Summary
It seems likefree-to-play gamesare everywhere these days. It has gotten to the point where certain genres cannot dare to charge for a copy, lest they become the subject of mockery. Unfortunately for some gamers, free-to-play games are mostly multiplayer affairs. This is especially true when it comes to shooters.
Finding a free third-person shooter with plenty to do for those who fly solo is a challenge, but they do exist. Most of them are well worth fans' time and have plenty of action. Free-to-play games can have their traps where players almost have to pay to progress, but the games below thankfully avoid this.
The PS4 launch was an interesting time. It lacked backward compatibility so the library started from square one. Additionally, maybe the game people bought the system for was still months away from launch. Thankfully, some free titles were available on the console’s release day to tide players over.
Warframebenefitted greatly from being one of them. There was a minimal amount of content at first, but the gameplay loop was compelling. Over the years,Warframegrew in popularity as developers expanded the gameplay variety. Now, there is a shocking amount of content to explore to the point where it barely resembles the game from 2013.
While the missions and quests can be tackled with friends, the game complements solo play well. It can be daunting to get into a title a decade after its launch, butWarframehas a welcoming onboarding process.
Of all the games here,APB Reloadedis probably the most limited in its single-player content. This free-to-play third-person shooter is an open-world game built around a cops and robbers idea. In the game, the two sides are called Enforcers and Criminals. Players pick a faction to join and that determines their role.
Criminals do what criminals dobest to accumulate cash. Once they have enough they become a target for the Enforcers on the server. When it comes to content one can do solo, players can engage in certain criminal activity outside missions to get cash.
However, after a certain amount of time, they will draw the Enforcers' attention. It is possible to jump into a server with no other players, but Enforcers will come in eventually. How much of a problem this is all depends on the Enforcers who join the game.
APB Reloadedlaunched on PS4 and Xbox One in 2016. Service for both of these versions ended in 2024.
Star Trekfeels like theperfect IP to adapt into an MMORPG. The whole franchise is built around discovering strange new worlds, flying through space, and intergalactic politics.Star Trek Onlineis a fan’s dream MMO, letting them captain their own ship to go on various missions.
The game started as a subscription-based title when it launched in 2010. After just two years, the game switched to a free-to-play model. The move seemed to work sinceStar Trek Onlineis still active to this day. Several expansions with storylines that tie intovarious bits ofStar Treklorehave kept fans engaged with the title.
Some of the references are too deep for casual fans to understand, including direct ties to theEnterpriseTV series from the early 2000s. The gameplay is split into different types such as space combat and on-foot third-person shooting segments. The latter missions can be done solo, making it a worthwhile experience.
There are a lot of looter shooters out there, fromBorderlandsandThe DivisiontoOutriders. Players need to pay for all these titles, however. Fortunately,The First Descendantis here to satisfy the looter shooter itch for anyone looking for free-to-play content.
Like the other examples,The First Descendantis perfectly okay for solo play. The classes all complement each other when going into missions as a team, but they also stand by themselves for solo players.
A small portion of the gameplay forces players to group up, but it is a negligible amount of content. Like a lot of free-to-play titles,The First Descendanthas its share of grinding. This makes it a good game to pair with podcasts.
Fortnite’s Battle Royale mode is massively popular. Its reign truly has no end in sight. As long as it keeps expanding andbringing other IPs into the fray, it is hard to see any other free-to-play game dethroning it.Fortniteis so big it now includes other varied game experiences, such asFortnite Rocket Racing,Fortnite Festival, andLego Fortnite.
While the Battle Royale mode cannot be played solo - though there is plenty to do during a match that does not involve attacking other players -Fortnite FestivalandLego Fortnitecan be played solo. The former is developed by Harmonix and essentially bringsRock BandintoFortnite.
Players can even use their instruments from the older rhythm game.Lego Fortniteis a survival gameutilizing the trademark Lego aesthetic. While survival is always easier with friends,Lego Fortniteworks perfectly fine for those going solo.
