One undeniable and irrefutable fact is that FPS games are the most fun genre in gaming. This isn’t even a hyperbole; statistics have shown that of all the gaming genres, shooter games are the most played. So, it makes sense that you have landed on this page in search of the most violent FPS games. What is the point of a first-person shooter if there is no violence?
But more than that, it’s also understandable that you don’t want to play games that, for the lack of a better word, look outdated. It’s difficult to immerse yourself if the textures used for blood are pixelated, or if the movement is choppy. The good news is that there are quite a few gory, visually impressive FPS games that might satisfy your desire for great gunplay. So, without further ado, here are the top 10 most violent FPS games with great graphics.
10. Doom Eternal (PC / PS4 / Xbox One/ Switch)
Doom Eternal - Official Trailer 2
Doom Eternal was published by Bethesda Softworks in 2020, developed by id Software, and is the sequel to Doom (2016), which is another very violent game. You will take control of the Doomguy, also known as the Slayer, Doom Slayer or Doom Marine, and unleash hell on the demons of, well, hell, that are trying to consume Earth.
The best way to describe Doom Eternal is the gory, action-packed, demon slaying, graphically beautiful version of what Doom (2016) should have been. You will need to use every gun in your arsenal, and there are many, to decapitate, mangle, shred, and explode enemies from one end of the level to the other.
Doom Eternal was nominated for Best Action Game and Game of the Year awards at The Game Awards of 2020. If you are looking for mindless, gory fun that is simultaneously a masterpiece of blood and bones, you should try this game.
9. Wolfenstein: The New Colossus (PC / PS4 / Xbox One/ Switch)
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus - E3 2017 Full Reveal Trailer
If you were to talk about violent FPS games, it would be highly unlikely that Wolfenstein: The New Colossus won’t be mentioned. The game was released in 2017, published by Bethesda Softworks and developed by MachineGames. The New Colossus was very well received, and all of the characters feel fleshed out, the gunplay feels extremely smooth, and the storyline of the game motivates players to invest time into finishing it.
You will need to complete each level before moving onto the next by completing objectives, and killing Nazis along the way in a gloriously violent fashion. You can cut legs off, shoot arms off, decapitate, burn and disintegrate enemies, just to name a few ways they can be dispatched. More than this, it all feels so real because of the amazing voice acting and animations.
Between the flashbacks of BJ Blazkowicz’s childhood, the stories you hear about what the Nazis have done throughout the game, and the cunningly maniacal and completely sadistic General Engel, you really are brought into the head space of the main character. As BJ says "You take freedom away from the American people, you're playing with fire. And I intend to pour some gasoline!", and that he does.
8. Deathloop (PC / PS5)
DEATHLOOP – Official Gameplay Trailer 3: Déjà Vu
Deathloop is one of the newer entries on this list, and was released in 2021, developed by Arkane Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks. To put it mildly, Deathloop is one of the most ambitious blends of gameplay elements that you would assume would fail, but shines spectacularly. You could say Deathloop is a combination of Hitman, Dishonored, Prey, Outer Wilds, and more, but manages to be its own unique creature.
You take control of an assassin by the name of Colt who is stuck in a time loop, and the only way to break the time loop is to assassinate 8 targets before midnight. This sounds easy, but each target has their own routine, which can change depending on the time of day, which also depends on which of the 4 districts you decide to visit, and the order in which you assassinate the targets.
From the gunplay, to the movement, combat, enemies, and gameplay mechanics, every playthrough is different, and even though you die and repeat, it never becomes predictable or stale.
7. Aliens vs. Predator (PC / PS3 / Xbox 360)
Aliens vs. Predator - Launch trailer
This is one of the older games on the list, it was released in 2010, published by Sega and developed by Rebellion Developments who are known for their Sniper Elite series. Even though the game is around a decade old, it is still one of the best games of its time with stunning visuals, especially when pulling the heads off of soldiers, watching the extracted spine drip with blood.
Aliens vs. Predator does a great job of blending movie lore with gameplay elements. Simply put, when you play as the Predator, stealth is paramount and you really feel like you are stalking your prey. Playing as the Alien you will be shredding enemies and darting in and out of combat. Playing as the marine is a great way to get into the mechanics of the game, and you feel the tension while moving through the levels.
If you enjoy causing strategic carnage, Aliens vs. Predator will not disappoint. With the number of animations for execution kills, such as drinking the blood of enemies through a gaping hole in their neck as an alien, or cleanly slicing it off using your tail, the brutality will not get boring.
6. Shadow Warrior 2 (PC / PS4 / Xbox One)
Shadow Warrior 2 - Announcement Trailer
Shadow Warrior 2 is one of those games that flew under the radar, whether it be because marketing wasn’t so great, or because there were more mainstream games at the time that stole the spotlight (Call of Duty: WWII, Wolfenstein: The New Colossus, Prey, Destiny 2). It was released in 2017, published by Devolver Digital, and developed by Flying Wild Hog.
If you were to describe Shadow Warrior 2, the only description that would be relatively accurate is if Doom met Deadpool, and created a much lighter version Bright Memory: Infinite, with the influence of Bioshock Infinite. You play as Lo Wang, an assassin, and will have an arsenal of over 70 weapons to choose from to get through procedurally generated levels of demons and enemies.
You can also upgrade your equipment and weapons throughout the game, and there are various side quests to complete. If you are looking for a game with dirty jokes, gore galore, and swarms of enemies to obliterate in the most violent of ways, look no further than Shadow Warrior 2.
5. Bulletstorm (PC / PS3|4 / Xbox 360 / Xbox One / Switch)
Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition - Launch Trailer
Of all the FPS games to have been released in the last ten years, Bulletstorm probably takes the cake for being the most fun. It’s hard for the game not to be the clear winner, especially when incentivizing the player for being creatively violent is coded in the gameplay mechanics. The game was released in 2011, published by Electronic Arts, and developed by Epic Games and People Can Fly.
You play as Grayson Hunt, who is currently a space pirate, but was once a black ops soldier, until he found out that General Sarrano, the antagonist of the game, had tricked him and his squad into killing civilians and carrying out assassinations. The plot plays out like a regular FPS, with Grayson seeking revenge and trying to foil General Sarranos plan.
What makes this FPS different is the focus on violence, and the gameplay mechanics that allow the player to string creative kills together to earn high scores. You will have access to 8 different weapons, each with unique functions, to create art with ammo.
4. Bright Memory: Infinite (PC / PS4|5 / Xbox One / Xbox Series S|X / Switch)
Bright Memory: Infinite - Official PC Release Date Trailer
Bright Memory: Infinite is a game with quite an interesting backstory. It’s a remake of a game that was developed by a single developer, Zeng Xiancheng who released it in 2019, and caught the attention of many FPS fans for its amazing visuals, and brutal, fun combat mechanics. It has since been developed by FYQD Personal Studio, and published by Playism.
You play as Sheila, a member of Science Research Organization, and your task is to stop a military organization named SAI from getting an ancient power that raises the dead. Naturally this means that there are a mix of enemies to annihilate, and this is exactly what you do, using a mix of smooth gunplay, flashy sword skills, and supernatural powers.
The gameplay is fast, frantic, violent, yet at times quite strategic, especially when creatively killing enemies. If you want a more serious, graphically enhanced version of Bulletstorm, this would be the closest game you will find.
3. The Darkness 2 (PC / PS3 / Xbox 360 / macOS)
The Darkness II Launch Trailer
If you’re looking for a game with an interesting premise, then The Darkness 2 would be a perfect fit. The game was released in 2012, published by 2K Games, and developed by Digital Extremes. It is a sequel to the first game, so new players might not be exactly familiar with references, however it has been vastly improved, and playing the first game isn’t really necessary.
Jackie Estacado is the head of the Franchetti family, which you will take control of, and long story short, free your dead girlfriend's soul from Hell. Of course, along the way you are also trying to exact revenge on a rival gang that attacks you in the beginning of the game. You do all of this using the traditional weaponry of FPS games, as well as demon like heads that are attached to tentacles that sprout from your back.
The Darkness 2 is a blast to play through, and features RPG elements, like upgrading your abilities, one of which is eating the heart of an enemy to replenish your health, and receiving XP from performing certain actions.
2. Back 4 Blood (PC / PS4|5 / Xbox One / Xbox Series S|X)
BACK 4 BLOOD Official Trailer (2021) Zombie Game HD
The creators of Left 4 Dead and Left 4 Dead 2 are back at again with another game, Back 4 Blood, which released in 2021. This would be the third game in the series, but Valve retained the rights to the first two games when Turtle Rock Studios, the developers of the game, split from Valve. Now the game is considered to be a spiritual successor.
If you have played the first two games, then you would clearly see their influence, asmany of the previous game's mechanics are still used in this title. Back 4 Blood follows the same progression as previous titles, but brings the series into the modern era. You choose one character from a selection of 4 at the start of the game that have specific abilities and skills, as well as specific loadouts.You will then need to reach the end of each map, violently killing hordes of zombies along the way, with a variety of different weapons that can be picked up as you play.
The game is extremely fun, gory, and can become quite intense when you feel as if you’re about to be overwhelmed. There is no describing the joy and triumph of clearing a level, or lighting a group of zombies on fire with a well-placed molotov.
1. Bioshock Infinite (PC / PS3 / Xbox 360 / Linux / macOS)
Bioshock Infinite - Save Elizabeth - Trailer
One of the most enchanting, yet violent, and fleshed out FPS games to have been released is Bioshock Infinite. The game was released in 2013, developed by Irrational Games, and published by 2K Games. The name of the developer is quite an apt description for the experience you will have whilst playing the game.
You play as Booker Dewitt, a cop with an apparent sinful past, on a mission to clear his debt, which brings you to a literal floating city. You are the enemy in this story, and as with the first two Bioshock games, there are moral dilemmas if you stop to think about the situation you are in. But this doesn’t stop you from shooting crows out of your hands to devour your enemies, or setting them ablaze with a fiery trap.
Bioshock Infinite manages to make you believe that everything that is happening is entirely plausible, and it would be completely understandable the more you become entranced in the story, the amazing art and design of the world, and the oh so gloriously satisfying combat.
