By Mark Sammut
Nintendo's GameCube was not synonymous with first-person shooters. If you wanted to play an FPS game during the early 2000s, your best bet would be to own a PC; alternatively, the Xbox launched with one of the most influential entries in the genre ever. The PS2 had an OK selection of shooters, while the GameCube's lineup is primarily just remembered for Metroid Prime. Are there even any more FPS GameCube games?
While not a huge selection by any stretch of the imagination, Nintendo did try to cater to the FPS audience to an extent with the GameCube, delivering a few titles that have been largely forgotten over time. Most people remember Killer7, 007: Nightfire, and TimeSplitters, but they might have no recollection of the following releases.
Die Hard: Vendetta
The Original Sequel To Die Hard With a Vengeance
Yippee-ki-yay! Fans of the Die Hard movie series have received a couple of games over the decades, although we haven't received a new console release since 2002. That game happened to be Die Hard: Vendetta, a non-canon sequel to the original trilogy. Naturally, you play as John McLane, who has to save his daughter from a familiar-ish villain.
Vendetta isn't particularly good by any stretch of the imagination, but it can be fun for people who really want to role-play as McClane. There are also very few Die Hard games, so Vendetta doesn't have too much competition. Otherwise, I would not recommend going out of your way to experience this forgotten FPS game since there are so many other great titles available.
Judge Dredd: Dredd vs. Death
Become The Ultimate Judge In This GameCube Shooter
Here is a fun old-school FPS game that respectfully adapts its source material, even though it plays things relatively safe. Judge Dredd: Dredd vs. Death is a relatively straightforward shooter that succeeds due to its setting and smart implementation of elements from the comics. Obviously, you play as Judge Dredd, who has to fulfill his role as one of Mega-City One's law enforcers. While each chapter mostly consists of a few quests, they are presented as tiny sandboxes where players can uphold the law or go wild by killing bystanders.
Like so many of these licensed games, Judge Dredd: Dredd vs. Death can only really be recommended to people who are fans of the 2000 AD comic. That said, it plays well enough that you don't have to be a die-hard fan to have a good time. Unlike so many of these forgotten GameCube FPS games, Judge Dredd: Dredd vs. Death is easy to find nowadays since it is on PC.
Geist
A Cool Concept But A Mediocre Game
Admittedly, Geist is more of a forgotten action-adventure game than a first-person shooter, but it has enough elements of the latter to warrant a mention. Garnering attention for being a rare M17+ GameCube release, Geist means "ghost," which reflects the core mechanic. John Raimi, the protagonist, ends up as a detached soul who can possess not only humans but also objects. This mechanic is interesting and leads to some fun moments where you can terrify enemies, with these sections kind of working like very simple puzzles.
Honestly, Geist is a pretty awful FPS game. The gunplay is unresponsive and unrewarding, so you end up not looking forward to the sequences that are meant to be thrilling and exciting. If you are looking for a GameCube shooter that you might have missed, skip this one; however, if you are craving a weird game with brief flashes of quality, Geist is worth checking out.
Serious Sam: Next Encounter
Very Solid Serious Sam Spin-Off That Really Needs A PC Port
Although not quite on the same level as Doom or Wolfenstein, Serious Sam is still a recognizable run-and-gun shooter franchise that has produced its share of cult classics. If somebody is into FPS games, they are likely familiar with the main entries, most of which are readily accessible on modern consoles or PC. However, they might completely miss Serious Sam: Next Encounter, a spin-off that did a pretty great job of capturing the chaotic and tough action synonymous with the series. This cult classic has never been re-released or ported to PC, so you do need to go out of your way to pick up a PS2 or GameCube copy.
Next Encounter has a few unique ideas, including a combo system that rewards your performance. This aspect can be quite divisive, but the rest of the game is just consistent action across an array of historical supernatural settings. If you are a Serious Sam but have only played the PC releases, track this spin-off down.
Turok: Evolution
Who Doesn't Love Hunting Dinosaurs?
Except for the original release, an argument could be made that all Turok games are underrated or forgotten. At least, they don't get the attention that they deserve, especially since the franchise revolves around such a great concept: dinosaurs. Sure, there is more to it than that, but Turok's appeal is that you are going up against behemoths that used to walk the Earth. Even among the lesser-known Turok projects, Turok: Evolution is arguably even more obscure, and it does not help that the game is not readily accessible on PC.
Although not always running flawlessly, the game was pretty impressive for its time, and a decent progression of the ideas explored in earlier entries. That said, Turok: Evolution has its issues, particularly involving stages that move away from the gunplay. This is not a must-play by any stretch of the imagination, but it is fine enough.
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This article originally appeared on GameRant and is republished here with permission.
