Here’s a list of games like Borderlands that we’ve cooked up for fans of the popular release looking for similar experiences. The title isn’t your ordinary first-person shooter. It basically blends role-playing and FPS elements into a single package.
While the sequel is a good option to tryout once you’re done with the first installment, we’ve got a few others that are quite similar to the title in question. Most of them are available over multiple platforms, so there’s definitely something for everyone below.
1. Fallout 3:
Fallout 3 is the third installment in the series and it was release by Bethesda in 2008 for Windows, Xbox 360 and PS3. Set 200 years after the events of its predecessor, the title takes you to the Capital Wasteland which is essentially Washington DC after the atomic war of 2077. You take on the role of an inhabitant of Vault 101 who sets foot on the wasteland to find his father.
The environment is free to roam and along the way, you’ll encounter human survivors and will also need to fight various creatures such as giant insects, raiders, slavers and super mutants. The title features a character-leveling system and it allows you to enhance the protagonist’s skills in the certain fields like strength, perception, endurance, intelligence, agility, luck and more.
2. Dead Island – Riptide:
What makes Dead Island – Riptide one of the top titles on this roster of games similar to Borderlands is its blend of FPS action and RPG elements just like in the latter. This one also proffers open-world gameplay and heavily relies on co-operation. This release takes off from where its predecessor left and it includes a new playable character, bringing the total to five.
What makes this title enjoyable is not only the zombie hacking, but also the wide variety of side missions and an open world to explore. There’s also a lot of focus on character building where you level up and can upgrade weapons.
3. Rage:
We’ve been seeing a lot of post-apocalyptic titles in the past few years and Rage also goes down the same road. Apart from having various similarities with the 2009 release by Gearbox Software, this one is also a lot like the Fallout series. Set in the future, it puts you in a wasteland after an asteroid collides with Earth and wipes off most of its population.
You wake up in a shelter as the last survivor with no idea of what’s going on. The game is basically an FPS, but various vehicle based events are present as well. You can travel across the map in different types of cars or participate in races to earn points. There are many weapons to choose from which are highly customizable. The developer has also implemented an inventory and a looting system here.
4. Diablo II:
Next on our Borderlands alternatives lineup is Diablo II. Now, this title isn’t an FPS, but it’s an action hack and slash release with role playing elements. Developed by Blizzard, the same brains behind the Warcraft and Starcraft series, this title puts you on a journey in a fantasy world to defeat the Dark Wanderer.
The story is divided into acts which amount to five in total, the last one being accessible through the Lord of Destruction expansion. At the start, you get to choose from five different classes, namely Amazon, Necromancer, Barbarian, Sorceress and Paladin. Throughout the campaign, your character will learn new skills and you can also find loot which delivers better weapons and armor.
5. S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat:
Call of Pripyat is the third installment in the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series from GSC Game World. Launched back in 2009, this title features FPS gameplay with horror, survival and tactical role-playing elements. Set around Pripyat, Ukraine, the narrative takes off from where Shadow of Chernobyl left. You step into the shoes of Major Alexander Degtyarev who enters the Zone (one of the playable areas) to investigate the cause of crashes during a military operation and locate the survivors.
Like its predecessors, the title allows you to sell items for money and there’s an upgrade system as well. You will encounter hostile mutants along the way and have side missions to complete in free-play mode.
6. Deus Ex: Human Revolution:
Deus Ex is a name known by almost every FPS fan out there and its third installment, Human Revolution, has earned itself a spot on our games similar to Borderlands compilation. The title takes place before the original, in the year 2027. The story follows ex-SWAT specialist Adam Jensen who is mechanically augmented after suffering severe damages from an attack by a black ops team.
The title puts a lot of focus on the character’s abilities and it gives you the freedom to decide how a mission is played out. You can go about eliminating opponents through combat or pass by unnoticed with stealth, while hacking and social interactions are also feasible solutions. Each of these skills are fully upgradable and there are various weapons available which can also be enhanced.
7. Far Cry 3:
Far Cry 3 is known as one of the best open-world titles available. It’s designed by Ubisoft Montreal and takes place on a beautiful tropical island overrun by pirates. The game follows Jason Brody who sets out to find his friends who have been captured by the pirates. It combines FPS with role-playing and gives you the ability to decide how a mission is completed.
The more enemies you kill, the more experience and skills you gain. Also, there are various collectables and a lot to explore in this open-world island paradise including jungles, mountains and beaches. You can even take part in side activities where cash can be earned by playing poker, racing cars and completing shooting challenges.
Conclusion:
And these are all we’ve got which classify as games like Borderlands. While not all of them are FPS, they do contain high similarities to the 2009 release by Gearbox Software including action-packed experiences, role-playing, and character-focused upgrades. And yes, we’re yet to come across a title that provides a ridiculous amount a weapons.