If you’re a fan of the Mission Impossible, Jason Bourne, or John Wick movies, you’re probably excited for a modern shooter that captures the vibe. A lot of you mention the lack of realistic weapons, shooting mechanics, and storylines divorced from military themes in current shooter games.
Some of you even mention the FEAR games as the closest to capturing that vibe. It’s true – they’re the closest. But I’d argue that the style and energy from action movies is a bit too intangible to translate into a shooter game in a way that feels authentic. It’s difficult to capture that style.
Anyway, I’m rambling. The comments on our John Wick VR game wish list are great, and I’m excited for the upcoming Bond game from IO Interactive. There are tons of recommendations, including Splinter Cell Conviction, Max Payne, and Watch Dogs 2. But I feel like we’re missing something. So I’m going to throw a few out there, just to see.
Here are some of the best John Wick-style games you can play right now:
Max Payne
Max Payne is a game that fits the desired style, I suppose. It’s certainly got that down-to-earth vibe with a hint of the ridiculousness of 80’s action movies. And while the story is mostly integral to the game’s visuals, it does have a bit of a story.
The last installment came out eleven years ago, but if you can get your hands on it, it’s worth checking out.
Hitman
I know, Hitman isn’t exactly what you’re looking for. But hear me out. While IO Interactive’s recent games have all been multiplayer-oriented, the Hitman trilogy is unquestionably a game that scratches the itch for a story-driven shooter.
The first two games are classics, with the third game feeling a bit more bloated than the first two. But if you can get past the fact that it has a bit of a multiplayer component, you’ll find a fantastic game with a lot of John Wick vibes.
Call of Duty
Call of Duty is the dominant shooter franchise in the market. There’s no denying that. But many of you express frustration over the focus on multiplayer games. And I completely understand why.
A lot of you even express a preference for more story-driven experiences. So why not make a story-driven game that’s still multiplayer? That’s right, I’m talking about a COD game with a compelling story. I’m sure a spinoff focusing on John Wick-style gameplay would be a huge hit.
VR games
If you desperately want that John Wick vibe but don’t want to break the immersion, why not play something like Pistol Whip or Gunman: Contracts? Both of these VR games are multiplayer shooters that are heavily inspired by the John Wick movies.
Sure, they’re not exactly story-driven, but they provide a similar vibe. You can even play them on the PlayStation VR and Oculus Rift, if that’s your thing.
The shift towards PvP in games
It’s worth noting that most of you mention the shift towards PvP games, with a lot of you expressing a preference for more story-driven experiences. Personally, I’m excited for the multiplayer shooter game being developed by the creator of the Gunman: Contracts mod for Half-Life: Alyx VR. But if you’re not, that’s fine.
There are a lot of great multiplayer games out there, and a lot of them have a story. But they’re often not the type of story you’re looking for, like the Hitman games.
Anticipation for the standalone game
There’s a lot of anticipation for the standalone game being developed by the creator of the Gunman: Contracts mod for Half-Life: Alyx VR. You can read about it here, but it’s shaping up to be something special.
