You want to play a campaign on your own, at your own pace, without a server getting in the way. That sounds like a given, but it isn’t anymore. Even pure solo shooters are often tied to the internet these days: through an extra account, through a launcher that has to run in the background, or through copy protection. With Battlefield 6, even the campaign needs a permanent internet connection, which is why it’s not on this list.
Here are 14 shooters you can play on your own, sorted into big campaigns, quick runs and classics. Each one comes with a short online check, so you know before you buy what comes along besides the game itself.
How to read the online check
For games that are also on PC, I always mean the PC version, because that’s where accounts, launchers and copy protection come in. You need a Steam account on PC anyway, so I don’t count that separately. What matters is anything on top of that:
- Extra account: Some games ask for a second account on PC, from EA or Xbox, for example. Halo Infinite, Halo: The Master Chief Collection and Gears 5, for instance, want to see an Xbox account.
- Launcher: a second program that has to be installed and running in the background while you play. For EA games, that’s the EA launcher.
- Copy protection: Denuvo is a copy protection that some PC players avoid on principle. You don’t need a separate account for it, but the game does run with this protection.
- Subscription: On Switch, for example, GoldenEye 007 is only available through the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription. When the subscription ends, the game is gone too.
This is all current as of October 2026. Things like this can change with updates, so a quick look at the store page before you buy never hurts.
Big campaigns for several evenings
DOOM: The Dark Ages
DOOM: The Dark Ages is a pure solo shooter, there’s no multiplayer mode at all. You get 22 chapters and a difficulty setting you can fine-tune to suit you. New is a shield you use to block and parry, and that system carries the fights. On top of that, the levels are varied. For me it’s the solo shooter of 2025, released in May for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series.
Probably not for you if you’re after the arena chaos of DOOM Eternal. The new game is slower and less vertical. The dragon sections fall short of the rest, and on consoles it looks weaker in places. Around 20 hours.
Online check: No extra account, but on PC it comes with Denuvo.
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus is a pure story campaign from 2017, released for PC, PS4 and Xbox One, and there’s also a Switch version. The fights are tough, the perks give you room to play, and the characters carry the story. If you want a shooter with a real plot, this is my pick.
It’s not perfect. The level design is fairly average, some stretches drag, and not much changes compared to its predecessor. If graphic violence and long cutscenes aren’t your thing, stay away. The Switch version is technically weaker. Around 13 hours.
Online check: No extra account, no additional copy protection. You can save at any time.
Titanfall 2
Titanfall 2 has a campaign you can finish in a weekend, and for me it’s one of the best in the whole genre. You run along walls, fight in a mech and listen to the conversations between Cooper and his mech BT, which for me are the heart of the campaign. The environments are varied. It came out in 2016 for PS4, Xbox One and PC.
If you expect a lot of story depth, you’ll be left a little hungry. The story is fairly standard, the characters stay rather flat, and the boss fights always play out in a similar way. Around 8 hours. If short, dense games are your thing, you’ll find more in Best Short Games You Can Beat in a Weekend.
Online check: This is where it gets complicated on PC. You need an EA account, the game is activated online, and the EA launcher has to be installed and running in the background. Whether the campaign then runs offline for good isn’t clearly settled. I wouldn’t count on it. If you avoid launchers and mandatory accounts, that’s the catch with this game on PC.
Metroid Prime Remastered
Metroid Prime Remastered is a first-person shooter adventure for Switch from 2023, so it plays well on the go too. The visuals are modern, the new twin-stick controls make it more accessible, and the atmosphere is dense. I’d recommend it to veterans just as much as to people who’ve never touched the series.
You won’t get nonstop action here. You explore, scan things and often head back into areas you already know. Parts of the structure show their age, and the way you get stronger is fairly unspectacular. Around 14 hours.
Online check: A pure single-player game you simply buy. You don’t need a subscription.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is a third-person shooter with platforming sections, released in 2021 for PS5 and in 2023 for PC. The tech is strong, the look reminds you of an animated movie, and the weapons are so different that you keep trying out something new. Because it’s easy to get into and family-friendly, it’s my pick if kids are watching or if you just want to shoot things in a relaxed way.
If you’re looking for first-person or a serious tone, this isn’t for you. It doesn’t bring much new to the genre, and the second main character, Rivet, doesn’t get enough room. Around 13 hours.
Online check: On PC you don’t need a PSN account, and there’s no additional copy protection.
Deathloop
Deathloop is a time-loop shooter by Arkane, released in 2021 for PS5 and PC, and later for Xbox too. You visit the same four areas again and again and gradually piece together how to break the loop. The mix of puzzle, world and shooter makes it one of the most unusual games here.
There’s also an online feature: other players can invade your game and take over your rival, Julianna. That’s optional. If you set your game to single player, the AI controls Julianna. You can only switch between missions. If you want a linear campaign from A to B, repeating the areas won’t make you happy. Around 14 hours.
Online check: Set invasions to single player in the settings. On PC it comes with Denuvo.
Tip: Not sure yet whether a long campaign or quick runs suit you better? Take the quiz and get a recommendation in about three minutes.
Quick runs for in between
Not every evening has room for a whole chapter. These four shooters work in shorter bites. Two of them are roguelites, where you start over after every death. If you like that idea, you’ll find more along those lines in the best roguelikes.
Neon White
Neon White is the best fit here for short sessions. Many levels take less than 30 seconds. It’s all about movement and speed, and the appeal is beating a level faster and faster. The style and music are great. It came out in 2022 for PC, Switch, PlayStation and Xbox.
You won’t get a classic shooter with cover fights and a scripted campaign here. The anime-style dialogue is pretty cheesy, and the first levels look rather alike. Around 10 hours.
Online check: No extra account, no copy protection. The leaderboards are optional.
Ultrakill
Ultrakill is a retro arcade shooter with short levels and a style rating for your fights. It’s a pure single-player game and only runs on PC under Windows. Worth knowing: it’s been in Early Access since 2020 and isn’t finished yet, and there’s no known date for the full release. Still, for me it’s one of the most exciting Early Access shooters.
It’s not for beginners, it’s very demanding. Console players are left out, and if you want a finished story, you’ll have to wait. Around 15 hours with what’s there so far.
Online check: No extra account, no copy protection.
Saros
Saros is the new roguelite from developer Housemarque, released on April 30, 2026, only for PS5. Runs are shorter than in Returnal, permanent upgrades stay with you after death, and you can jump straight to areas you’ve unlocked. The combat is strong and stays readable even in the wildest chaos, the balance between challenge and accessibility is right, and the world of Carcosa and the late bosses stick with you. If you have a PS5 and want demanding action in shorter bites, this is my pick.
The weak spot is the storytelling, the characters barely grab you. The individual parts are strong, but as a whole it doesn’t click for everyone. If you don’t like bullet patterns like in a bullet hell game, you won’t be happy here. And there’s no PC version so far. Around 25 hours.
Online check: No multiplayer mode. Co-op and leaderboard challenges aren’t available yet. There’s no known online requirement.
Returnal
Returnal is Housemarque’s older roguelite, released in 2021 for PS5 and in 2023 for PC. It feels great to play, the “one more run” pull is strong, and the sci-fi story keeps you hooked. Since an update in October 2021, you can suspend a run in progress once, just not in the middle of a boss fight.
I wouldn’t recommend it to newcomers to the genre. Unlike in Saros, your progress is gone when you die, and over time the runs feel fairly samey. They’re not really short sessions either, a single run can take over an hour. Around 20 hours.
Online check: On PC, no extra account and no additional copy protection. You can use the online co-op, but you don’t have to.
Classics that still play well today
Half-Life and Half-Life 2
Half-Life from 1998 and Half-Life 2 from 2004 shaped the story shooter as we know it today. If you want to understand where modern shooter campaigns come from, the second game is still a must for me. Today you’re best off playing both on PC through Steam.
If you’re used to the convenience features of today’s games, some things will take getting used to. Each takes around 13 hours.
Online check: Only Steam itself, no extra account, no additional copy protection.
BioShock Infinite
BioShock Infinite from 2013 is a story classic. The story is well told from start to finish, the art style is distinctive, and the character Elizabeth carries the game. If plot matters more to you than tactics, it’s my pick among the classics. You’ll find more games with this focus in Best Story Games That Feel Like a Great Movie.
The shooting is solid standard fare, and the gameplay stays fairly limited. Rapture, the setting of the first BioShock, is more thoughtfully built. If you’re after tactical combat or an open world, this isn’t for you. Around 13 hours.
Online check: On PC, no extra account, no additional copy protection.
System Shock 2
System Shock 2 is a mix of shooter, RPG and horror. The original dates from 1999, and since June 26, 2025 there’s the 25th Anniversary Remaster by developer Nightdive. That means it also runs on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series, Xbox One, Switch and Switch 2. The remaster stays close to the original and adds a higher resolution, mods and a co-op mode. For me, this is the version you should play today.
It only plays so-so with a gamepad, some parts feel dated, and the game is unforgiving. Convenience features that are standard today are missing. So it’s not for beginners or anyone looking for fast action. Around 17 hours. If the horror side appeals to you more, check out the best horror games.
Online check: On PC, no extra account, no copy protection. You can use the co-op, but you don’t have to.
Your next step
All the shooters in the database, including the ones focused on multiplayer, are in the list of the best shooters. If the quick runs caught your interest, you’ll find more of them in the best roguelikes. And if you don’t even know yet whether it should be a shooter today, take the quiz.