What is the best game similar to PAYDAY 2?

The closest game to PAYDAY 2 is Call of Duty®: Black Ops III, scoring 98/100 on our similarity scale. They share 10 gameplay attributes, including shooter, first-person shooting and multiplayer gameplay. It's the most faithful alternative currently available.

What are the top games like PAYDAY 2?

The three closest games to PAYDAY 2 are: 1. Call of Duty®: Black Ops III (98/100, 10 shared attributes) 2. Payday: The Heist (97/100, 10 shared attributes) 3. Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2 (97/100, 12 shared attributes). All share PAYDAY 2's most important gameplay attributes, ranked out of 50 candidates across 14 dimensions.

Is Payday: The Heist similar to PAYDAY 2?

Yes, very much so — Payday: The Heist scores 97/100 similarity to PAYDAY 2. They share 10 attributes, including shooter and first-person shooting. It's one of the most direct alternatives available.

What Shooter games are similar to PAYDAY 2?

The best Shooter games similar to PAYDAY 2 are Call of Duty®: Black Ops III, Payday: The Heist, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2 and Call of Duty: World at War. All share the Shooter genre alongside other key PAYDAY 2 attributes like shooter, first-person shooting and multiplayer gameplay.

How is similarity to PAYDAY 2 calculated?

We compare PAYDAY 2 against every game in our catalog using 14 gameplay attributes: genre, atmosphere, world structure, play modes, combat style, and more. Each category is weighted differently — genre matters more than visual style, for instance. The result is a 0-100 score reflecting how closely a game replicates the PAYDAY 2 experience, not just whether it shares the same genre label.

Are there free games similar to PAYDAY 2?

Yes — Counter-Strike 2, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege and War Thunder are free and score well on similarity to PAYDAY 2. They're a great way to test whether the play style clicks before investing in other paid titles.

50 Games like PAYDAY 2 that you should try

Games like PAYDAY 2 · Find similar →

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Looking for games like PAYDAY 2? We analyzed its gameplay DNA — shooter, combat tactical and co op — against over 6,700 titles. These 50 alternatives are ranked by real similarity, not marketing tags. Call of Duty®: Black Ops III leads with 98/100, followed by the rest of the list.

iRank77/ 100

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GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreTactical FPS

Top games similar to PAYDAY 2

50 similar games foundUpdated July 2026

Handpicked by our similarity algorithm, these are the titles with the highest gameplay match to PAYDAY 2. 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.

#1Call of Duty®: Black Ops III

iRank85

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreTactical FPS

MultiplayerSoloCo-opOnlineMeleeRangedTacticalFirst Person

Steam👍 91%· 42KRAWG👍 84%· 1.9KMC81OC79· 99

Year 2010Dev Raven Software · Square EnixPlaytime ~9hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Both are tactical first-person shooters — sharing shooter, first-person shooting and melee combat

≠ Where it differs: brings dark, oppressive atmosphere, strong narrative focus and horror setting, while skipping deep RPG systems

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreTactical FPS

SoloMultiplayerCo-opOnlineMeleeStealthTacticalFirst Person

Steam👍 93%· 41KIGDB73· 4

Year 2011Dev Overkill Software · Sony Online EntertainmentOn PlayStation 3 · PC

✓ Both are tactical first-person shooters — sharing shooter, first-person shooting and melee combat

≠ Where it differs: brings punishing difficulty, while skipping deep RPG systems

Details →

Steam

#3Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2

iRank80

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreTactical FPS

SoloMultiplayerCo-opOnlineTacticalMeleeRangedStealthLootFirst Person

Steam👍 85%· 6.0KRAWG👍 73%· 317MC78IGDB82· 5

Year 2008Dev Ubisoft · Ubisoft EntertainmentPlaytime ~3hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Both are tactical first-person shooters — sharing shooter, first-person shooting and combat tactical

≠ Stands apart with offline, skill tree progression and visual third person, while skipping deep RPG systems

Details →

Steam Xbox PS

#4Call of Duty: World at War

iRank88

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreTactical FPS

SoloMultiplayerCo-opOnlineTacticalMeleeStealthLootFirst Person

Steam👍 92%· 53KIGDB80· 7

Year 2008Dev Treyarch · ActivisionOn PlayStation 3 · PC

✓ Same family of tactical first-person shooters: shooter, first-person shooting and combat tactical

≠ Stands apart with adventure storytelling, survival mechanics and horror tension, while skipping deep RPG systems

Details →

Steam

#5Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

iRank90

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreTactical FPS

SoloMultiplayerCo-opOnlineMeleeTacticalStealthFirst Person

Steam👍 93%· 60KIGDB85· 10

Year 2009Dev Infinity Ward · ActivisionOn PlayStation 3 · PC · Mac

✓ Both are tactical first-person shooters — sharing shooter, first-person shooting and melee combat

≠ Where it differs: brings strong narrative focus, historical setting and offline, while skipping deep RPG systems

Details →

Steam Xbox

#6Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon

iRank84

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreTactical FPS

SoloMultiplayerCo-opTacticalMeleeStealthFirst Person

Steam👍 92%· 1.6KIGDB68· 3

Year 2001Dev Red Storm Entertainment · Ubi Soft EntertainmentOn PC · Mac

✓ Same family of tactical first-person shooters: shooter, first-person shooting and deep simulation

≠ Stands apart with adventure storytelling, punishing difficulty and historical setting, while skipping deep RPG systems

Details →

Steam GOG

#7Commandos 2: Men of Courage

iRank87

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreTactical FPS

Co-opSoloMultiplayerTacticalStealthMelee

Steam👍 86%· 2.8KRAWG👍 88%· 220MC87IGDB90· 1

Year 2001Dev Pyro Studios · Merge GamesPlaytime ~1hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Both are tactical first-person shooters — sharing shooter, first-person shooting and combat tactical

≠ Where it differs: brings real-time strategy, adventure storytelling and historical setting, while skipping deep RPG systems

Details →

Steam

#8STAR WARS™ Republic Commando™

iRank85

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreTactical FPS

SoloMultiplayerCo-opMeleeRangedTacticalFirst Person

Steam👍 96%· 17KRAWG👍 88%· 530MC78IGDB81· 5OC70· 23

Year 2005Dev LucasArts Entertainment · Disney InteractivePlaytime ~1hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Fits the tactical first-person shooters cluster, with shooter, first-person shooting and melee combat

≠ Stands apart with adventure storytelling, strong narrative focus and setting scifi, while skipping deep RPG systems

Details →

Steam GOG Xbox

#9Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas

iRank79

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreTactical FPS

SoloMultiplayerCo-opOnlineMeleeTacticalRangedStealthFirst Person

Steam👍 80%· 1.7KRAWG👍 69%· 272MC85IGDB86· 4

Year 2006Dev Ubisoft · Ubisoft EntertainmentPlaytime ~1hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Same family of tactical first-person shooters: shooter, first-person shooting and melee combat

≠ Stands apart with third-person shooting, punishing difficulty and offline, while skipping deep RPG systems

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreTactical FPS

SoloMultiplayerCo-opStealthTacticalMeleeFirst Person

Steam👍 86%· 1.8KIGDB78· 6

Year 2009Dev Bungie · Microsoft Game StudiosOn PC · Xbox

✓ Both are tactical first-person shooters — sharing shooter, first-person shooting and stealth mechanics

≠ Where it differs: brings strong narrative focus and setting scifi, while skipping deep RPG systems

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreTactical FPS

SoloMultiplayerCo-opTacticalRangedMeleeFirst Person

Steam👍 78%· 329KRAWG👍 81%· 175IGDB84· 2OC82· 59

Year 2023Dev VOID InteractivePlaytime ~6hOn PC

✓ Both are tactical first-person shooters — sharing shooter, first-person shooting and deep simulation

≠ Where it differs: brings adventure storytelling, horror tension and dark, oppressive atmosphere, while skipping deep RPG systems

Details →

Steam

#12Hitman 2

iRank87

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreTactical FPS

SoloMultiplayerCo-opStealthTacticalFirst Person

Steam👍 91%· 75KIGDB82· 14OC83· 143

Year 2018Dev IO Interactive · WB GamesOn PS4 · PC · Xbox

✓ Same family of tactical first-person shooters: shooter, first-person shooting and stealth mechanics

≠ Its own twist: adventure storytelling and visual third person, while skipping deep RPG systems

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreTactical FPS

MultiplayerSoloCo-opOnlineRangedTacticalMeleeFirst Person

Steam👍 86%· 9.6MRAWG👍 62%· 211OC80· 10

Year 2023Dev Valve Software · ValveOn PC · Linux

✓ Both are tactical first-person shooters — sharing shooter, first-person shooting and ranged combat

≠ Where it differs: brings competitive edge, punishing difficulty and historical setting, while skipping deep RPG systems

Details →

Steam

#14Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege

iRank78

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreTactical FPS

MultiplayerCo-opOnlineSoloRangedTacticalMeleeFirst Person

Steam👍 82%· 1.5MRAWG👍 77%· 1.5KMC75OC76· 92

Year 2015Dev Ubisoft · Ubisoft EntertainmentPlaytime ~32hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Same family of tactical first-person shooters: shooter, first-person shooting and ranged combat

≠ Stands apart with competitive edge, punishing difficulty and historical setting, while skipping deep RPG systems

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreTactical FPS

SoloMultiplayerCo-opMeleeStealthTacticalRangedFirst Person

Steam👍 76%· 4.1KRAWG👍 57%· 179MC76IGDB81· 2

Year 2005Dev RebellionPlaytime ~3hOn PC · PS · Nintendo

✓ Both are tactical first-person shooters — sharing shooter, first-person shooting and deep simulation

≠ Its own twist: third-person shooting, historical setting and fantasy world, while skipping deep RPG systems

Details →

Steam

Complete list of PAYDAY 2 alternatives

The full catalog of games sharing gameplay DNA with PAYDAY 2, 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.

Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Wildlands

Shooter · FPS

SWAT 4

Shooter · FPS

Sniper Elite V2

Shooter · FPS

Delta Force

Shooter · FPS

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare

Shooter · FPS

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3: Raven Shield

Shooter · FPS

Medal of Honor

Shooter · FPS

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

Shooter · FPS

Brink

Shooter · FPS

Return to Castle Wolfenstein

Shooter · FPS

Serious Sam II

Shooter · FPS

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War

Shooter · FPS

Call of Duty: Black Ops II

Shooter · FPS

War Thunder

Shooter · FPS

Killzone 3

Shooter · FPS

Call of Duty Warchest

Shooter · FPS

Call of Duty (2003)

Shooter · FPS

Splitgate

Shooter · FPS

Insurgency

Shooter · FPS

Halo 5: Guardians

Shooter · FPS

Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood

Shooter · FPS

Rainbow Six Siege

Shooter · FPS

Transformers: War for Cybertron

Shooter · FPS

World of Warships

Shooter · FPS

Call of Duty: Ghosts

Shooter · FPS

Star Wars Battlefront II

Shooter · FPS

Destiny

Shooter · FPS

Serious Sam 3: BFE

Shooter · FPS

Star Wars: Squadrons

Shooter · FPS

Battlefield 3

Shooter · FPS

PlanetSide 2

Shooter · FPS

Call of Duty: Vanguard

Shooter · FPS

Hired Ops

Shooter · FPS

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow

Shooter · FPS

Black Squad

Shooter · FPS

Explore games similar to PAYDAY 2 by category

Rankings in the same genre

Best Tactical FPS Games Best FPS Games Best Shooter Games

Frequently asked questions

What is the best game similar to PAYDAY 2?: The closest game to PAYDAY 2 is Call of Duty®: Black Ops III, scoring 98/100 on our similarity scale. They share 10 gameplay attributes, including shooter, first-person shooting and multiplayer gameplay. It's the most faithful alternative currently available.
What are the top games like PAYDAY 2?: The three closest games to PAYDAY 2 are: 1. Call of Duty®: Black Ops III (98/100, 10 shared attributes) 2. Payday: The Heist (97/100, 10 shared attributes) 3. Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2 (97/100, 12 shared attributes). All share PAYDAY 2's most important gameplay attributes, ranked out of 50 candidates across 14 dimensions.
Is Payday: The Heist similar to PAYDAY 2?: Yes, very much so — Payday: The Heist scores 97/100 similarity to PAYDAY 2. They share 10 attributes, including shooter and first-person shooting. It's one of the most direct alternatives available.
What Shooter games are similar to PAYDAY 2?: The best Shooter games similar to PAYDAY 2 are Call of Duty®: Black Ops III, Payday: The Heist, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2 and Call of Duty: World at War. All share the Shooter genre alongside other key PAYDAY 2 attributes like shooter, first-person shooting and multiplayer gameplay.
How is similarity to PAYDAY 2 calculated?: We compare PAYDAY 2 against every game in our catalog using 14 gameplay attributes: genre, atmosphere, world structure, play modes, combat style, and more. Each category is weighted differently — genre matters more than visual style, for instance. The result is a 0-100 score reflecting how closely a game replicates the PAYDAY 2 experience, not just whether it shares the same genre label.
Are there free games similar to PAYDAY 2?: Yes — Counter-Strike 2, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege and War Thunder are free and score well on similarity to PAYDAY 2. They're a great way to test whether the play style clicks before investing in other paid titles.