Third person shooters that aren't cover-centric?

[Xeogred]

Mostly thinking of newer stuff here and these are probably the minority, since stuff like Gears and the likes popularized the mechanic.

Which I'm not a fan of. Really, but I'd say the Dead Space games are some of my favorites this gen (non-human enemy types helps too), and it's just hit me recently that I still do really enjoy third person shooters, but if they've got good pacing and other things going for them. With pacing, I like how RE4 or Dead Space handles things with some down time moments, just taking in the atmosphere, finding stuff, goofy puzzles, and things like that. Nonstop action can tend to get a little boring sometimes.

Unless it's something like Vanquish which I just finished. This one crosses the line a bit since it does have a lot of cover, but then it has crazy sci-fi roller blade boosting, dropkicking robots to the face, DBZ melee attacks, dinosaur mecha enemies, so yeah. This is a good case of extra hilarity and intensity that makes the casual cover acceptable. It's nothing but nonstop bullets flying across the screen, but the set pieces and presentation is so over the top and amazing it was super fun.

Lost Planet 1-2 I dug quite a bit too (2 luckily because I co-op'd it with some friends, the bosses were so damn fun). Too bad the new one just looks completely terrible. I don't even think you could stick to a wall or go into cover in these, and the controls were pretty clunky. But I didn't mind, and they had mecha, enormous bosses, etc.

Shadows of the Damned might be another good example, although I wasn't a fan.

Alan Wake fits a little.

So yeah... any games come to mind for you guys?

One thing I really love about modern/HD third person games (a rare thing I can talk FFXIII up about), is how much I love when they have insanely massive backdrops and environments. For some reason, compared to FPS's... I dunno, I just feel like I kind of get lost or sucked more into the worlds and such. You'd think first person would give off that vibe a bit more, but perhaps it's just actually seeing your small character in these huge worlds that gives off a cool feel. Maybe it's just me, lol.

I want to check out Binary Domain sometime, which looks pretty cover based, but maybe it has other stuff going for it that I'll enjoy.

Also to distinguish this a bit more, I'm not counting sandbox stuff here (GTA, Crackdown, Red Dead, etc). I'm thinking more traditionally linear/mission based stuff.

EDIT: Maybe this is better in Other Genres, feel free to move if so.

[Menegrothx]

Max Payne 1&2.
You can freely switch between first and third person in Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines, though as it's a RPG, it's not linear. But it's neither sandbox, you've got different hub worlds that aren't all that big, and actual missions take place in areas where you get "teleported" to. So while Deus Ex didn't feel as much freeform/RPG in the way Vampire does (go around the city talking to people, discovering sidequests etc), I'd say the actual quests of Vampire feel more often like traditional shooter/action game quests, taking place in areas that are clearly different than the hubworld where you mostly don't do combat.

[Valkyrie-Favor]

Lost Planet 3 is out and looking like the best one yet.

On PS2, Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex is interesting. It's a little stiff, but completely worth playing. It's short, cheap, and there are some very cool levels. The Major can wall jump and hack her enemies' brains.

Star Wars: Battlefront I and II have 3rd person and 1st person modes. Truly stellar level design for large and small maps with experienced, friendly competition in multiplayer.

[Violent By Design]

Never played em, but aren't Ratchet and Clank basically 3rd person shooters?

[KDub]

This could be easily answered with....
Most if not all 3rd Person shooters that came out before the 360/PS3 era.

Cover shooters being as popular as they are now is almost all a product of Gears of War.

My two suggestions are Jedi Knight II and Jedi Academy. You can play in first person and of course there is a lot of emphasis of the force and lightsabers but plenty of shooting action if you want.

[Xeogred]

By "Mostly thinking of newer stuff here and these are probably the minority, since stuff like Gears and the likes popularized the mechanic." ... I was definitely thinking current gen stuff there. lol...

But yeah I still need to hit up Max Payne. Tried the new one and wasn't into it at all, but I've seen my friend play the old ones and know they're done by Remedy rather than Rockstar. They definitely look better. Maybe Hitman is a decent choice too? I'll hit up the HD collection sometime, they look like my kind of stuff.

Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex on the PS2 was definitely pretty cool. Oni is another. But again, was hoping to hear more about some current stuff, but I honestly wasn't expecting to hear about much anyways. Definitely a bit of a niche' thing now I guess.

[KDub]

I'll be honest....I skimmed :p

[isiolia]

Alice Madness Returns could possibly count, as you tend to use mixed weapon types, including ranged. Too Human as well.

Also perhaps Warhammer 40k: Space Marine and Front Mission Evolved for current, and the Gungrave games for a gen back.

[Menegrothx]

The original Alice is also a mix of third person shooting, melee and platforming.

[ZeroAX]

I belive what you are asking for has almost become the exclusive domain of sandbox games. Heck in the case of GTA I(suck)V not even that.

In case you are willing to bend your rules about sandbox games, infamous is a good one which most people don't realize is an actual 3rd person shooter (I mean it's a super power he uses to shoot lighting from his hand, but really it's no different than a gun in practice)