Regardless of being one of many extra recognisable sub-genres in gaming, chances are you’ll be stunned by simply how treasured few looter shooters there truly are. Placing collectively an inventory of the very best of them revealed how uncommon a very good one is, presumably a results of how extremely exhausting they’re to make, and their unlucky tendency to go the way in which of Anthem or Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League – lower quick after failing to seize an viewers. However what they lack in amount, they greater than make up for in simply what number of hours you possibly can lose to them, and over the previous almost 20 years I’ve spent extra time with this style than I’d care to confess.
So what qualifies as a looter shooter for the needs of this record? Effectively, because the identify implies they’ve obtained to have capturing (both first or third-person) as the first means you work together with the world, and all these shell casings and/or laser bolts must reward loot (virtually all the time together with randomized drops) that retains you enjoying and lures you right into a hard-to-resist endgame. Ongoing video games like Future and extra conventional, non-live-service video games like Outriders are each eligible, as long as there’s some type of ongoing endgame or hook to maintain you enjoying. In essence, we’re searching for video games that, a technique or one other, adhere to the unique premise of the looter shooter style: what if we took an ARPG like Diablo and turned it right into a shooter?
If, like me, you possibly can’t appear to get sufficient of capturing monsters within the face to assert superb gear, listed here are our prime 14 looter shooter suggestions.
14. Crab Champions
One of many weirder looter shooters you possibly can play proper now could be Crab Champions, a roguelike the place you play as a gun-toting crab going through off in opposition to fellow crustaceans and mean-looking floating heads, claiming badass loot within the course of. The fast-paced, over-the-top fight won’t be as technically superior as its friends, however what it lacks in bells and whistles it greater than makes up for in pure dopey attraction. Plus, it is lacking the same old add-ons and microtransactions you typically discover in different looter shooters, and thus comes as a whole package deal with no hidden prices.
This one remains to be in lively growth and presently accessible by means of Steam’s early entry program, however at simply $10 it’s completely price trying out, particularly because it’s such an apparent breath of recent air from the same old looter shooter aesthetic. I’m a sucker for goofy takes on genres I like and also you’d be hard-pressed to discover a sillier choice on the market than this one. It’s additionally developed by a single individual, which is fairly spectacular given how a lot enjoyable I’ve managed to squeeze out of this one previously yr.
13. Shadow Warrior 2
One of many extra underrated shooters I’ve performed is the Shadow Warrior collection, particularly the reboot that kicked off in 2013, which continues to experiment and reinvent itself (for higher or worse) with every iteration. Whereas the primary and third video games are linear, story-focused adventures, the second sport within the trilogy took a detour into the world of looter shooters, with semi-open-world, procedurally generated areas and an emphasis on randomized loot that places it squarely in the identical class as Borderlands.
Shadow Warrior 2 may be very tongue-in-cheek, even if you spend most of your time tearing demons into pink chunks like one thing out of Doom, and my buddies and I spent over 100 hours guffawing as we grinded for loot and loved the collection’ distinctive model of lowbrow humor. Gunplay is nothing to write down dwelling about and the buildcrafting is unquestionably on the extra simplistic aspect that makes it really feel like much less of an RPG than a lot of its friends, but it surely’s nonetheless fairly a superb time, and considered one of my favourite turn-you-brain-off video games once I simply need to whale on some ugly trying monsters.
12. Borderlands 3
Whereas Borderlands 3 did a complete lot to enhance the Borderlands collection’ gunplay and graphics when it launched in 2019, it additionally exists in a really bizarre spot within the franchise’s historical past, the place it felt like developer Gearbox had allowed itself to be left within the mud in a style it itself pioneered. The gunplay was stable, however simply outclassed by video games like Future, and the loot was superior, however buildcrafting amongst its friends had already developed past Borderlands 3’s considerably shallow choices. Throw in some fairly questionable choices the place comedy writing and antagonists are involved, and also you’ve obtained what I take into account to be the weakest entry within the collection.
That mentioned, that is nonetheless a Borderlands sport and meaning even on a foul day it’s rattling enjoyable to play. With a extremely neat interplanetary marketing campaign and an irresponsible variety of weapons to hunt, I spent fairly just a few evenings enjoying this one. And due to that improved gunplay, in the event you’re searching for the Borderlands sport that feels higher than many of the others (excepting Borderlands 4), then that is your port of name.
11. Outriders
Individuals Can Fly’s foray into the looter shooter house could not have been essentially the most unique iteration, notably taking fairly just a few queues from the likes of The Division, but it surely stays one of many extra memorable looter shooters on this record. As supernaturally powered warriors, you’ll run round turning raiders into gobs of meat whereas claiming a great deal of loot. One factor that units Outriders aside from the remainder of the pack is simply how nice its buildcrafting is, particularly with the Worldslayer growth upping its sport fairly considerably. I spent a ton of time optimizing my numerous characters’ builds for the procedurally generated raid exercise, and geeking out over numerous stat numbers. Looter shooters aren’t all the time the very best at embracing the RPG aspect of their mechanics, however Outriders actually excels on this space – it guidelines.
I’m additionally a giant fan of the truth that the builders determined to not make Outriders a live-service sport, as a substitute supporting it with a single (and fairly superior) growth. Don’t get me incorrect: I’m fairly a giant fan of games-as-a-service initiatives, however not each looter shooter must go down that path, and Outriders by no means made me really feel the strain to play greater than I ever needed to play – I obtained in, had a good time, after which moved on to the subsequent sport. I actually appreciated that. For that cause, this is a superb choice to play together with your buddy group in the event you’re searching for extra good instances within the style, however you don’t need to get wrapped up in tons of of hours of content material that threatens to devour your life.
10. Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel
Positive, Borderlands’ detour to the moon after the outstanding Borderlands 2 was largely an excuse to safe extra screentime for everybody’s favourite baddie, Good-looking Jack, and hold the franchise heat whereas we waited for a correct sequel, but it surely’s additionally a really stable shooter with a stunning quantity of meat on its bones the place story is anxious. The distinctive setting of Pandora’s moon and the low-gravity, oxygen-juggling implications of that selection are actually controversial, however I for one by no means stopped loving these superb buttslams.
Actually, The Pre-Sequel’s largest sin is that it does virtually nothing to evolve the collection, as a substitute feeling extra like an elaborate growth of Borderlands 2 with low-gravity environments. However extra Borderlands 2 actually isn’t such a foul factor, and this one nonetheless holds as much as this present day.
9. Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands
A by-product of the Borderlands collection, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands is the one (sorta, kinda) fantasy sport on an inventory that’s dominated by sci-fi video games. Going down inside a D&D-like tabletop RPG referred to as Bunkers & Badasses (which has since turn into an actual tabletop RPG,) this deeply inappropriate shooter is mainly Borderlands wearing wizard robes, that includes lots of the iconic characters and mechanics for which Gearbox’s looter shooter collection is understood. It takes just a few dangers right here and there with issues just like the overworld map that helps your journey really feel a bit extra like a correct tabletop journey, however in any other case performs it extraordinarily near the blueprint established by the mainline collection.
I actually loved my time with Tiny Tina’s Wonderland, but it surely in the end sits fairly a bit under the very best entries of the unique collection simply based mostly on how a lot it borrows, in addition to the truth that it fails to reside as much as the comedy chops of the likes of Borderlands 2 (extra on that later). Nonetheless, in the event you’re trying to sink a ton of time right into a splendidly foolish shooter that units itself aside from the remainder of the pack with a novel fantasy pores and skin, this one’s very straightforward to enthusiastically suggest.
8. Future
Say what you need in regards to the unique Future (God knows I have), but it surely modified the looter shooter style in too some ways to depend. Which may irk those that aren’t a fan of live-service video games, however the concept that looter shooters have been going to be big-budget, ongoing adventures that spanned years was a large step ahead for the style. With lovely worlds to discover, among the best sport soundtracks of all time, and first-person motion that also eclipses most of its friends this one deserves its kudos, even when it’s now not receiving new content material. It additionally launched World of Warcraft-like raids which have since turn into the gold customary for its friends, inspiring those who adopted, like The Division or Outriders, to do the identical. On prime of all that, it’s obtained some incredible PvP modes that I’ve misplaced 1000’s of hours to through the years.
Yeah, you’ve obtained to cope with probably the most convoluted, virtually nonsensical tales on this planet, plus some actually questionable grinds that just about drove me to insanity of a couple of event, however Bungie makes all that price it with among the finest gunplay looter shooters have ever had.
7. Borderlands
Because the progenitor for lots of the concepts that got here after, the unique Borderlands sport deserves its roses for being the primary of its form (or not less than the primary massively profitable one). Now over 15 years previous, it positively has its tough edges the place gameplay, atmosphere variety, and different bells and whistles are involved, however Gearbox managed to drag off what nobody had earlier than: turning a first-person shooter right into a Diablo-like ARPG that was truly enjoyable to play. The 4 vault hunters are iconic (having handed into legend at this level) and are loads of enjoyable to construct into, and their quaint journey by means of the deserts of Pandora is one I’ll all the time bear in mind fondly regardless of its hilariously dangerous ending.
And although Borderlands positively felt like a prototype of higher video games to come back, it additionally had some surprisingly good comedy writing and DLC assist that stored me enjoying with buddies years after its debut. In 2009, when expansions of this sort have been uncommon and the looter shooter style didn’t exist, Borderlands paved the way in which for every thing that got here after.
6. Tom Clancy’s The Division 2
Now we’re attending to the true heavy hitters, beginning off with one of many greats of the live-service shooter. The Division 2 is among the finest experiences available on this house. With tons of nice loot, among the hardest raid actions ever devised, superior buildcrafting, and the completely stellar “darkish zone” mechanics that add a mini extraction shooter proper in the course of your co-op sport, The Division 2 constructed on nearly every thing its predecessor did properly after which some.
It additionally fills a distinct segment of extra life like looter shooters with its darkish, post-apocalyptic world the place you’re preventing different people as a substitute of aliens or monsters. Typically this ends in odd issues, like a man in a hoodie surviving a dozen shotgun blasts to the top, however in the event you’re capable of put apart simply how bizarre that’s, you’re in for a superb time. Best of all, each the video games on this collection have a complete lot of content material to dive into, a lot of which nonetheless has an lively playerbase to have interaction with.
5. Future 2
After its predecessor pioneered the live-service mannequin, Future 2 expanded on these concepts and is quick approaching a decade of content material. It hasn’t all the time been constant in being a enjoyable sport to play, and swings wildly from extremely compelling expansions to absolute duds that make me need to put my head by means of a stained glass window. That’s certain to occur once you’re creating a sport for this lengthy and placing out 1000’s upon 1000’s of hours of content material although, and when Future 2 pulls it off it’s with out query among the best looter shooters on the market by a rustic mile.
That’s due in no small half to its completely incredible gunplay, which has stored me enjoying even by means of the quite a few darkish instances and content material droughts. Campaigns like The Witch Queen and The Ultimate Form are among the higher tales looter shooters have advised, the talents and buildcrafting choices have been constructed up over the course of years to the purpose the place they really feel fairly good and have a ton of choices to select from. Best of all, it simply has a lot dang content material that you possibly can play daily for a yr straight and nonetheless not run out of compelling issues to do. It hasn’t all the time excelled in its loot, is commonly painfully grindy (together with with its most up-to-date growth), and is extremely inconsistent within the high quality of its storytelling, however man, you’ve gotta hand it to Bungie for conserving this sport related for so long as they’ve. The trade merely wouldn’t be the identical with out it!
4. Warframe
Okay, okay, technically Warframe is extra of a looter slasher than a shooter, however it could really feel downright bizarre to not embrace it on this record given its affect on the style and unimaginable quantity of overlap. Taking over the position of an area ninja that’s completely dripping with swagger, Warframe has eaten up a ton of my time through the years with its unending grind and good instances with buddies. It additionally manages to drag off the free-to-play mannequin fairly properly (or not less than has a reasonably constant document), which makes it a fairly straightforward promote to your frugal co-op teammates.
It’s additionally spectacular simply how lengthy this factor has been happening – it truly predates even Future – with the caveat that to this very day Warframe’s builders nonetheless declare the sport stays in open beta (sure, actually). I don’t play Warframe constantly, however each time I’ve logged on previously decade it’s had mechanics added to it that make it really feel like a totally totally different animal, together with house fight, roguelike zones, and even a time-traveling DLC with motorbike using and romance mechanics. I dunno, man. This sport is simply…insanely good.
3. Borderlands 4
If you happen to haven’t but heard the information, Borderlands 4 is out now and is considered one of my favourite looter shooters of all time. Even this early into its lifespan, with loads of bugs, efficiency points, and normal wonkiness happening, this huge, open-world reimagining of the collection represents a large leap ahead from Borderlands 3 that takes some fascinating dangers that overwhelmingly repay, like a extra grounded story and a wholly new setting in Kairos that steps fairly far-off from the familiarity and nostalgia of Pandora. It additionally makes some fairly stellar enhancements to gunplay, particularly the place mobility is anxious, and gliding and grapple hooking round with buddies as you blow issues up with essentially the most ridiculous arsenal possible has been (and certain will proceed to be) considered one of my favourite experiences in 2025.
Borderlands 4 may very properly go on to be even increased on this record, probably even taking the highest slot as soon as numerous patches and content material drops handle a few of my nitpicks with it, however even now it’s already stolen my coronary heart and over 60 hours of my time. The future for the Borderlands collection is trying fairly brilliant – particularly contemplating there’s already a complete roadmap charting out the subsequent six months of content material, which features a new playable vault hunter.
2. Remnant 2
Usually described as “Darkish Souls with weapons,” the Remnant collection has an extremely distinctive take by combining a smattering of soulslike mechanics and roguelike options with looter shooter goodness, and Remnant 2 completely nails combining the concepts of all three. I ought to caveat this by saying that me categorizing Remnant 2 as a looter shooter might be controversial, primarily as a result of that is the one sport on this record that doesn’t have randomized loot or a grind that requires finishing the identical actions a bunch of instances – each hallmarks of what makes the style what it’s. As an alternative, you tackle considerably difficult actions and when you handle to beat them as soon as, you get assured loot that removes any must replay it once more.
But it surely takes so many different cues from looter shooters, from gameplay, to buildcrafting, to working along with a co-op group to take down some horrifying boss to get that piece of apparatus or weapon you’ve been dying so as to add to your construct, plus has loads of causes to maintain enjoying lengthy after you’ve crushed the marketing campaign. The incontrovertible fact that it bucks among the traits present in most different looter shooters, particularly the necessity to grind, may truly be one of many causes this one ranks so extremely for me (Remnant 2 was considered one of my favourite video games of 2023, in spite of everything). If you happen to haven’t performed it but and also you’re a fan of looter shooters, I can not suggest it sufficient.
1. Borderlands 2
As a lot as I like the new, newness of Borderlands 4, it’s fairly exhausting to cope with the collection’ magnum opus: Borderlands 2. It’s nonetheless arms down the very best looter shooter we’ve obtained. With an virtually unbelievable variety of weapons, among the finest comedy writing in gaming historical past (tip of the hat to good ol’ Good-looking Jack), and a narrative that’s surprisingly emotional proper once you anticipate it to be foolish and shallow, I spent greater than a thousand hours in Borderlands 2 again when that wasn’t actually a factor individuals ever did with video games that didn’t have aggressive multiplayer matches.
Clearly this sport is over a decade previous and so doesn’t fairly maintain up in sure areas like gunplay, motion, or buildcrafting, however after replaying it pretty not too long ago I used to be shocked to see how properly it nonetheless holds up. And the place the unique Borderlands sport was the one which spawned all of the looter shooters to come back, Borderlands 2 was arguably much more influential in its influence on the style, refining the ideas from the unique and implementing new concepts that will later be iterated on by its friends, like how its endgame treadmill went on to encourage Future, Warframe, Outriders, and others.
And there you could have it! These are our prime 14 looter shooters you possibly can play proper now. Which is your favourite? Any good ones we missed? Hold forth within the feedback to tell us.