Best Looter Shooter Games

Why it's here: The most polished shooting and movement in the subgenre, wrapped around raids and seasonal activities that still pull players back years later, and it costs nothing to start. Reviewers rate the gunplay and community highly, though newcomers flag a steep onboarding and past expansions vaulted out of reach. Treat the free New Light entry as your on-ramp, lean on a fireteam, and it stays the looter-shooter to beat.

Why it's here: Four-player co-op and a weapon count that runs into the billions make this the list's purest loot-driven chaos, with skill trees deep enough to rebuild a character from scratch. Players praise the gunplay and endgame but find the writing weaker than earlier entries, so come for builds rather than plot. As a couch or online co-op headliner it delivers, and the moment-to-moment shooting carries the whole run.

Why it's here: A decade of free updates has turned this into the most content-rich looter on PlayStation, with acrobatic ninja movement and build depth few rivals match. Reviews are strongly positive on gameplay and developer support, while newcomers warn the systems are dense and progression asks real time. Give the early hours patience, follow a starter build, and you have an endless co-op shooter that costs nothing to keep playing.

Why it's here: Cover-based gunfights across a painstakingly recreated Washington, D.C. give this the most grounded feel on the list, and its endgame keeps handing out reasons to rebuild your agent. Players rate the shooting and content depth highly, though connection drops and Ubisoft account friction draw complaints. Play it in co-op, keep expectations sensible about server stability, and it is the tactical looter-shooter to reach for.

Why it's here: This fuses souls-like combat with a gun, building punishing bosses and procedural worlds around co-op runs that reward careful builds. Players love the exploration and boss design but flag rough optimization and a thin story. Come for the combat and archetype experimentation rather than the plot, bring a friend, and its randomized campaigns give it more replay value than almost anything else here.

Why it's here: Two full Borderlands games, the fan-favorite second entry and the Pre-Sequel, arrive with all their downloadable content and four-player co-op built in. It is the most generous single package on the list for anyone starting the series, bundling dozens of hours of loot-driven shooting for one price. Player-review coverage is thin on this specific collection, but the underlying games are among the genre's most beloved. Start here to see why the series defined the subgenre.

Why it's here: Borderlands guns meet tabletop fantasy here, swapping sci-fi for spellcasting, multiclass heroes and an overworld you roam between dungeons. Players enjoy the humor and combat but find the mission structure and endgame repetitive. Take it as a lighter, self-contained co-op romp rather than a hundred-hour obsession, and its blend of shooting and dice-roll magic gives the list its most distinctive change of pace.

Why it's here: A free, good-looking third-person looter with satisfying gunplay and flashy character powers that make it an easy entry point for the loot-curious. Players enjoy the shooting and steady updates but flag heavy progression demands and aggressive microtransactions. Treat it as a no-cost trial of the subgenre, spend nothing to start, and its slick combat is worth sampling before you commit to a paid rival.

Why it's here: A complete looter-shooter you buy once with no live-service strings, built around aggressive class powers that reward pushing into danger rather than hanging back. Players praise the gunplay and value but report bugs and shaky server stability. Play it for the self-contained campaign and its punchy combat, ideally in co-op, and it stands out as the rare loot shooter that respects a one-and-done playthrough.

Why it's here: The original that paired souls-like combat with guns, built on procedural worlds and boss fights meant to be tackled with friends. Players value the co-op and randomized levels but note solo play runs harsh and the story stays thin. Bring a squad, embrace the replayable campaigns, and this cheaper, leaner forerunner to Remnant II is still one of the best ways into the shooter-souls hybrid.

Why it's here: The snowbound original still delivers one of the most atmospheric open worlds on the list, with tactical cover shooting and a loot loop that hooks quickly. Players praise the setting and gunplay but call the missions repetitive and lean heavily on online services. Take it as the moodier, cheaper counterpart to its sequel, play it in co-op, and its recreated New York remains a striking place to hunt gear.

Why it's here: The newest Vault Hunter outing sharpens mobility and pacing while keeping the series' billions-of-guns loot chase intact across a fresh planet. Players enjoy the combat and movement upgrades but report performance problems and a forgettable story at launch. Wait for patches if stability matters to you, jump in with friends if it does not, and its improved shooting makes it the most modern-feeling run on the list.