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Best FPS game of the 90's for single player? (Base game only, no mods/expansions)

Best single player FPS of the 90's?

  • System Shock 2

    Votes: 61 6.0%

  • Quake

    Votes: 48 4.7%

  • Doom

    Votes: 141 13.9%

  • Half-Life

    Votes: 518 50.9%

  • Duke Nukem 3D

    Votes: 48 4.7%

  • Doom 2

    Votes: 44 4.3%

  • Other (Unreal, Blood, Goldeneye, Quake II, etc)

    Votes: 158 15.5%
  • Total voters
    1,018
Discontent

Discontent

Member
May 25, 2018
4,232
So, yesterday I made that Dark Polls thread about which of the biggest of the 2000's FPS games had the best campaign and now I'm interested to see what will get voted the best 90's single player FPS. This time I've added an Other option for a little more leeway.

The FPS genre took huge strides in the 90's; I still find it hard to believe that Doom came out in '93 and Half Life in '98. Not that I personally think Half Life is the better game (most of you are gonna vote for it though aren't you lol) but the difference between both games even in terms of just graphics is staggering.

I didn't add Goldeneye 007 to the main poll options cause look what they did to my girl Perfect Dark lmao. And I don't think it's held up as well as the others on the poll. It was dated even by the time PD came out but I would have included it if the poll was for multiplayer.

My personal favourite is either Doom or Quake and I'll vote if and when when I make my mind up lol.
 
julia crawford

julia crawford

Took the red AND the blue pills
Member
Oct 27, 2017
35,178
Hmm, not sure i would count System Shock 2 in there.

But HL is my choice.
 
Cocolina

Cocolina

Member
Oct 28, 2017
7,978
Half Life is just so far ahead here, it was revolutionary. But before that, definitely Duke Nukem.
 
Bishop89

Bishop89

What Are Ya' Selling?
Member
Oct 25, 2017
34,551
Melbourne, Australia
Not even debatable.
Half life is STILL one of the best fps games out there.

eZ_evc.gif
 
Lork

Lork

Member
Oct 25, 2017
843
Since we're not including mods the obvious choice from that list is Half-Life. With mods the answer would be Doom 2 by about a 10,000 point margin.
 
PlayBee

PlayBee

One Winged Slayer
Member
Nov 8, 2017
5,533
Doom is way more enjoyable than Half-Life to me, even without mods
 
Rzarekta

Rzarekta

Banned
Nov 27, 2017
1,289
Nothing topped Half Life until Half Life 2. Nothing has topped Half Life 2 yet. Best FPS's of all time. Arguably tied at #1 with each other.
 
Ryuhza

Ryuhza

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
11,431
San Diego County
Half Life is great, no doubt. It was doing some amazing things with atmosphere, narrative, and structure for its time and genre. But I don't frequently replay it for fun. I really appreciate the classic, self-contained, secret filled level design of older titles like Doom and Duke Nukem 3D. I even enjoy the keycard hunt. And of those two I prefer Duke 3D, so that.
 
Mauricio_Magus

Mauricio_Magus

Member
Oct 25, 2017
13,004
I'm a huge fan of oldschool shooters, the best one is easily DOOM.

I perfer Black Mesa compared to Half-Life considering they pretty much fixed the worst part of that game and improved it. Half Life is dated while DOOM is eternal even without mods.
 
Tuco Benedicto Pacifico

Tuco Benedicto Pacifico

Banned
Oct 31, 2017
8,466
Voted for Half-Life, but only because I don't think System Shock 2 as an immersive sim that makes shooting barely a side activity belongs in this thread.
 
karmaforgotme

karmaforgotme

Member
Oct 27, 2017
893
Knoxville, TN
Honestly it is hard for me to seperate my experiences with these games from their multiplayer and mods, but either way Half-Life wins for me even if it is just singleplayer. It was my first PC game after leaving PC gaming for 5 years and man had PC gaming changed during those 5 years.

smart patrol said:
Goldeneye's 'sandbox' approach to a lot of levels in the campaign is still unmatched.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

If it was best FPS console game of 90's, Goldeneye would win no doubt. If we could included multiplayer it would be a close second to Half-Life for me.
 
Forgotten in Space

Forgotten in Space

Member
Nov 30, 2017
279
Some of my favourite games of all time are on that list, it pains me not to put my tick next to Quake or Half-Life, but you went and put System Shock 2 on the list so System Shock 2 it is.
 
Ionic

Ionic

Member
Oct 31, 2017
2,734
A very strong part of me wants to say Doom 2, but really the reason Doom 2 is one of my favorite games of all time is primarily because it's the template upon which the greatest map WAD's are built on. But we aren't considering those so I'll give it to Half-Life. Quake and Duke 3D definitely aren't far back, but Half-Life's the only one I can play through and not feel super fatigued a couple hours into a session.
 
Sabretooth

Sabretooth

Member
Oct 27, 2017
5,052
India
System Shock 2 is the best game on the list, but if we're talking about shooters, then I would say Half-Life hands-down. I also have a soft spot for Unreal, but that is more thematic than anything.
 
Adathir

Adathir

Member
Oct 25, 2017
764
Dark Forces

Still one of my favourite games ever and seems overlooked when it comes to this genre.
 

Deleted member 17210

User-requested account closure
Banned
Oct 27, 2017
11,569
System Shock 1 is my favourite (I like its atmosphere a bit more than 2) but for pure FPS, I would pick Quake or Doom. Half-Life is up there, too.
 
Kasey

Kasey

Member
Nov 1, 2017
10,822
Boise
Doom without a doubt, but I would say Final Doom is the best iteration with Plutonia's level design and Doom 2's enemies.
 
Stoze

Stoze

Member
Oct 26, 2017
2,588
System Shock 2 is easily my favorite game on that list, but for pure FPS it's probably Quake Half-Life.

edit: I wanted to say Quake, because I do think it has the tightest level design and the most satisfying gunplay out of the pack, but I've played through Half-Life 1 basically 4 times and I could see myself doing it again down the road. The pacing and variety from chapter to chapter is just too strong. I don't really have an urge to go back to base game Quake.
 
Last edited:
Elfgore

Elfgore

Member
Mar 2, 2020
4,565
I've only played Half-Life, so I'm gonna say Half-Life. 'Cause it is really good.
 
Tatsu91

Tatsu91

Banned
Apr 7, 2019
3,147
Lork said:
Since we're not including mods the obvious choice from that list is Half-Life. With mods the answer would be Doom 2 by about a 10,000 point margin.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
i cannot disagree the amount of work done to Doom 2 over the years is staggering and to create something so easily moddable and that works so well is an achievement.
 
pswii60

pswii60

Member
Oct 27, 2017
26,667
The Milky Way
Doom holds up the best today out of those games. The level design is sublime.

The only game that I'd still want to play again in 2021 (and I will).
 
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