The shooter genre is one of the most popular themes in the gaming industry right now, with multiple developers and publishers having a game or two in the making. Truthfully, it’s hard to argue with that mindset, when the genre offers seemingly endless moments of fun and ever changing situations.
Online Shooter Games
Being able to play competitively online with friends and complete strangers, is another staple of this popular category. It’s a leading factor in the remarkable game longevity of these titles; people keep playing Call of Duty for years, or at the very least until the next one comes out.
It’s fun and exciting and it hasn’t gotten old yet, despite the seemingly endless number of games produced every year in the genre. Primarily, I have to think that has something to do with the sheer joy of outclassing the enemy. Doing him in before he gets the chance to shoot back is always worth a smile or an imaginary pat on the back. I think, that this competitive aspect has an addictive charm that keeps bringing people back for more.
What’s the Appeal?
While, kill to death ratios are important to many, the allure of merely firing military grade weapons in a virtual reality scenario is what attracts others. Sure, features have their role in shooters, but it’s the weapons that keep gamers like myself interested. A proper game like CoD, or Battlefield 3 will ensure that the firearms are calibrated just right. The feel, the recoil, rate of fire and stopping power are all different depending what you use. It might not feel like the real thing, but it’s close enough.
Decisions, Decisions
It’s the question that’s at the back of your mind as you play. Do I use this gun? Or this one? I kill more people with this pistol… Surely, everyone has their own preferences or layouts. The customization is all part of the fun and appeal. It doesn’t stop at weapons either, these days gadgets and explosives come with variety as well.
I do have one pet peeve though, the hard coded restrictions of some weapons. Like how some assault rifles only fire in burst mode, luckily enough for me I have a modded controller that makes it feel like full automatic. Though, it does make for a hard choice when playing on the console, use the rapid fire controller or the mouse like control pad for added control.
I Love them All
I’ve played a lot of first person shooters over the years, starting from the original Counter Strike all the way to the current incarnation of almost every game. The weapons may change, the scenery may be different, the setting may be new, there may even be innovative features but one thing will always remain the same – the sheer thrill and enjoyment of the experience. This is true whether I’m playing on a console or on the PC, a mouse or a controller it doesn’t matter, it invokes the same kind of glee every time, unless of course I’m respawning a lot.


