Heroes, Soldiers, and Demons: The Upcoming Shooters of 2016

From a brand new Doom to the myriad hero-driven multiplayer shooters, 2016 is a solid year for FPS fans. 

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2016 is a year of new things; new virtual reality tech, new console rumors, and many, many new games.

Some of the most popular of which being the first-person shooter. This year is a promising one for FPS fans, with gritty military shooters, cartoonish multiplayer face-offs, old-school sticklers, and adventurous types who don’t mind a little quirk in their games. While it’s certainly not a comprehensive list of every FPS set to release sometime in 2016, here’s a look at some of the most promising.

Doom

Doom is as synonymous with video games as Mario an Mortal Kombat, so it’s hardly surprising id Software and Bethesda are releasing an all-new reboot this year. Filled with gory kill animations, garish demon enemies, and even a new map editor feature, we’re hopeful this release is a return to form for the infamous franchise.

Overwatch

Hero and character-based shooters are a big trend this year. Borrowing ideas from team-based games like Team Fortress 2 and MOBAs like Dota or League of Legends, these games combine the best of both in an attempt to create a madcap multiplayer game.

Overwatch is Blizzard’s offering in this space. Filled with an array of different characters boasting their own particular skills, Overwatch is a team-based shooter promising all the charm and polish we’ve come to expect from a Blizzard game.

Shadow Warrior 2

2013’s Shadow Warrior reboot was a flawed, but gloriously silly and fun game. It was heavy on dumb jokes and puns, combat was varied and powerfully satisfying, and for a mid-tier game, it had impressive visual fidelity.

Shadow Warrior 2 looks like a lot of the same in this vein, which is a good thing. Weirder demon enemies to kill, mildly dirty jokes to crack, and decent first-person swordplay make Shadow Warrior 2 an appealing prospect for 2016.

Lawbreakers

Cliff Blezinski is one of the most recognized names in the industry today, and his recent opening of Boss Key Studios has been an interesting process to watch play out. With a strong pedigree of shooter experience and a clean slate with which to experiment, Blezinski and his team have announced Lawbreakers, a multiplayer hero shooter with a darker, edgier attitude and an emphasis on powers, abilities, and verticality. We recently had a chance to sit down with Cliff to talk all about the ins and outs of Lawbreakers and what players can expect from it later this year.

Homefront: The Revolution

Homefront was not an especially great game, but it still had a handful of interesting ideas at its core. Bringing the fight to American soil, it put America in the unenviable position of defending itself from foreign invasion.

Homefront: The Revolution is basically Red Dawn: The Game. Picking up after the successful occupation of America by North Korea, it’s a shooter where the player joins up with a resistance in an attempt to free the US. It’s been stuck in development hell since the demise of THQ, but if South Park: The Stick of Truth can survive a prolonged, strained development cycle, perhaps Homefront: The Revolution can, too.

Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare

Ridiculous name aside, this year’s Call of Duty might be a new note for the blockbuster franchise. If rumors are to be believed, it’ll be set in the far future and offer more than the hulking, gruff marines and slightly-more-advanced weaponry of the past few years. Of course, we’ll have to wait for official details, but there’s no reason why multiplayer shooter and Call of Duty diehards shouldn’t keep it on their radar.

Battlefield 5 (Or Whatever it’s Called)

EA is set to reveal the next Battlefield game next week, and there’s very little to go on concerning rumors or speculation. Considering the last Battlefield game was the mediocre Battlefield Hardline, it will be interesting to see if EA and DICE take the criticism to heart and go back to Battlefield’s larger-scale vehicle and infantry combat on unique maps. Keep an eye on this space for our impressions of the reveal next week.

DeSync

Adult Swim has been on tear lately, releasing weird and interesting games like Jazzpunk, Volgarr the Viking, Westerado: Double Barreled, and Duck Game. DeSync is another one of their upcoming releases, and it has some serious style.

It’s billed as a digital shooter with fast-paced combat and a diverse arsenal of weapons. Enemies are varied and dangerous, bonuses are awarded for kill streaks, and creativity is encouraged. There’s always room for interesting, stylish shooters, and DeSync looks to be just that.

Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3

Ghost Warrior 3 really embraces a ‘Lone Wolf’ narrative and forces players to not only survive, but still complete their mission. Stranded alone in Eastern Europe, players avoid the opposition while using various strategies to take out enemies from a distance. The Sniper games have a niche audience, but they’re an interesting and tactical take on the first-person shooter. Ghost Warrior 3 looks like a continuation of that pedigree.

Paladins: Champions of the Realm

From the makers of SMITE comes yet another hero-based shooter. Called Paladins: Champions of the Realm, this colorful, frenzied shooter features champions with unique abilities and mounts. Exactly how it stacks compared to the likes of Battleborn and Overwatch remains to be seen, but there’s always more room for inventive shooters with fun, colorful presentation.

Rising Storm 2: Vietnam

Don’t look for advanced weaponry here. Rising Storm 2: Vietnam is a fierce tactical shooter set in the historic landscape of Vietnam during the Vietnam War. It’s taking a more realistic approach to combat, making it a solid recommendation for fans of games like the Arma series. 

Contributing Editor
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