The task is pretty straightforward. Destiny fans are looking for specific things we understand. In particular, we consider Destiny as a casual multiplayer shooter saga leaning heavily on the loot. We’re taking a look at the elements below. For now, bear in mind we’re sharing options for all consoles, featuring elements from other genres, and at different price points.
Selecting Games Like Destiny 2
Selecting games like Destiny or Destiny 2 requires us to explore the aspects of the multiplayer shooter series. In particular, though, we’re focusing on Destiny 2, as it’s still very relevant. Therefore, we believe the games Destiny fans could like feature a mix of the following elements:
Genre: Destiny 2 is an sci-fi open-world shooter looter with RPG mechanics. It’s also one of the top entries in the shooter looter genre. The entire playtime revolves around defeating mobs for better and better gear.Gameplay: You play in first-person perspective and have light traversal abilities. More importantly, you use a wide arsenal of weapons, plus your “Class” skill to defeat the enemies. It works as a Borderlands game, as you can use a single skill, a grenade, plus your weapons to swap to fight, generally. Storyline: Destiny 2 has a deep plot, and it’s, in fact, difficult to understand for new players. Either way, it follows a sci-fi narrative as you play as a guardian of the last city of humanity in the Solar System. The story is dense enough to follow, but it’s also non-intrusive for players only interested in the shooting.Open-world design: The game has a main hub, a city with maze-like corridors, dozens of NPCs, quests, traders, and similar. From the hub, you can take quests and then jump on your starship to select a destination and thus the mission. Then, the missions are linear and similar to Mass Effect areas: you reach a world, complete it from beginning to end, unlock its plot points and return to the hub.Character customization: There’s a great amount of character customization and progress via Destiny’s RPG mechanics. First, you choose one of the three Guardian classes. Then, you unlock further abilities and gear. However, your character’s power depends mostly on your gear. Multiplayer: Destiny 2 is not an MMO, but it has a hefty multiplayer aspect. You can play the entire game single-player or play PvE or PvP. Bungie keeps adding new end-game PvP and PvE content like raids, sieges, arenas, and hybrid PvPvE competitions. Expanding content: Lastly, Bungie has added several expansions to the title, while at the same time making the free-to-play portion bigger. Destiny 2 has about yearly add-ons that add extra lore, areas, gear, enemies, and more.Fake leveling: We can make do without the predatory leveling system of Destiny 2. I said before your power depends on your loot, and I meant it. See, you can level up your character, but it rewards nothing other than Battle Pass options, micro-transaction options, cosmetics, and similar. We would prefer a proper leveling system.
Overall, Destiny 2 offers extensive content for free and adds premium worthwhile playtime for loyal fans. It’s also a top-tier shooter looter and works through an easy open-world design. You simply get to choose and follow any particular quest at any point in time. So, in particular, we’re looking for straightforward or casual shooting, looting, action, or RPG games in general. The free tag is also a plus. It’s not a perfect game, though. Destiny 2 is a freemium game, and its micro-transaction action buttons are everywhere. Some Destiny players may be tired of the matter, so we’re presenting you with the alternatives.
Games Like Destiny 2
Warframe
The most similar and free alternative is Warframe, as it’s almost the same game, technically speaking. We’re looking at another sci-fi open-world shooter looter RPG semi-MMO. In particular, it adds a hefty melee combat system compared to the Destiny saga. Yet, the combat may feel janky at first. It’s significantly faster than Destiny 2, and it’s also in third-person perspective. But like Bungie’s game, you have a couple of skills, ranged weapons and melee weapons. Moreover, there’re significant traversal abilities. You play as a “Tenno,” a warrior capable of controlling Warframes, high-tech exo-suits. Each rewards you with special skills and passive buffs. The plot goes across 30 main quests detailing a never-ending Galaxy war. The story, quests, and features are open to all players, as the “paywalls” only block cosmetic options. The journey is casual as well. There’re various hubs, like cities or your customizable starship. Then, you choose a mission and travel to a particular area, which is wider but still fairly linear. Still, there’re over 40 different Warframes and plenty of customization pieces on top of leveling up. Lastly, you can play the game alone or play with your friends. Aside from co-op, there’re also PvP modes, PvPvE, starship combat, and more. Overall, Warframe introduces a massive system to explore and many activities to enjoy.
Borderlands 3
Borderlands is to shooter looters what Batman: The Dark Knight is to super-hero movies. The first title was the genre coming into mainstream success; the second was the ultimate climax. Then, even though it was great, the third felt more like the same. MORE OF THE SAME! is exactly what Borderlands fans wanted, though. So, if you’re not a game critic, you won’t have a problem. As it stands, Borderlands 3 is bigger, explosive, and extra insane than before. If you’re unfamiliar, Borderlands 3 is a shooter looter RPG. You pick one of the classes for its active and passive skill branches. Then, you level up to increase damage, HP, and skill points. Then, your progress on a mostly linear quest. You shoot, loot, level up and keep going. The thing is, there’re perhaps millions of weapons and gear in the game. Each piece comes from a “manufacturer.” Manufacturers add particular perks and functions to their gears. That said, the story is just not as good as it was before. But there’s one to follow, either alone or in co-op. You’re competing against the Calixto brothers for the treasures you can find in the “Vaults,” ancient treasures scattered on distant planets.
Deep Rock Galactic
What do you get by mixing dwarfs, sci-fi, and shooting? Deep Rock Galactic, the newer FPS dungeon-crawler featuring high-tech weapons, gadgets, tools, and perks. We’re introducing you to a 1-4 player fantasy FPS. There’s not much story, but you play through a series of caves against an endless horde of enemies. The caves offer tons of resources, as Deep Rock Galactic is also a shooter looter. Moreover, you can pick one of the three classes to travel the cave system. That said, the map is procedurally generated. Every area is rich with loot, enemies, and bosses. Moreover, you can drill through any wall to keep moving forward, as the environment is entirely destructible. Overall, Depp Rock Galactic is silly, fun, easy-to-understand, and challenging. It’s everything you would expect from a dungeon crawler shooter looter with angry dwarfs as the heroes.
The Division
In this action-shooter RPG, you will get a unique gameplay experience, mixing tactical combat and online features. Stride across New York’s streets alone or with up to 3 friends and define the fate of your Agent. The Division is an action-adventure looter shooter RPG. It has a unique gameplay experience, as it mixes tactical combat, a large arena, and online features. You play across New York streets, either alone or part of a 3-player squad. Then, the gameplay is a familiar looter shooter that happens across various game modes. The main mode is the campaign, as it takes you or your team through a ravaged city full of enemy NPCs. On top of that, there’re raids, co-op PvE, PvPvE, and PvP modes. Over the years, The Division has evolved to become an all-around better game. It also thrives on seasonal content and dynamic events. Lastly, you have plenty of options to customize your characters.
Outriders
Outriders has many things in common with Destiny, and it was quite the awaited game. However, we can’t open up with the game in its current state, as its multiple performance issues and glitches can ruin its experience. And the experience is perfectly good, even great. Outrider is a shooter-looter RPG with four classes, elemental abilities, and a sci-fi alien world. So, as you imagine, you have a mix of high-tech guns, skills, and traversal abilities for your first-person combat. The loot works like action-RPG games, as fighting for better and better gear becomes addictive. Similarly, looking for your next craft, modifier, and skill can take the most of your time. You can play solo or alone. You can play the entire game alone and enjoy a good story about conquering a planet. You’ll play mostly on individualized instances, dungeons, as you travel across the linear quests you choose. Now, let me be clear. Outriders has improved a lot since its release. It’s now behaving as a AAA title should. If you’re unsure, you could download the free demo and try it out, as it also has the AAA price.
Dying Light 2: Stay Human
Dying Light 2 ticks various aspects of our list. If we look at its individual elements, it’s an open-world FPS RPG with looting, crafting, and survival elements. However, the game it’s more than the sum of its elements. It’s a refined zombie shooter experience. You can play solo or co-op with 3 additional players. Either way, your campaign is yours, and other players can’t influence the outcome. You play as Aiden, and the setting is The City, the last remnant of civilization. Your actions, and choices, will determine the fate of the survivors. The combat, the parkour traversal, the story, and the graphics are top-tier. Still, the gameplay loop is the hook: you take on a mission, explore the world, face tons of zombies, loot, craft supplies, and level up. Then, you rinse and repeat. Lastly, the game has a day-night cycle that determines how the “Infected” works. That means exploring is more dangerous at night.
Monster Hunter Rise
Swap guns for giant swords, and you get Monster Hunter games. Well, not really, but we’re recommending this as it’s an action RPG where the character’s power depends entirely on the loot. You play as a Monster Hunter, a special warrior that hunts dangerous beasts for money. The setting opens up an open world where you can explore various maps for challenging fights. The idea is to pick a quest on a hub, a city, and then fight your prey in the world. The fights are tough, as tough as most Souls-like games. Then, the monsters you hunt are dragons, mythical beasts, and giant monsters. You use a mix of traversal tools, plus the weapons and gear you fight for combat. Lastly, the game features a storyline you can follow. However, unlike other games on the list, it’s entirely a single-player experience.
Risk Of Rain 2
Risk of Rain 2 is the sequel to a famous roguelike shooter looter. It came back in 2020 with similar mechanics and similar positive fan praise. As a minor con, though, it’s a difficult game for newcomers. The setting is an alien planet. You have to escape the area while fighting hordes of monsters, alone or in a co-op party. You have to fight your way to the final boss with the class you find. But if you die, you return to the beginning for a new run. Yet, you can progress your character by collecting items on each run. These items unlock skills, lore, and strategy. You can also unlock ten “survivors,” AKA the classes. Each has a unique combat style, plus alternate skills you can master. Also, there’re run modifiers to add extra challenges to each run. Lastly, the gameplay is smooth and superbly fun. It’s a third-person 3D shooter. Aside from the weapons, you can use ranged skils, melee skills, and items.
Star Wars: The Old Republic
The Old Republic is an MMORPG game, all with the old-school combat system of the genre. It comes with a free-to-play option that includes the base game but none of the five expansions. That said, the title delivers a story-driven original and non-canon Star Wars story in the Old Republic era(pre-prequels). You choose one of the eight roles (like Jedi, Sith, or Bounty Hunter) and follow unique plotlines across the far-away Galaxy. And like classic Bioware games, there’re choices, and there’re consequences. However, the results are small and personal rather than world-reaching because it’s an MMO. That said, the game includes plenty of cinematic cuts with full voiceover. The game has been running for over eight years, though. The five subsequent expansions are not available on the free package. However, the initial content is expansive and includes about 20 hours of story. Other than the story, though, you can play in co-op, PvP, and more. This happens in a familiar setting with planets like Tatooine, Alderaan, and Hoth. There’re also original places, though, as well as original characters.
Apex Legends
Apex Legends is as popular as Destiny 2 but thrives on a different genre. Apex is a free battle-royale game featuring characters from Respawn’s Titanfall universe. Even though it’s a different genre, the playability feels quite similar to Bungie’s title. Because it’s a hero shooter, you choose from a rooster of powerful characters to fill a role in your squad. The gameplay happens in first-person. Each hero has its own skills, gadgets, and weapons. Also, characters have particular traversal abilities to go across the arena faster. You also play in a squad of three players against 19 other 3-player teams. However, the tone is very casual, as it has a cartoony visual style, easy-to-understand skills, and minor recoil. Lastly, Respawn Entertainment keeps adding updates and patches to the game. Apex Legends keeps growing every year, and it works through the classical “seasonal” system.
Sea of Thieves
Sea of Thieves is an open-world pirate simulator. It’s an adventure that’s initially not similar to Destiny, but capable of delivering the same experience. In essence, it’s a massive casual sandbox. You play as a pirate, fighting, exploring, and looting across the seas. Because there’re no set rules, you can approach the world, and other players, as you choose. So, you can travel solo, or you can travel with a party. Either way, your ship is your hub, as every player spawns with a basic wooden pirate ship. Along the way, you can team up with other players, and the game will reward you with a bigger ship, akin to a galleon. Then, you choose your adventure and sail towards treasures, monsters, cargo, and loot. You play the pirate live in side quests, free-roman, as well as a narrative campaign featuring Disney’s Jack Sparrow. Overall, the journey is about gathering loot and building up your reputation. Lastly, you don’t level up, but you gain a reputation with the different factions in the game.
Phantasy Star Online 2 New Genesis
Phantasy Star Online 2 is another free-to-play action-JRPG MMO. Unlike others of its kind, it has an engaging story and action-adventure smooth combat. It has the common elements of the genre. In particular, it has gorgeous sights, eccentric character designs, and a fantastic plot featuring all kinds of magic and monsters. The game also thrives on fast combat. You play in third-person perspective, in a 3D combat that mixes melee and magical abilities. The controls are rather simple nonetheless. PSO2 also focuses on loot and character customization. First, there’s a hefty character creation system. Secondly, as you play, you’ll find lots of loot, progress as a character, and unlock a plethora of skills. PSO2 is a casual MMO free-to-play adventure with an entertaining plot and fine-tuned mechanics. Destiny fans could easily enjoy it.
