One of the best things about modern gaming has been the ability to play classic FPS games on modern consoles.
Sometimes it’s through a remaster, as is the case with Metroid Prime being brought to the Nintendo Switch. Other times, it’s through backward compatibility, as is the case with the cult-classic Black being a part of Xbox Game Pass.
Sadly, not every great FPS game gets to enjoy its rightful time in the spotlight on modern consoles. There are far too many games across all genres that are stuck on older systems.
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With the recent news that Metal Gear Solid 4 is finally coming to modern consoles, we wanted to take a look at the best FPS games trapped on older game consoles.
10
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
Still Waiting on That Remaster, Nintendo
Since I mentioned Metroid Prime Remastered at the top, it feels right to start with the sequel everyone is still waiting to make the jump to the Nintendo Switch family of consoles.
You’d assume that 2025 was the perfect timing. Metroid Prime Remastered was a runaway success, and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond was set to release at the end of the year. Yet we never saw that rumored Metroid Prime 2: Echoes remaster see the light of day, which means the console is still trapped on both the GameCube and Nintendo Wii.
Sure, Nintendo could add it to the GameCube as part of Nintendo Switch Online, but it’d make more sense to give it the same love Metroid Prime got. Maybe for the franchise’s 40th anniversary this year.
9
Darkwatch
Vampires and Cowboys, Oh My!
Despite its incredibly awesome premise of playing a vampire cowboy in the Old West, Darkwatch sadly never lit the world on fire.
Is it a product of its time during the Xbox/PS2 era of gaming? Possibly, but given the overbearing amount of live service games that come and go these days, I’d argue we’re in dire need of more 5-10 hour single-player romps.
Darkwatch didn’t do anything new or revolutionary, but it didn’t have to. You played a vampire cowboy in the Old West, complete with fast and fun FPS gameplay.
Given Capcom’s recent track record of being spot-on when it comes to gameplay, Darkwatch would be an excellent choice for an out-of-nowhere remaster or re-release.
8
TimeSplitters 2
Out of Time
There are countless great FPS games from the early 2000s that stand the test of time.
Metroid Prime and Halo are generally regarded as the best of the best, and you can still play them on modern consoles today. Right behind those classics, however, is the TimeSplitters franchise, with TimeSplitters 2 being the best of the trilogy.
Developed by Free Radical Design, led by several veterans who had worked on GoldenEye 007 and Perfect Dark, TimeSplitters captures the very best of those old-school shooters in one incredible package. Sadly, said package is stuck on older hardware. Given the fact that a recent attempt to bring the franchise back never materialized, it may stay that way.
7
Resistance: Fall of Man
A PS3-era Boomer Shooter
Given the success of the DOOM reboot, you’d figure that we’d be seeing a revival in the boomer shooter genre.
Sadly, that hasn’t really been the case, even if we already have some established options to test the water. One of which is the Resistance franchise, first developed by Insomniac Games for the PlayStation 3.
While Insomniac moved on from the series after the third entry, surely someone else can pick up the mantle and bring it back for modern audiences. Oh, and while they’re at it, could they also update the game’s AI, too? That’d be great.
6
Killzone 2
Gone But Not Forgotten
Look, there was no way Killzone 2 was ever going to live up to the hype from its iconic E3 debut trailer. Having said that, it’s still a pretty darn good FPS game.
Killzone 2 is a massive improvement from the original, delivering a fast-paced, non-stop single-player campaign that delivers a true next-gen experience akin to what Gears of War did for the Xbox 360.
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Sadly, Killzone 2 didn’t kickstart a bona fide next-gen franchise for Sony, and the IP lingered around for a while. I never understood why it just fell off. I get that Guerrilla Games moved on to Horizon, but why not have someone else take over the mantle? Or at least let us play the old games on modern hardware.
5
Red Steel 2
Far Better Than the Original
I was super excited for the original Red Steel, but we all know how that turned out: a complete disaster.
The second, however, is a true diamond in the rough. It’s still an ultimately flawed experience, as we now know that utilizing motion controls as the selling point for an FPS is a failed endeavour, but Red Steel 2 is a surprisingly good time.
Think of it like a solid B-level action movie. It’s not going to win any awards, but it’s still a lot of fun. If Nintendo and Ubisoft can find a way to bring it to the Switch 2, I’d be a-okay with that.
4
Medal of Honor
A PS1 Classic
One of the most important card games of all time, the PS1’s Medal of Honor helped define the modern WWII first-person shooter. It was a cinematic FPS experience that ran on the PlayStation 1, of all systems. The system’s technical limitations didn’t hold anything back here.
While Alien Resurrection would later come around and help set the standard for a console FPS (though it would also become outclassed), there’s no denying the importance Medal of Honor has on the genre and gaming as a whole.
It may not have aged well, but it’s still an important part of gaming history that deserves to be played in some form today.
3
Condemned: Criminal Origins
A Sleeper Xbox 360 Gem
While technically not an FPS, Condemned: Criminal Origins remains a criminally underrated first-person horror game that launched alongside the Xbox 360 back in 2005.
It would see a sequel three years later, but since then, the franchise has, surprisingly, remained dormant. Series creator Jace Hall posted on Facebook in 2015 that he was “contemplating finding an interested and proven Indie development team,” but sadly, nothing came of it.
With the horror franchise enjoying new heights based on the recent success of Resident Evil and Silent Hill, perhaps it’s time to bring Condemned out of Xbox 360 purgatory, especially since it’s no longer available on Steam.
2
No One Lives Forever
This One Hurts
I don’t know what Monolith Productions did to get their classic old-school games stuck on older hardware, but here we are.
No One Lives Forever is an excellent FPS/stealth hybrid that captures the pure imagination of the spy genre and backs it with incredible FPS gameplay. It’s a game that doesn’t take itself too seriously but still delivers an incredible amount of polish and pizzazz.
The thing that stinks the most here is that No One Lives Forever was also released for Windows alongside the PS2. Sadly, since the game’s IP rights are stuck in limbo, this one will never see the light of day again unless you have an old PS2 or PC hardware lying around.
1
007 Nightfire
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If I did this list in, say, 2020, then GoldenEye 007 would have been a sure thing. However, it was finally re-released for Xbox and Nintendo Switch in 2023. We can stick with the James Bond franchise when considering other FPS games stuck on older consoles.
007 Nightfire is one of the best PS2-era shooters you can play, backed by an incredible campaign and multiplayer that was arguably even better.
Sadly, Nightfire had the misfortune of being compared to early 2000s FPS juggernauts such as Metroid Prime and Halo. Given how things have trended recently in the genre, though, I reckon a remake would fare extremely well.
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