1. Alien Vs Predator
Developed by Rebellion and published by Sega, this utterly amazing FPS game launched in 2010.
AVP featured 3 campaigns where you could choose from a marine, alien or a predator. I thoroughly enjoyed all 3. The gameplay was not as tight as Call Of Duty but it was still solid. The multiplayer is where it truly shined though, it was fear inducing if you played as a marine.
As far as I am aware the game sold very well and was well received. Everyone in my friend group had a copy and we would jump on constantly to hunt each other down. It definitely warranted a sequel but instead we got colonial marine.
2. The Saboteur
Every time I saw the pandemic games logo, I knew I was in for a good time. This sadly, was the last game the studio worked on. Thanks EA. Pandemic games were bought by EA in 2007 and were shut very soon after this games launch in 2009.
The saboteur was somewhat of a Grand Theft Auto clone. However, it stood on its own two feet. It received praise the world over. It featured an Irish protagonist as he fought for freedom across France against the Nazi’s. Being Irish myself, I firmly stand that American voice actors are unable to do an authentic Irish accent. This was my only gripe with the game itself.
The game featured solid shooting mechanics and an amazing story line as you fought for freedom. Killing Nazi’s and blowing things up every chance you had. What really set this game apart was its amazing visuals. Nazi controlled areas were depicted in black, white and red. Once liberated the colour would soon return. It was a sight to behold every time. Espionage fans were right at home here!
3. The Simpsons Hit & Run
Another Grand Theft Auto clone that on paper should not have worked. But boy, oh boy, did it.
Hit & Run took the world by storm when it released in 2003. An open world Springfield believe it or not was absolutely amazing to explore and wreak havoc in.
The game was hilarious and simply a joy to play! The developers Radical Entertainment went above and beyond with this one. Once your console detected that it was Halloween , the entire landscape changed. Vehicles were replaced by witches on broomsticks and zombies galore. Utter treehouse of horrors vibes.
Apparently multiple sequels were planned but never materialized. How we have not even got a remake is beyond me.
4. Dark Sector
Technically this game laid the foundations for Warframe, it still was not a sequel. This was one of the funnest and goriest games that came out. Topped only by Gears Of War which it drew heavy inspiration from in regards to its gameplay.
Infected by a virus that slowly mutated your body into a killing machine. Secret agent Hayden Tenno becomes more than a soldier. Tenno was also portrayed by Smallville’s very own, Michael Rosenbaum.
The gameplay was fantastic, but the inclusion of the ‘Glaive’ was what grasped gamers. This weapon of destruction was truly something else. It was thrilling to use. Slicing heads and limbs alike off of enemies along with utilizing certain elements like fire and electricity mixed with some great firearms. The game is currently free on Steam, please go play it! You will not be disappointed!
5. Timeshift
Space Marine 2 developers Saber Interactive absolutely cooked with this game. Often confused with the so called ‘Halo Killer’ Haze. This out of the box FPS game was far superior than Haze in every way.
Timeshift saw you don a time manipulation suit, which was the coolest aspect of the game. You use the suit to any part of your combat. With functions like stop time, slow time and rewind time. All these features made combat a joy.
If you were stuck by a grenade simply rewind the clock and re adjust yourself. The possibilities were endless. I admit the story was okay nothing groundbreaking, catch the villain who wore a superior suit of the same functions. But I was not playing this game for the story. Its immensely fun combat and amazing variety of weapons had sunk its teeth into me.
The setting, a grim dark London was a sight to behold and extremely atmospheric. It featured some fantastic character designs. The suit look wicked and so did all the NPC’s. The game did feature a multiplayer aspect. When I finally played it, the servers were practically dead.
It is backwards compatible on the Xbox and is available on Steam and GOG. If you haven’t played this game, I implore you to! You will not be disappointed.
