FPS video game series Better Than Borderlands

Diablo redefined loot-based RPGs in 1997 and dominated the space for years. Then Gearbox Software stepped up to the plate in 2009 and introduced their loot-driven shooter to the world: Borderlands. It was unlike anything else at the time: a competent shooter with four classes and plenty of loot to share between the co-op party.

The series has evolved a lot since 2009, and there was even a movie, but the loot and strange collection of weapons has always been a driving force. It's a series all its own, but there are better shooters out there, or at least there are shooter franchises that do certain things better than Borderlands.

Halo

Master Chief of It All

• First game: Halo: Combat Evolved (Xbox, 2001)

• Latest console game: Halo Infinite (PC, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S, 2021)

The Halo franchise arguably revolutionized console shooters in a big way. Halo: Combat Evolved was released in 2001 for the original Xbox, and quickly became a reason to own that system. The shooting was great, the open maps were more liberating, the vehicles were fun to use, as were the inventive weapons, and to top it all off, Master Chief was an absolute boss of a character. Calm, quiet, and straight to the point, he knew how to get the job done, and his reign as one of the coolest video game characters hasn't waned since 2001. Sure, there isn't much depth to his character, but that doesn't mean he isn't cool.

Arnold Schwarzenegger's Terminator character doesn't have much depth either Terminator movies, but that doesn't mean he doesn't represent everything cool about movie characters. Borderlands doesn't have that iconic character that represents the series as a whole. Lilith is the closest equivalent, or maybe Claptrap, but he's more like a mascot. Handsome Jack is a big villain, but no matter what Borderlands has to offer, Master Chief is Master Chief. He uses a gun like no other, and while the developer, Bungie, left Halo behind 2010 has reduced some of the franchise's highs, Halo overall is still a better shooter than anyone else Borderlands game. It's a question of quality guns over quantity Borderlands' million.

Call Of Duty

Fighting The Good Fight

• First game: Call of Duty (PC, 2003)

• Latest console game: Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S, 2025)

Call of Duty began as a series of World War II shooters in 2003, which eventually evolved into the juggernaut most people know today due to Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. With that game, the shooting became much more stable, and the multiplayer really took off. It added a progression system where players could raise their profile, acquire new weapons, tweak them and even restart to reach new levels. Multiplayer is what has kept Call of Duty franchise alive and well, with tons of modes from Domination to the weirder spin-offs like zombie mode, but that's not to say the campaigns are bad in comparison.

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is the game that smoothed out campaigns into set-piece-driven levels that were always bombastic. There are so many Call of Duty games where it's hard to even pick a top five in terms of campaigns, and while the weapons aren't as crazy as those found in Borderlandsthey have Halo-quality mechanics with equally amazing sound design. With a pair of great headphones or a surround sound system, players can become even more immersed in the war zones. While the quality has dipped here and there, overall, Call of Duty stands tall in both its campaign and multiplayer gameplay. It's actually pretty amazing that Borderlands never attempted widespread multiplayer modes like them Call of Duty before.

Titanfall

Mechs? Yes please!

• First game: Titanfall (PC, Xbox 360 and Xbox One, 2014)

• Latest Console Game: Apex Legends (PC, PS4 and Xbox One, 2019)

The big thing that sets Titanfall apart from Borderlands as a series are mechs. Sure, there are mechanics in it Borderlandsincluding class-specific skills and background characters, but nothing beats the sheer size of the mechs in Titanfall, which are simply called Titans. When the first game debuted in 2014, it was multiplayer-only, with a weird, cobbled together story as players progressed through the matches. They could fight on the outside of their Titans, along with the inside, and what struck players at the time was the movement between the two options as both felt natural. Mobility was significantly improved Titanfall 2which added a campaign that shooter fans put up there as one of the greatest of all time.

Respawn Entertainment, the developer, came from Infinity Ward, who also did Call of Duty what it is today. So it wasn't too surprising that they could do it again, but this time with mechs. There's also the hero shooter spinoff, Apex Legends, which is popular, but it doesn't fit as nicely with this comparison because mechanics aren't a big part of the game. Overall, this is truly a solid fight Borderlands franchise against Titanfall 2. That may be a bold claim, but thanks to the flawless shooting and player movement between the human and Titan games, Titanfall 2 is arguably the better shooter on a technical level. The story of the game and the various set pieces also create a great sense of momentum that never lets up, and again, mech fans will surely love piloting the various titans between the two core games.

Far Cry

Blast it

• First game: Far Cry (PC, 2004)

• Latest console game: Far Cry 6 (PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S, 2021)

Far Cry didn't start with a bang in 2004, as it took some time to get the heat going. Far cry 2 came closer to bringing the series to prominence, but that was it Far cry 3 which really did a number for Ubisoft in 2012. The tropical setting, focusing on a survivor who is pushed to the edge and forced to make terrible decisions, is a story that would fit right into an 80s action movie. From there, the scenarios would only get more epic. Aside from individual games, however, there are two core things that Far Cry the series does it better than Borderlands.

First, the open-world environments are usually seamless, offering various modes of transportation to get around, from cars to boats to paragliders. Players will never want different transports, though Borderlands also has good transportation options, such as armed prams and court bicycles. The true star of the show is the chaos that players can create, mirroring the open-ended fun Grand Theft Auto games can provide. With a limitless arsenal of assault rifles, rocket launchers, grenades and more, players can reclaim territory from various terrorist and villainous organizations. The effects are explosive i Borderlands likewise, but nothing comes close to the satisfaction players can get from conquering land in one Far Cry game.

Metroid Prime

Puzzles, adventures and more

• First game: Metroid Prime (GameCube, 2002)

• Latest console game: Metroid Prime 4: Beyond (Switch and Switch 2, 2025)

Metroidas a franchise, began in 1986 in Japan, followed by a North American debut on the NES in 1987. For over a decade, the franchise was in 2D, and that changed with the spinoff series, Metroid Primewhich was developed outside of Nintendo by Retro Studios. Thanks to a number of factors, it soon overtook the 2D series, so much so that Metroid is almost more associated as a shooter franchise as a whole. Metroid Primeand the other three core titles, is very different from the over the top action from Borderlands, Call of Duty, Titanfall, and Far Cry.

They can best be described as atmospheric shooters, where Samus, the overall protagonist of the franchise, in each new game gets stuck on an alien planet. Players are free to explore, solve puzzles, and shoot enemies with sufficient combat, all of which lead to new powers and even greater threats. In the latest game, Metroid Prime 4: BeyondSamus gains psychic powers that she can use to manipulate objects, for example. These games are the types of shooters that players will want to spend time with and drink in, and Borderlands is simply not set up to have a lower tempo. Metroid Prime can express so much more through environmental narratives than any entire film sequence has been able to accomplish in Borderlandsand that's quite an impressive feat.