Who else is all aboard the hype train for PAYDAY 3 and playing games like it? We know we sure are, and we’ve even got a bunch of titles that’ll get you the same gameplay experience. Can you guess which ones they are? We reckon you can’t, but no harm in trying. Also, each pick we got today is going to offer something unique that’ll wow ya, or we’ll eat our hat, but don’t quote us on that.
All kidding aside, though, PAYDAY 3 cannot come soon enough. With two major hits before it, the fandom’s expecting a lot from this third one. We’ve got a feeling that PAYDAY 3 is gonna deliver big time, but we’ll withhold the full judgment until after we’re done playing it. Anyway, today’s list is all about games that’ll help pass the time while we wait for PAYDAY 3 to come out.
Which 7 Awesome Games Are Like PAYDAY 3?
Alright, let’s not dance around the matter and get to it. We’re about to list our favorite 7 games that’ll get you in the same ballpark as PAYDAY 3. Yeah, some, or any for that matter, will be a one-to-one clone, but they’ll get you close enough. Anyway, let’s head on over to the rules before we begin, so we know what to expect.
- The games on today’s list will have excellent shooting mechanics, and we’re not budging on this. Heck, if there’s a slight chance that a game’s gonna compromise on this, well, it’s not gonna find a spot on our list.
- Secondly, the games we’re picking should and must have excellent co-op mechanics. PVP is optional, but only co-op games where more than 2 players are gonna be on the same side is what we’re going for. In short, a team or party-based co-op game like Overcooked.
- Lastly, our choices today must have originality above all else. So, if it’s a game that’s retreading and rehashing old ideas, we’re not gonna go with it.
Alright, that’s it; we’re gonna go ahead and start right away~ here we go!
7. GTFO – A Scary and Atmospheric FPS Co-op Shooter Worth Checking Out
Wow, we’re not messing around with our first pick of games like PAYDAY 3, which is GTFO. This game’s got terrifying abominations and intense scares awaiting players, even on co-op. You’ll constantly be in the thick of things with this ambiance-heavy shooter, and you’ll have to watch each other’s back in GTFO. You never know what’s around the corner, ready to pounce at the player.
The enemies in GTFO are not only ruthless, but they don’t let up either. Playing together will help ease some of the burden, but let’s face it, it’s still gonna put you on edge. The horde never ends, and the resources get scarce as you progress through the levels. Players must prioritize how to best ration the items and supplies they come across or risk running out at critical moments in the game.
If it’s not a co-op experience for you in GTFO, the bots will fill up the void. The fundamental design is for a 4-player experience. There’s a great deal of emphasis on stealth and silently sneaking up to unaware monsters and eliminating them. If you avoid making too much noise, you might just survive. Otherwise, you’re in hot water. GTFO is bloody brilliant in capturing the tension and intensity for players.
6. Exoprimal – Co-op Shooting and Dino Hunting With Mechs
Alright, before y’all start rambling about how Exoprimal is vastly different from games like PAYDAY 3, hear us out, okay? You see, the basic philosophy and gameplay idea is more or less the same in Exoprimal as it is in PAYDAY 3. Both are multiplayer co-op shooters at heart, but they differ in their play styles. While PAYDAY 3 is much more compact in its scope, Exoprimal is equally grandiose.
There are freaking dinosaurs, and you fight them using mechs in Exoprimal. How epic and awesome is that? Answer, it’s dope as heck. With epic visuals from the Resident Evil engine, the dinosaurs are more deadlier and horrific than ever before. Players must work in sync as a unit to fight back against an endless horde of multiple dino variants to survive. Exoprimal’s customization depth goes beyond surface level.
Each mech comes with its own properties and play styles, and of course, this is all on top of the cosmetic stuff. The emphasis is on cooperation in Exoprimal, but that’s not to say there isn’t a PVP mode in the game. In fact, players can team up into a group of 5 to battle another team of 5 in Exoprimal. If you love games that emphasize the survival aspect in gameplay our top games like ARK: Survival Evolved are worth a gander.
5. Ready Or Not – The Bizzaro Version of Games Like PAYDAY 3
So, picture in your mind, you’re a little burned out on playing the heists in games like PAYDAY 3, and wanna do good for a change. Introducing~ Ready Or Not the antithesis of PAYDAY 3 but all-around fun in equal measure. You play as a SWAT team in co-op, and the goal is to rescue hostages from a gang of criminals. Basically, Ready Or Not is the pretend game of cops and robbers you played as a kid but now in a video game setting.
In Ready Or Not, players must swoop into a building, where the goal is to stop suspects and other criminals targeting civilians. The game’s novelty is that it adopts a semi-realistic simulation of events. You’re not a super cop immune to bullet barrage able to recover instantly from an explosion in your immediate vicinity. Instead, a few bullets are all it’ll take to kill the playable characters. You gotta be smart about things.
Ready Or Not puts a large emphasis on strategic gameplay, and a divide and conquer style is what’ll work best. You can’t do everything on your own, so you gotta split up the tasks, and carry out objectives. The maps in Ready Or Not are not only diverse but offer new terrain to switch things up and keep the gameplay experience fresh. Believe us, this game is a worthy addition to fans of tactical shooters.
4. Back 4 Blood – Awesome Co-op Horde Shooting Fun
You wanna talk about the best PS5 zombie games, in addition to being like PAYDAY 3, Back 4 Blood enters the chat. Seriously, this game just exudes awesomeness on a whole new scale, because of its gameplay and level structure. Each character has personality, finesse, sass, and a hardcore edge to them, which makes them stand out from others. Oh, and yeah, they’ve also got exclusive skills, too.
The story of Back 4 Blood, while nothing groundbreaking, is serviceable enough, but the real fun is in the gameplay. You go around shooting zombies who come at players from all angles, and it requires all players to shoot and keep moving to survive. The card system is a unique mechanic in Back 4 Blood. While the player cards add various benefits, the A.I. Director will negate the perks with Corruption Cards.
It’s always a game of cat and mouse in Back 4 Blood, but the fun kind, where you’ll be glued to your screen. The action is always pulse-pounding as the A.I. Director makes it a point to turn everything against the players. Still, if you’re clever and do a little improvisation, you can blast through levels with your buds if you all use specific speed builds. Trust us, you’ll just cruise by everything the game throws at you.
3. Remnant 2 – A Truly Immersive RPG Co-op Shooter that’s Making Waves
Alright, we’re getting to the upper echelons territory with this next pick for games like PAYDAY 3. Remnant 2 is the surprise hit of the year that’s gonna knock your socks off. Why? Well, simply put, Remnant 2’s immersive roleplaying and combat, plus the eldritch horror aesthetic, is a refreshingly original trifecta. We’ve yet to see replicated by anyone else, so it stands out from the rest of the pile.
Remnant 2 is a haunting third-person shooter with in-depth customization and drastically different builds for every playstyle. The procedural generation in Remnant 2 will always keep players guessing as to what’s gonna be in the next stage as you pass through portals and hop dimensions. The class types provide a template that you can tweak to your liking, and fine-tune the build to your tastes.
The comparison to PAYDAY 3 comes when you consider Remnant 2’s enemy A.I. They both require players to brave the unpredictability that enemies can bring, and you’ll have to adapt accordingly. Remnant 2 is such a delightfully fun experience that we’ve bumped it up in our ranking of 2023’s best Xbox X|S third-person shooters list. There are thrilling boss fights in Remant 2, something PAYDYA 3 doesn’t.
2. Borderlands 3 – Our Runner-up Pick for Games Like PAYDAY 3 Exceeds All Expectations
Alright! Now we’re gonna enter the cool club of games like PAYDAY 3, with our runner-up choice, Borderlands 3. What can we say about this series that’s not already been said, except we freaking love it to death. We’ve even gone ahead and have drawn battle-lines with our ranking of every Borderlands game. Check it out to compare notes, and see if you agree with us or not, though we’re sticking with our guns.
Speaking of guns, the game’s gunplay and gun variety is over-the-top absurd and will leave players speechless. There are so many fun ways to kill enemies with the added freedom of having two character action skills. The characters themselves are wacky and full of personality that’ll quickly latch onto and root for in the story. Borderlands 3 immediately will grab your attention with its colorful visuals.
Borderlands 3’s inevitable comparison with PAYDAY 3 will make sense in the theme of collaboration and co-op fun. Like, yeah, you can play Borderlands 3 solo, but the real fun is when you’re with a partner or three and teaming up to take on hordes of powerful enemies and bosses. The sheer joy of collaboration is mirrored in PAYDAY 3, which is why we’ve got Borderlands 3 coming in at second place.
1. Redfall – Our Top Choice for Games Like PAYDAY 3 is A Banger Co-op Shooter
And now, we enter the final countdown with our top pick for games like PAYDAY 3, with Redfall. Controversial pick? Heck yea! But you know what, we’re gonna stand by this choice because Redfall’s awesome. Yeah, there are problems, but as a co-op shooter with fun gameplay mechanics, it more than impressed us. We’re saying this with full gusto because Redfall’s overall vibes match PAYDAY 3.
Obvious thematic differences aside, Redfall is meant to be a co-op shooter just like PAYDAY 3. The enemies, though different in both games, require the same type of teamwork and strategy to beat. Also, Redfall’s character skills like sniping make each playable hero feel unique. The same’s the case in PAYDAY 3, only you play as a group of villains. The parallels are unmistakable; people just accept it.
Seriously, though, Redfall and PAYDAY 3 also share a distinct feature of requiring an always online connection. Yeah, we hate it, but the direction gaming’s going these days, it’s inevitable that this requirement isn’t gonna go away anytime soon. Still, Redfalls’s unique gothic aesthetic and unique take on the creatures of the night, make it a stand-out contender that can go up against our favorite PS4 vampire games.
Final Thoughts On Games Like PAYDAY 3
Well, there you go, our list of top-tier games like PAYDAY 3 concludes on a high note. Think you agree with us on that one, or hard pass? Either way, shoot your thoughts in the comments below. While you’re at it, don’t forget to tell us about your own favorite games that we’re probably missing out on. We appreciate any and all feedback we get from our readers, as it helps us out greatly.
Before we leave you, we got a massively easy set of tips and tricks to get better at PAYDAY 3 you gotta check out. It’s gonna prime you for the game when it comes out on launch day, September 21, 2023. Alright, that’s about it from us; we’re gonna sign off for now. Take care, everyone; stay safe at home, and happy gaming to all!
