Looter shooters offer the perfect mix of loot-based progression that you would typically find in ARPGs and combine it with modern FPS combat. There are plenty of great looter shooters out there that you can experience both offline and online and if you are looking to jump into one right now, here are our top recommendations.
Warframe
Warframe is easily my strongest recommendation if you want to get into the genre. You can experience all of the content for free and it is one of the few PvE games in the industry that gets the free-to-play formula right. Everything in the game can be obtained for free and there are easily a few hundred hours of content that you can sink your teeth into.
While the game does have its issues and the new player experience is far from ideal, the core gameplay is just fantastic. Digital Extremes has also done a fantastic job with its recent story quests and the quality of the title has gone up over the years with the release of massive expansions, open world, and more all for the price of ‘free’.
Who should play it? If you are looking for a free-to-play looter shooter, look no further than Warframe. It has some of the best monetization in the business and all content is accessible without any kind of paywalling.
Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands
Borderlands 3 did not receive the same level of appreciation that the previous two titles in the franchise did and for good reason. But Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands innovates the Borderlands formula and offers a surprisingly great experience to all players.
Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands is essentially a spin-off game that builds upon the Assault on Dragon Keep DLC. There are Dungeons and Dragons-themed elements introduced to the game to freshen things up and if you are looking for an offline-only experience, it is one of the best looters that you can check out as a Borderlands fan. The game is frequently on sale and we strongly recommend giving it a try in co-op to get the most out of your experience.
Who should play it? If you are tired of the live service mantra and want a complete package, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands is a decent experience if you are a fan of older Borderlands fans. With a D&D twist thrown into the mix,
Remnant 2
Remnant 2 is easily one of the best co-op games to release in recent years. While a lot of players like to classify it as a Soulslike title, there are more than enough qualities that make Remannt 2 stand out on its own. The combat, audio, and visuals are stellar
The game is laden with secrets and there is plenty of exciting loot for you to chase. It is not a live-service title and you get a complete experience. The developers have planned two DLCs for the game and both of them should be out in 2024. Do not expect a fleshed-out narrative like some of the other titles on this list, as the game tries to convey almost everything through environmental storytelling.
Who should play it? If you enjoy a challenge and don’t mind going through the game’s procedurally generated world more than once, Remnant 2 is a fantastic experience and is easily my top recommendation among the non-live-service options.
The Division 2
The Division 2 improves upon its predecessor in almost every way and the game has only gotten better over time. Ubisoft continues to support the game and there is plenty of content out there for you to experience both as a solo player or in a party of friends.
The game launched with more content than its competitors and it has continued to add more quality-of-life changes and endgame content through various updates. If you are looking for a solid endgame experience and live service experience that does not demand all of your time, The Division 2 is an easy recommendation.
Who should play it? If you want a live service title with plenty of content that you can jump into with strangers or friends, The Division 2 is possibly the go-to option over Warframe or Destiny 2.
Destiny 2
I was considering omitting Destiny 2 from this list due to the large number of issues plaguing the game. But as a new player, there are easily a few hundred hours of content that you can jump into. From dungeons to raids, the set-piece content is unmatched in the looter shooter space and there is no game that “feels” like Destiny. From the guns to the environmental audio, everything just sounds and feels perfect.
The problem with Destiny 2 lies with its monetization and seasonal loop. While Bungie is trying to improve upon the game’s seasonal content and Season of the Witch (current season) is possibly the best content update the studio has put out in a long time, the monetization is far from ideal. If you're looking to jump into the game, make sure you grab the DLCs on sale and do your research before making any purchase to ensure you are getting the content that you want.
Who should play it? If you love set-piece content like 6-man raids, Bungie does it better than anyone else in the looter shooter space. The dungeons, raids, and story cinematics are second to none.
The Future of Looter Shooters
The genre can feel a little stale at the moment with a lot of titles trying to retain your attention. A lot of them feel like second jobs and take up too much of your time. They are also addicting so if you are someone with an addictive personality, looking at the co-op games instead of the live service offerings might be a better idea. If I had to pick any one game from this list, it would have to be Warframe if you are looking for a live-service model and Remnant 2 if you are looking for a complete experience. Both games are fantastic and only get better with friends.
