In the "Windows as a service" world, the app store is going to become increasingly important to Microsoft's coffers.
Most of the games available today crossed over from the Windows 8 store. In the coming months, however, we should see an influx of fresh titles from Microsoft Studios, ID@Xbox and hopefully some high-quality third-party devs. For now, if you're running Windows 10 on a tablet or using a lower-end GPU, there are some great games available in the store to help pass the time.
In this post, I'm highlighting some of the best shooters in the Windows 10 store. The store filters seem a tad broken at the moment. Separating decent games from the tons of terrible and broken apps in the store is quite a task. If you know of any good shooters in the store that run on Windows 10, please drop a comment.
For the time being, if you're new to the store and looking for casual games crammed with guns then look no further!
Modern Combat 5: Blackout
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I'd argue that Modern Combat 5 is the best shooter available in the Windows 10 store as of writing. It's a free to play title with Xbox Live integration, bringing goodies like gamerscore achievements. MC5's developer Gameloft pulled no punches when it came to graphics. The game sports near console level visuals that would fit in nicely during the Xbox 360's early years.
As the name suggests, Modern Combat 5 shares an uncanny amount of similarities with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, but don't let that put you off. Gameloft have made a name for themselves ripping off other games, but at the very least they do it very well.
Modern Combat 5 sports responsive control schemes, meaning that it'll detect whether you're using a Xbox controller, touch screen or mouse and keyboard set up and adapt accordingly. Played with a keyboard and mouse, it might lack the responsiveness of a dedicated PC title but it's thoroughly enjoyable regardless.
There are boatloads of upgrades and unlockable weapons, across five customizable soldier classes. MC5 also sports online multiplayer with high-quality features you might expect on your console rather than your tablet. Exp accumulated across multiplayer and the rock solid single player campaign, carrying your customization and unlocks to all game modes.
As a free to play title, there are lots of micro-transactions, but none are particularly restrictive. Give it a try!
Download Modern Combat 5: Blackout for Windows (Free)
Overkill 3
Overkill 3 is a third person shooting game from dedicated Xbox mobile publisher Game Troopers. The game takes place in a dystopic future where an oppressive regime has taken control of the world. You lead a resistance movement through gorgeously detailed war zones on a quest for freedom.
Overkill 3 sports impressive graphics for a title designed for mobile. The environments are rich with detail with compliments from dynamic lighting and gravity physics. There are various enemy types and "epic" boss battles, and your arsenal will scale up to artillery strikes and rocket launchers to meet demand. Overkill 3 takes place across 200 levels and several different locations. If you exhaust all that content, there's an endless mode to keep you going for even longer (endlessly in fact).
There are some rudimentary keyboard controls, but it's pretty apparent that tablet and phones were Overkill 3's target medium. If you're a dedicated mouse and keyboard runner, I'd avoid this one for now.
Like Modern Combat 5, Overkill 3 boasts an entire armory full of weapons and upgrades via a high-quality 3D menu system. Weapons, their attachments, and other gear are plentiful, but they take some time to deliver. You can jump the queue by spending in-game currency, which you can also purchase in bulk with micro-transactions. Overkill 3 is another free to play title, but it's certainly not a pay-to-play title, and all content is unlockable via regular play over time.
Download Overkill 3 for Windows (Free)
Halo Spartan Strike / Halo Spartan Assault
Halo's Windows Store games are among the best the catalogue has to offer, and you'd hope so considering it's a first-party Xbox IP.
Both games are very similar in general. Spartan Strike and Spartan Assault are twin-stick top-down shooters set in the Halo universe. They each have dynamic control schemes, meaning they're totally playable with touch, keyboard, and mouse or a Xbox controller. 343i developed both games that tell stories that are part of the Halo canon - they're not alternative universe spin-offs.
The premise of both games is that you're taking part in combat simulations that tell 'classified' Halo tales. Everything you'd expect from a Halo game comes into play, from the authentic enemy A.I. to the sound treatment, weapons, and vehicles.
Spartan Assault has micro-transactions that provide fast access to some of the game's more powerful weapons. Spartan Strike ditched that model, allowing you to access weapons like the Spartan Laser and the sniper rifle more easily without paying.
Both games offer a solid Halo experience on whatever device you choose to use, syncing progression between them via your Xbox Live account.
Judge Dredd vs. Zombies
UK console devs Rebellion (Sniper Elite, Zombie Army Trilogy) built this next title. In Judge Dredd vs. Zombies, you play as the titular comic book hero against a hoard of undead nasties.
The game handles similarly to Halo Spartan Strike with a top-down view, but instead of aiming using the right side of the screen, Judge Dredd locks onto nearby targets. It places a stronger emphasis on movement, as zombies can swarm you quite easily if you're not paying attention. Judge Dredd vs. Zombies has dynamic control schemes like Halo Spartan Strike, allowing you to play with intuitive touch controls or with a mouse and keyboard.
The game has vibrant graphics and reminisces of generations past. Zombies explode into satisfying green puddles when you dispatch them, complete with an occasional slow-motion kill cam.
Judge Dredd vs. Zombies sits firmly in the arcade camp, with power-ups and multi-kill scoring systems all over the screen. As (yet another) free to play title, Judge Dredd vs. Zombies allows you to purchase coins to upgrade your weapons. You can play without buying weapons upgrades. Eventually, you'll become overwhelmed by the sheer amount of zombies on screen if you don't improve your damage and survivability.
