The end of the world is a popular theme in video games, and post-apocalyptic scenarios have given rise to some of the industry’s most iconic titles. From scavenging for resources to fighting off hordes of mutants and zombies, these games immerse you in a vast and challenging world where survival is the ultimate goal

But with so many post-apocalyptic games out there, it can be difficult to distinguish the best ones. Some of them may need a more strategic approach, while others throw you into an action-packed open world.

Updated by Stefania Ikeda-Stavridi on the April 12, 2024: We have updated this list to include five more games all about navigating post-apocalyptic worlds. Past entries have also been updated to include more relevant information, such as metascores or bullet points on why someone should play them.

15 Pacific Drive

Drive Through The Zone With A Metascore Of 79

• Immersive sci-fi survival game.
• Innovative gameplay, with your car as your only companion.

Pacific Drive immerses players in a first-person driving survival experience set in a reimagined Pacific Northwest. As the Driver, your sole companion and lifeline is your car, navigating through the post-apocalyptic Olympic Exclusion Zone. Uncover mysteries and confront supernatural perils while exploring abandoned research sites and hazardous landscapes.

You can customize and upgrade your vehicle from a dilapidated garage base, scavenge for resources, and delve into the secrets of the Zone. There, you’ll encounter anomalies and avoid storms amidst an unpredictable and hostile environment. Although the gameplay loop may grow repetitive with routine maintenance and lengthy drives, Pacific Drive offers a unique blend of survival and exploration within a captivating post-apocalyptic narrative.

14 Stray

Roam The Cyberpunk City As A Cat With A Metascore Of 83

• Engaging gameplay with various puzzles, obstacles, and intriguing characters.
• Atmospheric soundtrack and visuals.

In Stray, you embark on a mesmerizing journey through a post-apocalyptic cyberpunk city, assuming the role of a stray cat navigating its enigmatic streets. As you explore, you gradually unravel the mysteries shrouding the city’s deserted landscapes and the fate of its vanished inhabitants.

With stunning visuals capturing the dystopian ambiance and intricate puzzles, Stray promises an immersive experience that challenges both mind and senses. If there’s one downside to the game, it’s that it’s too short; you can complete it in just about five hours, leaving you yearning for more exploration and discovery.

13 S.T.A.L.K.E.R.

Survive The Zone With A Metascore Of 82

• Open-world game inside the atmospheric world of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone.
• Active modding community offers endless replayability and customization options.

The S.T.A.L.K.E.R series takes you on a thrilling journey through a haunting post-apocalyptic world that was born from the aftermath of the Chernobyl disaster. Inhabited by mutated creatures and anomalies, this world poses constant threats to survival. Even though the first title was released almost two decades ago, the vibrant modding community keeps it alive by offering endless content and enhancements.

What sets Stalker apart is the dynamic and unpredictable nature of the Zone. Non-scripted events and lively NPCs make every encounter feel authentic, while the night brings additional dangers that heighten the sense of dread and suspense. This series is the indisputable king of atmospheric survival-horror experiences, thanks to its unparalleled atmosphere and immersive gameplay.

12 Frostpunk

Brave The Cold With A Metascore Of 84

• Unique city-building survival; manage a city in a frozen, post-apocalyptic world.
• Morally complex decisions, and harsh environmental conditions await.

Frostpunk, one of the best Tycoon games, presents you with a chilling post-apocalyptic world where a catastrophic event has plunged the Earth into an eternal winter. In this frigid landscape, you must lead a society struggling to survive against the elements. As the ruler of the last remaining city on Earth, you’re tasked with making difficult decisions to ensure the survival of your citizens.

The game’s morally complex choices and strategic city-building mechanics create a deeply immersive experience. With its haunting atmosphere, challenging gameplay, and thought-provoking narrative, Frostpunk offers a unique and compelling take on the survival genre, making it a must-play for fans of post-apocalyptic settings and city-building games.

11 The Talos Principle 2

Unravel The Mysteries Of A World Without Humans With A Metascore Of 88

• Intricate puzzles that require creative thinking.
• Rich narrative with philosophical undertones.

The Talos Principle 2 offers a deep and engaging puzzle experience set in a post-apocalyptic world devoid of human life, where ruins and remnants of civilization serve as the backdrop for its enigmatic challenges. Despite some control issues and the occasional challenging puzzle, its intricate narrative and stunning visuals make it a must-play for puzzle enthusiasts and philosophy aficionados alike.

With around 35 hours of main content and additional side quests, the game offers plenty of opportunities to delve into its mysteries. The sequel builds upon the success of its predecessor, introducing new tools and expanding upon the philosophical themes. Its fully open-world design only adds to the sense of post-apocalyptic isolation.

10 Project Zomboid

Survive The Undead With A User Score Of 7.6

• Active modding community.
• Explore procedurally generated environments and choose from various difficulties and scenarios.

In Project Zomboid you have to survive in a world full of zombies while taking advantage of whatever tools and ingredients you can find. It is not a forgiving game, as a single scratch can get infected and cause your death. Finding weapons can also be quite challenging, so you better learn how to craft some spears as quickly as possible.

The attention to detail in terms of survival mechanics, crafting system, and open-world sandbox design makes it a great game. The longer you survive, the more the world around you changes, with roads and buildings decaying, and food becoming more scarce.

9 Days Gone

Ride Through The Zombie-Infested Wilderness With A Metascore Of 71

• Immersive open-world survival with unique gameplay mechanics.
• Intense action and deep customization options.

Days Gone is one of the best action-adventure games out there set in a post-apocalyptic world. You follow the story of Deacon St. John, a former outlaw-turned-bounty hunter, as he struggles to survive in a land overrun by Freakers.

You have a vast open world to explore, with various characters to interact with, as well as some of the best romantic relationships in PlayStation games. What sets Days Gone apart is its unique focus on motorcycle travel and combat, and the dynamic weather system and day-night cycle. Why the low Metascore? You’ll have to play over 60 hours if you want to complete every single quest, and for some, that was too tedious.

8 The Walking Dead

Survive The Apocalypse Or Die Trying With A Metascore Of 82

• Explore the iconic world of The Walking Dead.
• Replay value thanks to multiple endings and freedom of choice.

Set in the post-apocalyptic world of the famous series, The Walking Dead also makes for a great zombie game. You follow the story of a convicted criminal, Lee Everett, as he forms a bond with a young girl named Clementine. In this acclaimed episodic graphic adventure you do your best to help both of them survive.

What sets the game apart is its focus on decision-making and player choice. The game’s narrative is shaped by your decisions and actions, and the consequences of these choices have far-reaching effects on the story. It’s not only the zombies you’ll have to keep an eye on.

7 The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild

Save And Help Rebuild Hyrule With A Metascore Of 97

• Enjoy the vastness of Hyrule in an open-world game full of deep lore and immersive storytelling.
• Stunning visuals, hidden locations and Easter Eggs.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is a different type of post-apocalyptic game. While there are no Zombies or Freakers, the world of Hyrule has been destroyed once already. You take on the role of Link, who awakens from a hundred-year slumber to find a world on the brink of destruction.

While you set off to explore the vast open world, you find out what exactly happened during your slumber, by interacting with other characters, completing quests, or reading books. You also see a world trying to slowly rebuild itself while being held by the threat of the guardians and Ganon himself.

6 Metro Exodus

Traverse Through Radioactive Ruins With A Metascore Of 82

• Immersive first-person shooter with intense combat.
• Survive against horrifying mutants, while utilizing stealth, crafting, and resource management.

Metro Exodus is a first-person shooter game set in a destroyed and post-apocalyptic Moscow. You take on the role of Artyom, a survivor of a nuclear war navigating through the dangerous city. The storyline is rich and engaging, and the characters are well-developed and memorable.

The world is filled with various mutants and terrifying humans that roam the streets of Moscow searching for their next victim. From mutant spiders to straight-up horrifying demons, you will have to fight in order to survive.

5 Gears Of War

Wage War Against The Horde With A Metascore Of 94

• An intense third-person shooter action set in a dystopian world.
• Iconic characters and unforgettable set pieces.

Gears of War is a great third-person shooter game series, set in the fictional world of Sera. On what became known as Emergence Day, a monstrous subterranean race emerged and decimated a quarter of the planet’s population. This sci-fi franchise has lots of great titles, that will have you fighting against these horrible monsters, and trying to save humanity from the blink of extinction.

The games can be enjoyed in multiplayer mode and greatly emphasizes cover-based combat and cooperative gameplay. With stunning graphics and a well-crafted storyline, it is difficult not to fall in love with the series.

4 Horizon

Unravel The Mystery And Save The World With A Metascore Of 89

• Open-world exploration of lush and vibrant post-apocalyptic environments.
• Captivating story filled with twists and mysteries.

The world seen in Horizon is set in the far future of the 31st century and in a post-apocalyptic United States. What caused the extinction of all life on Earth were the rogue war machines, also known as the Faro Plague. Now the world is filled with various dangerous machines you have to fight.

You take on the role of a young woman named Alloy, who is trying to find out more about her identity, while also trying to save humanity from yet another extinction. Against the backdrop of stunning landscapes reclaimed by nature, you face both the physical threats posed by these machines and the existential questions they raise about humanity’s future.

3 The Last Of Us

Survive The Fungal-Infected World With A Metascore Of 95

• Intense, survival-focused gameplay blending stealth, action, and exploration.
• Stunning visuals and emotional storytelling.
• Unique enemies.

In The Last of Us the world was destroyed by a rapidly spreading pandemic, in which a mutated fungus infected people and turned them into zombie-like creatures. The game starts at the beginning of the outbreak but soon makes a time skip to a more post-apocalyptic world.

You take on the role of Joel, a smuggler tasked with escorting a young girl named Ellie across the zombie-infested United States. The two of them are brought together by desperate circumstances and must do their best to survive. It is not, however, only the infected they have to be careful of.

2 Death Stranding

Reconnect America With A Metascore Of 85

• Kojima’s masterpiece, exploring human connection and isolation.
• Stunning visuals and atmospheric soundtrack.

In Death Stranding, the world was destroyed by explosions happening simultaneously across the globe. These explosions caused a connection between the world of the dead and the living, destroying almost all of humanity. The living and the dead now intertwine, and America lies in ruins.

You control Sam Bridges, a courier tasked with helping out scattered shelters, fulfilling their requests, and building roads and recharge stations in order to connect them. You have to be careful on your travels not to encounter any BTs, as they are extremely hostile towards living beings.

1 Fallout

Journey Through Post-Apocalyptic America With A Metascore Of 93

• Endless replayability and freedom of choice allows you to shape your own story.
• Engaging quests and memorable characters.
• Dark humor and satire, with lots of Easter eggs.

The Fallout universe is set in a post-apocalyptic world which was the result of the Great War. After the collapse of social and government structures, nuclear blasts destroyed most of Earth. While the world is not completely destroyed, it is horribly contaminated by radiation.

Earth has become a terrifying place, full of mutated monsters roaming around freely, as well as surviving humans trying to take advantage of each other. In this desolate landscape, remnants of civilization cling to survival in makeshift settlements, underground bankers, and fortified cities.