The Best Looter Shooter Games Ever Made, Ranked (2024)

"Shlooter" was coined by Giant Bomb's Alex Navarro and combines "looter shooter" into one glorious Frankenstein phrase. With the subgenre's most well-known franchise releasing its third entry recently, this seems like a perfect time to take a look at the best looter shooters on the market.

As a concept, looter shooter is still in its infancy in the grand scheme of things. Consequently, the genre's defining traits are somewhat flexible, as there isn't an authority on what constitutes a looter shooter. In general, representatives tend to be first-person or third-person shooters with progression tied to obtaining better guns (or weapons). While isometric action RPGs like Diablo and Path of Exile share many traits in common with looter shooters, ranged combat is not encouraged above simply taking a hammer and whacking away at the enemy. The same can be said about Monster Hunter: World.

What are the best looter shooter games on the market?

Updated June 4, 2024 by Mark Sammut: Looter shooter games are frankly way too uncommon. It seems like most years might produce two or three notable projects that really fit the bill, and modern releases tend to also lean into genres like roguelikes that might not be to everyone's fancy. As frustrating as the lack of new releases is, looter shooters are at least intended to be played for a long time, with most projects encouraging repeat playthroughs through build and class variety. Also, while not great, 2024 has produced one pretty big looter shooter.

13 Special Mention: Remnant 2

Metascore: 85

Gunfire's Remnant games fit neatly into the Soulslike sphere, which instantly sets them apart from most other looter shooters. However, they are very solid third-person shooters with larger-than-life boss fights, great implementation of co-op, and smart use of procedural generation technology to enhance replayability. Remnant: From the Ashes is far more than just a proof of concept and holds up pretty well after all these years; however, the sequel improves on many elements that defined its predecessor. For one, the sequel accommodates solo runners by including an archetype (class) that adds a dog companion into the mix. The worlds/stages are also more varied and interesting to explore, along with being far more ambitious in scale. The minute-to-minute gameplay is not a huge improvement over Remnant: From the Ashes, but it is enhanced by superior customization.

Now, Remnant 2's loot is not as exciting as most other looter shooters, especially when it comes to weapons or armor. Those things generally have to be purchased from vendors, while the in-combat loot predominantly consists of one-time-use items or accessories like Amulets. They are still pretty important since the latter come with stat boosts and perks, but they are not quite on the same level as finding a new gun.

12 Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League

Metascore: 63

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League had negative momentum before its debut and still struggled to meet expectations. Sharing very little in common with the games that put the series on the map, Rocksteady's newest Arkham entry leans into live-service conventions and loot grinding, with the playable anti-heroes/villains all utilizing guns as their main offensive option. This decision was likely made to facilitate the endgame loop, which sees players working their way through masteries to collect better sets of weapons and items. Somewhat similar to Borderlands, the loot comes with randomized modifiers and tier levels, with random drops being the name of the game.

Look, Kill the Justice League was put through the wringer when it launched in February 2024, receiving such a thorough beating that tossing any further criticism feels like overkill at this point. Therefore, let's focus on the positives and highlight a few elements that might make Rocksteady's title a decent option as a looter shooter game. Most importantly of all, the gameplay is, honestly, pretty fun in short bursts. Despite using the same weapons, each character has unique traversal mechanics that reflect their source material and have a steep enough learning curve to provide some sense of progression and mastery. The story is dumb but has a few entertaining moments, and the Suicide Squad's members are generally amusing. The loot drops at a pretty consistent pace during both the story and endgame, and the weapons might hit the mark with people who mostly enjoy stats.

That said, Kill the Justice League is rough and difficult to recommend to anyone but the biggest DC fans. Hopefully, the game will one day make its way to a subscription service.

11 Outriders

Metascore: 73

Designed by the team responsible for Bulletstorm and Painkiller, People Can Fly's Outriders lives with a mixed reception, a consequence stemming from inconsistent marketing, an underwhelming launch, and some frustrating systems. Despite having an endgame and sharing some similarities with live-service projects like Destiny and Borderlands, Outriders should be treated as a single-player third-person shooter akin to the developer's previous projects.

The endgame largely revolves around grinding loot to craft more powerful builds, but Outriders is a bit too stingy with its drops, so the experience tends to be slow and annoying rather than rewarding. When focusing just on the campaign, this game becomes an enjoyable, albeit unspectacular looter shooter.

10 Shadow Warrior 2

Metascore: 78

Flying Wild Hog went in a completely different direction with its sequel to 2013's decent Shadow Warrior. Rather than a series of levels set within somewhat spacious maps, Shadow Warrior 2 drops Lo Wang in a hub area that can then be used to undergo a vast range of missions, with only some being directly related to the main story.

With over 70 weapons available in the game, including everything from katanas to rocket launchers, Shadow Warrior 2 definitely ticks the boxes of a looter shooter. As a homage to old-school shooters from the '90s, just with a heavier focus on loot, Shadow Warrior 2 is pretty decent.

9 Alienation

Metascore: 79

Generally speaking, isometric RPGs were ignored for this article, as most cannot truly be classified as shooters. Alienation is a noteworthy exception though, as it is all about guns. The twin-stick shooter is set in an alternate reality where aliens have invaded most of Earth, leaving four soldiers to battle through hordes of no-good extraterrestrials.

New weapons covering a wide array of rarities are obtained through random drops, with most weapons offering the possibility of installing an upgrade to increase a specific state (rate of fire, being an example). That said, the weapons themselves do not feel all that distinct.

8 Gunfire Reborn

Metascore: 75

A roguelite, Gunfire Reborn challenges players to work their way through four zones, each consisting of a handful of random levels. En route, they pick a variety of weapons, which come with unique stats, elemental effects, and other variables. Toward the end of each level, players get to pick from three modifiers that will impact the rest of their run, most of which have multiple upgrades designed to encourage specific builds. Due to its nature, Gunfire Reborn resets the player's weapons after death, so they will not be able to accumulate a fixed arsenal. However, as the game is a roguelite and not a roguelike, progression is made regardless of whether someone fails or succeeds. This largely comes in the form of Gunfire Reborn's playable characters and upgrades for them, although weapons can also be unlocked.

Gunfire Reborn is a pick-up-and-play type game that is ideal for short sessions. While roguelikes can be frustrating due resetting progress, this release is designed to regularly reward players with progress, so it rarely feels like a run was just a waste of time. The gunplay is very smooth and responsive, and the weapons are quite creative and varied.

7 Roboquest

Metascore: 85

Roboquest has come a long way since it entered early access in 2020. Compared to its early pre-launch state, which largely consisted of untapped potential, the roguelite gradually evolved into a highly entertaining first-person shooter, even if it is still somewhat rough around the edges. Nowadays, the game is officially out, and it delightfully blends accessible first-person action with roguelite elements.

Basically an arena shooter, Roboquest features five playable classes, nine maps, and an impressive selection of weapons. The latter is the best part of the package and will be the main reason most players keep coming back for more.

6 Tom Clancy’s The Division 2

Metascore: 84

Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 did not need to reinvent the wheel. By the end of its predecessor's run, the franchise was at a good place and the sequel only needed to focus on the elements that worked in The Division.

Unsurprisingly, The Divison 2fared better with critics, as it essentially launched at a similar level to its predecessor's end state. The combat is improved due to the enemies no longer being as egregious of bullet sponges, while the loot system added a touch of variety without sacrificing the realism sought after by the franchise. Crucially, The Division 2 launched with an endgame, which is rather important for a looter shooter's longevity. Nowadays, Ubisoft's game is overflowing with content and quality-of-life adjustments, and it is an easy recommendation for anyone searching for a third-person shooter they can sink months into.

5 Deep Rock Galactic

Metascore: 85

Deep Rock Galactic is a bit different from the typical looter shooter since drops contain randomized resources (and experience) rather than new weapons. These items can then be used to upgrade each class' equipment. While supporting solo play, Deep Rock Galactic is at its best when played in co-op as players team up to take on a variety of missions in a decent range of biomes.

The game's classes all come with unique strengths, weaknesses, and gameplay styles, ensuring that most people find someone to match their preferences. Deep Rock Galactic has been around for a few years now, and it is now firmly established as a standout indie project that can deliver quantity and quality. The extraction-style gameplay is simple but always engaging, and this title is one of the better entry points into that subgenre.

4 Destiny 2

Metascore: 85

Unlike its predecessor, Destiny 2 impressed critics right out of the gate, and most of its expansions have largely served as improvements. The most recent release, 2023's Lightfall, is the only real exception as that largely struggled to impress.

Destiny 2 showcases Bungie's expertise in the first-person shooter genre; in fact, an argument could be made that the multiplayer-focused game represents this gameplay style's peak alongside Doom. In terms of loot, Destiny 2 is packed to the brim with unlockables that encourage players to customize their characters and load-outs.

3 Risk Of Rain 2

Metascore: 85

A popular roguelike, Risk of Rain 2 has a simple but addictive formula: kill everything that moves. After selecting a Survivor, players spawn in a randomly generated level filled with enemies. Their goal is to reach an extraction point so they can move on to the next stage. While initially manageable, the game steadily raises the difficulty, to the point that players can quickly become overwhelmed if they fall behind in terms of equipment.

In Risk of Rain 2, players collect currency from enemies that can then be used to purchase loot boxes scattered across the level. The latter's content is randomized too, ensuring each unlock has an element of excitement to it. More importantly, Risk of Rain 2 is just fun to play, and the combat is elevated by stylish visuals.

2 Warframe

Metascore: 86

Warframe initially garnered a lukewarm reception, which is not that surprising considering the game launched with repetitive gameplay that focused heavily on grinding the same few missions. However, over the last decade, Digital Extremes has gradually established the looter shooter as a cornerstone of the multiplayer scene. Warframe has grown well beyond its original blueprint, even if its core gameplay is still relatively grind-heavy.

Nowadays, Warframe has open-world sections, multiple planets, an impressive selection of frames and weapons, and engaging lore. Even though players can invest money, the game can be enjoyed without spending a dime. Players who stick to the free version can look forward to hundreds of hours of content, and the end is nowhere in sight.

1 Borderlands Franchise

Metascore: 89 (Borderlands 2)

How could anything other than Borderlands take the top spot? Gearbox's franchise might not have been the first looter shooter since Hellgate: London existed, but it defined the genre. While not every entry is a bona fide masterpiece, Borderlands has been fairly consistent over the years. Borderlands 2 is generally considered to be the best in the series, although 2019's third entry improves upon its predecessor's gunplay by quite a considerable margin. That said, Borderlands 3's characters are rather obnoxious, which does hurt its story. Tiny Tina's Wonderlands is also an enjoyable spin-off inspired by tabletop RPGs.

Borderlands is the poster boy of looter shooters and, as a full package, has yet to be topped by any of its competitors. The stylized visuals are timeless, the gameplay is not quite Destiny-good but still pretty fun, and the loot is never-ending!

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