Summary
Thefirst-person shooter genreis one of the biggest genres in gaming, with roots all the way back to the 1990s. These games, especially early on, focused on labyrinthine-level design and fast-paced action that perfectly suited speedrunning. Even today, older titles, such asDOOM, still have active speedrunners.
Almost any game, and any first-person shooter, isfit for speedrunning. However, it could be argued that games with fluid movement and expert-level design are the most challenging and often the most expressive. There are plenty of FPS titles out there for players to speedrun, and though some can be quite difficult, they can also be incredibly fun.
Quakeis arguably one of the most influential first-person shooters of all time. The game wasdeveloped by ID Softwareand pioneered a lot of the gameplay mechanics and technology that first-person shooters of that time were known for. What makesQuakeso fun (and difficult) to speedrun, however, is the combination of its complex map design and nuanced movement.
AlthoughQuakefeatures all manner of movement techniques, most notably rocket-jumping and bunny-hopping, its map design (and more importantly, the way its levels are built) is what makes speedrunning it both rewarding and nuanced.
This fast-paced first-person pioneer is a massive part of gaming history and, due to its age and innovations, has one of the oldest speedrunning communities in the first-person shooter genre.DOOM’s age also makes it a relatively inaccessible game to speedrun, with a handful of techniques, such as strafe-running, that may be alien to some players.
BecauseDOOMhassuch smooth movement, it almost feels built for speedrunning. Furthermore, the game’s focus on momentum and constant movement makes for interesting speedruns. Players who can use skill and knowledge to keep their momentum are those who perform best.
Arguably one of thebestJames Bondvideo gamesto have ever been released,GoldenEye 007has a long and storied speedrunning history. Speedrunning is certainly difficult inGoldenEye, often requiring perfect aim and timing.
The reason thatGoldenEyeis so challenging (and fun) to speedrun is that the game’s missions will often task players with completing mandatory objectives. Because these objectives must be completed to progress, speedrunningGoldenEyebecomes all about optimizing paths and playing around objectives to complete themas fast as possible.
Much like the 90s shooters it’s inspired by (primarily,Quake),DUSKis a game that focuses on fast and fluid movement.DUSK, while a fairly smooth and bug-free experience for the average player, is full of ways to break the game and escape the bounds of a level. This is arguably what makesDUSKsuch a perfect FPS for speedrunning.
Many ofDUSK’s levels feature ways to escape its bounds, which is most often done through rocket jumping.DUSKalso features many objects to interact with that can sometimes help players reach areas they would otherwise not be able to, and the game’s many secrets can also help gamers achieve a faster time.
Arguably one of the greatest first-person shooter sequels ever made,TimeSplitters 2has a small but sturdy speedrunning community. Although it’s a fairly old game, having been released all the way back in 2002,TimeSplitters 2is arguably worth playing even today.
Much like the first game, success inTimeSplitters 2comes down to player awareness; for a successful speedrun, gamers need to have a deep understanding of enemy placement and map layout. This challenge is amplified when playing on the harder difficulty, which forces players to complete objectives that would otherwise be optional. All of this makesTimeSplitters 2a fun yet demanding speedrunning challenge.
This smash-hit indie game takes huge influence from thefirst-person shooters of the 1990swith its fast-paced movement and shooter action. However,ULTRAKILLalso has its own unique flairs that make it particularly fun and hard to speedrun.
ULTRAKILL’svariety of weaponsallows for niche utilities, and its stylish, expressive movement makes it a joy to aim for the fastest time. While more dedicated speedrunners may attempt baffling strategies to achieve the fastest time possible,ULTRAKILLis a game that encourages players to simply beat levels as fast as they can with as much style as they can muster.
DespiteNeon Whitenot being the most challenging first-person game to speedrun and barely qualifying as a shooter, it’s arguably one of the greatest speedrunning FPS games to be released in recent years. This is primarily down to its sheer accessibility, offering plenty of ways to ease new players into the rush of speedrunning while simultaneously providing a fun andaddictive gameplay loop.
Neon Whitetasks players with running through levels from point A to point B as fast as possible, making sure to kill every enemy along the way. To do this, players are given a variety of weapons in the form of cards that can be discarded for movement abilities. AlthoughNeon Whitefeatures plenty of ways to help players achieve faster times, there’s still plenty of fun and challenge to be had in perfecting a run.
