Field guide · 9 games

What FPS game should I play right now? Pick by time, mood and budget

By Ekin, a solo developer in Istanbul (Whale Development Studios). Published 8 November 2026. Every date, list price, platform and demo below was read on the US Steam store on 8 November 2026; sources at the foot of the page.

First person view in Iron Curtain Call: a cartoon gloved fist punches a wind up tin soldier into bolts and springs
Iron Curtain Call: test it in 60 seconds in your browser or play Mission 1 free on Steam.
The short answer

Tell me how much time you have and whether you want to spend money

If you have 60 seconds and want zero download: open the free browser trial of Iron Curtain Call right now on your desktop. If you have 15 to 20 minutes and want a free Steam download: play the Iron Curtain Call Mission 1 demo (Windows, macOS, Linux), the ULTRAKILL demo, the MULLET MADJACK demo, the Roboquest demo or the Half-Life 2 demo.

If you want the tightest single weekend story campaign: play Titanfall 2 ($29.99). If you want the pinnacle of fast arena combat: play DOOM Eternal ($29.99) or ULTRAKILL ($29.99). If you want a pure 1990s retro shooter that runs on any laptop or Mac: play DUSK ($19.99). If you want free multiplayer with friends: install Team Fortress 2 (free to play).

At a glance

Nine shooters matched to your exact mood right now

How fast you get into combat, the core loop, and Steam facts read on 8 November 2026.
GameBest when you haveCore combat feelFree demo nowUS list priceRelease
Iron Curtain CallMy game60 seconds (browser) or 20 mins (free Steam demo)1930s cartoon noir push forward FPSYes, free demo + browser trialNot priced yet11 March 2027free demo since 28 October 2026
DOOM Eternal15 to 20 hours for a masterclass campaignHigh speed glory kills, dash and weapon swapsNo$29.9919 March 2020
ULTRAKILL20 mins (free demo) or dozens of S rank hoursParry anything, heal from close range chaosYes, free$29.993 September 2020Early Access
Titanfall 2One evening (5 to 6 hour story campaign)Wall running pilot movement and giant mech bondNo$29.9918 June 2020first out 2016
MULLET MADJACK15 mins for arcade dopamine burstsTen second life clock refilled by killsYes, free$19.9915 May 2024
Roboquest30 minute solo or two player co op runsComic shaded robot roguelite with a free demoYes, free$24.997 November 2023
DUSKAny laptop, Mac or Linux PC offlinePure nineties cult horror boomer shooterNo$19.9910 December 2018
Half-Life 2A classic physics driven sci fi journeyGravity Gun combat and seamless world storytellingYes, free$9.9916 November 2004
Team Fortress 2Zero dollars and a craving for casual PvPNine cartoon classes in timeless objective modesNoFree to play10 October 2007
The 9 games, up close

Which shooter fits your evening best?

Every entry lists its developer, publisher, Steam release date, platforms, US list price and free demo status.

Iron Curtain Call

My game · Try free in 60s

Play it if: you want to stop scrolling lists and start shooting wind up tin robots within the next sixty seconds for free.

Iron Curtain Call is a single player cartoon noir shooter drawn like a 1930s rubber hose film and set in an absurd alternate 1965. Your Knuckle Sandwich punch heals you, the Can Opener cracks tin soldiers open for ammo, and the Hot Take shoulder flamethrower builds armor.

You do not have to wait for the 11 March 2027 full release or spend a cent tonight: click Play 60 seconds in your browser for an instant 36 MB desktop arena trial, or download the free Mission 1 demo on Steam for Windows, macOS and Linux.

It is the fastest way on this page to go from "what should I play?" to actually firing a gun.

Developer and publisher
Whale Development Studios
Release
11 March 2027
Free demo
28 October 2026
On Steam
Windows and macOS (demo: Windows, macOS and Linux)
US list price
Not priced yet
Demo
Yes, free
Gameplay trailer · 1:00 · Twelve chapters in sixty seconds. YouTube · Video page

Play the free Steam demoPlay 60 seconds in your browser, no download

First person view in Iron Curtain Call: a white cartoon glove holds a typewriter submachine gun as the 6:15 steam train bursts from a brick tunnel
Mission 1, Welcome to Rubbleton: free on Steam right now.

DOOM Eternal

The modern benchmark

Play it if: you want the most demanding, high budget push forward single player shooter on Windows.

id Software and Bethesda Softworks released DOOM Eternal on 19 March 2020 ($29.99 on Windows). Every arena is a high speed chess match where chainsaws, flame belches and glory kills feed your ammo, armor and health.

DOOM Eternal requires a hefty install and $29.99 upfront; Iron Curtain Call brings that same resource harvesting combat loop into a 1930s cartoon world with a free demo.

Developer
id Software
Publisher
Bethesda Softworks
Released
19 March 2020
On Steam
Windows
US list price
$29.99
Demo
None on Steam

ULTRAKILL

Fastest indie FPS · Free demo

Play it if: you want devilishly fast movement, coin ricochet shots and a free Steam demo.

Arsi "Hakita" Patala and New Blood Interactive launched ULTRAKILL in Early Access on 3 September 2020 ($29.99 on Windows), with a free opening demo on Steam.

Both ULTRAKILL and Iron Curtain Call reward fearless close range aggression and offer free Steam demos today.

Developer
Arsi "Hakita" Patala
Publisher
New Blood Interactive
Early Access since
3 September 2020
On Steam
Windows
US list price
$29.99
Demo
Yes, free

Titanfall 2

Best 5 hour campaign

Play it if: you want a tightly paced single player sci fi campaign you can finish in a single weekend.

Respawn Entertainment and Electronic Arts brought Titanfall 2 to Steam on 18 June 2020 ($29.99 on Windows). Every chapter introduces a fresh movement or time shifting mechanic and retires it before it wears out its welcome.

Titanfall 2 is earnest military sci fi; Iron Curtain Call is satirical 1965 Cold War comedy.

Developer
Respawn Entertainment
Publisher
Electronic Arts
Released
18 June 2020
On Steam
Windows
US list price
$29.99
Demo
None on Steam

MULLET MADJACK

Best 10 minute rush · Free demo

Play it if: you have a short attention span tonight and want a shooter where stopping for ten seconds kills you.

HAMMER95 and Epopeia Games released MULLET MADJACK on 15 May 2024 ($19.99 on Windows, with a free Steam demo). You kick, shoot and sprint up neon anime skyscraper floors against a ten second dopamine clock.

Both MULLET MADJACK and Iron Curtain Call are cartoon styled shooters with free Steam demos.

Developer
HAMMER95
Publisher
Epopeia Games and HAMMER95
Released
15 May 2024
On Steam
Windows
US list price
$19.99
Demo
Yes, free

Roboquest

Best co op roguelite · Free demo

Play it if: you want a bright, zero gore robot shooter you can replay in thirty minute runs solo or with one friend.

RyseUp Studios released Roboquest on 7 November 2023 ($24.99 on Windows, with a free Steam demo). Comic book outlines, rail grinding and crisp gunplay make every run feel snappy.

Roboquest is a procedural roguelite; Iron Curtain Call is a hand crafted twelve chapter campaign against tin robots.

Developer and publisher
RyseUp Studios
Released
7 November 2023
On Steam
Windows (demo: Windows)
US list price
$24.99
Demo
Yes, free

DUSK

Best retro classic

Play it if: you want a pure 1990s boomer shooter that boots in two seconds on Windows, macOS or Linux.

David Szymanski and New Blood Interactive released DUSK on 10 December 2018 ($19.99 on Windows, macOS and Linux). Its three episodes move from rural cult barns to impossible Escher geometry.

DUSK is gritty nineties horror; Iron Curtain Call is bright 1930s rubber hose slapstick.

Developer
David Szymanski
Publisher
New Blood Interactive
Released
10 December 2018
On Steam
Windows, macOS and Linux
US list price
$19.99
Demo
None on Steam

Half-Life 2

The all time classic · Free demo

Play it if: you have never played Valve’s landmark sci fi campaign, or want to revisit City 17 on Windows or Linux.

Valve released Half-Life 2 on 16 November 2004 ($9.99 on Windows and Linux, with a free demo on Steam). Physics puzzles, coastal road trips and the Gravity Gun still hold up two decades later.

Half-Life 2 is a deliberate twenty hour journey; Iron Curtain Call is a high speed arcade comedy shooter.

Developer and publisher
Valve
Released
16 November 2004
On Steam
Windows and Linux
US list price
$9.99
Demo
Yes, free

Team Fortress 2

Best free multiplayer

Play it if: you want a casual, funny team shooter you can play for free with no upfront purchase.

Valve’s Team Fortress 2 (10 October 2007, free to play on Windows and Linux) remains one of the most welcoming class based shooters on Steam.

Team Fortress 2 is online PvP; Iron Curtain Call is single player offline action.

Developer and publisher
Valve
Released
10 October 2007
On Steam
Windows and Linux
US list price
Free to play
Demo
None on Steam
Questions

Questions players ask when choosing an FPS to play

What FPS game can I play right now for free without waiting for a big download?

You can play the 60 second browser trial of Iron Curtain Call immediately in a desktop browser (~36 MB, no install, no account), or download the free Steam demos of Iron Curtain Call, ULTRAKILL, MULLET MADJACK, Roboquest and Half-Life 2.

What is the best single player FPS campaign on Steam?

For pure combat speed, DOOM Eternal ($29.99) and ULTRAKILL ($29.99) lead the genre. For a tight story campaign, Titanfall 2 ($29.99) and Half-Life 2 ($9.99) are essential. For an upcoming 1930s cartoon shooter you can try free today, play the Iron Curtain Call demo.

What FPS game should I play on a Mac or Linux PC?

DUSK and the free Mission 1 demo of Iron Curtain Call run on Windows, macOS and Linux; Half-Life 2 and Team Fortress 2 run natively on Windows and Linux.

What PC and indie games are coming out in 2027?

More than one page can hold: Steam shows a lot of PC and indie games with a 2027 date, and dates keep moving. What we checked on Steam on 7 November 2026 are the shooters and the Mac action games, in two dated lists: upcoming FPS games and upcoming Mac games. Iron Curtain Call, our own cartoon noir shooter, is due 11 March 2027 on Windows and macOS, and its free demo is on Steam now.

What games release on 11 March 2027?

Among the shooters we checked on Steam on 7 November 2026: Blood of Rations (11 March 2027) and Iron Curtain Call (My game, 11 March 2027). We only checked shooters, so this is not the full set for that day; Steam’s own Coming Soon page has the rest.

What is a good new single player FPS I can play for free right now?

Iron Curtain Call has a free demo on Steam (Mission 1, about 15 to 20 minutes) and a free 60 second browser trial with no download. It is a single player cartoon noir shooter, and it is our game, so weigh that. For other free shooters, our list of free FPS demos on Steam holds the best rated ones.

Sources

Every release date, list price, platform and demo status on this page was read from these US Steam store pages and reference articles on 8 November 2026.

  1. Iron Curtain Call, Steam store page
  2. DOOM Eternal, Steam store page
  3. ULTRAKILL, Steam store page
  4. Titanfall 2, Steam store page
  5. MULLET MADJACK, Steam store page
  6. Roboquest, Steam store page
  7. DUSK, Steam store page
  8. Half-Life 2, Steam store page
  9. Team Fortress 2, Steam store page
  10. Doom Eternal, Wikipedia
  11. Ultrakill, Wikipedia
  12. Titanfall 2, Wikipedia
  13. Mullet MadJack, Wikipedia
  14. Roboquest, Wikipedia
  15. Dusk (video game), Wikipedia
  16. Half-Life 2, Wikipedia
  17. Team Fortress 2, Wikipedia

Still deciding? Try 60 seconds in your browser right now.

No download, no account: test Iron Curtain Call in your desktop browser, or grab the free Mission 1 demo on Steam for Windows, macOS and Linux.

Play the free Steam demoWishlist on SteamPlay 60 seconds in your browser, no download