Best Retro Style FPS Games 2023

Can't get enough boomer shooters? Check out this list of the best retro style FPS games on Steam and other platforms.

Retro-style first-person shooters have been making a comeback as game designers look to games like DOOM, Quake, and Duke Nukem for inspiration.

Referred to as “boomer shooters,” these games do a great job of capturing their predecessors’ gameplay and visual stylings with a handful of modern amenities.

In this list, we’ll highlight the best retro style FPS games on Steam, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.

This includes new retro indie shooters along with remakes and remasters of beloved retro FPS games for PC.

So, without much further ado, let’s get started!

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If you’ve got a craving for some cyberpunk FPS action with a vintage flair, CYBERHUNK will fill that void.

In it, you’re tasked with escaping from a horde of demonic robotic zombies that have been set loose in the city.

Making your way through hand-crafted levels, you’ll mow down increasingly large and fast waves of enhanced bots called “hunks” using six unique weapons.

Every wave you survive nets you power-ups and money to unlock new weapons, upgrades, and gear for you and your squadmates.

Next up, INCISION is an old-school FPS through and through, complete with tons of chunky pixelated blood and gore.

The campaign has you slaughtering your way through nightmarish industrial mazes, cityscapes, and alien structures teeming with enemies.

To help you along the way, the game includes eight weapons with alternate firing modes that allow you to switch up your tactics on the fly.

There are also close combat weapons, explosives, and other death-dealing tools to aid you in squashing out a bio-mechanical threat known as “the Growth.”

Published by 3D Realms and developed by Jasozz Games, CULTIC has you gearing up to fight through the ranks of an insidious cult.

What sets it apart from other old-school-style shooters is its flexible combat system, which allows you to approach each challenge in several ways.

From guns blazing running and gunning to laying traps and letting enemies come to you to be picked off from a distance, you have many options at your disposal.

You can currently play through Chapter One of the story and test your skills in a wave-based Survival Mode until Chapter Two is released.

Most boomer shooter fans will have some familiarity with the POSTAL series as it’s been around for decades and continues to see new installments.

POSTAL: Brain Damaged is the latest game attached to the series and serves as a spin-off set in the twisted psyche of the main character.

Similar to the mainline games, it features throwback graphics evocative of retro FPS games and fast-paced combat in line with more modern titles.

The end result is a wild roller coaster ride of a game that sees you wielding all sorts of ridiculous weapons with insane, over-the-top effects.

Moving right along, Metal: Hellsinger is a hard-hitting FPS game that combines DOOM-style combat with rhythm-based mechanics.

In it, players are tasked with journeying across 8 layers of Hell while slaying to the rhythm of metal music.

Along the way, they’ll encounter a host of demonic enemies, powerful weapons, and heart-pounding tracks.

The game’s soundtrack is particularly noteworthy as it features all original songs from iconic metal performers.

Offering a dark and violent mixture of retro and modern FPS gameplay inspired by 90s classics, Nightmare Reaper is a worthy addition to any Steam library.

Tasked with exploring the cursed depths of a nightmare, you’ll expand your arsenal with powerful weapons and upgraded abilities to wield against foes.

Each level is open-ended and offers an abundance of enemies to use for target practice along with plenty of secret areas and surprises.

As you progress, you’ll accumulate gold that can be used to purchase new character upgrades and abilities in conjunction with 80 unique weapons that can drop as loot.

Switching tones for a sec, Fashion Police Squad is a humorous and over-the-top single-player FPS by Mopeful Games and No More Robots.

In it, you play as an officer of the titular Fashion Police Squad, a unit dedicated to fighting against fashion crime using attire-enhancing weaponry.

From saggy pants to excessive neon bright colors, socks with sandals, and every fashion faux pas in between, you’ll deliver swift justice across the city.

Much of the game’s humor is referential and further complemented by a unique blend of 2D pixel sprites and 3D environments.

Originally released in 1996, PowerSlave is a notable boomer shooter that’s appeared on multiple systems throughout the years.

PowerSlave Exhumed is an enhanced port for PC and modern consoles developed by Nightdive Studios and Lobotomy Software.

It combines elements of the Saturn and PS1 versions while adding new features like widescreen and gamepad support, antialiasing, and anisotropic texture filtering.

With all this in mind, we’d argue that Exhumed is the definitive way to experience the PowerSlave’s ancient Egyptian horrors in 2024.

Another revival that comes courtesy of Nightdive Studios, Blood Fresh Supply is a remaster of the cult-like 90s shooter Blood.

Updated using Nightdive’s KEX Engine, the game runs buttery-smooth on modern hardware, allowing for uncapped framerates and other graphical configurations.

This is further complemented by extended modding support and rewritten netcode that supports up to 8 players.

Playing online, you and your friends can tackle the campaign in co-op or face off in modes like Bloodbath and Capture the Flag.

Another remaster of a beloved retro shooter from the late 1990s, Chasm: The Rift plays just as well as fans remember in this updated version.

Developed by Action Forms and General Arcade, this retro revival of the Ukrainian-made title features improved visual effects, sound design, and full 4K support.

Gameplay-wise, not much has changed, with players still being able to satisfyingly target and rip off enemies’ limbs in real-time.

This is done with an assortment of badass weaponry, including the iconic BladeGun that appeared in the DOS original.

Released during the recent retro shooter revival, Forgive Me Father is a dark horror FPS with a comic book aesthetic that’s equal parts DOOM and H.P. Lovecraft.

In it, players take on the role of either a priest or journalist as they navigate a world consumed by madness and eldritch horrors.

Combat blends 90s FPS gunplay with active skills and power-ups that can help out in a pinch while battling hordes of unpredictable enemies.

The game also features a sanity mechanic and unique dedicated skill trees for both playable characters, with more content coming in future updates.

Coming from the mind of Arsi “Hakita” Patala and published by New Blood Interactive, ULTRAKILL is one of several modern FPS games modeled after classics like DOOM.

To this point, the game sells itself as a tough-as-nails arena shooter with deliciously old-school graphics and satisfyingly difficult combat.

In it, you play as a robot machine fueled by blood that descends into the depths of hell to defeat the dead, demons, and other machines for consumption.

This ties in perfectly with ULTRAKILL’s risk-versus-reward-oriented gameplay loop, with both mobility and aggression taking center stage.

DUSK is another New Blood Interactive joint that’s widely considered a modern masterpiece of old-school FPS game design.

In this game, you find yourself transported to a demonic world inhabited by otherworldly threats that cover everything from evil cultists to possessed mercenaries.

To keep alive, you’ll have to move at breakneck speeds while wielding an assortment of shotguns, crossbows, rocket launchers, and other powerful weapons.

In addition to a challenging single-player campaign, DUSK features alternate Endless Survival and Arena Multiplayer modes that will put your skills to the ultimate test.

Taking cues from DOOM and Quake in regard to its visual and gameplay design, Prodeus sees players carving out a path of blood and carnage across each level.

This is achieved using a wide selection of weapons ranging from pistols and shotguns to more powerful options like rocket launchers and lightning guns.

Each one does a fine job of turning bad guys into mincemeat, something Prodeus is proudly showcases by coating the walls and ceilings with enemies’ blood and guts.

Aside from the minute-to-minute action, the game also offers plenty of chances to explore and discover hidden secrets reminiscent of the original DOOM games.

Maximum Action is a brutal and satisfying physics-based FPS influenced by old-school Hong Kong action flicks with a sprinkling of slow-mo bloodshed.

Players are given dozens of weapons to unleash their fury on enemies, including various knives, katanas, pistols, shotguns, machine guns, and bazookas.

The game also includes a strong movement system that allows you to hop, slip, plunge, strike, and hit your way to success through city warehouses, rooftops, and narrow streets.

Lastly, the ability to slow down or speed up time expands allows for all sorts of cinematic kills as you grab weapons midair and blow enemies to smithereens.

Another game from New Blood Interactive, Amid Evil is an old-fashioned first-person shooter similar to titles such as Unreal Tournament, Doom, Quake, and Heretic.

In it, you take on the role of The Champion, a skilled warrior chosen by the gods to wield a holy battle-ax and use it to defeat bad guys across multiple realms.

This ax can do a ton of cool things such as fire elemental projectiles, cast spells, and even deliver a nice blow to enemies’ heads.

Like many of the other games highlighted, Amid Evil relies on fast reflexes and near-constant movement to stay alive amidst a barrage of enemy projectiles.

Ion Fury stands out as the first project in over a decade to be developed entirely using the Build engine, originally used to create classics like Duke Nukem 3D.

In it, players take on the role of Shelly “Bombshell” Harrison, a tough-talking future cop with a knack for bloodshed and sassy one-liners.

Shelly is tasked with bringing down a cybernetic cult and defeating its evil leader, a transhumanist mastermind by the name of Dr. Jadus Heskel.

It’s truly impressive to see how much the developer was able to achieve by pushing the Build engine to its limits, resulting in one of the best modern retro games.

Similar to how Ion Fury was built to run on the Build engine, Wrath: Aeon of Ruin was made on the classic Quake engine and shares similarities with the iconic FPS.

However, developer Killpixel still went out of their way to incorporate modern technologies when designing the game’s save system and level design.

Players are presented with a series of three hub worlds, each centered on their respective themes, as well as the option to save the game at any point, assuming you have enough Soul Tethers.

These function as a consumable resource that can be stockpiled for tricky sections of the game and create a new layer of strategy.

Next is Project Warlock, a unique blend of classic and modern FPS action that draws inspiration from old-school franchises like Doom, Hexen, and Wolfenstein.

In it, players are cast as a mysterious Warlock on a mission to eradicate evil throughout time and space using an assortment of guns and magic spells.

The game features 60 levels across five distinct settings that serve as a great showcase for Project Warlock’s vibrant color palette and sprite-based visuals.

Over time, players can develop their hero however they see fit by assigning upgrade points and perks to skills that mirror their preferred playstyle.

The original Ziggurat is a beloved PC shooter that harkens back to old-school FPS action while mixing in magic, roguelite progression, and fluid traversal.

With the sequel Ziggurat 2, the action shooter has been redesigned from the ground up with the goal of improving the formula across all areas.

This includes better procedurally generated dungeons with more verticality and variety as well as new weapons, enemies, and spells compared to the original.

Between missions, players can visit the Citadel HUB area to recruit allies, upgrade their equipment and skills, and plan out their next run.

Immortal Redneck is an arcade-style FPS with frantic gameplay and an absurd premise in which you play as a redneck tourist who wakes up in ancient Egypt.

To make it out alive, you’ll have to climb three dangerous pyramids protected by an army of mummified minions and bosses.

There are nine playable classes to pick from and over 50 different weapons to wield, including traditional firearms and a host of mythical, magical, and weird guns.

Immortal Redneck’s roguelite progression relies on buying new equipment, upgrading weapons, and collecting scroll modifiers throughout each run.

An absolute must-buy for any FPS fan on a budget, Post Void is a tiny old-school-inspired shooter that costs three bucks or even less during sales.

The game describes itself as a “hypnotic scramble of early first-person shooter design that values speed above all else,” and in our experience that definitely rings true.

The first time you pick it up, your eyes will need some time to adjust to the distorted bright colors, trippy environments, and fast-paced combat.

However, keep at it and soon you’ll find yourself flying from room to room killing anything that crosses your path and aiming to reach the end with a new high score.

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Justin Fernandez

As a fan of both indie and triple-A games, Justin finds joy in discovering and sharing hidden gems with other passionate gamers. In addition to reporting on the latest and greatest titles, he manages GamingScan’s social media channels.

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