo: The Master Chief Collection’s rocky start and subsequent redemption is something the industry will talk about for years to come. Fans were upset, and rightfully so, over 343’s myriad of matchmaking problems. It took some troubleshooting and free DLC, but 343 was eventually able to win the hearts and minds of the Halo faithful. They also managed to bring some new players into the fold.
Halo has never looked or played better than it does on the Masterchief collection. Whether you want a great cinematic campaign, large team battles, or quick deathmatch gameplay, Halo: The Masterchief Collection has something for you.
8. Wolfenstein II: The new colossus
Wolfenstein II picks up the rebooted story of B.J. Blastowicz right where The New Order left off. A first-person shooter with a march darker storyline than previous entries, Wolfenstein II stands out as a fun shooter with a solid narrative. Follow-ups to The New Colossus haven’t been as favorably received. It’s not hard to see why. Bethesda went all-in with Wolfenstein II and has yet to capture that magic in the series since.
While there is no multiplayer for Wolfenstein II, there is great gameplay and a solid story. The 7 to 10-hour campaign is worthy of any Xbox shooter fans’ time.
7. Back 4 Blood
Back 4 Blood is a spiritual successor to the fan-favorite Left 4 Dead series. While the game didn’t quite live up to the massive expectations, it certainly scratched that zombie-killing itch many shooter fans have had.
Back 4 Blood combines deckbuilding and rouge-like elements with twitchy shooter gameplay to make for a unique Xbox shooter experience. I expect this game to have a long tail. The fun co-op and different deckbuilding options provide this shooter with ample replayability.
6. Doom Eternal
Unlike its Bethesda counterpart, Doom Eternal does have a multiplayer. However, you are going to want to play Doom for its heavy-metal, chainsaw-slashing, demon-ripping campaign.
The first Doom reboot that launched in 2016, re-defined what we thought of first-person shooters. By forcing players to get close to their enemies in order to heal, Doom kicked the notion of careful gameplay. Shoot, Kill, Repeat. The quicker you get that sequence done, the better off you are. There’s no cover to hide behind in this franchise. Just try not to go rage quit on some of the bosses
5. Call of Duty: Warzone
Call of Duty: Warzone is a free-to-play battle royal game within the Call of Duty world. Warzone works not just as an entry into the Call of Duty universe, but also as a great place for fans of battle royals.
Call of Duty: Warzone had a stellar year in 2021. With over 800 million hours of twitch streams and an ever-growing player base, Warzone shows no signs of slowing down.
4. Destiny 2
Destiny 2 has been the go-to looter-shooter for fans of MMO shooters for years now. Bungie leaving Microsoft to work on their own IP was a risky move, but one that paid off for the developer.
Creating a game as a service is a tough move that many have tried and failed. Looking at you Avengers. Destiny 2 has figured out the formula for keeping players engaged. With Destiny 2 vanilla being free to play, and the DLC’s frequently coming to game pass, Destiny 2 is also welcoming to newcomers. Just expect to put in a lot of hours before you reach the endgame.
3. Gears 5
Gears 5 is a phenomenal Xbox shooter that feels way ahead of its time. Dropping the of War moniker and leaning into the camp, Gears 5 tells a compelling story with satisfying cover-based shooter mechanics. Gears 5 feels ahead of its time for a 2019 release. The quality of life updates that have been added to enhance Gears 5 for Series X/S makes it feel like a next-gen title.
The campaign boasts a semi-open world for the first time in the series and the multiplayer content has been expanding ever since its launch. Whether it’s the classic gears horde mode, Co-oping the campaign, or classic deathmatch, this Xbox shooter has something for everyone.
2. Titanfall 2
Titanfall 2 is a rare case of EA listening to the public and incorporating their requested changes. The first game in the series was a fun multiplayer-only experience, but the lack of a single-player experience and the bonkers story left gamers wanting more.
Enter Titanfall 2. Respawn took the feedback from players and added a stellar single player. They expanded on the universe in ways that made sense. And they built upon the excellent parkour and mech-based combat to deliver one of the finest Xbox shooters to date.
If you are looking for something in the battle-royal space, the Titanfall spin-off free to play hero shooter Apex Legends was a force when it launched in 2019 and still keeps a heavy player base
1. Halo Infinite
343 shocked the Xbox shooter community when they announced that Halo Infinite’s multiplayer would be free to play. They shocked the community again by delaying the release by an entire year. But after all the hype and patiently waiting, Halo Infinite is finally here. And judging by the review scores, most people agree. It was worth the wait.
Halo Infinite not only offers a robust open-world single-player campaign but also returns to the roots of what made Halo multiplayer so fun in the first place. After polishing all the bugs from the Master Chief Collection, and delivering a fun but less than memorable experience with Halo 5, 343 had the tools to deliver the Halo experience that Xbox shooter fans remember so fondly. With a battle pass system, planned seasonal multiplayer events, and new modes coming in 2022, Halo Infinite is the best shooter you can play on Xbox in 2022.
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