So, hey, what's your favorite retro FPS?

[Bobinator]

I ask, you answer. Chop chop, people. For the sake of clarification, I'm counting pretty much anything before 2001, so that would include stuff like Half-Life or Unreal. If you REALLY want to, just make two choices, one pre-Half Life, one post. Your call.

Me? Well, Doom's pretty high up there, there's no denying that. But I'm actually cheating on Doom with a little number called Rise of the Triad. Oh, sure, it's not much of a looker... it's running off of the Wolfenstien 3D engine, stretched as far out as you possibly CAN stretch it. It's got these weird little habits, like having only four weapon slots, only one of which holds 'special' weapons.

Oh, but it's got an amazing personality, and it's absolutely WILD once you really get to know it. It's got a lightning-fast pace, including a lot of fun stuff like bounce pads in its levels. Its weapons are just so much FUN to use, like the drunk missile, which I'd dare say is more fun to shoot than almost all the weapons in Doom. And it's got an amazing sense of humor. And it's DAMN good at music.

[align=center:26phfct3]DOS Game: Rise Of The Triad[/align:26phfct3]

If I wanted to be shallow, though, I'd have to go for its younger, prettier, more foul-mouthed sibling, Duke Nukem 3D. Pretty much everybody knows this one, sure, but that doesn't mean it's not a really good game. Everybody knows it for its main character, sure, who's constantly spouting off one-liners like a pull-string toy caught on a ceiling fan. But it's not just that, no. The levels are fantastic, with just the right mix of 'realism' and exploration, and it can be fun to just wander around and check out the sights. I mean, sure, it's pretty cool to go around blowing things up in the surface of Hell, but fighting through places like "Babe Land" and a fast food joint just has that creative touch, you know?

The gunplay's pretty good, too, but my one real complaint is that the game is HARD. For as awesome as the game hypes Duke up to be, he's actually pretty flimsy, and a couple of shotgun blasts can take him down, if you're unlucky. But... well, still, that's why they've invented quicksaves. The weapons are fun, too, and the pipebombs are some of the most fun I've HAD in an FPS.

Here's a dirty little secret of mine, though: I've always sort of kind of had a preference for the N64 version. Yeah, yeah, I know it's censored, but it's just got a different, less gritty feel to it that I like. It sort of reminds me of the 2D platformers more, where Duke wasn't QUITE as angry about everything. That, and I much prefer the idea of rescuing the women you find trapped in the levels instead of having to put them out of their misery. There's some pretty fun new weapons and some different levels, too.

Thankfully, for people like me, there's a very nice mod that recreates the experience nicely. But here's the N64 version, for reference.

[align=center:26phfct3]Duke Nukem 64 - Map02 - Gun Crazy[/align:26phfct3]

((Yes, I just compared old first person shooters to a sexy lady/lad/your gender of choice. It's 3:30 AM and I can't sleep. I can make whatever analogies I want.))

[Shadowrunner]

I don't even have to think about this, it has to be DOOM!!! After all these years it's still my favorite by a long shot and I still play it quite often.

[triverse]

I have to go with Shogo.  It was an Anime style FPS that had giant robots and transforming mechs and on foot levels with scale setup right.

[Vyothric]

Played way too many games to easily be able to "pick a single favourite" something...

Duke Nukem 3D was the first FPS game that I was really interested in.

Goldeneye is my favourite console FPS.

Quake 2 was one of the first games I played online.

UT99 I spent years playing.

[guest5130]

Doom (PS1 version) - Loved the sinister music on this and I think it really showed people how a console port of Doom should be done.

Outlaws (PC) - Just so good but also so forgotten. Disgraceful.

Medal of Honour/Medal of Honour Underground (PS1) - ancient by today's standards but very fun. Mentions must go to enemy soldiers kicking grenades back at you and the secret (bizarre) bonus level in the first PS1 game!

Alien Resurrection (PS1) - was really impressed with this one although it was too damn hard for me to actually complete!

[Bobinator]

Doom (PS1 version) - Loved the sinister music on this and I think it really showed people how a console port of Doom should be done.

And the N64 version, done in mostly the same style, is even better, I'd say, mostly because it's pretty much a brand new game of its own. You can play that one off of your PC, as well, if you happen to have a ROM on hand for the port to take its resources from. A legally owned ROM. That you legally own. Right?

...You know, I'm going a bit off topic here, but I keep forgetting how amazing the N64 was for FPSes. I've still got a copy of Turok 3 on my shelf I haven't touched yet, for whatever reason.

Outlaws (PC) - Just so good but also so forgotten. Disgraceful.

I think I still have this one on my hard drive somewhere... I should play it again, but I'm worried the constant chorus of "WHERE ARE YOOOOOUUU MARSHALLLLLL" would drive me insane.

All the LucasArts FPSes are really good, although a lot of people would say that my favorite of them, Jedi Academy, isn't really 'retro'. I do have Dark Forces 2 on Steam, however, and that's a pretty good one. You get actual force powers you can use along with your guns, a lightsaber, and tons and tons of live-action FMV.

[WiggyDiggyPoo]

I'm gonna say Goldeneye on the N64, mostly for its 4 player deathmatches, I also used to trade cartridges with my friends so we could complete parts of each others games.

Honourable mention for Skynet, an underated PC blaster that was a lot of fun to play.

Ps Half Life rules:))

[zapiy]

I'm gonna say Goldeneye on the N64, mostly for its 4 player deathmatches, I also used to trade cartridges with my friends so we could complete parts of each others games.

Honourable mention for Skynet, an underated PC blaster that was a lot of fun to play.

Ps Half Life rules:))

Same as wiggy, Goldeneye was perfect in every way, the difficulty was bang on, the story was bang on, and the gameplay was fantastic and add the MP factor..awesome.

[Alberto 2K]

I always loved Wolfenstein 3D but I think I would choose Doom or the original Duke Nukem.

Hexen was great too.

I never played Goldeneye, i alway heard good things about it. I should buy it and dust the N64, it has been in a box for almos 2 years...

[TrekMD]

Mine would be Doom and AVP on the Jaguar. 

[Alberto 2K]

Mine would be Doom and AVP on the Jaguar.

AVP is also very good, I think it it hasn't aged as well as id games but it is really cool to play as a predator and an alien. The ambientation of this game is very well done.

[TrekMD]

Mine would be Doom and AVP on the Jaguar.

AVP is also very good, I think it it hasn't aged as well as id games but it is really cool to play as a predator and an alien. The ambientation of this game is very well done.

Yes, the ambiance is really awesome in this game.  It's great to play it in a totally dark room.   

[TL]

I know it's already been mentioned but I would like to give it another recommendation - Medal Of Honor on the PS1. It's one of the few PS1 games I really liked back in the day and my then pregnant girlfriend was utterly addicted to it when she was carrying my daughter:

[align=center:3rxssbwe]PSX Longplay [065] Medal of Honor (Part 1 of 3)[/align:3rxssbwe]

I also agree with people who have said AVP on the Jaguar, although it isn't really an FPS (you can't even shoot if you are the Alien!) it is more of a survival horror type game. But the Jag version of Doom is still utterly fantastic, one of the few FPS's over the years that I have put any real time into:

[align=center:3rxssbwe]Doom (Atari Jaguar)[/align:3rxssbwe]

[64bitRuss]

My vote has to be the Jaguar version of DOOM. I know it has shortcomings, but the game runs and looks so great with what it does have.

[Mire Mare]

I have to go for DOOM despite it being an obvious choice.  I thought about Goldeneye but although I played it so much I could breeze through all the levels on 007 difficulty and knew all the levels as well as I know my house I don't have a desire to go back and play it again.  That's not the case with DOOM and DOOM 2.  I still get a kick out of playing these games.