As the successor to the hugely popular Xbox 360, the Xbox One had big shoes to fill when it launched in November 2013. While not quite matching the Xbox 360‘s sales, the Xbox One went on to sell over 50 million units globally and provided players with cutting-edge first-person shooter (FPS) experiences that built on the strengths of previous generations.
With the power of 8-core x86 processors and advanced DirectX 11 graphics, the Xbox One enabled new levels of visual fidelity, expansive game worlds, and frantic online multiplayer action. Developers were able to bring their creative visions to life like never before.
Let‘s take a look back at the FPS games that defined the Xbox One era and provided players with some of the most pulse-pounding and memorable shooter campaigns, multiplayer arenas, weapons, stories and gameplay the genre has ever seen.
What Are First-Person Shooters?
First-person shooters are games played from the visual perspective of the protagonist. As the name suggests, gameplay largely involves shooting from a first-person viewpoint with various ranged weapons.
While early FPS games focused exclusively on shooting mechanics and navigating environments, the genre has evolved to incorporate compelling narratives, squad-based tactics, complex progression systems and a range of movement abilities that complement the core gunplay.
Multiplayer remains an integral part of FPS gaming, with certain franchises like Call of Duty and Battlefield renowned for their competitive online modes supporting large player counts. The Xbox One provided the processing muscle for these games to expand in scale.
From the trenches of World War 1 to alien-ravaged sci-fi colonies to class-based arena battles, the following Xbox One titles showcase the genre’s incredible diversity.
#7: Battlefield 1
Developer: DICE / EA Digital Illusions CE
Release Year: 2016
Multiplayer: Up to 64 players
Don‘t let the name fool you – Battlefield 1 is actually the tenth installment in EA‘s juggernaut Battlefield series. However, it was the first to explore World War 1, with DICE aiming to capture the most chaotic and dynamic battles the Great War ever saw.
While innovating the setting, Battlefield 1 stayed true to the signature sandbox warfare the series was founded on. Through six distinct story-driven "War Stories", players fought their way through epic 64-player multiplayer modes ranging from tight urban spaces to sprawling Italian Alps domains.
Mastering Battlefield‘s class-based combat and vehicular warfare is no easy feat, but the rush of charging into the front lines or winning a dogfight over the desert sands is second to none. Combined arms tactics are essential, and Battlefield 1‘s visual and audio design truly sells the sensation of being a small cog in the war machine.
Bolstered by post-launch support and the excellent They Shall Not Pass expansion, Battlefield 1 stands as the Xbox One‘s best military shooter.
Metacritic Score: 89
#6: DOOM
Developer: id Software
Release Year: 2016
Multiplayer: 12 players
Seeing DOOM appear on any best-of list for first-person shooters is hardly a surprise, and the Xbox One is no exception. This 2016 reboot earned strong reviews for bringing back old-school run-and-gun action while modernizing it for a new generation.
As the legendary Doom Slayer, you awaken to find Mars has been overrun by demonic forces. With an array of savage weapons at the ready, you gleefully blast, detonate and dismember anything that stands in your path. Glory kill animations add visceral flair to the combat.
Doom‘s high-octane single-player campaign eschews cover mechanics entirely, asking you to constantly push forward. Level designs encourage exploration without slowing things down. The multiplayer mode fares well too, with frantic battles across a selection of maps and modes.
While not a major innovator, Doom provides a back to basics FPS experience done exceptionally well. It captures the essence of what made early shooters so gripping.
Metacritic Score: 87
#5: Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus
Developer: MachineGames / Bethesda
Release Year: 2017
Multiplayer: N/A
Another historical classic, Wolfenstein helped define the FPS genre and its Xbox One entry did not disappoint. Without any multiplayer component, Wolfenstein II succeeds entirely on its wild alternate-history plot and overhauled combat mechanics.
The game imagines a world where the Nazis won WW2 and have occupied America in 1961. As war hero B.J Blazkowicz, you join a resistance group to ignite a revolution and topple the Nazi regime that has ruled for over a decade.
Wolfenstein II doubles down on the fast-paced aggression of its predecessors but notably adds new abilities for stealthier playstyles. You can sneak through vents, subdue enemies quietly, and even hijack Nazi exo-suits to cause all kinds of havoc.
Coupled with a strong cast of supporting characters and well-written story, MachineGames delivered an unforgettable single-player campaign that left players hungry for more. It pushes the FPS genre into bolder territory while retaining everything that made it so appealing to begin with.
Metacritic Score: 88
#4: Apex Legends
Developer: Respawn Entertainment / EA
Release Year: 2019
Multiplayer: 60 players
Battle royale games rose to prominence in the late Xbox One lifecycle, but none made a splash quite like Apex Legends. Respawns‘ innovative take on the genre has amassed over 100 million players to date.
Set in the Titanfall universe, Apex Legends shakes up traditional battle royale conventions with its Hero Shooter mechanics. You select from a diverse cast of Legends each with their own playstyles, abilities and ultimate moves. Combining Legend powers and coordinating with your trio is vital for victory.
Beyond hero differentiation, Apex introduces smart quality-of-life improvements like respawning fallen comrades and contextual communication menus. Combined with polished gunplay and movement, there is a lot of strategic depth for what initially seems like just another battle royale clone.
Apex Legends‘ stylish design and flourishes of lore only raise its production value further. With frequent content updates and in-game events from Respawn, it‘s an online FPS that keeps fans engaged beyond just grinding the battle pass.
Metacritic Score: 89
#3: DOOM Eternal
Developer: id Software
Release Year: 2020
Multiplayer: 12 players
The sequel to 2016‘s series reboot builds on everything that revitalized DOOM for a new era. DOOM Eternal doubles down on ultra-violence and speed, demanding you push forward aggressively through its hellish demon outbreak.
As the Doom Slayer, you now have more movement options and abilities than ever before to rip and tear your way through the campaign. Engagements are fast and chaotic but keep you fully immersed without feeling overwhelming. The upgraded weapon wheel and new equipment mods add more decision making too.
DOOM Eternal‘s environments are more expansive and visually striking. Levels offer more room for improvisational demon-slaying tactics, whether blasting demons away with the meat hook attachment or torching a horde with the shoulder flamethrower. Harder difficulties severely test your skill.
The asymmetrical 2v1 multiplayer mode Battlemode also brings great tension. Whether overwhelming the Slayer as a powerful demon or fending off hellspawn as the marine, it‘s a refreshing change of pace from old-school deathmatch modes.
Metacritic Score: 88
#2: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered
Developer: Raven Software / Infinity Ward
Release Year: 2016
Multiplayer: 18 players
Call of Duty has long held the shooter genre crown, and Modern Warfare is rightly considered one of its best entries. The Xbox One remaster revisits the campaign that turned COD into a pop culture icon, elevating it with current-gen polish.
You once again embark on covert spec-ops missions across the Middle East and Eastern Europe as characters like "Soap" MacTavish. Iconic levels like Crew Expendable and All Ghillied Up maintain their cinematic intensity, with enhanced visuals and audio adding new layers of immersion.
On top of expected XP improvements for silky smooth 60 FPS gameplay, the remaster also includes a revamped mode with overhauled progression and deeper loadout customization. New melee attacks and weapon inspection mechanics further modernize the 2007 formula.
Call of Duty‘s campaigns may be fleeting, but Modern Warfare showed Infinity Ward at the peak of their craft. No other FPS game delivered such memorable characters and landmark moments that permeated games culture for years to follow.
Metacritic Score: 83
#1: Overwatch
Developer: Blizzard Entertainment
Release Year: 2016
Multiplayer: 12 players
Boasting over 50 million players and counting, Overwatch stands tall as not just the Xbox One‘s best FPS but one of history‘s most impactful multiplayer shooters. Blizzard‘s foray into the genre masterfully blends FPS gameplay with strategic hero-based arena battling.
You select from a diverse all-star cast of assault, defense, tank and support heroes. Mastering each hero‘s unique weapons and abilities is integral for attacking, holding or pushing objectives across 30+ colorful maps. Team compositions must be balanced, requiring coordination and communication uncommon in standard FPS game modes.
Hitting headshots as pinpoint sniper Widowmaker feels wholly different to overwhelming enemies in Winston‘s Tesla Cannon radius. There are over 30 heroes currently, ensuring there‘s something for all playstyles.
Overwatch further succeeds through its charming Pixar-esque art direction, expanded lore and generous flow of post-launch content. Limited-time seasonal events continuously breathe fresh life into its 6v6 skirmishes year after year.
Metacritic Score: 91
The Future of Xbox FPS Gaming
And with over 50 million Xbox One consoles sold, that wraps up our countdown of the defining first-person shooter experiences from Microsoft‘s third home console generation.
The games featured here embody the tireless drive for innovation that moves the genre forward with each hardware cycle. As FPS titles grow more ambitious in scope, Xbox Series X/S consoles now boast processing capabilities to realize developers‘ grandest visions. Support for up to 120FPS gameplay, ray tracing accelerated visuals, and near-instant load times take immersion to new heights.
From triple-A juggernauts like Halo Infinite to indie darlings such as Ultrakill, the future looks exceedingly bright for first-person shooter fans on Xbox platforms. Iconic franchises will keep evolving alongside new IPs, continually raising the genre’s standard one unprecedented multiplayer clash, visually stunning set-piece and heart-pounding campaign at a time.
