First Person Shooters -: What does that even mean, really? Part 1 - The roots

Figures. I'm barely back into blogging and my mess of a brain is abuzz with a blog post that if written in detail and extensively, will take up several thousand words.

Let me start by saying: I absolutely love the genre to bits.

You will often hear me speaking about how much I absolutely am an RPG player at heart, or how much I adore adventure games, or that I have a soft spot for space sims, or that I am quite partial to RTS games.

But first person shooters? These I love.

But what is a first person shooter? Well...it's kinda hard to define, and getting harder every day. They've gone by many names over the years: Doom-clones, Quake-clones, shoot-em-ups, FPSs (before we got obsessed with frames per second and repurposed that one)...but the most universally accurate is first-person shooters.

Simply put, it's an action game heavily focused on shooting, where the perspective of the player is from within the protagonists eyes. These games can have other defining characteristics, like puzzles, exploration, story, but the main focus is shooting at enemies.

Believe it or not, that isn't how it all started. 

The first game to use this first-person human perspective was, in fact, not really a shooter.

Catacomb 3D

The very first one was Catacomb 3D in 1991 by proto-id software (well, John Carmack). Catacomb 3D was set in a maze and included mostly spells rather than guns, but the elements of enemies, mazes and action were there. Keep in mind this was before Wolfenstein (1992), the game widely attributed as the very first first-person shooter, Ultima Underworld (1992), a game with enhanced graphics but closer to an action RPG rather than a shooter and Doom (1993) which made the genre explode.

Wolfenstein 3D

I would be remiss not to expand at all on Wolfenstein 3D. I mean, everyone already knows all there is to know about it, especially with the recent - and  really rather excellent- sequels bringing it back into the pop-culture forefront. But it's the Spider-Man origin: you have to kill Uncle Ben 9 times out of 10. So, let's get this out of the way quick: id Software. Carmack. Romero. B.J. Blazkowicz. Nazis. Hitler in a mecha suit. Corridors. Shooting. Had four sequels, on which I will expand later on.

There. Now let's move on to Doom, shall we?

DOOM

DOOM II: Hell on Earth

Ah, Doom. For many, that's when the genre really became a genre.
The original was released by id in 1993 and was distributed not in retail (as was the norm) but as shareware and mail order. That definitely contributed in it becaming insanely popular, but it was the gameplay and the -then- amazing graphics that were unquestionably the bigger factor. It was followed by three sequels (and a fourth on the way), but more on that later. Its direct sequel, Doom II: Hell on Earth (1994) is considered, to this day, the most descriptive example of the genre. Remember, for a while any game in the genre was called -albeit unofficially- a Doom-clone.

And for a while, this was a harsh, but accurate monicker.

System Shock

Of course, there were games that evolved the gameplay so much and added mechanics Doom (let's press pause on it for a sec) didn't even dream of, blurring the lines between shooter and RPG, shooter and puzzle, like System Shock (1994) and Strife (1996), but these created a whole different nigh impossible to define branch on the tree. System Shock is the reason most modern shooters have unlockable skilltrees, and Strife is in large part to credit for open ended areas and interactive, non-hostile NPCs.

Strife

In terms of this millennium: If there'd been no System Shock, we'd have no Prey (2017) or Bioshock (2007). If there'd been no Strife, we'd have no Far Cry 2 (2008) and beyond, and no Dead Island (2011) or Dying Light (2015). Which is weird, because Strife was largely passed by and forgotten until 2018, when it got a digital re-release, was rediscovered and promptly reforgotten.


Games and indeed franchises such as Thief (1998), Portal (2007), Dishonored (2012), Deus Ex (2000), Mirror's Edge (2008), S.T.A.L.K.E.R. (2007) and even the Bethesda Fallout 3 (2008) and onwards games simply would not have been made without these forefathers paving the way. Each of them went on to have from at least one to four sequels, and are all games beloved fiercely by their fans, all for different reasons. 

Deus Ex

Deus Ex? It's a cyberpunk technothriller with player choice and agency. Multiple endings, well-scripted NPCs and a top-shelf story, wrapped in Unreal Engine and possibly -still- the best first-person RPG of all time. Followed by Deus Ex Invisible War (2003), Deus Ex Human Revolution (2011) and Deus Ex Manking Divided (2016). Games influenced by it: Overtly, none. Subtly, way too many to mention, in one aspect or another. 

Mirror's Edge

Mirror's Edge? A game about first-person perspective parkour and running away from enemies rather than actually confronting them - when you had to, it was only to temporarily disarm or disable them and buy yourself a few precious seconds. Followed by Mirror's Edge Catalyst (2016). Games influenced by it: Superhot, ostensibly. Not too many others, unfortunately. 

Portal

Portal? An amazingly charming first-person puzzle game, started as a mod and grew beyond anyone's dreams. Followed by Portal 2 (2011, and this blog's first ever "review"). Games influenced by it: The Turing Test. The Talos Principle. The Stanley Parable. The Witness.

Fallout 3

Fallout 3? An action RPG (as a bonus, it made the original Fallouts spin in their graves). Followed by Fallout New Vegas (which dialed up the RPG part, 2010), Fallout 4 (which a lot closer to a shooter, 2015) and Fallout 76 (an MMO shooter, 2018). Games influenced by it: Metro. Fallout itself. Skyrim, believe it or not. 

Thief: The Dark Project

 Thief: The Dark Project? It's a game about sneaking around unnoticed and avoiding direct confrontation. If not the daddy of how we define modern stealth, then certainly present at the birth. Followed by Thief II: The Metal Age (2000), Thief Deadly Shadows (2004) and Thief (2014). Games influenced by it: Stolen. Splinter Cell. To a large degree, Dishonored.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Shadow of Chernobyl

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Shadow of Chernobyl? Open environment survival shooter where inventory management is key, and the forefather to all the survival games that were cropping up like mushrooms for a while. Followed by S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Clear Sky (2008) and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Call of Pripyat (2009). Games influenced by it: Metro. Bethesda's Fallout. And, really, all the survivor games mentioned above. 

Descent, Descent 2 and Descent 3

Battlezone

Parallel to these first-person shooters with other elements, you've always had the offshots with a vehicular element (which, if you get right down to it, predate everything thanks to Battlezone (1980).

These include and are mostly limited to the Descent trilogy (1995, 1996 and 1999, with notable "clone" games Hellbender [1996] and Forsaken [1998] and a Descent sequel/reboot in the works) and the MechWarrior series (1989 to 2002, with an upcoming MechWarrior 5 set to be released in the near future).

Hellbender

Forsaken

The Descent-like games offered a twist on the classic corridor shooter by foregoing gravity and allowing players to approach situations and enemies from various angles. These days this sub-genre is more or less dead, apart from the aforementioned reboot and a recent digital remaster of Forsaken (which, to this day, has one of the most tattoo-worthy logos of all time).

Mechwarriors 1, 2, 3 and 5

Titanfall and Titanfall 2

The MechWarrior games, on the other hand, put you in the cockpit of a gigantic bipedal engine of destruction, in an amalgamation of FPS and tank warfare (well, apart from 4, which was a lot more...action-y and won't be mentioned further). The upcoming MechWarrior 5 is doubtless re-ignited due to equal parts nostalgia and Titanfall proving giant robot shooters are still relevant. There were countless other imitators over the years, but none did it as well as the almost entirely multiplayer Titanfall (2014) and the criminally underrated Titanfall 2 (2016), which allowed you to have wreak havok and have heaps of fun even when out of the cockpit. 

Shogo: M.A.D.

I would be awfully unfair not to mention Shogo: Mobile Armor Division (1998) here as well, and to point out Shogo was also heavy-handendly and overtly influenced by manga and anime and was more of a "traditional" shooter. Then again, so were the Titanfall games.




Of course, this is a rather simplistic and naive way of putting it. None of these games were created in vitro; there's no denying, for example, that there would have been no Fallout 3 if there hadn't been both Fallout and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. The evolution and mutations of the genre are not a chain, nor are they a pyramid, nor a family tree per se. It's a chainmail, with each link in direct contact with and under the influence of several other links.

But the games above are just that: mutations.

The main genre continued to evolve, and while it borrowed plenty of elements from other genres or sub-genres, it stayed true to the core: first-person shooters.

Frankly, the examples are way, way to many. My goal is not to present a complete history though, merely to showcase the genre's evolution. And, if possible, to present you with some unmissable games that you should try and experience for yourself.

We've already touched on Catacomb 3D, Wolfenstein 3D and Doom. And for a while, there was a boatload of games coming out that carried the majority of that DNA: Hexen: Beyond Heretic and Hexen II (1995 and 1997 respectively) and Witchaven and Witchaven 2 (1995 and 1996 respectively) were perhaps closer to Catacomb 3D, and likely the last games to carry the specific genes. The rest has taken after mommy's side of the the family.

Much as it pains me, and no matter how excellent they were, I won't speak much about Duke Nukem 3D (1996), the Marathon (1994-1996) games, Exhumed (aka Powerslave in the US, 1996), Outlaws (1997) and Blood (1998). Though all were great games of their time, they weren't particularly innovative and did precious little to truly and measurably advance the genre. They are however quite enjoyable if you want to relive some more examples of the "olden days".

Quick breakdown of these: 

Hexen: Beyond Heretic

Hexen II

Hexen was the FPS sequel/offshoot of Heretic (which was a 3rd person game that got a proper sequel in Heretic II a few years later) by Raven Software. Keep that name in mind, it will come up again later.

Hexen introduced the concept of multiple characters with different strengths and abilities (barbarian, warrior and mage), and choosing the one that suited your playstyle, each having their own different (albeit limited) set of weapons to go through the same game world. Steeped in arcane and gothic symbolism, it was definitely a parent to Quake. Sadly, both Hexen and Hexen II (which was built on the Quake engine) are largely forgotten these days, and sequels aren't likely forthcoming.

Witchaven

Which goes double for Witchaven, a game that came out of nowhere, made a small splash and sank to the bottom. Few remember it, hell, few played it at all. But it was a game to which we owe a lot, and there's a ton of games that were influenced by it. The splash may have been small, but the ripples spread far.

Witchaven II

Also, I know this will seem unbelievable to any young whipper-snappers who happen to be reading this, but for its time, Witchaven was simply gorgeous. Yes, some games were doing more inventive and interesting things with their graphics at the time, but the contrasted photorealism of Witchaven lent the game a unique look that was a sight to behold.

Duke Nukem 3D

Going into more traditional shooter territory, we're greeted by the Duke. We've done a history lesson on Duke already, but here is the short version: Duke Nukem 3D (DN3D) was a sequel to two platforming shooters, and while it didn't offer any groundbreaking (or indeed coherent) story or characters and game design, it oozed non-PG charm and paved the way for innovative non-projectile weapons with its now infamous shrink ray gun, freeze ray, pipebombs and laser traps. And the risque humour and themes, which, when contrasted with the gore and alien elements, made it more than slightly off-putting if you stopped to think about it. But, naturally, we never did.

Exhumed / Powerslave

Exhumed, pretty much like Shadow Warrior, is a game I have precious little to say about, as it wasn't that great, didn't end up making much of a splash and I didn't spend that much time with it. The reason for its inclusion here is that the Sony Playstation and (particularly) the Sega Saturn versions of the game were vastly superior to the formulaic PC version, as they significantly altered the gameplay and graphics, and that it was perhaps the first true shooter to include multiple endings dependant on the player's actions and performance. There was a console-version remake in the works at some point in 2015, but Night Dive Studios acquired the rights to it for an intended digital release and it's been taken down. If only someone would exhume it.

Then you have Blood. Like DN3D, Blood didn't actually break any new ground, and might have been the actual swan song of the era of sprite-based pseudo 3D genre, unless my memory is betraying me. Blood followed the episodic format and general gameplay path of DN3D, down to the innovative, less conventional weapons such as the voodoo doll or a makeshift aerosol can+lighter flamethrower, or even the first projectile weapon you get which is a flare gun

Blood

that ignites enemies on delay. The one thing that Blood did that has been adopted and reused by games to this day though, was alternate fire for its weapons: the aforementioned aerosol can could be lit and tossed as a makeshift napalm grenade, the tommygun had a wide spray mode and so on. This was popularised largely by Unreal and is used to this day in games such as Overwatch.

Marathon

The Marathon games stand alone among the other games in this feature, as they are the only games mentioned I haven't personally played, as they were Mac exclusive by Bungie, which later on went on to make Halo for Apple's nemesis, Microsoft (specifically, the X-Box). Which means they are about the only decent Mac exclusive games to ever come out, the less smart move Bungie ever made, and damn fine games that the majority of gamers never got to actually play. Of course, nowadays you can play the whole trilogy (Marathon - 1994, Marathon 2: Durandal - 1995 and Marathon Infinity - 1996) via Aleph One. Two things of note here: One, the Marathon games were shooters with an actual story and characters (which, at the time, wasn't so common) and gameplay tricks we wouldn't see again for years. Two, we would see this exact naming convention (Title, Title 2, Title Infinity) many years later on Bioshock. 

Outlaws

Finally, Outlaws by LucasArts was a game that abandoned most of the classic shooter tropes of the time and was a different experience altogether, with a personal story, set in the wild West in a quite unique hand-drawn art style and amazing music.
It didn't really break new ground, but its art style was definitely a proof of concept that made games such as XIII and even Borderlands possible. If nothing else, games such as the Call of Juarez series, GUN and even the Red Dead games definitely owe it a debt of gratitude for proving the Wild West setting was a viable one.

Then came Quake.

Quake

No, but seriously, Quake (1996) changed everything, and was the cornerstone on which pretty much every other next-gen shooter after was built on.

Surprisingly, Quake didn't add any of the things we consider staples of the genre but are non-strictly-shooter things: no real sense of story or narrative, no AI companions, no characters, no player choice. What Quake brought to the mix instead? For the first time, true 3D graphics (which for the time were jaw-dropping), a Lovecraft-ian atmosphere, fast-paced action and amazing multiplayer. But hold those horses: we're not going to go into multiplayer just yet (let's save that entire chapter for a future sequel of this post). However, we will be following a slightly more linear view on the genre's evolution from now on.

Turok

Well...not entirely. Nintendo 64's Turok (1997) kept the old-school gameplay, but somehow became a runaway success. My personal estimation for the reasons? Beatutiful graphics for its time, slim pickings on the platform it was released on (after all, the N64 wasn't exactly known for its FPS games) and the Jurassic Park after-effect.

Goldeneye

More or less the same goes for Goldeneye (1997), another N64 classic, known mostly as being one of the only good film-to-game ports. There's not much I can say about it that a google search won't bring up immediately; it's a game that is being played to this day, almost 22 years later.

Jedi Knight

Dark Forces

Speaking of franchises, I would be remiss not to mention Dark Forces II: Jedi Knight (1998) the sequel to the ultimately rather forgettable Dark Forces (1995), which advanced the genre by adding Jedi powers, iconic enemies and locales, FMVs, a great story and characters and the lightsaber, a melee offensive/defensive weapon that isn't just iconic, we've never had a decent counterpart to it. And to acommodate that, it also included a 3rd person view mode that was quite the game-changer (for this specific franchise). Star Wars wouldn't get many more truly good action games in the future, and certainly not many truly great shooters. Actually, exactly 2.5 shooters and 1.5 action games: Jedi Outcast (the 0.5 in both categories), Republic Commando (more on it later), Battlefront (the original) and the first Force Unleashed. 

Interestingly, the main game to shake it up in a major way after Quake...was Quake II (1997). Even more so than the first Quake, Quake II heralded the era of modern 3D graphics, with it being one of the first games to benefit from 3D

Quake II

Acceleration cards, the use of dynamic lighting, clever (for its time) A.I. that dodged and ducked under your shots, corpse decay (select dead enemy bodies would attract flies which would consume the body, freeing up rendering resources at the same time). At the same time, seemingly unimportant touches like model gibs when you were dealing damage to an enemy and varying death animations for enemies (like weakly holding up their weapon to get a last shot in before dying) made the game feel that much more impressive. Quake II would also have a "linear" campaign that would have you retrace your steps, complete objectives and all in all, while simplistic today, would blow our minds back in late 1997. Add to that its openess to modding and its robust multiplayer, and you had an instant classic that would redefine the genre and give birth to esports.

Alas, it would only sit on that throne for a single year, until Half-Life (1998) was released by the unknown Valve, under Sierra.

At this point, though, I've began to realise just how huge, wordy and unweildy this post has grown to be.

Stay tuned for part 2, in which we'll explored shooters from 1998 to today and (if it doesn't grow as huge as this one), multiplayer.