Image: Bungie Entertainment Inc. via HGG / Brett Moss
I've been playing video games pretty much nonstop ever since I got my first 360. I love racing games, MMOs, and shooters, but I'll play just about anything.
Reviewed by Benjamin Barr
Destiny 2 is one of the most popular first-person shooter games right now. If you’ve gotten a little burned out, or Destiny just isn’t your thing, never fear — there are plenty of similar but unique games out there. In this article, we’ll take a look at some games similar to Destiny across several different genres!
5 Games Like Destiny 2, Ranked in No Particular Order
Destiny 2 is a complex game, but its most notable features are its raids, loot system, and hybrid MMORPG/FPS style. None of the games here have all the elements that make Destiny popular, but we’ll be sure to point out the connections and all the reasons we think Destiny fans might like these games.
The Division 2
While the gameplay of The Division 2 certainly compares to Destiny, the two games also have similar history. The first game in each franchise released a couple years from one another (Destiny in 2014 and The Division in 2016), and both saw large amounts of both praise and ridicule for various reasons.
The acclaim is equally mixed with the sequels. Destiny 2 improved substantially over the first several years of its lifetime, and is in quite good shape heading into its new expansion, Lightfall. And now that The Division 2 has come to Steam, it seems in great shape to continue growing.
The Division 2 is a shooter that heavily involves looting and working in small groups to complete missions. It’s mostly a PVE game, but there is a PVP element (just like in Destiny). The Division is perfect for players who want an alternative to Destiny that is similar enough but varied. The third-person view makes this game feel different from Destiny as well, so it won’t feel too repetitive.
Most notably, The Division 2 includes raids very similar to the ones in Destiny. Even though Destiny didn’t create the idea of raids, they’re still heavily associated with the franchise. If you’ve done all the raids in Destiny 2 and want more, your best bet is probably The Division 2.
Monster Hunter
The Monster Hunter franchise has been around since 2004 and has seen numerous installments across many platforms. From the PSP days to the mainstream success of Monster Hunter: World, the series has been incredibly consistent. You hunt monsters with the goal of obtaining items to make new gear. Where Destiny is a looter shooter, Monster Hunter is basically the same thing without the shooting part.
In Monster Hunter, players can squad up or remain solo when going on hunts. With a few exceptions, missions in Monster Hunter are almost entirely based around monster hunting. It’s very different than Destiny in terms of what you’re actually doing, but it’s a similar experience. Grab your best weapons/armor, join up with your friends, and spend the next hour getting mad at the one friend who got the rarest item on their first clear. It doesn’t get much closer to the Destiny experience than that.
The newest Monster Hunter games are available on most platforms. Monster Hunter: Rise (2021) is the newest and is available on PC and all current-gen consoles. Monster Hunter: World (2018) is also still available and very popular, and you can get it on most platforms. Rise is a slightly better option since it’s newer, but both are fairly close to one another in quality.
Borderlands
The Borderlands series is perhaps the most successful looter shooter series ever. Each entry in the franchise centers around a core group of characters that players can choose to play as. Each has its own unique abilities and playstyle, which is similar to how each class in Destiny has something which makes each feel different. The looting experience in Borderlands allows for lots of replayability and is incentivized by the sheer amount of weapons to get and customize. This is also similar to Destiny, as finding the perfect weapon you want is a major aspect of both games.
Borderlands is a four-player co-op game, but you can also play solo. It’s a much better single-player experience than Destiny 2, to be honest, as the game is evenly balanced for both single and multiplayer. If you’re a Destiny player that wants something with less of the MMO elements, this is the best choice.
Borderlands 2 is largely considered the best amongst hardcore fans, but Borderlands 3 is also well liked. Honestly, you could really play either one and get a similar experience. Both games are available on all platforms, with Borderlands 2 being available as a part of Borderlands: The Handsome Collection on newer platforms.
Fallout 76
The theme of this article wasn’t supposed to be games that started out disliked and grew to become much better, but it has kind of gone that way. Fallout 76 had a disastrous release, with very few fans happy with its overall state, but nowadays, it’s a much more polished game (even if it does still have bugs). It’s an open-world RPG that allows players to essentially experience the Fallout world in multiplayer. This is a great change of pace from Destiny if you’re someone who plays it a lot. Fallout 76 is a game that gets more hate than it deserves these days, and it’s definitely worth at least trying out.
Fallout 76 has many features, but its most notable are the ability to play through the story alone if you want, the immersive open world, and the great characters. If you enjoyed older Fallout games, you’ll probably enjoy 76.
You can get Fallout 76 on all the major platforms. It’s also available for free as a part of Xbox Game Pass (as of February 2023). Game pass is available on Xbox and PC, so there are lots of ways to try it out. For players who enjoy a solid mix of story and exploration, Fallout 76 is definitely worth a try.
World of Warcraft
This one is included because it’s the longest running, still popular MMO, and because it does share a lot of similarities with Destiny. World of Warcraft is not a shooter game, but it is still an MMO with an in-depth loot system, single/multiplayer story, yearly updates, and raids. If you like Destiny for its MMO aspects, then WoW is an obvious game to try. The gameplay is obviously much different, but it has a similar community atmosphere and similar objectives. After playing a bit, it should be easy to see that the Destiny franchise was in some way inspired by WoW, just like all MMO-style games, so why not give it a try?
If you’re interested in trying out World of Warcraft, you can get it on PC via the Battle.net client. It still uses the old-school monthly subscription style, but if you can accept that, it’s worth trying out. It also still gets regular major expansions, so even though it is an old game, it’s not at all a dead one.
Join the High Ground
Thanks for checking out this article on the best games like Destiny franchise! Have fun trying out some new games, and be sure to check out some more of our content while you’re here!
Happy gaming!
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