10 Third-Person Games That Aren't Cover-Based

Down in this household, we appreciate the underlying significance of third-person video games. What evolved from Resident Evil 4's over-the-shoulder perspective gave rise to a multifaceted array of games that have gained immense popularity, for both better and worse.

The standout ones here are the shooters that have often relied on cover-based mechanics, typically from the Gears of War franchise and even BioWare's Mass Effect. Not that they became stale or anything, but if you saw these games collectively, you'd realize the gameplay foundations lacked a special sauce to make them feel truly unique on their own.

That's exactly why I've taken the authority today to share my personalized picks for the best third-person games that don't rely on these cover mechanics, each with its own exceptional perks that make them feel noteworthy to players.

10 Hitman: World of Assassination

Like a Sunday Drive for Agent 47

It felt right to kick us off with a beloved franchise like Hitman, which is known for rejecting the idea that combat is the main attraction. And for this list specifically, I've chosen IO Interactive's modern trilogy, which was finally condensed and streamlined into the World of Assassination entry, which pretty much bundles and combines all three of their Hitman games.

Most cover-based third-person games are designed around enemy encounters, especially the ones where the level design funnels you into arenas where hiding behind walls becomes essential for survival. Hitman’s levels, meanwhile, feel more like elaborate clockwork sandboxes.

From the Dubai skyscraper, Sapienza’s coastal town, or the Berlin nightclub, each of these locations is your playground, especially with how the game encourages improvisation for getting your targets. There is very little hand-holding here, with the true backbone being the disguise system, along with elements present in the NPC and environmental reactivity.

9 The Last of Us Part 2

Let WLF Soldiers and Seraphites Have It

Before a certain minority gets pestered with this pick, I specifically chose The Last of Us Part 2 for its varied encounter design and multi-level approach. Most importantly, compared to the first entry, there's more freedom during engagements, whether it's the weapon types or just minor features like being able to go prone or squeeze through nooks as Ellie.

Encounter segments are much broader; there are more enemies in them, and the AI is smart enough to flank and corner you if you choose to play it defensively. This is exactly why this game goes further than a typical cover shooter. Playing TLOU2 is arguably more fun when you're constantly switching between cover to cover or rushing down enemies as both Ellie and Abby. Not to mention, the latter protagonist is almost encouraged to play like a run-and-gun character, which makes her even more fun.

8 Vanquish

A Forgotten Gem That's Effortlessly Stylish

Everyone knows PlatinumGames as one of those developers that can easily concoct a fluid hack-and-slash combat foundation for their titles, but did you know about Vanquish? Few third-person shooters have aged as stylishly as Vanquish.

Most shooters of its release era, especially after games like Gears of War, were designed around methodical movement, peeking out from cover, and carefully trading shots. Vanquish practically rebelled against that and the whole concept of cover shooting. Cover exists, sure, but staying behind it for too long almost feels like you’re playing the game “wrong.”

Shinji Mikami, the madman that he is, approached the game with the mindset that PlatinumGames uses for stylish action games. Every single encounter incentivizes you to zip across the battlefield with your rocket-powered suit to flank enemies and create openings through your quick reflexes, as well as with Sam Gideon's witty movement speed and aggression.

7 Sunset Overdrive

Cause Mayhem in Sunset City

Few third-person shooters commit to the gung-ho nature and movement presentation that Sunset Overdrive does because the game’s entire combat system is built around momentum, from grinding on rails, bouncing off cars, wall-running, and launching yourself across the city for some airtime. To all the kids out there, you're not aura farming by doing this; it's literally your act of survival in this game.

You can easily get punished for standing still while taking down those dastardly ODs, so you're heavily encouraged to have this flow state where you're kiting around the environment so that you don't get overwhelmed by enemies.

And the cherry on top for someone like me who loves his inner Alt Scene is how Sunset Overdrive embraces that loud punk energy with ridiculous over-the-top humor and vibrant visuals. The city feels like a playground designed for experimentation, and I still loathe Insomniac for never making a true spiritual successor to this game.

6 Control

The Lone Director Vs The Hiss

Sam Lake and his team at Remedy Entertainment are a collective gift that keeps on giving with their shared universe of games, one of which just so happens to be an all-time favorite of mine: Control. Whatever opinion you have on the game's ambiguous storytelling, it makes up for it with its riveting gameplay.

Thanks to her sentient resonance-based entity known as Polaris, Jesse Faden can levitate, hurl, and smash objects as well as use her mighty Service Weapon to clean up the deadly Hiss plaguing the confines of the FBC. There is zero cover mechanics present here, and for good reason; you're pretty much a walking glass cannon that can shatter easily with a couple of devastating shots.

But that's exactly why that's a plus point. Almost every single encounter against the Hiss keeps you on edge like a run-and-gun spectacle, even those boss fights against the various Altered Items.

There's zero downtime in certain situations, so your only key to overcoming the tankiest of Hiss is promptly dodging and being aware of Jesse's surroundings at all times so you can reposition and take them out swiftly. Who doesn't love their first experience of witnessing the entire Take Control setpiece with Ahti's radio?

5 Dead Space (2023)

Don't Look Back

A beloved horror game like Dead Space doesn't need an introduction, especially when it has one of the best modern remakes with a design philosophy that forces you to stay exposed, uncomfortable, and constantly moving while being unnerved as all hell. And honestly? That choice is a major reason the game feels so special to many players.

The biggest standout point is how the Necromorphs don’t behave like enemies designed for cover shooters. They can occasionally sprint, crawl through vents, flank unpredictably, and close distances aggressively. So much so that hiding behind cover would honestly make the combat worse, because these abominations are designed to overwhelm you at close range.

But that's also where everyone's favorite trusty Plasma Cutter comes in to teach you to take each encounter with the utmost precision, because as soon as you dial down those limb dismemberments on each enemy type, that's exactly when Dead Space will click with you for the long run.

Like a Sneaky Salamander

Yes, Metal Gear Solid V has a traditional cover system, but anyone could easily make a valid argument that it never feels like a “cover shooter” in the same way games like Gears of War or The Division do. That's because MGSV deliberately wants you to go through the hurdles rather than glue yourself to walls and take potshots.

The gameplay sandbox freedom was at an all-time high here; from a plethora of different options to infiltrate enemy bases, to them retaliating back with new tactics next time you faced them.

And one of my favorite details is the dynamic enemy AI reactivity, which constantly responds to the player rather than enforcing a restrictive or otherwise repetitive combat loop. If you headshot too many guards, they start wearing helmets.

Attack at night repeatedly, and they begin carrying flashlights and night-vision gear. Kojima made it so that the game adapts to your playstyle, making you think of new ways to go about your incursions on outposts or enemy strongholds.

3 Max Payne

"It's Payne, Whack Him!"

As much as I hesitated a bit to not feature two Remedy Studio titles, Max Payne rightfully deserves to be here because of how well it worked without relying on cover mechanics, thanks to its famous “bullet time” system. The feeling of diving headfirst or sideways through a hail of bullets while lining up headshots feels like I'm playing an action sequence from John Woo's films. Hard Boiled, to be exact.

What also makes Max Payne unique and especially nostalgic is the way the gameplay tightly connects to its tone and storytelling. Max himself is a broken detective spiraling through grief, addiction, and revenge, and the chaotic gunfights he gets entangled with throughout New York enforce that emotional instability. Well, minus those mildly annoying nightmare sequences with the baby's cries.

And instead of traditional cutscenes, MP used graphic-novel-style panels with distorted imagery and Max's internal monologues, the latter dripping with noir grittiness thanks to the late, great voice of James McCaffrey (RIP).

2 Returnal

Housemarque's Lightning in a Bottle

I genuinely mean it without exaggeration that Housemarque's gameplay-first initiative with their video game direction paid off in full force with Returnal, a first-party PlayStation title that captivated me with its roguelike mechanics and bleak setting. But more importantly, even though Saros is a worthy successor, the original entry with Selene still has its own place for me, despite its minor hiccups.

Returnal's bullet hell gunplay pushes you to your limits, testing every bit of your reflexes as you take down the various Eldritch horror-inspired monsters and aliens. And even when you least expect it, even the environment can turn against you here; the melancholic landscape of Atropos throws every card on the table to take you down a peg or two.

The admirable trait is overcoming these odds. The game intentionally creates pressure and anxiety in you to the point where you need to take advantage of your awareness and positioning. Correctly (and rightfully) abuse some of the deeper gameplay elements here, and you'd soon be able to have enough skill to even set a PR run in the Tower of Sisyphus endless mode.

1 Resident Evil 4

Bingo's on Tonight

Apologies if mentioning it in the intro was a dead giveaway, but the original Resident Evil 4's over-the-shoulder camera deserves a ton of credit, especially since it felt revolutionary at the time. Unlike older or prior survival horror games with fixed camera angles, RE4 puts you directly behind Leon's driving seat, making every Red-9 stagger shot to the cranium and roundhouse kick feel earned.

And for my close friends and me, it is one of those rare games where the replayability feels endless due to the intermingling of different genres at its helm; it feels like an action game, survival horror, and even a little arcade-like at times.

Now I genuinely understand the tank controls can take a while to get used to, but it is also one of RE4's defining mechanics: Leon has to stop moving to shoot. That sounds restrictive on paper, but it creates this incredible push-and-pull rhythm where every encounter feels like a jigsaw puzzle. You’re constantly deciding whether to stand your ground, reposition, or risk getting surrounded by the Las Plagas infected.