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ScOULaris · Mar 4, 2011

With games like Bulletstorm, Bodycount, and Duke Nukem: Forever entering the modern market, there has been a lot of discussion here on GAF about new FPS games trying to distance themselves from the monopolized Modern Warfare genre. As is the case with the three games I just mentioned, a popular way to accomplish that is to look back to the successful FPS games of yesteryear, from a time before gritty realism became the holy grail of game design within the genre. This is not to say that games like Modern Warfare haven't advanced online play significantly or that they are not great games, but we sometimes forget how different your average online FPS was before Modern Warfare changed the landscape.

Before you cast your vote for your personal favorite online FPS of all time, let me jog your memory of some of the most beloved shooters from years past.

Quake II

Half-Life: Team Fortress

Counter-Strike (1.6)

Unreal Tournament

Quake III Arena

Starsiege: Tribes

Unreal Tournament 2004

Battlefield: 1942

Counter-Strike: Source

Halo II (and sequels)

Red Orchestra

Team Fortress 2

------

I'm sure I missed a few in there, but I just wanted to get the nostalgic juices flowing to give the older games a chance to be remembered before casting your vote. I have so many good memories with over half of the games pictured above, as I'm sure many of you do as well.

My Vote: Counter-Strike (1.6)
I can't think of any FPS that I played more intensely or for a longer stretch of time than I did the original Counter-Strike. The impact of this little Half-Life mod that could is as evident today as ever, both in terms of the modding community and multiplayer shooters in general. It had balanced (for the time) team-based play, the shopping system, the mindblowing wealth of user-created levels that populated the lobbies, the easy-to-use spectating system between rounds, the best-in-class (for the time) implementation of voice chat, the distinctive character models, true-to-life guns, and dozens of little quirks that made Counter-Strike special. Counter-Strike: Source would prove to be a worthy update to the original, but by that time I was somewhat burnt out on it.

I also have very found memories of Unreal Tournament (1 and 2K4) and Red Orchestra, but I've gotta give my #1 pick to Counter-Strike, my favorite online FPS of all time.

What's your favorite online FPS?

faridmon · Mar 4, 2011

Personally, I really loved Tribes 2 which was the only competetive FPS I really took seriosly. Nothing gave me that sense of excitment since.

Although, BC2 is as close as it gets.

54-46! · Mar 4, 2011

1.

2.

3.

Gravijah · Mar 4, 2011

TimeSplitters: Future Perfect

Spent countless hours playing online with two of my cousins as same console guests. Every day, 5+ hours a day, over months. Was beautiful.

StuBurns · Mar 4, 2011

TF2 is my favorite of the list.

the_painted_bird · Mar 4, 2011

PC GAF is going to hate people like me, but my favorite has always been Halo 2. I didn't care if it was unbalanced... the online gameplay kept me coming back. Played that game for hours every day after high school until I went to sleep. When I have more time to play games I'm sure my favorite will change. Amazing genre. The best is subjective, post your favorites.

shadowsdarknes · Mar 4, 2011

Halo II and Battlefield 2 are probably my favorites.

But it's asking for best online FPS of all time. Not sure what the best fps is..

Druz · Mar 4, 2011

So many good titles I'm just not going to vote. Or you can use this post as a -1 for anyone that decides to foolishly vote Halo.

Okay, CS 1.6

WanderingWind · Mar 4, 2011

Any answer that isn't Quake III Arena or Counter-Strike borders on ignorance.

gillty · Mar 4, 2011

Counter-Strike & CSS has to be the answer, no other franchise has retained over 100,000 unique players a day for a decade.

Foliorum Viridum · Mar 4, 2011

Counter-Strike: Source (I got hooked on 1.5, but Source is where I spent most of my time)
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (It gets a lot of hate, but I can always go back to it and have a blast)
Left 4 Dead and Left 4 Dead 2 (The definitive co-op experience)

It takes a lot for me to put a lot of time into an FPS online these days. In the last two years I've just gone back to the above three, rather than play new ones, haha.

I was too young to play the Quake/Unreal years really.

daviyoung · Mar 4, 2011

Unreal Tournament 1999

For that very screenshot. Morpheus' low gravity, Lava Giant and the train Assualt level are a few of the finest multiplayer maps ever created. The tech was great for the time, the gameplay was fun and frenetic, and 'MONSTER KILL' never got old. Even the spectator mode was fun.

Fun. Fun. Fun.

Enkidu · Mar 4, 2011

In terms of pure FPS games, I think BF2 is my favorite. However, if we stretch the definition a bit I probably have to say Jedi Knight 2. No other game comes close in terms of lightsaber combat.

KKRT00 · Mar 4, 2011

1. Medal of Honor: Allied Assault
2. Quake 1
3. Quake 3
4. Counter Strike Source

CrankyJay · Mar 4, 2011

I'm voting for the original Quake.

The game was simply awesome online.

GarthVaderUK · Mar 4, 2011

I adore Halo but UT99 has a special place in my heart <3

thefil · Mar 4, 2011

I wouldn't feel right if I didn't come in to give my answers.

1. Team Fortress 2
2. Command & Conquer: Renegade

*edit* If anyone could point me towards what I need to do to play Renegade on active servers today, I'd be happy.

cj_iwakura · Mar 4, 2011

F.E.A.R.

strikeselect · Mar 4, 2011

Counter-Strike 1.6 by FAR

TruHero · Mar 4, 2011

ksan · Mar 4, 2011

I'm gonna go with QuakeWorld, which I'm extremely dissapointed to not find in the OP.
Q3 and CS 1.6 are the only ones that might be considered as good imo, but QW shows why console fps will always be nothing compared to PC fps in my eyes.

The game also had some of the greatest maps ever (DM4/6 are personal favorites) and also the greatest rocket launcher ever.

ascii42 · Mar 4, 2011

I'm going to have to give it up for Unreal Tournament 2004. The first UT was great, but Onslaught mode always had me coming back for more.

Hari Seldon · Mar 4, 2011

Duke 3D Direct Modem Connection!!!!!!

Princess Skittles · Mar 4, 2011

Quake III Arena.

Label · Mar 4, 2011

Bombing Run is still my favourite Game Mode of all time, they gone and totally fucked it up in 2004.

UT2k4 feels so different than 2k3 and I did not like it no where near as much

Still loved it though.

Emitan · Mar 4, 2011

Unreal Tournament 2004 by a long shot. This is the game that got me into PC gaming. I've spent dozens of hours playing the demo and at least 200 playing the full game online and at LANs.

Wario64 · Mar 4, 2011

Action Quake 2

Ceebs · Mar 4, 2011

Quake III Arena is the correct choice.

clip · Mar 4, 2011

As much as I adore the Battlefield series, my vote goes to CS 1.6

That game defined the MP scene of the late 90s, early 00s for me, and I often think back on it quite fondly.

mil6es · Mar 4, 2011

Counterstrike 1.6/Source

no game has sucked more hours of my life than that game

Barack Lesnar · Mar 4, 2011

I'm gonna get hate for this too but I loved COD4 Modern Warfare. At the time, the XP system with its levels, unlocks, attachments and customization was fresh and new. Looking back, it changed the entire genre did it not? Countless FPS since then have tried to copy it. Kind of like Gears of War with its cover system -- lots of third-person shooters have tried to mimic it.

theBishop · Mar 4, 2011

- Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory

- Unreal Tournament 2003

- Counter Strike Source

- Halo 2

- Battlefield 2

TheSeks · Mar 4, 2011

Battlefield Series for non-Arena shooters.
Quake 3: Arena for Arena shooters
Quake 1/2 after that.

PetriP-TNT · Mar 4, 2011

Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory

No other game even comes close.

Adamm · Mar 4, 2011

CS 1.6 or CS Source

I played both way more than any sane man should

afternoon delight · Mar 4, 2011

1. Unreal Tournament 1999
2. Left 4 Dead 2
3. Team Fortress 2
4. Quake III Arena
5. TRIBES

Edit: Forgot Tribes. I'm ashamed.

I really believe that Left 4 Dead 2 and 1 before it offer the best FPS experience with friends. Hands down. It's never the same, permanent replayability, rock solid gameplay and mechanics, beautiful designs and colors, wonderful environments, the challenge level...

L4D4Life.

JoeBoy101 · Mar 4, 2011

Tribes, goddammit!

Jetpacks and disc launchers. Land surfing and heavies with mortars. Fantastic game.

Iadien · Mar 4, 2011

1. UT
2. UT2003
3. Red Faction (PC)
4. TF2

Chinner · Mar 4, 2011

CS 1.6 and TF2, probably.

Halo 2 was pretty amazing at the time, but with each sequel the MP has gotten progressively worse.

JWong · Mar 4, 2011

Planetside

ScOULaris · Mar 4, 2011

JoeBoy101 said:
Tribes, goddammit!

Jetpacks and disc launchers. Land surfing and heavies with mortars. Fantastic game.

Oh, man... land surfing! That never got old. Tribes was awesome.

louis89 · Mar 4, 2011

I haven't played MW2 or Black Ops

Skiptastic · Mar 4, 2011

Counterstrike, while I have forced myself to not play it ever again, is perhaps the greatest game ever made. So I'm going with that.

MarkMclovin · Mar 4, 2011

Half Life
Battlefield 2
Battlefield 1942
Bad Company 2
Halo 3/Reach
Unreal Tournament 99
MoH: AA
CoD: 4
Doom 2

All the above I rank the same.

The Lamonster · Mar 4, 2011

1) Halo 2
2) Modern Warfare

I chose these because of the many hours of time my friends and I have put into them. Sure, they might have sequels that are more advanced, but in their time these two games were somewhat groundbreaking and a hell of a lot of fun.

Barack Lesnar · Mar 4, 2011

Chinner said:
CS 1.6 and TF2, probably.

Halo 2 was pretty amazing at the time, but with each sequel the MP has gotten progressively worse.

Halo Reach is better than Halo 2 in like every single facet of the game.

Thoraxes · Mar 4, 2011

Definitely CD 1.6 for the reasons OP said and more...
I loved how after I took a beating for about a month, something just clicked on day and all of a sudden I was competitive and on even ground with everyone else.
It also kinda helped lay the framework to be really good at other PC FPS games. For some reason after playing 1.6 so long, I would go to other FPS games and just instantly be good at them.

stay gold · Mar 4, 2011

Halo 3

Pai Pai Master · Mar 4, 2011

1. UT2k4
2. TF2
3. R:FoM
4. L4D2
5. CS1.6

54-46! · Mar 4, 2011

louis89 said:
I haven't played MW2 or Black Ops

MW2 doesn't have dedicated servers and Black Ops is inferior to both so.. COD4 it is.

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