Top 10 offline shooting games

In a world constantly connected to the internet, we are expected to see an ever-increasing number of online games. In this scenario, shooting games are among the most common titles, with big names like Fortnite and Call of Duty: Warzone leading the popularity ranking. There is, however, a portion of players who still prefer the focus on the story and, fortunately, there is also a wide variety of titles included in this category.

Seeking to help you remember some of these classics and even discover new gems, Canaltech has listed 10 of the best offline shooting games for you to distract yourself and enjoy a dense story or more tactical gameplay, without worrying about other players.

Hitman Sniper

We start the selection with a mobile title that is a little commented on: Hitman Sniper. Launched in 2014 for Android and iOS phones, the game puts the player in the role of Agent 47, but from a different perspective — that of a sniper.

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The traditional assassination contracts are present, as well as the need to devise a strategy to fulfill them in the best possible way, but all through the scope of a rifle. Players have scenario elements available to perform the services, as well as secondary objectives to make the task more challenging.

Spec Ops: The Line

Third-person shooter, Spec Ops: The Line is a solid title that, although it brings well-built mechanics, with elements of squadron command, does not stand out in these aspects. What really makes the game unique is its proposal to “challenge the morality of the players”, as the official description on the pages of the digital stores informs, through the dense narrative.

An interesting point also mentioned by the description, which gives clues of what players can expect, are the two main inspirations of the game: the feature film Apocalypse Now, and the novel The Heart of Darkness.

Quake

One of the greatest classics of the FPS genre, Quake was developed by the legendary id Software, the studio behind DOOM and Wolfenstein, and received a remastered version for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S in 2021 and Nintendo Switch. Players navigate complex maps in a dark fantasy world solving puzzles and eliminating strange creatures with extreme weapons that are satisfying to use.

The remastered version further improved the formula with three brand new expansions, and the ability to run the game in 4K with HDR at over 120 FPS on the most powerful platforms it is available on, including PS5 and Xbox Series X.

DOOM (2016)

Another id Software classic, DOOM received a complete reboot in 2016 that, despite reimagining the game in narrative terms and, more importantly, gameplay, made an impact almost as big as the original 1993 game.

Frantic, with an insane arsenal, DOOM (2016) takes the DOOM Slayer (popularly known as DOOM Guy) to face a demonic sect on Mars, and prevent the creatures from fulfilling their plan to invade and dominate Earth.

Bioshock

Another game framed as one of the pillars of the genre today, Bioshock expanded the traditional shooting mechanics by adding powers to the formula, the Plasmids. With fire, ice, telekinesis, and a series of other variations, players have access to more tactical gameplay, even being able to interact with elements of the scenario and face the scary Big Daddies in a more intelligent way.

The narrative is another of the strongest points of the game, with a big plot twist at the end. Bioshock and its sequels have also been remastered for modern platforms with access to features like higher frame rates and resolutions.

Sniper Elite 5

Even though it has the theme of the 2nd World War as its stage, one of the most used scenarios in FPS, Sniper Elite 5 escapes from the traditional “walk and shoot” by having as its main mechanic, as the name suggests, the use of the rifle of precision to shoot down the targets.

With its own somewhat simple narrative, with the war in the background, the title (as well as the rest of the franchise) really shines through tactical gameplay and brutal Mortal Kombat- style endings, complete with x-ray vision and slow motion.

System Shock

Bioshock‘s spiritual predecessor, System Shock is another one of the stamped cards among the main shooting classics in the gaming world, with multiple horror elements and the weight of influencing several modern games.

With cyberpunk aesthetics, the plot takes place in a space station dominated by SHODAN, an uncontrolled Artificial Intelligence, being the players’ task to survive the computer attacks and disable the AI ​​to prevent an even greater catastrophe.

A complete remake of System Shock will be released in 2023, seeking to preserve the essence of the original in a more modern package.

Dishonored

Dishonored is one of the main spiritual successors to System Shock and Bioshock, putting even more focus on stealth, and embarking on a complex Victorian-themed story.

In addition to the plot, the title stands out for applying the elements of the so-called Immersive Sim, in which players are free to fulfill the challenges as they wish — there is no exact decision that leads to game over, with the exception of death — using the powers supernatural powers and the skills of the protagonist Corvo Attano to define which ending, among the three available, the story will be taken.

Deathloop

From the same creators of Dishonored, Deathloop is inspired by the Victorian game formula but sees its story unfold in the present, with more focus on action and an interesting twist: time as the central mechanic.

For mysterious reasons, the same day is repeated every day — in the best style of the movie Groundhog Day — and, instead of dying, players can return moments before the defeat to redo a section of the stage. On the second failure, the day is restarted.

To unravel the mystery and get out of the loop, the biggest challenge of the game is to eliminate in a single cycle the group of assassins that inhabit the island of the game, a task that is not easy.

DOOM Eternal

A sequel to DOOM (2016), DOOM Eternal takes the DOOM Slayer to fight demonic beings on Earth, after a somewhat disastrous ending to the original game.

Eternal is bigger, even more dynamic, and intense, with absurd weapons and new mechanics like dash, making combat and movement more fluid and enjoyable.

Mandatory title for fans of the franchise, players who love action games, and even those looking for a story full of twists to follow.