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The subgenre is arguably more competitive than it’s ever been. Thankfully, ranking systems that gamers play with closely matched skill levels. Regardless of a player’s experience level with tactical-based shooters, it’s never too late to delve into one of these hit games.
Updated on July 29, 2022, by Jack Pursey: The tactical shooter subgenre has always been popular with first and third-person shooter fans for the level of strategy that it brings to the genres, with fast reactions and precise aim not being enough to make it through missions alive. The subgenre continues to thrive today, thanks to its success in the competitive multiplayer market.
To shine a spotlight on the beloved subgenre once more, we’ve updated this list to include some more of the best tactical shooter games.
18 Operation Flashpoint: Cold War Crisis
Available Platforms: PC, Xbox
Operation Flashpoint: Cold War Crisis was developed by Bohemia Interactive Studio and was first released in 2001 before being re-released in 2011 under the name ARMA: Cold War Assault. Bohemia Interactive Studio’s tactical shooter was the first in the Operation Flashpoint series and was considered to be a spiritual successor to Suma’s 1995 release Gravon: Real Virtuality, which was ported to PC by Bohemia Interactive.
Operation Flashpoint: Cold War Crisis stood out in 2001 with its team-based gameplay, an abundance of drivable vehicles, and Real Time Tactics mechanics.
17 Squad
Available Platforms: PC
Squad was developed by Offworld Industries and first released in early access back in 2015 before being fully released in September 2020.
The game separates players into two teams of 50 (which are divided into 9-person squads with 1 commander role) and gives them a handful of classes to choose from. Like any great multiplayer tactical shooter, the game emphasizes the necessity of communication between teammates, leading to some gripping and immersive battles.
16 Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter
Available Platforms: Xbox, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, PC
Ubisoft’s Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighterwas first released in March 2006. It was a huge hit with critics at the time, exemplified by the Xbox 360 version’s 90 Metascore. The game was ahead of its time with its excellent cover mechanics, which would become a significant feature of shooters throughout the seventh generation of home consoles, most notably in franchises like Gears of War and Uncharted.
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Players are able to sustain more damage in Advanced Warfighter than in previous entries in the series, though they are unable to heal during a mission.
15 SWAT 4
Available Platforms: PC, Nintendo 64, PlayStation 1, Game Boy Color, Dreamcast
SWAT 4 was released in April 2005 by Vivendi Universal Games, who were still known as Sierra Entertainment at the time. The game was developed by first-person shooter experts Irrational Games (also known as 2K Boston), who are responsible for some of the most critically acclaimed shooters of all time, like System Shock 2 and BioShock.
As the name suggests, SWAT 4 puts the player in control of a SWAT team. They must complete tricky objectives such as rescuing a hostage while only using lethal force when absolutely necessary.
14 Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30
Available Platforms: Xbox, PC, PlayStation 2
Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30 was initially released in 2005. It was the first entry in the Brothers in Arms series, which would get a further ten entries within the next ten years.
Road to Hill 30 takes place during World War II and, like SWAT 4, puts the player in control of a team. Players control either one or two small teams that are either classed as Fire Team or Assault Team. Fire Team specializes in suppressive fire, while the Assault Team is best used for flanking the enemy.
13 Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon (2001)
Available Platforms: PC, Xbox, PlayStation 2, GameCube
Much like Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon is the first entry in a well-known tactical shooter IP that would receive numerous releases throughout the 2000s. Unlike Brothers in Arms, the Ghost Recon series is still going strong today.
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For those who want to relive the series’ glory days, the first entry is a great starting point. It doesn’t have the visuals or gameplay depth of some of the latest entries; however, its tactical gameplay is extremely well-balanced, which made the game a pioneer of the subgenre.
12 SOCOM 2
Available Platforms: PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 exclusive SOCOM 2 was initially released in November 2003, from Sony Computer Entertainment. The game was developed by Zipper Interactive, who were best known at the time for developing the previous SOCOM game, as well as MechWarrior 3 and Crimson Skies.
Along with its excellent tactical gameplay, players remember SOCOM 2 for its impressive amount of content for the time. The game featured 13 campaign missions with multiple objectives, as well as an online mode. The latter was shut down in 2012 but got revived thanks to a dedicated group of fans, many of who still play the game today.
11 Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six (1998)
Available Platforms: PC, Nintendo 64, PlayStation 1, Game Boy Color, Dreamcast
The Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six series has been a cornerstone of the tactical shooter genre since its first release. The franchise has provided gamers with memorable entries like Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Rogue Spear and Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Vegas 2. To this day it is still a driving force behind the genre’s current success with the hugely popular Rainbow Six Siege.
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six (1998) was the original entry in the series. It impressed gamers due to its excellent tactical gameplay mechanics, which were ahead of their time and, like Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon, made the game a pioneer of the subgenre.
10 Insurgency
Available Platforms: PC
The tactical-based first-person shooter game Insurgency lets players engage in street battles or find themselves caught in close-quarter action. It takes a great deal of tactics to achieve objectives like securing strongholds.
Insurgency boasts an abundance of weapons to choose from, and 16 playable maps with day and night options for each. The developer has committed to adding content, so there hasn’t been a better time to hop into the action.
9 Payday 2
Available Platforms: PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch
For players who enjoyed Grand Theft Auto V’s heist content and would like to play new heists over and over, Payday 2 fits the description. This game was released in 2013, and can be purchased for a bargain on the Steam Store. The gameplay has hardly aged, so there’s little reason to not get into this four-player cooperative game.
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Players step into the shoes of the original crew from the first Payday, using tactics to achieve unlawful objectives. Expect to visit Washington DC on a crime spree unlike any other game.
8 Star Wars: Republic Commando
Available Platforms: Xbox, PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4
When Star Wars: Republic Commando was released back in 2005, it was considered ahead of its time. Fast-forward to now, the game is beginning to show age. This tactical-based first-person shooter deserves a remaster or remake from the ground-up.
Players take on the role of a Republic commando, the leader of his elite squad. They can control party members to tactfully annihilate enemies. Star Wars: Republic Commando is an exceptionally unique Star Wars game worth playing for tactical-based game fanatics.
7 ARMA 3
Available Platforms: PC
ARMA 3 takes place in a vast military sandbox. It contains over 20 vehicles and 40 weapons, providing a wealth of opportunities on how to approach the game.
Using tactical-based combat is highly recommended in ARMA 3, although it can be played in single-player or multiplayer. The military tactics used in ARMA 3 are among the best of its class.
6 Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six 3
Available Platforms: PC, Mobile Phone
The tactical-based gameplay of this game was years ahead of its time. Before Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 and Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege, the third Rainbow Six was the go-to tactical-based first-person shooter.
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six 3 was released on multiple platforms, including PC, PlayStation 2, GameCube, and Xbox. The Sega Dreamcast introduced online gaming before it was trendy, but Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six was one of the first online games to attain popularity.
5 Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands
Available Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Google Stadia
Although the bulk of the game’s content takes place in an open world, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands contains a significant tactical component. The player’s objective is to prevent the rise of the Santa Blanca Cartel, which seeks to create a Narco-State.
For those who merely want strategic gameplay, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands contains online 4v4 tactical fights called Ghost War. The close-quarters of Ghost War’s maps are ideal for using tactics.
4 Escape From Tarkov
Available Platforms: PC
It’s worth noting that Escape from Tarkov isn’t widely available. It uses a unique launcher explicitly made for the game, along the lines of Fortnite. However, for those who can do so, it’s worth trying out.
The inventory management of Escape from Tarkov is one of its highlights. While the game is tactical-based, it has an inventory system similar to survival games like PUBG and Z1 Battle Royale. The game is still in its beta stage, which has been active since July 2017.
3 Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Vegas 2
Available Platforms: PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Xbox One
In the world of tactical first-person shooters, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 stands out as one of the best games of all time. The gameplaces players in a squad leader’s shoes who must prevent a terrorist organization from taking over Sin City.
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The gameplay of Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 was a significant step-up over its predecessor. Merely rushing to a firefight is ill-advised. Using the game’s groundbreaking tactical-based combat is recommended.
2 Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
Available Platforms: PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
The tactical shooter Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is part of a series recognized for team cooperation; it encourages players to communicate. Although the graphics don’t hold up compared to more recent shooters, the gameplay has only improved since launch.
Developer Valve Corporation doesn’t do a great job of keeping up from a visual art design perspective. However, Counter-Strike Global Offensive’s tactical-based gameplay is nearly perfect.
1 Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege
Available Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
When it comes to tactical-based shooting games, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege takes the cake. It’s a smart blend of tactical and first-person shooting. In Rainbow Six Siege, players can use a host of gadgets to achieve objectives, usually involving defusing bombs or rescuing hostages.
Rainbow Six Siege is one of those games players can’t put down. A PS5 upgrade edition is out that improves the game’s graphics.
MORE: Reasons Counter-Strike Is The Best Tactical FPS (& Reasons Why It’s Rainbow Six)
