5 Great FPS Games You Cannot Buy Anymore

FPS titles have been a staple of the video game industry for decades now, and every so often there comes along a title that completely redefines the mechanical limitations of what an FPS can do. While players might be able to relive the legendary titles that made the FPS genre what it is today, some games aren’t so lucky.

Perhaps due to lack of demand, licensing issues, or the developers having left the title to wile away in obscurity, some truly great FPS games are no longer available to buy through digital or mainstream retailers. These titles gave some great value for their content, and were all praised at the time for, in one way or another, pushing the boundaries of the genre.

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6 5 Terminator Skynet

A Technical Marvel For Its Time With Great Environments

Released: 1996
Platform: DOS
Developers: Bethesda Softworks
Publishers: Bethesda Softworks

The signature Bethesda spin on fully interactive environments, best seen in the Elder Scrolls series, also made its way into other titles the company was toying with during its DOS days. Terminator Skynet was a sequel to another Terminator game the company had released, and this one included some pretty decent graphics for a DOS-based title that were widely praised at the time, alongside some interactive multiplayer elements.

The title’s age and simple lack of demand might have something to do with its disappearance from shopfronts today, not recieving the same revival other classic shooters have, but this was a great title that really pushed the DOS to its limit with houses and buildings that were all fully interactive, just like in the later Elder Scrolls titles.

4 Goldeneye 007

An All-Time Classic Splitscreen Shooter

This is one of those classic FPS games that’s still discussed fondly to this day, even if some mechanics haven’t necessarily aged well beyond the N64 era. The compelling main storyline in this game also gave way to some fantastic multiplayer that changed how the genre was looked upon. This game also pioneered destructive environments and stealth mechanics, making it well ahead of its competition at the time.

Rare’s dissolution in recent years might be a big part of why this title hasn’t been found on any shopfronts, with no face lifts or remakes in sight. The hard truth might also be that enough successors and imitators have crowded out what place this title would have in stores today.

3 Vietcong

A Definitive Vietnam-Era Shooter

Released: 2003
Platform: PC, PS2, Xbox
Developers: Pterodon, 2K Czech
Publishers: Gathering of Developers

There was a time after Vietcong’s release where a plethora of titles tried to take its place as the best tactical, realistic Vietnam War shooter on the market. This includes, funnily enough, the largely unsuccessful sequel to this title, Vietcong 2. This title prioritized realism and high-impact action as its main focus, but also managed to throw on a unique and compelling story about the horrors of the Vietnam War.

Today, Vietnam War era games are largely lost within the mix of the broader Cold War era shooters, but while this title can’t be bought normally today, it stands as a testament to what good, finely detailed environments and tactical gameplay can do for a shooter. An expansion for this game gave players a prequel story to shoot their way through, which helped flesh out the setting and characters. The game also ends on a particularly somber note, but this is par for the course considering the conflict the shooter is engaged in.

2 Battlefield 1942

The Acclaimed Start To A Monolithic Series

2002 gave rise to an incredible FPS, the WWII entrenched Battlefield 1942, with its unique focus on destructible environments, this title was as much a fantastic FPS as it was a showcase for the kind of immersion a war shooter was capable of. All manner of aircraft was able to be flown in this title, and the multiplayer element had specific armies change based on location, to ensure that in any map, the historically accurate nations were fighting there.

Battlefield 1942 is still ranked today as one of the best titles in the series, with its engaging campaign and explosive action holding up even in modernity. Unfortunately, it’s a bit difficult to get this game running on modern systems, especially as it’s unavailable to buy today.

1 Killzone: Mercenary

A PSVita Shooter That Made Great Use Of The Hardware

Killzone: Mercenary innovated on the iconic Killzone formula by allowing far more freedom in their load outs, character customization, and even faction of choice when compared to other titles. This was not a mainline game, taking on more of a supplementary role as players assume the role of a mercenary that operates between and during the three major Killzone games. There was a lot to love with this game’s slick, fluid movement and combat, and some pretty novel uses of the PSVita touch screen and back panel without straying into the dangerous “gimmick” territory.

Unfortunately, even with this game making splashes with its combat, controls, visuals and story, it is bound to a console that simply doesn’t get attention anymore. A remarkable gem on a forgotten handheld, Killzone: Mercenary took the series in places it had not been before, but today stands un-buyable and forgotten, despite some of the excellent gameplay and customization options it offered.