Like it or not, ‘boomer shooters’ are here to stay. Steam now officially recognizes the moniker as the go-to description for the throwback FPS games, with Valve adding the term as a Steam category that developers and users can tag games with. It’s a term that signifies a throwback to the heady days of classic, fast-paced shooters such as Doom, Quake, Hexen, and Heretic, typically matched with retro graphics reminiscent of the ‘90s and early ‘00s.
While there’s plenty of top-tier modern-style shooters out there nowadays, with everything from the realistic stalwarts like Call of Duty and Battlefield to the flashier Apex Legends and The Finals, some of the best FPS games you’ll find on Steam right now are throwbacks to the likes of Doom. Whether you’re a sucker for that nostalgia trip to your youth like myself, or a younger player looking to get a taste of the past with some modern spice, here are six of our favorite boomer shooters you can get on Steam right now.
Prodeus
Prodeus comes from developer Bounding Box Software, and re-envisions the old style of shooter with a blend of modern technology, giving it a stunning look that captures the essence of ‘90s FPS games while looking better than they could possibly have achieved. It’s got an incredibly satisfying campaign with the option for up to four-player co-op, and its upcoming DLC The Elder Veil is shaping up to be something special.
Ultrakill
Ultrakill, from Finnish developer Arsi ‘Hakita’ Patala, boasts a 98% ‘overwhelmingly positive’ Steam rating from over 80,000 Steam reviews, so you don’t need me to tell you that it’s worth your time. Speedy, bloody, and with a Devil May Cry style score system that rewards you for stylish and skilful play, Ultrakill infuses a little of modern Doom into its retro style as you absorb the very blood of your enemies to fuel your rampage.
Forgive Me Father
Forgive Me Father comes from developer Byte Barrel, and has probably one of the most distinctive looks of any game on this list. With comic book visuals and a dark retro setting inspired by Lovecraft-style eldritch horror, Forgive Me Father’s unique style makes it a must-see game, and its nightmarish setting will pull you to the brink of madness and despair as you fight your way through the forces of the occult. With sequel Forgive Me Father 2 out now via Steam Early Access, it’s a great time to see where it all began.
Chop Goblins
Coming from David Szymanski, the developer behind the also-fantastic Dusk, Chop Goblins is a bite-size FPS at a price to match, and its time-hopping campaign is the perfect option if you’re after something you can smash out in a single sitting. Fight through environments raging from ancient Greece to 1800s Transylvania and beyond as you attempt to put a stop to the flood of the eponymous troublemakers.
Ion Fury
Ion Fury developer Voidpoint teamed up with legendary studio 3D Realms to bring back its iconic Build Engine, used for the likes of Duke Nukem 3D and Shadow Warrior, for a new game evoking those classic names. Rather than straightforward shooting galleries, Ion Fury features much more open-ended, hand-crafted maps as you attempt to put a stop to the cybernetic cult of Dr. Jadus Heskel, with an arsenal of fantastic and distinctive weapons at your side.
Amid Evil
Amid Evil, from developer Indefatigable, features some of the most unique weaponry I’ve seen in any game. Sure, you could punch enemies into oblivion with spiked fists at ridiculous speeds… But what about wielding an axe with a head that spins around like a blender? A trident charged with lightning? A twisted claw that knocks your enemies flat with giant orbs? Or a scythe that cleaves through spacetime itself? Between the base game and its DLC The Black Labyrinth, you can be sure you’ll never know what to expect next in Amid Evil.
That should be more than enough to keep you going for now, although you can always head to the Steam store page for the newly minted category if you’re after even more. We’re always on the lookout for the next great boomer shooter here at PCGamesN towers, too, so be sure to stay tuned right here for those.
Alternatively, we’ve got the best old games you can still play in 2024 if you want to actually take a trip back to the good ol’ days, or you can look to the future with the best upcoming PC games that lie ahead.
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