FPS, TPS.. What Is a Shooter Game?

Everything starts in December 1993, more precisely the 10th. On this blessed day, a new game releases on every computer in the world: Doom.
Its gameplay stands out from all games released before. We play as Doomguy (the Doom guy in French), a space soldier who must stem an invasion of space demons. This game is a revolution. If it shook the small world of video games at the time, it's thanks to gameplay never seen before. The game makes us live the action directly through the eyes of Doomguy and we must shoot everything that moves. The Doom-likes were born, they would later change their name to become shooting games.

The gameplay of shooter games can be summarized very simply: you move and aim with the joysticks and the right trigger fires. What really differentiates one shooter game from another is its point of view.

First- or third-person?

There it is, the major difference of shooter games; everything comes down to perspective. A game described as first-person (FPS) will let you experience the action directly through the eyes of the character you control, as in Call of Duty. A game third-person shooter, on the other hand, will place you right behind your avatar, like Fortnite, for example. The gameplay differences are minor between the two styles; it's more a matter of taste.

Why play war?

Great question! The answer? Because it's fun, or so I think.
Shooter games are often criticized; they make young people violent and aggressive, or there are smarter activities, after all. For the first argument, here is an article that might interest some; for the second, we must admit that yes, there are smarter activities than shooting other people, but throughout time, children have played war, whether with lead soldiers or wooden swords.

But let's not forget one of the most important aspects explaining the success of shooter games: the ability to play online. That's what drove their success during the previous console generation. You can have fun picking apart shooter games, but the unifying aspect of these games is proven. Gotaga, the French streamer with the most views on Twitch, even started his career on Call of Duty.

A few vocabulary terms are in order:

FPS: First-Person Shooter. A shooter game from the first-person perspective; you see the action through the eyes of the main character. Think of games like Overwatch, Unreal Tournament or Battlefield.

TPS: Third-Person Shooter. A shooter game from the third-person perspective; the camera is placed behind the game's hero. In the TPS list, you’ll find games like Fortnite, Star Wars Battlefront, or Gears of War.

Cursor: It’s that little crosshair in the middle of your screen. It’s your sight, your aiming line. It’s what you’ll look at most during your matches. If you don’t, you’ll mostly shoot at the scenery.

Map: A map. It’s your playing field. Maps are crucial in a shooter; if they’re well designed, no one complains. If one happens to be badly designed, the forums ignite and players will do anything to avoid it.

The rest of the shooter vocabulary includes many firearm names. But having little interest in the art of war, I don’t differentiate an assault rifle from a shotgun. Some players, however, have knowledge of the subject that would make even the most seasoned soldiers pale.

A few FPS:

Call of Juarez: Gunslinger: Available on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC, €10, Available on Blacknut, no commitment.

Deus Ex: The Fall: Available on Android, iOS and PC, €3.99 Available on Blacknut, no commitment.

Halo: The Master Chief Collection: Available on PC and Xbox One, €34.99

A few TPS:

Outcast - Second Contact: Available on PlayStation, Xbox One, PC, €34.99 Available on Blacknut, no commitment.

Dead Space: iOS, Android, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, €7.99

Resident Evil 2: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, €59.99