For gamers like myself, who had the late 2000s and the 2010s serve as their formative gaming years, you’ll know that the industry was hyper-focused on perfecting the FPS formula for the longest time.Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfarewas undoubtedly the catalyst for this, but before long, we had a cavalcade of FPS games to choose from, and by and large, they were mostly great. But this did lead to the third-person, over-the-shoulder shooters taking a bit of a backseat.
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However, FPS games aren’t quite as in vogue as they were, and this has allowed developers to experiment with new shooter formulas, andThe First Descendantis a great example of the good that comes from people trying new things. However, if you likedThe First Descendantin theory, but weren’t all that keen on the looter-shooter aspect, or the grindy free-to-play aspects, then we have a list of some fine alternatives that may be more up your street.
These choices are listed in no particular order.
10Destiny 2
Metacritic Score
I suppose we should get the obvious inclusions out of the way because one solitary glance atThe First Descendantwill have you thinking, ‘Is thatDestiny 2?’ and that is completely justified because the similarities are clear as day. Now, when I say this, that doesn’t necessarily relate to the gunplay and mechanics, as The First Descendant doesn’t read from the same hymn sheet as Destiny in that regard, but in terms of its story, and it’s art-style, it couldn’t be more aligned.
The game sees you rise up as Humanity’s last hope as you must fight to push back an alien force that has all but decimated the world as we know it. Which is basically Destiny’s core plot point to a tee. The UI feels similar, the various systems feel a stone’s throw away from Bungie’s flagship game, and the mission types hit all the same notes, too. So I can say with some confidence that if you likeDestiny, you’ll probably like this one too.
Digital Extremes
The First Descendantmay hit many of the same story beats asDestiny, but in terms of gameplay, it’s pretty clear that the inspiration wasWarframe. The third-person gunplay feels very in line with whatWarframehas in store for you, the Descendants that you can unlock work rather similarly to the different Frames you can unlock, and the way that you unlock various weapons and upgrades works likeWarframetoo, as you’ll be farming for drops and materials like you would do inWarframefor better gear.
The key difference here is thatWarframeis a much more free-to-play friendly game, with much less aggressive monetization and incentives for spending real-world dough. But on the flip side,The First Descendantis a much more new-player-friendly experience that onboards you much better thanWarframeever did.
So, if you want all the staples of theWarframeexperience, but with a modern coat of paint, thenThe First Descendantis one you need to try, but if you want to see where TFD got all its ideas, then giveWarframea blast.
8Outriders
People Can Fly
While it may have had a rocky launch and some rather middling reviews,Outriders, courtesy of the New Horizons patch, has really allowed this game to come into its own. It’s now a looter shooter that ticks all the boxes. The gunplay will feel very familiar toTFDplayers, with unique weapons, builds, classes, and skills to take advantage of, and the unique sci-fi world is just as intriguing.
However, I would say that the main appeal ofOutriderswhen compared to TFD is that this game doesn’t have any microtransactions whatsoever and offers an experience that has an end-game rather than a stopping point where you’ll be incentivized to grind until more updates come along. It’s a looter shooter for those who want a story that actually has an ending, and if that sounds like your thing, you need to give this a go.
7Remnant 2
Gunfire Games
The First Descendantis a great third-person shooter, but like a lot of games within the genre, the enemies tend not to have refined AI or require a lot of strategy to take down. It tends to be a war of attrition where managing your builds and damage output matters most. But if you want a game that offers similar gunplay, but a core experience that feels much more thoughtful and challenging, then you need to tryRemnant 2.
This game is a wonderful title that effectively answers the question ‘what ifDark Soulshad guns.’ The gunplay feels familiar and smooth, the bosses within the game feel like tough, mindfully created encounters, and the dimension-hopping sci-fi world is as confusing as they come, but that doesn’t stop it from sinking its hooks in and never letting go.
It has some mild performance issues and is held back slightly by its reliance on procedural generation, but all in all, it’s a unique looter shooter that focuses less on grinding and more on mechanical mastery.
6Helldivers 2
Arrowhead Game Studios
WhileHelldivers 2isn’t a looter shooter and acts more like a massively multiplayer extraction shooter, the tight, refined third-person shooter formula you’ll experience as you fight for Super Democracy is something thatTFDfans will definitely be able to get behind. InHelldivers 2, you’ll complete a series of PvE missions as you push back the alien invasion, and only through a huge collective effort will you succeed.
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It’s basically likeThe First Descendant’sInterception and Operation missions, but dialed up to eleven. Plus, you’ll have plenty of guns to mix it up with, stratagems to call upon when the chips are down, and best of all, you can jump in and out of missions as and when it suits you, so you are never locked into huge time commitments. So, if you want to fight for democracy, there’s no time like the present.
5Path Of Exile
Grinding Gear Games
Path of Exileis a very tough game to recommend to someone completely unfamiliar with the game in 2024, as this long-running loot-based RPG doesn’t hold players' hands at all, and really focuses its efforts on catering to the dedicated veterans these days. Still, if you’re willing to sit down, read a few wikis, or enlist the help of an experienced PoE player to guide you through, you’ll find that this game has all the trappings of a looter shooter, minus the shooting.
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Path of Exileis essentially free-to-playDiablo, but in my opinion, a lot better. It’s focused on providing a deep, nuanced RPG universe where meta-builds, customization, and grinding gear are the name of the game. So, provided you may get your head around the isometric camera angles and RPG systems, you’ll get just as much of a kick out of this as you would TFD.
4Final Fantasy XVI
Square Enix
This might seem like a rather weird inclusion, as this game isn’t loot-focused, isn’t free-to-play, has no guns, and is built on a foundation ofFinal Fantasy’sfamous RPG systems. But, when you strip it for parts, this game is surprisingly similar in terms of design toTFD.Final Fantasy XVIreally changes the tried and tested FF formula with more dynamic third-person real-time combat, and a mission structure that feels much more in line with an MMO likeFFXIVat times. Which makes it feel a lot like TFD.
Not to mention, both games graphically feel like kindred souls and focus on large open segments to explore rather than a vast open world. Now, granted, there is marginally more rewarding exploration inFFXIV, and in terms of storytelling and cinematography, you have to give it to Square Enix here, but despite these games being poles apart on paper, there’s just something about these two that feels strangely similar. I guess you’ll need to play both and tell me if I’m on to something here.
3Borderlands 2
Okay, enough wildcards, back to looter shooters. If you’re looking for a game in this genre that is about as accessible as it gets, then I would say thatBorderlandsas a series is the best place to start, and the second iteration is the best of the bunch.
Gearbox’s wacky world of Pandora gives players the option to choose from one of four pre-set classes and then drops you into a world filled with larger-than-life characters aplenty, and your goal is to stop Handsome Jack and collect some awesome weapons as you go.
The pop-culture-fuelled, comedic writing of this series is something that will immediately strike a chord with you, but what will keep you invested is the tight gunplay, the wealth of cool bosses and missions to experience, and the wide variety of gun types you can use as you cause mayhem. It’s pure, unadulterated fun, so for a looter shooter that doesn’t take itself too seriously,Borderlands 2is the one to go for.
Counterplay Games
You may be looking in disbelief as I try to recommend one of the most poorly received launch titles of recent memory. I can admit that, on launch, this game was essentially a very pretty but mechanically unimpressive attempt to mimicWarframe. However, the developers never gave up on this one, and after some much-needed tweaks,Godfallachieved its true potential as a melee-focused looting epic worth playing.
The updates added depth to a lukewarm story and nuance to gear systems that felt more like cosmetics than unique items to create bespoke builds with. Plus, the game now has lots of intriguing end-game content which makes investing time in these improved systems worth the effort. It’s a comeback that no one saw coming, but I assure you, if you’re willing to swap guns for blunt force, TFD fans will have a blast with this game.
Then, lastly, I want to throw in at least one third-person shooter that doesn’t need loot systems or co-op functionality to shine. As a single-player third-person shooter,Dead Spacestands alone as the most atmospheric and terrifying game within the subgenre. This title, for those unaware, sees you control Issac Clarke and will have you fight a band of horrendous zombie creatures known as Necromorphs in an attempt to find out just what caused this outbreak aboard the USG Ishimura.
As a third-person shooter, it provides all the thrills and lack of ammo present in a survival horror to keep the stakes high. But it also provides a unique limb-based damage system that requires you to plan each shot carefully and exercise crowd control to survive against hordes of Necromorphs. It’s a groundbreaking game in not just one, but practically all departments, and the remake is staggeringly good, so I would urge those who have never played this one to start there.
The First Descendant
Nexon’s The First Descendant is a free-to-play looter shooter that also incorporates action RPG elements. Focusing on cooperative play, the game allows up to four players to work together.
