What Makes A Good FPS

For someone new to a First-Person Shooter (FPS), the pace can be overwhelming. Spawn, walk around the corner and BAM! Shotgun to the face...

For those more accustomed to the flow, the experience generally falls into a loop of death followed by vengeance on the opposing team or individual player. How do developers turn this simple system into hours of gameplay?

Let's be real, the "grind" is a form of payment, too, it's your time.

No matter what brand you favor, when you've just had your head handed to you for an entire match, it's the consolatory currency at the end that takes the edge off. This is, of course, a means to an end, whether that be a new weapon, ability or snazzy skin. Anything to give you an edge the next time you find yourself at the mercy of your local ringer. What your hard-earned currency unlocks can be a major factor when enjoying your new game.

Whether piloting a tank through a war-torn city or unloading a machine gun into an enemy fortification, you want your presence to be known...and felt.

There's a phenomenon within gaming in which the controller vibration, recoil, sound effect and animation of a discharging weapon can make you feel more powerful than the internal game mechanics would suggest. Lining up a shot with a sniper rifle should feel like a guaranteed kill (or at least a maiming). Though the end product may ultimately be a ragdoll in character's clothing, your immediate goal is to remove another player from the match. When you feel like you were solely responsible it makes it all the more satisfying.

What's better than a leaderboard spot? Owning the leaderboard with your friends.

Team strategies have become the hot topics of blogs and reviews - and for good reason. The ability to voice chat and strategize with others is a feature that players refuse to part with. Developers have started tailoring games in a way that makes teamwork almost a requirement. Take Blizzard's Overwatch for example. There are currently 22 playable heroes, each with strengths and weaknesses that make them shine in a team-based environment - and shrivel outside of it.

In the end, they're your dollars. It's up to the developers to earn them.

If you can think of any other critical deciding factors, comment below!