Helldivers

39 Hardcore games like Helldivers that you should try

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We filtered the 48 games similar to Helldivers down to the 39 that fit the “Hardcore” category. Metal Slug X, Clone Drone in the Danger Zone and Returnal top the list, ranked by affinity and similarity score to Helldivers.

iRank85/ 100

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GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

Tags

HardcoreCo-opOnline

Year 2015Dev Arrowhead Game Studios

Stores

Steam ↗PS ↗

Quick answer

Within the “Hardcore” category, the closest game to Helldivers is Metal Slug X — scoring 96/100 on our similarity scale. Clone Drone in the Danger Zone and Returnal follow close behind.

#1Metal Slug X96 #2Clone Drone in the Danger Zone95 #3Returnal93 #4Ultimate Chicken Horse92 #5Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter92

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The best hardcore games like Helldivers

39 similar games foundUpdated July 2026

Handpicked by our similarity algorithm, these are the titles with the highest gameplay match to Helldivers. Each one has been evaluated across 14 real attributes — from combat style and progression mechanics to world structure and visual perspective — so every recommendation is based on how the game actually plays, not just its genre label.

96

Metal Slug X

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

SoloMultiplayerCo-opOfflineMeleeHardcore

Steam👍 88%· 3.9KIGDB80· 1

Year 1999Dev SNKOn Linux · Android · PC

✓ Both are arena shooters — sharing shooter, first-person shooting and punishing difficulty

≠ Where it differs: brings precision platforming, adventure storytelling and visual 2d, while skipping survival mechanics

#2Clone Drone in the Danger Zone

95

Clone Drone in the Danger Zone

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

SoloMultiplayerCo-opOnlineMeleeHardcoreSci-Fi

Steam👍 96%· 38KRAWG👍 90%· 57

Year 2016Dev Doborog GamesPlaytime ~5hOn PC · Xbox · Apple Macintosh

✓ Fits the arena shooters cluster, with shooter, first-person shooting and survival mechanics

≠ Its own twist: fighting mechanics, deep simulation and deep RPG systems, while skipping setting space

Steam Epic Xbox

93

Returnal

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

SoloCo-opMultiplayerOnlineMeleeHardcoreSci-FiSpace

Steam👍 81%· 10KIGDB90· 19OC86· 201

Year 2021Dev Housemarque · Sony Interactive EntertainmentOn PC · PS5

✓ Same family of arena shooters: shooter, first-person shooting and punishing difficulty

≠ Stands apart with roguelike runs, third-person shooting and horror tension, while skipping survival mechanics

#4Ultimate Chicken Horse

92

Ultimate Chicken Horse

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

MultiplayerOfflineCo-opSoloOnlineMeleeHardcore

Steam👍 96%· 52KRAWG👍 89%· 228IGDB79· 5OC79· 23

Year 2016Dev NVIDIA Lightspeed Studios · Clever Endeavour GamesPlaytime ~4hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Fits the arena shooters cluster, with shooter, first-person shooting and punishing difficulty

≠ Where it differs: brings precision platforming, racing gameplay and adventure storytelling, while skipping survival mechanics

#5Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter

92

Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

SoloMultiplayerCo-opOnlineMeleeHardcoreSci-Fi

Steam👍 93%· 8.8KIGDB74· 2

Year 2009Dev Croteam · Devolver DigitalOn PC

✓ Fits the arena shooters cluster, with shooter, first-person shooting and punishing difficulty

≠ Stands apart with adventure storytelling, dark, oppressive atmosphere and visual first person, while skipping survival mechanics

#6Nuclear Throne

89

Nuclear Throne

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

SoloMultiplayerCo-opOfflineMeleeHardcoreSci-FiIsometricTop-Down

Steam👍 96%· 20KRAWG👍 83%· 301IGDB84· 4OC86· 24

Year 2015Dev VlambeerPlaytime ~5hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Fits the arena shooters cluster, with shooter, first-person shooting and punishing difficulty

≠ Its own twist: roguelike runs, deep RPG systems and adventure storytelling, while skipping survival mechanics

87

Roboquest

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

SoloMultiplayerCo-opOnlineMeleeHardcoreSci-Fi

Steam👍 95%· 24KRAWG👍 84%· 44IGDB83· 3OC85· 12

Year 2020Dev RyseUp StudiosPlaytime ~4hOn PC

✓ Both are arena shooters — sharing shooter, first-person shooting and punishing difficulty

≠ Where it differs: brings roguelike runs, procedural generation and ranged combat, while skipping survival mechanics

#8SCP: Secret Laboratory

87

SCP: Secret Laboratory

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

MultiplayerCo-opOnlineMeleeHardcoreSci-Fi

Steam👍 91%· 230K

Year 2017Dev Northwood StudiosOn PC

✓ Same family of arena shooters: shooter, first-person shooting and survival mechanics

≠ Stands apart with deep RPG systems, horror tension and adventure storytelling, while skipping setting space

87

Brotato

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

SoloMultiplayerCo-opOfflineMeleeHardcoreSci-FiIsometricTop-Down

Steam👍 96%· 114KRAWG👍 84%· 142OC75· 6

Year 2022Dev BlobfishPlaytime ~5hOn PC · Apple Macintosh · Linux

✓ Same family of arena shooters: shooter, first-person shooting and survival mechanics

≠ Where it differs: brings roguelike runs, deep RPG systems and action RPG combat, while skipping setting space

86

Doom

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

SoloMultiplayerCo-opMeleeHardcoreSci-Fi

Steam👍 96%· 218KIGDB87· 28

Year 2016Dev id Software · Bethesda SoftworksOn PS4 · PC · Xbox

✓ Fits the arena shooters cluster, with shooter, first-person shooting and punishing difficulty

≠ Where it differs: brings roguelike runs, horror tension and dark, oppressive atmosphere, while skipping survival mechanics

#11Serious Sam Classic: The First Encounter

86

Serious Sam Classic: The First Encounter

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

SoloMultiplayerCo-opOfflineMeleeHardcoreSci-Fi

Steam👍 96%· 3.4KRAWG👍 85%· 603MC87IGDB83· 3

Year 2001Dev Croteam · Devolver DigitalPlaytime ~1hOn PC · Nintendo

✓ Same family of arena shooters: shooter, first-person shooting and punishing difficulty

≠ Where it differs: brings adventure storytelling, dark, oppressive atmosphere and ranged combat, while skipping survival mechanics

84

Cuphead

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

SoloMultiplayerCo-opOfflineMeleeHardcoreIsometric

Steam👍 96%· 209KRAWG👍 91%· 2.0KMC87IGDB87· 17OC88· 214

Year 2017Dev Studio MDHR · StudioMDHR EntertainmentPlaytime ~6hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Same family of arena shooters: shooter, first-person shooting and punishing difficulty

≠ Stands apart with precision platforming, adventure storytelling and action RPG combat, while skipping survival mechanics

#13Enter the Gungeon

83

Enter the Gungeon

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

SoloMultiplayerCo-opOfflineMeleeHardcoreIsometricTop-Down

Steam👍 95%· 89KRAWG👍 82%· 1.1KMC84IGDB83· 13OC84· 79

Year 2016Dev Dodge Roll · Devolver DigitalPlaytime ~6hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Both are arena shooters — sharing shooter, first-person shooting and punishing difficulty

≠ Where it differs: brings adventure storytelling, roguelike runs and deep RPG systems, while skipping survival mechanics

83

Quake Live

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

MultiplayerSoloMeleeHardcoreSci-Fi

Steam👍 87%· 16K

Year 2010Dev id SoftwareOn PC

✓ Same family of arena shooters: shooter, first-person shooting and punishing difficulty

≠ Its own twist: competitive edge, PvP competition and visual first person, while skipping survival mechanics

82

Hard Reset

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

SoloMeleeHardcoreSci-FiProcedural

Steam👍 82%· 4.9KIGDB70· 4

Year 2011Dev Flying Wild HogOn PC

✓ Both are arena shooters — sharing shooter, first-person shooting and punishing difficulty

≠ Stands apart with puzzle design, procedural generation and setting cyberpunk, while skipping survival mechanics

Complete list of hardcore games like Helldivers

The full catalog of games sharing gameplay DNA with Helldivers, ordered from highest to lowest similarity score. Use the filters above to narrow down by genre, setting or game mode and find the alternative that best fits your playstyle.

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