The Best Post-Apocalyptic Games For PC and Consoles
Toss the term “best post-apocalyptic game” out there and you’re going to get an avalanche of titles thrown at you along with lots of oaths to back them up.
That’s no surprise. Post-apocalyptic games are a rich genre that meld together combat, survival, crafting, exploration, and adventure, and each gamer can be drawn in by a different element.
So how do you choose the best post-apocalyptic game for you?
We’ve got a list of the best post-apocalyptic games on the market with a short rundown of the game’s system, focus, and mechanics so that you can make the best choice when it comes to what you’re looking for in post-apocalyptic video games.
Let’s move on to the list of the 11 best post-apocalyptic video games (in no particular order) before, you know, the world ends.
Mad Max
Platform: PC, PlayStation, Xbox
Style: Super sandy road rage
Though Mad Max doesn’t really need an introduction, it’s worth noting it’s one of the few post-apocalyptic titles where your wheels take center stage. Survival is hard enough in this desert wasteland, but add to it the constant need for precious water and fuel and you’ve got yourself a post-apocalyptic video game worth playing.
The driving mechanics are smooth and pleasant, not to mention the options you have in armor and weapon upgrades because Mad Max is all about that sweet, fantasy vehicular manslaughter.
When you’re not burning rubber for your life, take a look around and admire the sandy environment that can really take your breath away.
Oh, and don’t forget to wear your seatbelt.
The Fallout Series
Platform: PC, PlayStation, Xbox
Style: The bling bling of post-nuclear currency and smartwatches
When they hear the term “post-apocalyptic” games, most gamers will probably think of the Fallout series; this action RPG has been around for ages and made the world look at vaults in a whole new way.
In Fallout, nuclear war and modern technology have changed everything except human nature. Each game has its own storyline and main quest, but all have a free-roaming environment full of enemies and friends (both mutant and not) to hang out with. They also share a relatively complex combat mechanic system based on turns, stats, and modifiers so you can’t just hack and slash your merry way through (though you can certainly try).
Gather bottlecaps on missions (or through stealing) to buy upgrades and items and use your Pip-Boy computer watch contraption thingie to help see how you’re progressing.
This game is a good choice for both combat-loving gamers as well as those who want to have a good, rich story and plenty of interesting interactions with NPCs (some of which actually have a good sense of humor).
The Metro Series
Platform: PC, PlayStation, Xbox
Style: Dark, creepy, and full of things that want to kill you
Based on the Russian novels, the Metro series is an obvious title for fans of good post-apocalyptic games. This story-driven FPS takes place in all kinds of different unforgiving environments in post-nuclear Moscow and Russia outside of just the aforementioned metro tunnels depending on which game you play.
Survival elements merge with a realistic combat system as you try to survive humans and mutants both above and under the ground. Like any good post-apocalyptic video game, Metro is full of crafting, weapon modding, and a really gloomy atmosphere. If you’re a big glutton for punishment, there’s almost never enough ammo and high radiation levels are a constant threat.
A great game for post-apocalyptic monster hunters who love a splash of horror.
Paradise Lost
Platform: PC, PlayStation, Xbox
Style: Post-apocalyptic minimalism in a frigid bunker
Paradise Lost is one of those post-apocalyptic games you wouldn’t initially think of. And that’s a mistake.
Set in an alternate ending to World War II, you play as the 12-year-old Szymon who ventures deep into an abandoned bunker all alone to unravel secrets from his past.
Heavily story and environmentally-driven, this game lets you explore an eerie combination of Slavic pagan mythology and German retro-futuristic military technology as you venture deeper and deeper into the frigid bunker.
There’s no shooting monsters, crafting explosives, or running for your life here, but a whole lot of thinking and emotion as you traverse a hauntingly beautiful answer to a very disturbing question—what if the Germans had actually won World War II?
Perfect for story-based gamers who want to take the time to admire their environment and reflect on the complexities of loss and hope.
The Last of Us
Platform: PlayStation
Style: An apocalypse that will hit you primarily in the feels
Controversy aside, it’s hard not to put The Last of Us and The Last of Us II on the list of the best post-apocalyptic games ever.
The Last of Us puts a twist on the familiar zombie invasion theme of many post-apocalyptic video games by offering a deep, reflective story, compelling characters, innovative gameplay mechanics, and cutscenes that make you think you’re watching an Oscar-winning movie.
Traverse through empty, but stunningly beautiful and realistic urban landscapes to look for supplies or clues on your mission while dodging either infected or healthy humans with their own agenda.
Gameplay can be fast and fierce with customizable weapons and explosives, or slower and calculated to make it through with zero damage. Extra brownie points go to allowing you to play more than one character.
By far one of the best post-apocalyptic games for PS4 for any player.
The Long Dark
Platform: PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch
Style: And you thought a plane crash was the worst that could happen
A geomagnetic disaster gets you stuck in a wilderness of endless winter where waking up to see the next day is far from a given.
This post apocalyptic video game will have you fighting for survival with your brain and scavenged supplies with every step you take. Realistic sound effects and minimalist graphics really add to the feeling of being very cold and alone. This game isn’t fast and furious, but has a much slower pace (walking is your only transportation and your character can’t even jump) and often staying out of a bear’s or wolf’s way is the best option because weapons and ammo are super scarce and wounds can kill you if not treated.
The day/night cycle, changing weather, your capacity to carry weight, your tools, clothing, and health all play a huge role in how you move through the world and how long you survive. Different levels of difficulty and various maps make this a post-apocalyptic survival game for anyone who thinks they can walk a thousand miles in a lone survivor’s shoes.
Ghostrunner
Platform: PC, Playstation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch
Style: Are you fast enough to run with me?
In the fast-paced slasher Ghostrunner, the post-apocalyptic world has remnants of humanity crammed into a cyberpunk tower-city with no hope for any freedom. You play the last of the supersoldiers on a mission to save humanity by taking down the Keymaster, the evil overlord of Dharma Tower.
On top of the stunning visuals and deeply satisfying gameplay mechanics (including some excellent wall running), Ghostrunner stands out with its one-hit, one-kill approach to combat. Spoiler warning: you gonna die. A lot. But having your katana do your talking for you really makes up for it.
This is an absolute post-apocalyptic must have for cyberpunk lovers and speedrunners (psst, there are timed trials you can run!)
Days Gone
Platform: PC, PlayStation
Style: All the zombies
Days Gone is a survival-horror adventure set in a post-apocalyptic world after a global virus takes a bite out of humanity. You play as a bounty hunter going after different targets across the American Northwest. There’s no searching for a miracle cure here; it’s all about survival.
This post-apocalyptic game has a massive open world just waiting to be explored and admired for its beautiful graphics and natural realism. But if that’s too soft and gooey for you, there are also brutal combat encounters with more zombies than you would ever want to count. So there’s something for everyone.
Scavenge, craft, and trade to upgrade your weapons, traps, and skills to stay alive long enough to appreciate the compelling story of Deacon St. John’s struggle to get from day to day.
Death Stranding
Platform: PC, PlayStation
Style: Dedication you wish the postal system had now
Death Stranding is a unique game that lets you experience what happens when Amazon delivery tries to adjust to the apocalypse. Here you play delivery man Sam, whose uncanny likeness to Daryl from The Walking Dead is not entirely just a weird coincidence.
“Death Stranding” is actually the event that has destroyed the world as we know it, and Sam tries to put it all back together one piece at a time like some kind of post-apocalyptic mega jigsaw puzzle. Although focused mostly on navigating terrain and managing resources, there are elements of combat to keep you on your toes.
If you’ve always wondered what it would be like to be a post-apocalyptic courier with a great story to tell, this game will probably be right up your alley.
RAD
Platform: PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch
Style: What if the apocalypse was rad (and very ‘80s)?
RAD seems to assume that after one apocalypse, the world would be in ruins, but a second apocalypse would be so bad that the world would be ruined into the 1980s. Despite that, there is still hope of surviving and rebuilding if they find the chosen one who is nothing other than rad.
Run across a colorful, procedurally-generated world as a teenage hero that leaves a literal string of flora behind him everywhere he goes. Killing off quirky baddies lets you mutate into something stronger like in any good roguelike game. That’s pretty tubular, dude.
This is a good game to pick up if you want to experience a more comical side of a post-apocalyptic video game or if you have some strange nostalgia for the 1980s (which, let’s face it, a lot of us do).
Frostpunk
Platform: PC, PlayStation, Xbox
Style: Who will make our frozen city great again?
No zombies or killer viruses here in this apocalypse survival game; in Frostpunk your greatest adversary is insane cold and frigid metric tons of ice and snow. The world has turned into a freezer after everyone ignored climate change and now you’re in charge of not only keeping your survivors warm (by powering a gigantic generator), but also growing the city.
Gather resources, send out expedition parties, and choose your management policies carefully—every decision you make has its own consequences. Make sure to grab a blanket before you start playing; the beautiful graphics and sound effects will make you think you’re right in the middle of the blizzard.
So that’s our list of the best post-apocalyptic games you should play before the world as we know it starts pushing up the daisies. Have you played any of these games? Is there a post-apocalyptic video game that isn’t on this list and you think everyone should play? Let us know in the comments or on our Discord.