Why are FPS games so popular?

[Drathnoxis]

I dont see the apeal of MP FPS. but SP FPS are by far best gaming genre ever.

From early Half life to Deus Ex to FEAR to Crysis to STALKER to Metro to Doom etc. it is full of masterpieces.

What appeals to you about them though, exactly? You just gave a subjective opinion about where you rank the games there - you didn't tell me what elements of them you find appealing about the whole genre.

In MP FPS. you are doing same thing in same map over an over again. as a result they get boring.

In SP FPS, you explore, you complete objectives, you shoot, you may solve puzzle or find a way etc.

So the best part is NOT the shooting.

I feel that's intentionally missing his point a bit. Shooting may well still be the best part of the game, but breaking up the action with something else can make the experience better on the whole. Like, going on the Tilt-a-Whirl is fun, but it probably wouldn't be fun to ride it non-stop for an hour.

 

[Hawki]

Well, you see...

...yeah, what can I add to this? FPS games are popular because the barrier to entry's pretty low. Go figure.

 

[Elfgore]

It can be a mix I think.

Some play for the catharsis. I play FEAR only for the catharsis. "Oh no! An army of literally faceless Mooks is out doing a bad, kill them with a bunch of fun guns, bullet-time, and karate." Firing a shot gun at a Replicant and seeing his body get blown in half or literally turned into a fine red mist is amazing. It's like this with some other games like Stranglehold and Max Payne.

Some probably like the speed and reactions needed to be good at FPSs. Like DOOM or Overwatch.

 

[the December King]

For me, I find FPSs feel more immersive than any other game type - that is, if I'm looking for a simulation of a relatable human experience, like interacting with an environment, then FPSs are the way to go - the First person part is the key element there.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R games are my favourite games in general, and the appeal I derive from them is that I can explore and collect, and occasionally go hunting or just defend myself - in a survival horror, being able to shoot is a safety blanket (whether it actually helps or not is more of a narrative issue).

Shooting is an important part, sure, but it's just one part for me.

 

[Marik2]

Adrenaline rush, trying to survive against impossible odds, always on the move, and trying to out flank the opponent. I'm talking about shooters in general, not just fps.