Quake Live

36 Hardcore games like Quake Live that you should try

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We filtered the 45 games similar to Quake Live down to the 36 that fit the “Hardcore” category. Quake III Arena, Ultimate Chicken Horse and Clone Drone in the Danger Zone top the list, ranked by affinity and similarity score to Quake Live.

iRank84/ 100

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GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

Tags

CompetitiveHardcoreMultiplayerSolo

Year 2010Dev id Software

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Quick answer

Within the “Hardcore” category, the closest game to Quake Live is Quake III Arena — scoring 93/100 on our similarity scale. Ultimate Chicken Horse and Clone Drone in the Danger Zone follow close behind.

#1Quake III Arena93 #2Ultimate Chicken Horse89 #3Clone Drone in the Danger Zone87 #4Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter87 #5Doom87

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The best hardcore games like Quake Live

36 similar games foundUpdated July 2026

Handpicked by our similarity algorithm, these are the titles with the highest gameplay match to Quake Live. Each one has been evaluated across 11 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.

#1Quake III Arena

93

Quake III Arena

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

SoloMultiplayerPvPMeleeCompetitiveHardcoreSci-FiFirst Person

Steam👍 96%· 4.0KRAWG👍 90%· 530IGDB87· 3

Year 1999Dev id Software · Electronic ArtsPlaytime ~1hOn PC · PS · Apple Macintosh

✓ Same family of arena shooters: shooter, first-person shooting and competitive edge

≠ Its own twist: dark, oppressive atmosphere and ranged combat, while skipping free to play

#2Ultimate Chicken Horse

89

Ultimate Chicken Horse

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

MultiplayerSoloPvPMeleeHardcoreCompetitive

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 setting scifi

#3Clone Drone in the Danger Zone

87

Clone Drone in the Danger Zone

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

SoloMultiplayerMeleeHardcoreSci-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 punishing difficulty

≠ Its own twist: fighting mechanics, deep simulation and deep RPG systems, while skipping competitive edge

Steam Epic Xbox

#4Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter

87

Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

SoloMultiplayerMeleeHardcoreSci-FiFirst Person

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 co op, while skipping competitive edge

87

Doom

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

SoloMultiplayerMeleeHardcoreSci-FiFirst Person

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 competitive edge

86

Metal Slug X

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

SoloMultiplayerMeleeHardcoreCo-op

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 co op, while skipping competitive edge

86

Postal

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

SoloMultiplayerMeleeHardcoreNarrative

Steam👍 92%· 14K

Year 1997Dev Running With Scissors · Ripcord GamesOn Linux · Android · PC

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

≠ Its own twist: horror tension, strong narrative focus and dark, oppressive atmosphere, while skipping competitive edge

84

Returnal

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

SoloMultiplayerMeleeHardcoreSci-FiFirst Person

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 competitive edge

#9Maiden and Spell

84

Maiden and Spell

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

MultiplayerSoloPvPMeleeHardcore

Steam👍 97%· 925

Year 2020Dev mino_devPlaytime ~5hOn PC · Nintendo

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

≠ Stands apart with fighting mechanics, cozy, relaxing feel and combat magic, while skipping competitive edge

Steam Nintendo itch.io

#10Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number

83

Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

SoloMeleeHardcoreDarkNarrative

Steam👍 94%· 78KIGDB71· 13OC74· 70

Year 2015Dev Dennaton Games · Devolver DigitalOn Xbox · PlayStation 3 · PS4

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

≠ Where it differs: brings dark, oppressive atmosphere, strong narrative focus and visual pixel, while skipping competitive edge

#11SuperHot: Mind Control Delete

83

SuperHot: Mind Control Delete

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

SoloMeleeHardcoreSci-FiFirst Person

Steam👍 84%· 13KIGDB84· 10OC81· 70

Year 2020Dev SUPERHOT TeamOn Xbox · PS4 · Linux

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

≠ Its own twist: puzzle design, strong narrative focus and setting cyberpunk, while skipping competitive edge

83

Helldivers

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

MultiplayerSoloMeleeHardcoreSci-Fi

Steam👍 90%· 33KIGDB84· 6OC83· 45

Year 2015Dev Arrowhead Game Studios · Sony Computer EntertainmentOn PlayStation 3 · PS4 · PC

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

≠ Where it differs: brings survival mechanics, setting space and co op, while skipping competitive edge

83

Cave Story+

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

SoloMeleeHardcoreSci-FiRanged

Steam👍 93%· 8.0KRAWG👍 79%· 316MC83IGDB81· 1OC88· 16

Year 2010Dev NicalisPlaytime ~2hOn PC · Apple Macintosh · Linux

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

≠ Where it differs: brings precision platforming, Metroidvania exploration and adventure storytelling, while skipping competitive edge

82

MDK2

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

SoloMeleeHardcoreSci-FiNarrative

Steam👍 81%· 237IGDB90· 1

Year 2000Dev BioWare · Interplay EntertainmentOn PC

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

≠ Where it differs: brings precision platforming, third-person shooting and adventure storytelling, while skipping competitive edge

82

Hard Reset

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

SoloMeleeHardcoreSci-FiFirst Person

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 competitive edge

Complete list of hardcore games like Quake Live

The full catalog of games sharing gameplay DNA with Quake Live, 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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