History Main / TacticalShooter

* ''VideoGame/AWOL'' is described as a "Mil-Spec" shooter made on the Build Engine. While gameplay feel is similar to other Build Engine games such as ''VideoGame/DukeNukem3D'', the game features real-world weapons, a military-themed plot, and on the higher difficulty levels (which are the default) tactical shooter tactics are heavily encouraged as enemies can kill you extremely quickly.

Due to graphical and aesthetical realism, many modern military shooters may look deceptively like Tactical Shooters. However, the distinguishing traits are all related to how the game is played, not how realistic it looks.

Do note that some of the more modern First-Person Shooters may look deceptively like Tactical Shooters, especially due to the level of realism put into the physics engine and graphics. However, the distinguishing traits are all related to how the game is played, not how realistic it looks.

A FirstPersonShooter subgenre which was born in the late nineties and blossomed in the middle of the TurnOfTheMillennium, with the advent of more powerful 3D engines. It tries to portray the actual experience of being in battle, subverting or averting tropes found in more "arcadey" FPS such as BottomlessMagazines, HammerspaceArsenal, HitPoints or OneManArmy. In these games, surviving a battle requires the ability to plan ahead, use [[StealthBasedGame stealthy]] or underhanded means, and [[SquadControls command several combatants simultaneously]] rather than lightning-fast reflexes.

A FirstPersonShooter subgenre which was born in the late nineties and blossomed in the middle of the TurnOfTheMillennium, with the advent of more powerful 3D engines. It tries to portray the actual experience of being in battle, subverting or averting tropes found in more "arcadey" FPS such as BottomlessMagazines, HitPoints or OneManArmy. In these games, surviving a battle requires the ability to plan ahead, use [[StealthBasedGame stealthy]] or underhanded means, and [[SquadControls command several combatants simultaneously]] rather than lightning-fast reflexes.

If you've been living on Earth in the past few years, you've probably at least heard the term "FirstPersonShooter". This refers to all those games where all you see is the gun in your hand and the enemies coming to collect your bullets. The 2000s have seen the production of countless games belonging to this genre.

However, for all their bang, First-Person Shooters seldom portray the actual experience of being in battle faithfully. Whether it be BottomlessMagazines, HitPoints or OneManArmy, they tend to stick to the RuleOfFun or at least the RuleOfCool.

Naturally, some game developers use the recent advances in video game technology to produce games that [[FacklerScaleOfFPSRealism try to stay closer to reality]]. In these games, surviving a battle takes less of a steady hand and lightning-quick reflexes, and more of the ability to plan ahead, use [[StealthBasedGame stealthy]] or underhanded means, and [[SquadControls command several combatants simultaneously]]. These games are known as '''Tactical Shooters'''.

* '''Realistic Tactics:''' Rush into combat alone like a headless chicken should ''always'' result in your death. [[TakeCover Taking cover]], gather intel, planning your missions, and [[SquadControls working with your squad]] should be the key to victory, rather than the pure mechanical skills of the player. Tactical actions that are common in real life such as leaning over cover should be made available and encouraged in-game. Real life tried-and-tested infantry tactics like suppressive fire, room clearing, or interlocking fire should naturally become viable tactics in-game with the creation of realistic combat mechanics and scenarios.

** ''VideoGame/Squad44''

* ''VideoGame/PostScriptum''

** ''[=SWAT=] 1'' was an early prototype whose design was partway between a Shooter and an adventure game. Very uniquely, it was not a 3D-rendered game, but FullMotionVideo. It was exceedingly realistic, to its own detriment.