Summary
As the old saying goes, history tends to repeat itself, and that’s especially true in the world of video games. WhenDoomset the industry on fire in 1993, it created a desperate need for other developers to have their own hyper-violent shooters. This gave birthto theDoomClone, a term that has carried over into contemporary times. Just eight years later, Bungie would change the shooter world once more with the landmark release ofHalo: Combat Evolvedin 2001.
In the years following,Halo’sdominating performance prompted the competition to create theHaloKiller. Much the same asDoomClones, theHaloKillers were about replicating the massive success that Master Chief’s debut title had. Some of them were shameless rip-offs, while others carved out their own unique identity and even created franchises of their own. Whatever the outcome of any particularHaloKiller, it was all the evidence needed that the iconic FPS franchise was one of the industry’s most remarkable properties.
Through several delays and a publisher change,TimeShiftcame to resembleHaloin a number of ways. After its troubled development process, Saber Interactive overhauledTimeShift, putting a stoic protagonist behind a gold-plated helmet and setting him loose in a sci-fi world full of fierce enemies and bosses.
TimeShiftfeels outstanding to play,as the shooting still features some excellent feedback and weight. It also features some fun time-based powers to use, with slow-down and stop being crucial to making it through the game’s tougher encounters. As far as sci-fi military shooters go,TimeShiftis a solid adventure and still one of the more memorableHaloKillers of its generation.TimeShiftis readily available on Steam, and is worth diving back into.
After exploring armed conflicts from previous decades for the first threeCall of Dutygames, developer Infinity Ward wanted to do something different. Seeing the massive success ofHaloat the beginning of the century, the team decided to fast-forward to the present day, vaguely chronicling the wars in Iraq and Syria.
This shift away from World War 2 to contemporary warfare put it in direct competition with Master Chief’s modern sensibilities, and it contended directly withHalo 3in 2007.Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfarewas able to substantially outsellHalo 3and launched one of the industry’s most dominant modern franchises.
4Warhammer 40,000: Fire Warrior
The First Warhammer 40k FPS Challenged Halo’s Dominance
Realizing they had their own sci-fi military franchise that could compete withHalo, Games Workshop licensed theWarhammer 40,000IP to Relic Entertainment, who produced a shooter for the PS2 and PC calledFire Warriorin 2003.The expansive world ofWarhammerhas been a perfect fit for video games ever since the first40kgame in 1995, and it seamlessly fit into the FPS genre withFire Warrior, where it challengedHalo’sdominance as a sci-fi military shooter.
Fire Warrioris still an excellent shooter, one that comes from an era where console shooters were still a bit rough around the edges. Movement feels slick and responsive, while the feedback and sound design of the guns is top-tier. It was a worthy challenger to Master Chief’s throne, even if it remains largely forgotten today, even inWarhammercircles.
In its continued quest to compete withHalo, Sony tapped the massively-talented developer Insomniac to develop a first-person shooter. Insomniac separated their game fromHaloby setting it in World War 2, featuring an alien invasion that pits the player against the fearsome Chimera. The end result wasResistance: Fall of Man, which launched on the PS3 in 2006. It was easily the PS3’s best title at launch, with an impressive campaign and some truly wonderful world building.
Resistancespawned a truly fascinating franchise, one that saw multiple sequels and spin-offs over the years. Much like the franchise it was competing with,Resistancefocused on tight, responsive gunplay set in a bold, far-reaching sci-fi universe, while the Chimera remain one of the best antagonistic forces the industry has seen. These days,Resistancehas been pushed aside for other Sony IPs and Insomniac is busy withSpider-Man, but it was certainly one ofHalo’smost well-respected competitors.
2Brute Force
Branded as “The NextHalo” by the Official Xbox Magazine,Brute Forcewas designed to emulate the success of Microsoft’s shooter franchise by utilizing similar themes and world design, but within the framework of a third-person squad-based action game. Utilizing the Xbox hardware in some impressive ways, developer Digital Anvil created a fun, addictive third-person action game that featured some great level design and excellent gunplay.
Brute Forcefeatures four playable squad mates, with each of them offering unique contributions to the team, focusing either on full-frontal assaults or stealth. The AI is still rather impressive, as the computer-controlled characters respond in a timely and appropriate manner. The setting ofBruce Forceis also a delight, featuring unique sci-fiworlds and characters, as well as some standout alien races.
Although the Wii was noted for its remarkable success with casual players, there was still a desire to create a game that would appeal to a more hardcore audience. Seeking to do just that, High Voltage Software started development on a Wii-exclusive known asThe Conduit, which would launch just three months beforeHalo 3: ODSTin 2009.
InThe Conduit, players take control of a special agent named Michal Ford as he tries to stop an alien invasion. Using the Wiimote to aim weapons feels snappy and responsive, with some wonderful feedback from the guns and a whole host of alien creatures to dispatch. It is easily one ofthe Wii’s greatest shooters, and it was a great alternative toHalofor anyone who only owned Nintendo hardware. It was later ported to Android, and a sequel was launched in 2011, but a modern port ofThe Conduitremains elusive.
