Summary
For a studio that’s known for two ofthe biggest RPG franchises of all time, Bethesda’s publishing portfolio outsideFalloutandThe Elder Scrollsis surprisingly rich with variety. From high-octane shooters to cerebral horror and immersive stealth sims, these are the games that prove Bethesda doesn’t need dragons or nukes to make a mark as a publisher.
These are their best titles that aren’t from the studio’s main two franchises that showcase a different flavor of what the studio’s publishing side has helped bring to life, and some of them are among the best in their respective genres.
IfMad MaxandBorderlandshad an extremely caffeinated child, it would look something likeRage 2. Co-developed by Avalanche Studios and id Software, this open-world shooter didn’t come to quietly meditate on themes of survival. Instead, it came to rip through mutants with a shotgun in one hand and a gravity-defying slam move in the other.
Set ina post-apocalyptic worldthat’s not exactly subtle with its color palette,Rage 2is all about chaotic combat and exaggerated powers. Driving feels ripped straight from Avalanche’sJust CauseDNA, but it’s the gunplay, carried by id’s legendary FPS pedigree—that’s the real selling point. Weapons hit like trucks, and the over-the-top abilities give combat a kinetic rhythm that’s closer toDoomthanFar Cry.
Sure, the story fizzles out and the world isn’t quite as reactive as it wants to be, but few things feel as satisfying as launching an enemy fifty feet into the air with a force push, then vaporizing them mid-flight.
BJ Blazkowicz has always been good at killing Nazis, butWolfenstein2: The New Colossusmakes him feel like a tragic legend trying to hold onto whatever scraps of humanity he has left. Set in an alternate timeline where the Nazis wonWorld War 2 andnow occupy America, this is a shooter that doesn’t shy away from dark, uncomfortable territory—and still manages to be completely unhinged.
The game’s greatest strength lies in how it pairs gut-punching emotional beats with absurd pulp storytelling. One moment, players are witnessing BJ reconnect with his broken past, and the next, they’re hijacking a U-boat or sneaking into Area 51 while wearing someone else’s severed face. It’s a tonal highwire act, but somehow it works.
Mechanically, it’s a beast. Dual-wielding shotguns while sliding under fire feels incredible, and the game actively encourages aggressive, push-forward combat. With gorgeous visuals, memorable characters like Grace and Sigrun, and some of the boldest narrative swings in modern shooters, this one’s impossible to forget.
BeforeThe New Colossuspushed the envelope,Wolfenstein: The New Orderlaid the groundwork. Released in 2014, it reimagined the franchise with surprising narrative depth and a heavy dose of retro-futurism. BJ Blazkowicz went from meathead shooter guy to a deeply broken man carrying the weight of resistance on his shoulders.
It’sa classic FPS at heart, complete with giant mechanical dogs, laser weapons, and secret Nazi moon bases, but it’s the downtime moments that hit hardest—like listening to allies play music in the Kreisau Circle hideout or BJ’s quiet monologues about war and regret. The game isn’t afraid to slow down and let its characters breathe.
On the gameplay side, the mix of stealth and all-out chaos gives players plenty of room to experiment. It also has one of the more interesting early-game choices in modern shooters, subtly affecting the narrative and the player’s arsenal throughout. For a reboot, it didn’t just revive Wolfenstein—it redefined it.
Directed by Shinji Mikami, the creator ofResident Evil,The Evil Withinfeels like a love letter to classic survival horror mixed with psychological terror cranked to eleven. Players step into the shoes of detective Sebastian Castellanos as he investigates a gruesome mass murder, only to be pulled into a shifting, nightmarish world where reality collapses in on itself.
The atmosphere is suffocating. Blood-slicked hallways stretch into infinity, grotesque monsters stalk the player from cracked mirrors, and the safe-room music somehow makes things worse. While the controls and performance were divisive at launch, the game’s layered narrative and surreal visuals make it a standout in horror circles.
It’s also full of memorable enemy design. Who could forget The Keeper, a hulking butcher with a safe for a head, dragging his blood-soaked hammer behind him? And that’s not even getting into the later chapters, where space itself bends in on Sebastian like a cruel joke. It’s not perfect, but it’s unforgettable.
Arkane Studios took everything that made the originalDishonoredgreat and polished it into a near-masterpiece withDishonored 2. Set in the sun-drenched, southern-inspired city of Karnaca, this stealth-action hybrid lets players slip into the roles of either Empress Emily Kaldwin or returning bodyguard Corvo Attano, each with their own set of supernatural powers.
The design philosophy here is simple: give players tools, then let them break the game in creative ways. Whether it’s blinking between balconies to avoid guards or using Domino to link enemies together so they all suffer the same fate, every power combo feels like a puzzle solved with flair.
Level design is on another level entirely. The Clockwork Mansion is often cited as one of the greatest in gaming—an architectural Rubik’s Cube that shifts walls and floors at the pull of a lever. And then there’s A Crack in the Slab, a level that lets players jump between past and present in real time, changing the future with every decision. Few games reward curiosity like this one does.
Preymight be one of themost underrated immersive simsof the last decade. Set aboard the Talos I space station, players control Morgan Yu—an amnesiac scientist caught in the middle of a catastrophic alien outbreak. The Typhon, a shape-shifting alien species that can mimic everyday objects, are among the most terrifying enemies in a genre not short on monsters.
What makesPreyspecial is its systems-first approach. Everything is interactive, everything can be weaponized, and every challenge has multiple solutions. Need to get into a locked office? Hack the door, find the keycard, crawl through the vents, or turn into a coffee mug and roll through a gap. The game never tells players what to do—it just quietly encourages experimentation.
Talos I itself is a character—an art-deco maze filled with logs, environmental storytelling, and secrets hidden in every nook. The deeper Morgan dives, the more horrifying the implications of their research become. It’s smart, stylish, and deeply unsettling.
When id Software rebootedDoomin 2016, they didn’t just revive a legend—they reminded the entire industry what a shooter could feel like when it drops the cutscenes and lets the guns do the talking. Players become the Doom Slayer, an unstoppable force whose job is simple: destroy every demon in Hell, preferably with a double-barreled shotgun.
Combat is rhythm-based carnage. Movement isn’t optional, it’s required. Standing still is death. Enemies are health packs with legs, and the only way to stay alive is to stay aggressive. Glory kills aren’t just flashy—they’re vital, pushing players into danger to survive.
ButDoomalso hides some brilliant level design under all the blood. The maps are open, looping arenas that reward exploration and contain secrets tucked into crevices like old-school cheat codes. Mick Gordon’s metal soundtrack doesn’t just accompany the violence, it fuels it. Every encounter is a mosh pit with demons.
WhereDoom2016 brought the franchise back,Doom Eternaldialed everything up to dangerous levels—speed, difficulty, movement, strategy, and lore. It’s not just bigger, it’s smarter. Enemies have weak points, resources are scarce, and combat is an almost surgicalbalance of gunplay,chainsaw ammo refreshes, flamethrower armor pickups, and blood-soaked glory kills.
Every fight is a puzzle of death, and solving it requires precision. The game treats the player not like a soldier, but like a concert pianist performing at 200 BPM while flaming skulls scream in their face. It’s absurdly fast, brutally difficult, and somehow still fair.
There’s also a surprisingly dense lore underpinning it all, reimagining the Doom Slayer as a fallen warrior with god-slaying potential. It dives into the mythology of Hell, the corruption of Heaven, and the ancient wars between dimensions with shocking earnestness. Somehow, it all works.Doom Eternalisn’t just a great Bethesda-published game. It’s a masterclass inmodern FPS design.
