The 1990's were some of the best years for PC gaming. The first-person shooter especially took significant strides in that era. I wrote about one of the best from that period, the Star Wars themed Dark Forces. But there were plenty of other amazing FPS games produced between 1990 and 2000, some of them world-renowned, others merely appreciated. Let's take a look at a few.

Duke Nukem 3D

I thought I'd get the big one out of the way first. This is basically the end-all of classic shooters. Apogee Software brought one of the most distinct side-scrolling heroes of DOS gaming into this pioneering 3D title. It was raunchy, it was violent, it was over-the-top in every conceivable way. Duke Nukem 3D is a big part of the adolescent memories of many a gamer. Though the prospect of a proper sequel to DN3D has become a running joke in the gaming community, the original FPS still stands up as a fun and challenging experience even 15 years after its release.

Shadow Warrior

After Duke 3D came out, there were some big shoes to fill. 1996 saw the release of Quake, one of the most popular FPS games of all time. It wasn't really until the next-gen consoles from the end of the decade started saturating the market that Quake got de-throned. All the same, 1997's Build Engine sleeper Shadow Warrior has a lot to love. It's just as racy as Duke and even more ridiculously violent. It may have been a bit behind the times, but it was good in a junk-food sort of way.

Blood

Horror and shooters go together like corn syrup and red food coloring. Monolith Productions took this connection to heart with 1997's Blood. Players navigate a macabre protagonist through a series of levels inspired by classic horror movies, like a Shining-style frozen hedge maze. Several of the weapons are impractical but entertaining, like a flare gun that has a delayed effect, causing weaker enemies to burst into flames. Blood was fun and creepy for its time, and occasionally worth revisiting.

Descent

In 1994, Interplay put a unique spin on the FPS. Rather than asking players to assume the role of yet another lone hero on foot with an arsenal strapped to his back, Descent put us at the helm of a small space vessel piloted by a mercenary who has to go through the solar system eliminating virus-infected robots from moon-mining operations. Descent provided true 3D environments and a freedom of movement that was unheard of at the time. It wasn't just a FPS or a flight simulator. It was an innovative fusion of both.

Half Life

If Doom ushered in the FPS style of 90's, Valve's revolutionary Half Life prepared gamers for the potential in the coming decade. Released in 1998 to significant fanfare, this title paved the way for a new generation of fast-paced shooters with crisp graphics, a compelling storyline and loads of atmosphere. Protagonist Gordon Freeman is the most widely recognized silent hero in gaming history, but we'd expect no less from the ultimate geek turned action-man.