The Destiny franchise of games is some of the most popular online-only multiplayer first-person shooters around. The unique use of RPG elements for a multiplayer based first-person shooter gives the game an almost inimitable play style.
For this reason, Destiny has had a strong fanbase since the first game released in 2014 for the PS3 and Xbox 360. The buzz around the series has only increased since Destiny 2: New Light in 2017.
The good news is that the game is now free-to-play, and new content is still being developed and will be released for the latest Destiny through 2022. If you are looking for similar games to play in the meantime, however, be sure to check out our list of games below that any Destiny fan should be sure to check out.
1) Anthem
A more recent game that includes the best of Destiney’s multiplayer features and combines them with both third-person shooter and action role-playing elements is EA’s Anthem. The game allows players to take on the role of the last defenders of their unnamed beloved city as they try to keep the evil Monitor from seizing the all-important Anthem of Creation.
Players achieve this by piloting powerful exoskeleton suits called Javelins, flying around and shooting enemies as they defend their city from external threats. The suits are fully customizable, so players that enjoy the customization options that Destiny has through its player progression and class systems will find similar enjoyment here.
Anthem is also similar to Destiny in how it allows players to inhabit a shared world online. For Anthem, this means players can play in the same contiguous world with up to four total players through online play. The online play can get hectic and frantic but never stale; thanks to the excellent flight and shooting mechanics, Bioware has managed to provide the game since its release.
2) Warframe
Another space-based third-person shooter that first made a splash on the scene way back in 2013 is Warframe. The game has seen a resurgence in popularity since now becoming a free-to-play game, with over 50 million unique players in 2019 alone.
Warframe has players taking control of the alien race to play for once, as you are a member of the Tenno, an ancient warrior race named. Players explore a far-future solar system and are equipped with a “Warframe,” which gives them special powers and abilities and can be leveled up over time.
The game allows players to progress either independently or in a four-player cooperative PVE (Player Versus Environment) mode. Those who prefer direct competition can also choose to travel to a particular “Conclave” area to participate in one-on-one PVP (Player Versus Player) matches.
3) Overwatch
Overwatch is unique in that it is an exclusively team-based first-person “hero” shooter. The hero aspect refers to the large roster of characters that players can choose from to play as, each with distinct personalities and abilities.
The game assigns players into two six-person teams for PVP matches. New modes and maps continue to be released for the game years after its release and a sequel was announced in 2019. The game has a little story to speak of, and the emphasis is clearly on the near-perfect gameplay.
Part of the fun of Overwatch is trying new characters and seeing how their abilities affect your play style. For example, some characters are damage sponges that players may choose to be more offensive with and “tank” through the other team’s defenses.
The game was released in 2019 for the Nintendo Switch as Overwatch: Legendary Edition and is feature complete compared to all other versions.
4) DOOM Eternal
Tracing its roots back to the early 1990s, DOOM is one of the oldest FPS series still releasing new titles today. And the latest in the DOOM series, Doom Eternal, is also the best first-person shooter for those who want a classic gameplay experience and want their games to look and sound great.
The id Tech 7 game engine from Bethesda’s id Software is put through its paces as players storm across the game as the Doom Slayer attempting to keep the forces of Hell from conquering Earth.
Players are encouraged to use simple tactics and speed to defeat hordes of enemy demons that grow ever more challenging as the game progresses.
Doom: Eternal also has several multiplayer modes, an asymmetrical 2v1 mode, where two players control demons, and one player is the Doom Slayer, and another mode called “invasion,” in which players control the demons in another player’s single-player campaign. The latter mode can be turned off if players don’t wish to interact with others in their single-player campaign.
5) Monster Hunter: World
Fans of Destiny might be surprised to see a Monster Hunter game make this list, as the latter series is more well known for its role-playing action elements, but World is unique for the series and has had many changes made to it that fans of Destiny will enjoy.
The fifth mainline installment in the Monster Hunter series, World, is also the bunch’s bestselling. This is probably because it is also the most accessible entry in the series while also managing to retain the great monster hunting and action-RPG mechanics that the series is known for.
Destiny fans will most welcome the change that will be the large open maps and high-quality cooperative multiplayer experience. While the game has no offline multiplayer, going online and teaming up with four friends to take down some incredibly huge monsters is an always satisfying way to pass the time.
6) Halo 5
Master Chief fans will need no excuse to jump back into one of the greatest entries in the Halo series, but those uninitiated in franchise lore have no fear that shouldn’t stop anyone from enjoying the game’s classic FPS fun. That is because the series core gameplay mechanic is the intuitive FPS controls.
The controls are simple enough to master that anyone can feel comfortable playing after getting a few deathmatches under their belt. While known for its PVP online multiplayer, an underrated feature is the games lengthy campaign mode.
The story provides some closure to major series plot points and can be played entirely in co-op. Enjoying the series rock-solid FPS gameplay while co-oping through Halo 5’s story mode is probably the best way to pass the time until Halo Infinite releases. Available for free on Xbox or PC to those that have a Game Pass subscription, Halo 5 remains one of the best pure first-person shooters released in the last few years.
7) Titanfall 2
Titanfall 2 won multiple Game of the Year awards in 2016, so its inclusion on this list shouldn’t come as a surprise. Titanfall 2 remains a thrill to play today; it allows players to pilot mech-style robots and engage in massive firefights both online and in a single-player campaign.
Many due to non-gameplay-based flaws, it remains criminally overlooked, such as its somewhat muddled plot, corny names, or stilted voice acting. The point is that the gameplay itself is so much fun to play that when you are blasting away enemies in your huge mechanical Titan, you’ll scarcely care if in the end, the plot is a little thin.
One surprisingly fun PVP mode is Pilot vs. Pilot, in which players must battle without the assistance of their mechanical Titans.
8) Diablo 3
Diablo 3 differs from the shooter games on this list with its hack-and-slash gameplay style and heavy RPG elements. Diablo 3’s perspective also differs from the others in that it is presented from a top-down 3D viewpoint.
And while Destiny has RPG characteristics, Diablo 3 has a much larger focus on the RPG elements of its gameplay, with characters leveling up to take on tougher enemies as the game progresses. This classic approach means players will come to know all of the pertinent stats for the weapons and armor that Diablo 3 sprinkles throughout the environment for you to collect as you grind through its dungeons.
The game allows up to four players to connect online and form a party to explore the world, fighting enemies together and competing for loot and gold. For players looking for a serious challenge, there is the ability to create “Hardcore” characters, which can’t be resurrected if they die.
9) Risk of Rain 2
This game long gestated in early access before finally officially released in the fall of 2019, and the wait was well worth it. Destiny fans will love the roguelike elements that are inherent to Risk of Rain 2.
Though it employs a third-person instead of a first-person perspective, this game’s satisfying gameplay loop makes it a must-try for any Destiny fan. In the game, players can join with up to three friends online and enter randomly generated levels. In each level, the goal is to find and power up a transporter. Once players find the transporter, they will come under fire from increasingly difficult alien waves.
The game ramps up the difficulty every five minutes that players remain on the level, and it also drops random loot that players can compete to grab. Suppose you are looking for another cooperative shooter like Destiny, but want a game that manages to stay fresh. In that case, thanks to its procedurally generated nature, Risk of Rain 2 is highly recommended.
