Get your grind on with these awesome looter shooters for Xbox

Best
Looter Shooters for Xbox
Windows Central
2020

Many action RPGs are more commonly referred to as “looter shooters,” games that combine loot hunting and loadout mechanics you might find in something like Diablo with the gameplay you might find in Halo or Gears. Some of the best Xbox games you can get fall under the looter shooter category, and if you’re on the hunt for something new to grind, then these are the games you want to play whether you’re on Xbox One, Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S.

Staff Pick

If you’re looking for the best looter shooter to grind then, Destiny 2 has to be towards the top of the list. The base game is now free, but with three large expansions to play through, a ton of loot to acquire, challenges and quests to complete, and six-player raids, Destiny 2 has something for everyone. It’s also incredibly lore heavy for folks who like to immerse themselves in a grand story, and from December 8, 2020, it’s also Xbox Series X|S optimized. Destiny 2 is also available in Xbox Game Pass.

From free at Microsoft

Editors Choice

No list of looter shooters is complete without Borderlands, which kicked the genre into gear. Borderlands 3 is enormous, with many different planets, all with huge open areas, five DLC packs to date with additional content and worlds to explore, as well as copious amounts of insane weapons. And now, on Xbox Series X, it supports up to 120 FPS as well as 4K60, and it runs like a dream. This is a game to sink hundreds and hundreds of hours into.

$20 at Amazon

Warframe is not only free to play, but it’s one of the longest supported games currently available on Xbox. Having launched almost seven years ago, Warframe continues to grow and add new content, and in 2021 should also be getting an Xbox Series X|S upgrade. For fans of a serious grind, Warframe is an immensely rewarding game to play. The stunning environments and the slick blend of melee and weapon combat will always pull you back for more.

Free at Microsoft

The Division 2 took everything from the first game and expanded on it. With the most recent expansion, there are now two large maps to explore, along with a 100 story skyscraper to climb, two raids, a ton of exotic items to grind for, and new things to do weekly throughout the course of each season. It also carries the story from the first game and contains a ton of lore delivered both through the campaign and the huge number of collectibles to find.

$13 at Amazon

Why pick one Borderlands game when you can pick three? The Legendary collection contains Borderlands: Game of the Year Edition, Borderlands 2, and Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, plus all original DLC for each game, as well as a UHD texture pack for the latter two. It’s hard to put into words just how much gameplay there is in here, but whether you’re a newcomer or an old-timer, this collection is an absolute must-play for fans of looter shooters.

$50 at Microsoft

Remnant: From The Ashes is an unusual blend of looter shooter and a Souls-like that features third-person gameplay, loot, an interesting story, and tons to explore. Oh, and bosses, some really tough bosses. Along with a three-player co-op and two DLCs plus the ability to re-roll your levels or take on the rogue-like survival mode and see how long you can stay alive, there’s a serious amount of content to enjoy and grind. Remnant: From The Ashes is also available in Xbox Game Pass.

$29 at Amazon

Combine a Borderlands-esque experience with fast gunplay, co-op, mad enemies, and some pretty badass melee weapons, like a big old sword, and you have Shadow Warrior 2. While not as infinitely replayable as some looter shooters, this is a slick, exciting game with plenty of weapons, mods, and abilities, and you’d be hard pushed not to be impressed. Shadow Warrior 2 is also available in Xbox Game Pass.

$40 at Microsoft

Unlike everything else on this list, Risk of Rain 2 is a rogue-like, in that the loot you acquire you lose upon death. But loot is entirely at the heart of this game, as you hunt for it to level up your character in order to take on the increasingly difficult enemies. How many other games have a difficulty level that’s literally “hahahahahahahahaha”?! You can play your way, either complete a run or survive as long as you can as the challenge continues to get harder. And the visuals are so attractive; you’ll never want to stop looking at it.

$25 at Microsoft

Outriders gets a mention because it’s one of the most exciting looking games of its type coming in the near future, and even though it has been delayed out of a 2020 launch, all signs point to this being one to play. Choose between four different characters and battle your way across the hostile planet of Enoch either solo or in co-op. It’ll be Xbox Series X|S optimized and without a live service model to keep up with, it certainly looks like one of the more approachable looter shooters.

• $60 at Amazon
• $60 at Microsoft

The best of the bunch

With so many great games to choose from, it’s hard to single out any one ‘winner,’ but we do have some recommendations on what you should play. And that start’s with Bungie’s epic, Destiny 2. The fact it’s free to start now means there’s literally no reason not to try it. With the upgrade for Series X and Series S finally adding 60 FPS gameplay, there’s never been a better time.

You also simply can’t ignore the Borderlands series, the forefather of modern looter shooters, and every single game is available to play on the Xbox. Whether you opt for the Legendary Collection which contains the first three games and associated DLC or 2019’s Borderlands 3, you have hundreds and hundreds of hours of loot grinding goodness.

And if it’s content you’re looking for, then Warframe is definitely worth a look with nearly seven years worth of support already and no sign of slowing down. This massive game can be a little tricky to get into, but once you get to grips with it, then you’ll find it immensely rewarding.

And last but not least, you should certainly consider signing up for Xbox Game Pass. Three of the titles here are already available to play in it, including the full Destiny 2: Beyond Light experience, as well as the huge library of all different types of games.