Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
The strongest PC shooter recommendations from 2014 include Titanfall, Wolfenstein: The New Order, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, Far Cry 4, Metro 2033 Redux and Ikaruga. This is a curated shortlist, not a universal ranking: the contemporary sources used different criteria, and one personal list included games its author played that year rather than only games released in 2014.
What “of 2014” means here
Recommendations from the period do not all measure the same thing. Semen Frish’s December 29, 2014 list reflects games he played and recommended; it is not restricted to that year’s releases. Erik Kain’s December 5 roundup focuses on full games launched in 2014, excludes expansions and DLC, allows rereleases, and notes that he had not played every eligible game. PC Gamer’s year-end catalog collects games with review scores of 85% or higher, with an 84% Editor’s Choice exception, and describes these as titles its staff most recommended.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Doom - PC | $15.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Frontlines: Fuel of War - PC | $7.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Call of Duty: World at War - PC | $47.53 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
Battlefield 4 - PC | $16.96 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 - PC | $24.99 | Buy on Amazon |
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
The six games below bring together those personal picks, roundup inclusions and review-score standouts. They were not all assessed by a shared ballot or scoring system, so the order is a guide to their different appeals, not a claim of consensus.
The recommended PC shooters
Titanfall — fast multiplayer built around movement and mechs
For a multiplayer-first shooter, Titanfall is the clearest pick in this group. PC Gamer’s contemporary coverage highlights jetpack-powered footsoldier combat, wall-running and mech duels, with matches designed for short sessions. Respawn Entertainment developed it, Electronic Arts published it, and PC Gamer identifies its release timing as March 2014.
#1 Best Overall
- A Relentless Campaign: There is no taking cover or stopping to regenerate health as you beat back Hell's raging demon hordes
- Return of id Multiplayer: Dominate your opponents in DOOM's signature, fast-paced arena-style combat
- Near-Limitless Gameplay: DOOM SnapMap - A powerful, but easy-to-use game and level editor that allows for limitless gameplay experiences on every platform
PC Gamer gave Titanfall 85% in its 2014 year-end catalog, calling it “The most exciting multiplayer shooter in recent years, held back from greatness by its questionable staying power.” That score and caveat are the publication’s contemporary review judgment—not a measure of sales, player counts or objective quality.
Wolfenstein: The New Order — an alternate-history single-player campaign
Wolfenstein: The New Order appears second on Frish’s personal list. PC Gamer’s preview describes an alternate-history corridor shooter, including a laser weapon that can cut through cover. It is a recommendation for players looking for a focused, story-led take on first-person gunfights, rather than the multiplayer emphasis of Titanfall.
Rank #2
- Windows XP/Vista, Intel Core2 E6400 or AMD Athlon X2 5000 2.3GHz Processor
- 1.5GB RAM, 11.5GB Hard Disk Space, DirectX 9.0
- Nvidia 8600GTX/ATI 2500 Video Cardw/ latest drivers, DirectX 9.0, Compatible Sound Card, DVD-ROM Drive
- Sound Blaster X-Fi Series Sound Card, Broadband Internet connection and latest drivers
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare — campaign, co-op and competitive play
Frish places Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare third on his list, noting he played it after buying it at a discount. Kain’s roundup points to its campaign, co-op and competitive multiplayer, as well as double-jumps and dodge boosts. That combination makes it the broadest multi-mode option in this shortlist.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
A Steam page linked from the recommendation is titled Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare – Gold Edition. The page’s age gate limited what could be verified, so the title alone does not establish the edition’s contents or current availability.
Rank #3
- Set in the Pacific Theater of World War II
- Powered by Call of Duty 4: Modern Wafare technology
- Includes perks, rankings, and stats
- Participate in up-to four-player cooperative gameplay
- New infantry and vehicle-based weapons
Far Cry 4 — an open world that rewards improvisation
PC Gamer awarded Far Cry 4 89% in its 2014 highest-score catalog. Its capsule describes an open-world playground that is strongest when it breaks from the script. That makes it a fit for players who want room to approach combat on their own terms, rather than a tightly directed corridor campaign.
Metro 2033 Redux — a remade, atmospheric PC shooter
Metro 2033 Redux received 90% from PC Gamer in the same year-end catalog. The publication characterized it as a valuable remake that makes the original Metro feel complete on PC. It stands out here as a single-player-oriented choice, distinct from the more overtly competitive or open-ended options.
Rank #4
- Only in Battlefield can you change the landscape in real-time with interactive environments that react to your every move
- Only in Battlefield will you find the awe inspiring power of the next generation Frostbite 3 engine, whose unrivaled audio and visual fidelity make your game more dramatic, more believable, and more human
- Only in Battlefield can you experience an unmatched level of all-out war that grants you the freedom to play to your strengths and carve your own path to victory
- Only in Battlefield do you have the power to dominate land, air and sea with all new, intense water based vehicle combat
- Only in Battlefield can you change the landscape in real-time with interactive environments that react to your every move
Ikaruga — a bullet-hell pick beyond conventional FPS
Ikaruga is the genre outlier: PC Gamer calls it a bullet-hell shooter, not a conventional first-person shooter. The publication gave it 92% Editor’s Choice in its 2014 catalog and described it as “the PC’s best bullet-hell shooter.” Include it if “shooter” means more than first-person gunplay; leave it aside if you specifically want an FPS.
Recommended Free Tools
How to choose among them
| Game | Best fit | Emphasis or distinguishing feature | Evidence in contemporary sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Titanfall | Multiplayer and movement-led combat | Wall-running, jetpack movement and mech fights | PC Gamer year-end review score: 85% |
| Wolfenstein: The New Order | Story-led FPS play | Alternate-history corridor shooting; a laser weapon can cut through cover | Frish personal-list inclusion; PC Gamer preview |
| Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare | Players who want several modes | Campaign, co-op and competitive multiplayer; double-jumps and dodge boosts | Frish personal-list inclusion; Kain roundup |
| Far Cry 4 | Open-world combat | Sandbox-style play that can depart from the script | PC Gamer year-end review score: 89% |
| Metro 2033 Redux | Single-player atmosphere | A remake of the original Metro | PC Gamer year-end review score: 90% |
| Ikaruga | Players open to arcade shooters | Bullet-hell shooting; not an FPS | PC Gamer year-end review score: 92% Editor’s Choice |
PC Gamer’s scores are publication review scores, and the outlet cautions that scores abstract reviewers’ feelings rather than provide scientific measurements. The comparisons above therefore describe what each source emphasized, not a common scorecard across all six games.
Best Value
- Epic single-player campaign picks up immediately following the thrilling events from Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
- The definitive multiplayer experience returns, with a host of new perks and enhancements
- New cooperative SpecOps mode, the perfect combination of Modern Warfare's single player intensity and the addictive replayability of its multiplayer
- Special Ops Mode allows two players, either alone or with a friend, to engage in unique mission play and features split-screen functionality.
- ‘Modern Warfare 2’ contains new and updated weapons, new weapons attachments, and a variant of the multiplayer weapons customization system from ‘Call of Duty 4’, now available in the single player campaign.
Why these picks are a shortlist, not a definitive ranking
Frish’s list is personal, Kain’s FPS roundup has its own eligibility rules, and PC Gamer’s catalog is shaped by review-score thresholds. Kain also explicitly acknowledges the limits of his selection: “Nor did I play every game out there, so if I missed something that you think is terrific and ought to be on the list, please let me know.” Taken together, the sources support a useful snapshot of recommended PC shooters around 2014, not proof that these were the only or universally agreed-upon best games.
For the underlying contemporary context, see Semen Frish’s PC shooter edition, PC Gamer’s highest review scores of 2014 and Erik Kain’s 2014 FPS roundup.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
