A Guide to the Best Free Shooters – Find the One You Like and Take Aim

Is there any genre more at home on a PC than the shooter? Many of the best F2P games are shooters of the first or third person varieties and you’ll struggle to find any better. The shooter is a wonderful genre filled with lots of nuances, action, and being shot lots in the face by people much better than you. Maybe you just want to know which games are the best free FPS Steam games? Maybe you just want to know where you can shoot people? Either way, read on.

Call to Arms

Call to Arms is versatility turned into a game. It mixes strategy, first-person shooting, third person-shooting, and slick gameplay into one brilliant package. There’s a reason this is one of the most inventive and best F2P games around. You take control of multiple troops and guide them through each match trying to conquer your enemies. There’s a huge amount to do here and a wide array of ways to do it.

Paladins: Champions of the Realm

Overwatch is great, but it isn’t free. Paladins is one of the best free-to-play FPS games around because it isn’t ashamed to riff on a popular design. With snappy gunplay, interesting characters, lots of customisation, and an interesting deck-building system, Paladins is sure to do right by you. Plus, you’ve even got the newer Realm Royale set in the same universe if you want one of the best free-to-play third-person shooters around, and a slightly different take on the battle royale genre.

Apex Legends

Apex Legends is absolutely huge and is only going to keep growing. It has some of the best movement of any battle royale game, a diverse collection of characters to choose from, and some fantastic communication tools. It is easily one of the best F2P games around, and probably the best free-to-play FPS to have been released this year. Just be aware that once it has its hooks in you, then you’re probably going to be playing it forever. This is especially true given that Respawn have made it clear they plan to keep updating the game for some time to come. We have literally just got a new weapon and there have even been rumours of new characters only a few weeks into its existence. Add in the battle pass in the coming weeks and you’ll never run out of things to unlock.

Warface

Warface is a free FPS steam game that not only has the weight of some of the best in the business behind it, but even features a co-op mode alongside the usual competitive stuff. This means that if you’re new to PC shooters that you can really practise in a slightly safer environment. It’s also a great looking game and will be sure to reward any effort you put in.

Planetside 2

Planetside 2 is the definition of ambitious. It isn’t just a shooter, but a massively multiplayer one. It features battles on an unprecedented scale that has three warring empires fighting it out for supremacy. Each empire has access to their own arsenal of weapons, vehicles and abilities. The maps are absolutely massive, and you need to be strategic in your approach to each one. Teamwork is an integral element, so make sure you bring a friend or six to guarantee that you get the most out of this fantastic and free FPS Steam game.

Warframe

You’d be hard pressed to find someone who didn’t think that Warframe is one of the best free-to-play third-person shooters. It’s one of those games that has consistently become better and bigger with each expansion; the size of the game now is absurd. You take control of one of many varied classes who all have incredible space-ninja abilities. You then take them from planet to planet, each time fighting your way through the enemies, either alone or with friends. You can unlock a huge array of new Warframes, and each of them has their own role. You can play as a warrior of the Earth, summoning stone golems to do their dirty work, or literally hop between dimensions as another Warframe. The game has been constantly evolving since it was released and shows no sign of stopping any time soon. Put simply, Warframe is one of the best F2P games around, and it doesn’t look like that is going to change any time soon.

World of Tanks

If what you want from a shooter is to be in a tank instead of just being a squishy human then here is the game for you. There is an incredibly deep progression system, a huge array of tanks to choose from, and the kind of historical detail that people obsess over. This isn’t just a matter of shooting and dealing out damage though, oh no. You need to angle your shots, think about your shell penetration, and even target specific parts. This is one of those brilliant games that allows you to master so many varied aspects that you’ll think you can build your own tank.

World of Warships

If you’ve got your sea legs and also want to fire away at things, then maybe World of Warships is one of the best free-to-play shooters for you. There are four classes of ship, all of which play their own role and even play differently. You can be hyper-aggressive as a destroyer if you want to, dashing in and out of combat in an effort to trash the opposing side. If being strategic is more your thing, then you can control an aircraft carrier and send your bombers and fighters in to take control. It offers the chance to customise in each match by upgrading captain skills, and it is sure to wet your whistle.