“Boomer Shooter” is now a category on Steam. But what are boomer shooters?
The first-person shooter (FPS) genre has come a long way since its first appeared in the 1990s. Evolving through squad-based experiences and sparawling world epics, FPS games now typically feature mature narratives, consideral immersion, and stunning graphics.
Yet there remains curious sub-category of FPS that harkens back to a simpler time. The boomer shooter has all the hallmarks of a classic FPS like DOOM or Quake or Duke Nukem 3D or Heretic. So much so that those games are now referred to boomer shooters!
Such games emphasize visceral action, breakneck speed, and ridiculously over-the-top weaponry (see Duke Nukem 3D’s BFG) over intricate narratives or complex mechanics. And of course they’re called “boomer shooters” because they’re often seen as being played by the Baby Boomer generation.
Although in my experience, 1990s FPS games are purely a Generation X thing.
So, what exactly makes a game a “boomer shooter”? Here are some key ingredients:
1. Speed and bullets
The key to classic FPS or boomer shooters is pure, unadulterated action. These games feature very little in the way of cutscenes, and instead revolve around fast-paced combat. Think endless streams of bullets, jumping through corridors, dodging rockets, strafing left and right around corridors, unlocking secret rooms, and even chain-sawing imps.
Modern FPS games often rely on finding cover to engage in shoot-outs. Boomer shooters are all about getting into the action, taking damage, and hopefully surviving long enough to beat the monsters.
2. An arsenal fit for a heavy metal hero
It’s very rare to run out of ammo in a classic FPS. If you do, boomer shooter convention is that you easily find new ammo, or punch your opponents (or in the case of Duke Nukem, kick them). While some weapons are outlandish – chainsaws, laser trip-mines, plasma beams, rocket launchers, and more – they sit perfectly within the 80s/90s action hero zeitgeist.
And sure, they’re outlandish, but are they really that different to Sam Fisher’s detonating proximity camera in Splinter Cell: Conviction?
One thing to note about the weapons: every weapon has a specific purpose, so ammo conservation and the flexibility to quickly switch between, say, shotgun and grenade, is important if you want to win.
3. Secrets are worth killing for in boomer shooters
Hidden paths and secret areas give boomer shooters inherent replayability. While these days players revisit to speed run, completion was only really possible by unlocking every secret door and path.
Within them, you would typically find hidden weapons and power-ups, and occasionally secret levels.
4. Boomer shooters tell stories with bullets, not cutscenes
The intricate narratives and characters arcs of modern games (or snoozefests, eh, Death Stranding?) have pretentions beyond the pixelated sphere of the video game. Millions of production dollars go into those titles, but who needs that when cryptic messages and environmental details tell you as much story as you need to know (beyond the packaging blurb)?
Boomer shooters keep things simple, letting the action – and you – take center stage without having to understand why a baby is keeping you alive.
5. A retro aesthetic with a modern touch
Over the past few years, more and more new games have embraced the classic FPS. These are the real boomer shooters, games like DUSK HD or Project Warlock. Block models, simpler textures, vibrant palettes and awesome music combine.
While inspired by early 3D graphics, these titles might have had a bit of a modern tidy up when compared to Half-Life or Heretic, but despite the advanced lighting and particle effects some boomer shooters use, their heritage is clear to see…
What you get with a boomer shooter is pure, unadulterated fun, that looks and sounds great, and us unencumbered with dull storylines or poisoned by poor sequels (hey, Star Wars!).
Need that nostalgic adrenaline rush? Miss the smell of a warm floppy (disk)? If you want to relive the glory days of the might foot, the BFG, the hellish invasion of Mars, or taking out pixelated Nazis, grab a classic FPS, or go for a modern boomer shooter.
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Christian Cawley is a writer and editor who covers consumer electronics, IT, and entertainment media. He has written for publications such as Computer Weekly, Linux Format, MakeUseOf.com, and Tech Radar.
He also produces podcasts, has a cigar box guitar, and of course, loves retro gaming.