Considering how fresh it is in the grand scheme of things, it's pretty amazing how popular the looter shooter is today. The genre has only really had a decade or so to thrive, and by and large, the Borderlands template that kicked things off still dominates the "best" conversation.

Borderlands is not the only franchise that drowns players in weapons. These are the best looter shooter games.

That attention has a way of leaving excellent games behind, though, including one with the Borderlands name right on the box. The games below are some of the subtle yet true greats of this young looter shooter genre. Although they all look a little different (and some are more familiar than others), each one nails that consistent dopamine hit of finding a better gun than the one already in hand.

Starting with perhaps the most obviously overlooked game in the genre, Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel is an odd duck, one that can be called "more Borderlands 2" either as a compliment or a dismissal. I've never understood the second reading, though, because more Borderlands 2 could only ever be a good thing; it's where the series did what it does best, after all. Set on Pandora's moon, Elpis, Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel bridges the first two games and tells the story of Handsome Jack's slide from Hyperion programmer to the series' most memorable villain.

2K Australia led the charge on this entry to the franchise, and its additions change the rhythms and tones of the series in interesting ways.

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