What makes a great FPS game? Regardless of any unique or defining overall concepts, there are certain core elements that just can't be ignored. Here are TEN straight from the pros at ValueGames:
1. GOING INTO THE WOMEN'S RESTROOM
Games allow you to do things you normally can't do in real life. Going into the women's restroom and finding out just what the heck goes on in there is at the top of the list.
2. KILLING CIVILIANS
Just like going into the women's restrooms, being able to permanently kill anyone you come across is vital for the believablility of the game world.
3. FULL-BODY AWARENESS
Being able to look down and see your own legs (and shoot them) is completely necessary for the believability the game character.
4. GOING PRONE
Being able to lay down on the ground and crawl around is something anyone would do in a real firefight, so its inclusion is absolutely essential.
5. LEANING / PEEKING
Leaning out of cover and peeking around corners is an essential defensive tactic. While strafing is an easy alternative, dedicated lean/peek buttons that rotate the camera increase the immersion factor.
6. REALISTIC GUNPLAY
Guns are loud in real life. They also recoil. And when you look through a scope, things outside of the scope aren't magnified too. Plus, re-loading isn't automatic...when you hear a click, you know you're out! Lastly...being able to pick up enemy weapons....HELLOOOOOO....!
7. REALISTIC ENEMIES
When people get shot in a game, they should flinch and react in a way that a real person would, including yelling and possibly dropping their weapon (and laying on the ground, still alive). Headshots should cause the enemy to convulse on the ground.
8. PILES OF CORPSES
Dead bodies don't disappear...they stack up! It's always a plus if you can drag them around or further dismember them, even eat them. Also: pools of blood, gibs, and flies!
9. INTERACTIVE ENVIRONMENTS
The environment should be MORE than just a backdrop for the shooting...it should enhance it by providing additional gameplay elements. This includes walls that can be destroyed or shot through (bullet penetration), objects that can fall, be thrown or hit, etc.
10. RAIN + WEATHER
It needs to rain like NO OTHER in the game. Weather effects in general present a passive way to create challenge and complexity to the core game mechanics, namely obscuring your auditory / visual senses.
11. DRIVEABLE VEHICLES
Why place vehicles in a game world if you can't drive them? Or blow them up? That's garbage!
12. HARD DIFFICULTY
Only on the hard difficulty must the player master the game mechanics and actively think about how to progress through a firefight. Players will usually take the easy route and just blow through a game in the name of "enjoying" it...FUK DAT!
THERE YOU GO...all the elements needed for a successful game. Can you think of any game that has all of these? If you answered GAM, you're correct.
All screenshots by me.