Games can cost you quite a buck. Some games cost a lot, most of them even more. This isn’t always the case, though; sometimes they don’t even cost anything at all!
Actually, there are a lot of free games available. When we’re talking about shooters (read: games in which you shoot stuff and/or living things) these are nearly always multiplayer games.
Read on for the top five free online shooters.
5. War Rock – 550 MB
War Rock has been released as a free game from the very start, and extras can be purchased additionally. You can choose between 5 basic classes: engineer, medic, sniper, assault and heavy trooper. You have three main game types and three more additional ones. The three main game types are “˜Close Quarters Combat’, “˜Urban Ops’ and “˜Free for All’. In “˜Close Quarters Combat’ you’ll play in relatively small maps, thus entering more direct combat. “˜Urban Ops’ involves two teams, deploying bigger maps and more additional machinery like cars and mounted guns. “˜Free for All’ is like a standard “˜Deathmatch’ in most games; kill everyone you see, or be killed.
4. Nexuiz – 380 MB
I’m sure everyone who plays this will notice major similarities with Unreal Tournament. The gameplay shares a lot of things as well. It’s very fast paced, uses a wide range of unique weapons and the same rush of adrenaline. I don’t think anyone would mind me calling this the free Unreal Tournament alternative.
View Trailer (homepage)
Full Download
3. Warsow – 180 MB
Very fast paced and also very acrobatic. When I say acrobatic, I really mean acrobatic. I’m talking about bunny hopping (a strange way of jumping, allowing you to move really fast), known in other games, but implemented and thoroughly elaborated , about rolling, leaping and running up against the walls. Warsow is as much about shooting as about the acrobatics. To get the hang of the whole ‘acrobatic system’, it has cooked you a few tutorials – which you better try out before facing the real deal.
2. Gunz The Duel – 440 MB
Gunz isn’t just any shooter. Not just any Shooter or Hack ‘n Slasher to be honest, as you have both guns and a sword. The games are often set in relatively small levels. It features very extended acrobatics as well, thus creating a very entertaining and addictive gameplay. The more you play, the better you’ll get. The better you get, the higher your level will be. You can also buy yourself new armor and weapons, either by playing a lot of games and receiving points, or by using real money. One of the downsides of Gunz is the necessity to start the game using your web browser, but you’ll get used to it.
1. F.E.A.R. COMBAT – 1800 MB
F.E.A.R. (“˜fear’ for the friends) is an acronym meaning First Encounter Assault Recon; “˜Fear’ fits the game, though. Most people know or have played the game (perhaps even one of the expansions), but not a lot of people know that the included multiplayer mode has been released on the internet by its makers, giving you the opportunity to download it for free! In the game you can play as a member of the Special Forces or as one of the cloned soldiers.
Games That Didn’t Make The Top 5
Of course these aren’t the only good online shooters. The next few games didn’t make it into the top 5, but are also worth a play:
- America’s Army (a very realistic game. This figures because it was developed by the US Army itself)
- Return To Castle Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory (an online WW2 shooter)
- Mono (very simple and abstract game ““ very addictive)
Do you think you know any games that should’ve been included in this list? Have your say in the comments, and tell us why it’s better than one (or some) of these featured games.
(By) Simon is a student from Belgium who wastes his time relaxing, watching anime and surfing the net. He would tell you to check out his blog, only he doesn’t have one yet!
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Also Alien Arena
http://red.planetarena.org/
i thought soldier front was better then that alien shit
Have you had anything about free online mmorpg’s? Would be nice to see a similar list otherwise.
There’s a possibility I’ll be covering this in the near future ^^
I’m checking warsow, and i saw Mono, and here is one little cute game (arcade online shooter) in case you dont know it – Tee Worlds at http://teewars.com/ veri worms like but with fast action.
Cheers ;]
America’s Army shouldn’t be there at all. It took me 4 hours to download, only to figure out it didn’t work, so I was told to install the patch which forced we to wait another 3 hours. The patch didn’t work either, so I then was told to install the before version of the game, forcing me to wait yet again another 2 hours. When it was halfway done I just gave up. I figured out a lot of players had the problem and had to wait as long as me. I asked my friends if it was any good and they said it wasn’t that good of a game. They said it was trying to be too realistic.
It’s a shame you had this much trouble, it’s a pretty good game. You mustn’t forget it’s army propaganda, though. This is why they try to be this realistic. Before you’re able to ‘play’, you have to attend a couple of classes and even make tests.
Why don’t they just let you play? Because the main cause of the game is to approach possible soldiers.
Well with this download time Simon, it really doesn’t make me want to join the Army.
It is realistic in the way you describe as well. There’s plenty of hurry-up-and-wait in the Army, and lots of stuff that doesn’t work as expected.
Thanks for this post, personally I also liked “Urban Terror”:
http://www.urbanterror.net
yep me too!!
Americas Army is also one. cheers: http://www.americasarmy.com/
It was mentioned in the last section.
http://combatarms.nexon.net/ is also free with micro-payment add-ons, but currently in open-beta.
Doesn’t require bleeding edge hardware.
Thanks for the link, it looks pretty awesome. Looking into it right now.
Too bad it isn’t available in Europe/Asia/etc.
Even worse they didn’t mention it on the homepage. Talking about bad communication… No wonder my bandwidth never lasts long.
combart arms is ownage. they have had an add on which includes most of the world. you should try it. very addicting in the way they do they do things, for example they sell guns by the number of days and sorts so you always wanna earn money to buy and unlock and yadda yadda blah blah. 9.5 out of 10. if you evr do download it or already have…. names skdmark
The thing about it is that if u have vista, don’t download it…it could mess it up like what happened to mine, I had to spend 2 hours trying to fix it, but other than that…Its a hardcore game
Hi,
Combat arms has EU, the address is http://combatarms.nexoneu.com/NXEU.aspx?PART=/Main
I’ve played, works great, the only thing in few deathmatches had people cheating. Otherwise great.
Another great one: Soldier Front (http://sfront.ijji.com)
soldier front sucks its the worst FPS online
http://www.battlefield-heroes.com/
Yeah. I love Battlefield Heroes! It really should’ve been on there.
The problem with a software and internet blog covering video games is that it attracts the attention of gamers. Who will no doubt come to be disappointed in finding the games they already play on the list. If you really have some interest in posting some more lists such as these I highly recommend you focus on the unsung heroes of the world. You will no doubt get a lot more attention, and people would greatly appreciate your work.
Bah, quit whining. I don’t think there are a lot of people who are disappointed by this list judging by the comments. I do know a few of the games on here, but not all of them, so to me they are “unsung heroes.” -_-
Great sites. I would love to see more game coverage.
Gotta put my vote in for OpenArena, a free and open-source FPS based on Quake III
http://openarena.ws/
No one has even mentioned Sauerbraten… I love Sauerbraten.
yay, thanks for the free online shooters.
Hey what about Combat Arms!
http://combatarms.nexon.net/
Combat Arms is great exept for one thing the loading screen on alot of computers freezes and I’m starting to get pissed off but it is a great shooter especially tyhe way snipers are put in the game
tremulous
like Americas army more.
it is more realistic with the training and al that stuff
true combat elite http://www.truecombat.us/
screenshot http://www.truecombat.us/images/history/tce_049a.jpg
wolfenstein enemy territory http://www.splashdamage.com/node/57
screenshot http://kahvipapu.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/enemy-territory.jpg
sauerbraten http://sauerbraten.org/
screenshot http://sauerbraten.sourceforge.net/screenshots.html
worldofpadman http://www.worldofpadman.com/
screenshot http://padworld.myexp.de/index.php?media
Exteel is a very nice third person shooter, but it’s not a populair one, try it
Tremulous (http://tremulous.net/) is a quite fast-paced and pretty unique online FPS in which you choose the side of either aliens (more agile and stronger, but use next to no technology and are almost useless at long-range combat) or humans (who can build strong defences and, given enough room, survive unscathed) and focus on strengthening your own base whilst attempting to overthrow that of the opposition. Although the graphics are a bit 90′s, it’s a game worth playing.
I think the list is fine! I would add American Army too by the way.
yea imma download this game when i get home cuz im at skool lol gonna play this for a while and take a break off my shaiya and guild wars and city of heroes lol
Combat Arms fo’sho
By far one of the best shooters I’ve ever played(including the ones you buy) but this one is free.
Assault Cube anyone? not a bad game…
S4 League is the coolest shooter that I’ve played. Its got a parkour style to it and beats gunz in every way :p S4 is new and is still developing and level doesn’t matter…ONLY UR SKILLZ! lol
wish i had a faster computer for games like war rock. thanks for the list.
Soldat ftw
any cool NO DOWNLOAD first person shooters?
Not many, they should be games using the shockwave(example) or Unity engine(link).
Actually, check out “Orange FPS” you might need some friends though, almost no one plays it from what I have seen, might have changed….
You could also add Combat Arms to the list.
F.E.A.R. Combat really deserves first place!
And it is!
great top! congrat!
Combat Arms Is The Best Game Period… No Questions Asked.. No Arguement Needed..
hey, have you guys ever heard of sudden attack? its good too.
It seems Combat Arms gets the most popular vote so far.
A few on your list require alot of jumping around like a mad bunny. Too 90′s for me. Even Quake Live has lessened the jumping around thing. Quake Live is ok for a no-download shooter, created by the gods at Id. Weird that its not in the list.
combat arms EU just search by google.
http://www.google.com
I had a good time playing War Rock. I burned quite a few hours getting into that game!
i want to now if nexuiz have some verys =) because i’m not sur because gunz have virys so …
A virus? You must be mistaken, all these files were scanned beforehand.
I’d appreciate it if you could send me your scanner details and log to simon [at] makeuseof.com
I was going to play Combat Arms, but they just disabled the latinamerican server. I also read some very racial and xenophobic comments there, f*ck them.
simon are you very sure of what you said because i am sure gunz have virus and i want to know if i can install nexuiz
Ok, I’ve done some research concerning the Gunz ‘virus’.
The problem has been coming and going since 2007, and causes some anti-virus suites to show trojan horses.
ijji reports this as a program malfunction, a collision between GameGuard and those suites, and says to be actively working with each other to permanently rid everyone of the problem.
It’s hard to be 100% sure with these things, but I tend to believe ijji in this. A trojan that has been around for two years and triggers so little response seems highly unlikely.
There also haven’t been any cases whatsoever, reporting this ‘trojan’ messing anything up, so IF there IS one, it’s most certainly a spambot, irritating folks all over the world, but harmless to you.
Anyway, to answer your initial question:
No, although this might trigger some strange stuff with Gunz and other ijji games, Nexuiz ought to be safe.
Gunz and Nexuiz are independant, and in no significant way related.
anyone can help me
this game need money
!!!!!!
what that!!!
You forgot Manga Fighter which is a free to play 3rd person MMOG shooter by Gamescampus.
No? NOBODY IS GONNA SAY KUMAWAR? YOU PEOPLE ARE EFFING STUPID!
I started off with kuma great fun but nexons Combat Arms is the best free fps ive played by far but they added a new map today and the servers are dragging butt im sure they will patch it as soon as possibl but check it out!!!!
Too be honest, combat arms is for people who want to blow cash for a mediocre FPS, hell, warrock is better, and I might buy it.
la lotta contro le armi è il miglioreeeeeeeee QST sn bellima combattere è il gioko più bello di tt
I’d throw on that list!
Cross Fire – crossfire.subagames.com
my favourite game to play online is without a doubt,BATTLEFIELD HEROES, iknow what some of you might say, but this cartooney addictive game is awesome..i think it should b number one.and yes ive played all of the top 5.
Lol… too bad BF heroes is TPS, along with guns, and guys, lets see some sauer love! I love sauerbraten, they got a AWESOME new edition, and it is so fast, I can’t even piss my pants.
and its entirely free.
wolfteam
battlefieldheroes
Hi, I am looking for an old game that had counter strike like weapons but it was like a side scroller like this game Crash Commando. Please look at youtube for Crash Commando and see if you remember an old game like this one.
i think fear is the best one
i have downloaded it and its fantastic
but the problem is that on my computer it takes a lot to download
P.s my computer is very slow
The other games are not goog like fear
but i have got Fear multiplayer game downloaded from the internet
there doesent exist any campaign or something like this
this version of fear is only for multiplayer games
Openarena(.ws) is cool, also many people like quakelive(.com)
Crossfire is a free FPS too
http://www.z8games.com
I love it <3
I think that on the 2nd place Counterstrike source needs to stand but you need to buy it.
Crosfire number 1 !.
errr…what about Urban Terror??? http://www.urbanterror.net
imo one of the best free shooters out there…
I must agree with the other posts about Battlefield Heroes. A great fps game. It’s made by the same company that makes the Need For Speed games.
The only thing about War Rock is that it has Trojans in it. I tried to install it only to have my Virus Protection stop the download because it found a Trojan. Any help?
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