Post-apocalyptic settings are one of the few things that excel in all forms of media, whether that be books, movies, or video games. The idea of a post-apocalyptic landscape seems to bring out numerous emotions in people, whether it be fear, intrigue, or even adrenaline-pumping excitement depending on the theme. In theory, video games can offer a superior post-apocalyptic experience to books and films, as they can uniquely put their audience in the shoes of the main character as they journey through the deprived world before them.
Unfortunately, many development teams fail to realize the potential of how immersive a post-apocalyptic game can be and instead use the genre as a gimmick to improve otherwise bland and generic games. The games on this list, however, offer fantastic post-apocalyptic worlds that excel in either letting the player explore its landscape, telling a gripping story, or offeringunique gameplay mechanicsto fit the morbid reality.
Updated Jun 23, 2025, by Tom Bowen:The best post-apocalyptic games are able to paint incredibly grim pictures while simultaneously evoking feelings of desperation and despair within their players. Naturally, this style of immersive storytelling best suits horror games, but that’s not to say that other genres can’t also offer up an excellent end-of-the-world experience when given the chance. The best post-apocalyptic games of all time span a multitude of genres and are well worth experiencing at least once before the world comes to an end.
22Stray
OpenCritic Rating: 83
Many of the best post-apocalyptic games make a point of letting the player know exactly what caused the world to fall into a state of ruin. In a lot of cases, this ends up being pretty obvious, with zombies (or something similar with a slightly different name) being the main culprits.Straytakes a somewhat different approach though, instead thrusting players intoa futuristic version of Hong Kongwith very little explanation.
Exploring this neon-infused world as a cat provides players with a brand-new perspective, which in turn helps to distract from some of the bigger issues at hand. Questions like “What happened to all of the humans?” and “What’s the deal with the Zurks?” will soon fall by the wayside, with players quickly getting lost in a world that’s full of character andadorable feline interactionsthat are just waiting to be uncovered.
21Rust
OpenCritic Rating: 67
In most other post-apocalyptic games, it is the life forms that have come to inhabit the world that players find themselves in that serve as the main source of danger, be thatterrifying video game zombiesor some other form of mutated creature.Rustdoes feature irradiated animals, such as bears and wolves, but it ends up being other humans that players really need to worry about rather than these monstrous mammals.
The shoot-on-sight nature ofonline survival games can be frustrating at first, but it’s arguably a lot more realistic than a post-apocalyptic game in which all NPCs are friendly. Resources are limited, after all, with food and healing supplies being in particularly short supply. With that in mind, it’s only natural that players would be willing to kill for these rare items when push comes to shove.
20Stellar Blade
OpenCritic Rating: 82
Much like Guerilla Games’Horizonseries,Stellar Bladeserves as proof thata post-apocalyptic world can still be beautiful. Granted, the 2024 title takes a much more reserved approach when it comes to the idea of a world being reclaimed by nature, but there’s still an inherent beauty in some of its dusty and desolate locales.
Unlike a lot of other great games with post-apocalyptic settings,Stellar Bladehas no real survival elements to speak of, though that’s not to say that players should expect a walk in the park. Combat can be brutal, albeit equally rewarding, making this a great option for those looking for a fun and stylish challenge.
19Days Gone
OpenCritic Rating: 72
Despite hundreds of thousands of people signinga petition calling for Sony to release a sequel, the chances of a newDays Gonegame seem pretty slim right now. That’s unfortunate, as, despite its somewhat disappointing Metascore, many consider it to be one of the best open-world survival games of the modern era thanks largely to its immersive storytelling and well-written characters.
Players assume the role of Deacon St. John, a former bounty hunter struggling to survive in a post-apocalyptic world filled with zombie-like creatures called Freaks. Though players aresurrounded by death and danger on all sides, the world that they get to explore feels as though it’s truly alive, which can encourage players to take risks when they probably shouldn’t. The experience on offer is therefore a tense one, but also a lot of fun.
18State of Decay
OpenCritic Rating: 74
LikeDays Gone, Undead Labs’State of Decayseries struggled to impress critics, though has garnered something of a cult following within the Xbox ecosystem. Both the original and its sequel take place in a post-apocalyptic world that’s infested with zombies and take players on a somewhat singular journey that very few other games can match.
With an infinite supply of zombies and a wide array of weapons with which to dispatch them, theState of Decaygames are more about having fun picking apart zombies than they are about evoking feelings of fear. In that respect, they’re a lot like theDead Risinggames, only they boast a much larger sandbox in which to play around and place a lot more emphasis on crafting and resource management.
17The Division
OpenCritic Rating: 79
Aftera genetically engineered super-virus known as Green Poisonbrings humanity to its knees, civilization collapses and chaos and anarchy soon fill the void. Players are left to explore what remains of New York City, which now boasts an ever-expanding dark zone in which all decency and decorum are consumed by evil inclinations and despicable desires.
In many ways,The Divisionis exactly what one might expect from a Tom Clancy game, particularly when it comes to combat and mechanics. However,the game’s wonderfully well-realized post-apocalyptic depiction of New Yorkreally helps to set it apart from many of its peers and is well worth a visit for those curious about what the end of the world might look like.
OpenCritic Rating: 69
Mad Maxwas released in 2015 but isn’t a tie-in to the hit movieMad Max: Fury Road,which was released in theatres just four months earlier. Although the film was well-received by fans and critics, many players were happy that the game wasn’t a direct tie-in, as movie tie-in games have a poor reputation today following numerous releases in the 2000s that felt like cash grabs.
Mad Maximpressed fans and critics with its explosive action and well-designed open world that is a joy to explore. For this reason, many regard it as one of the most underrated video games of the past decade, with very few people having checked it out despite its obvious quality.
15I Am Alive
OpenCritic Rating: N/A
Ubisoft’sI Am Alivemay not be able to hold a candle to the other games on this list in terms of its objective quality, but it deserves a spot nonetheless for implementing some of the most ambitious and forward-thinking ideas that the post-apocalyptic genre has ever seen.
Such ideas include the devastating impact that climbing, jumping, and other strenuous movements can have on the player’s well-being; as well as the lack of ammunition that forces players to utilize bold strategies like aiming an empty gun at enemies, in hopes that they believe it’s loaded. The realistic take on combat was a breath of fresh air for the genre, and one that makes many other self-proclaimed realistic post-apocalyptic adventures look likeRamboin comparison.
14Death Stranding
WhenDeath Strandingwas announced, it instantly became one ofthe gaming industry’s most highly anticipated titles. The baffling trailers intrigued players who had no idea what type of gameDeath Strandingwas going to be, a theme that continued when Hideo Kojima confusingly described it as the first “strand game.”
Most gameplay predictions from fans proved to be completely wrong, as there weren’t many who predicted thatDeath Strandingwould predominantly consist of extreme post-apocalyptic Amazon delivery. The unique gameplay divided players, butthe story was universally praised, makingDeath Strandingworth considering even if the gameplay sounds off-putting.
13Wasteland 3
OpenCritic Rating: 86
Wasteland 3was initially released in August 2020 and had the tough task of improving upon its critically acclaimed predecessor,Wasteland 2.The game features a similar style of turn-based tactics combat as theXCOMseries but differentiates itself with its heavier focus on role-playing mechanics.
InXile Entertainment’s game was well-received by fans and critics, exemplified by its 85 Metascore on PC and Best Role-Playing nomination at The Game Awards 2020, an award that eventually went to the remake of Final Fantasy 7. Still, those looking for a great post-apocalyptic video game could certainly do an awful lot worse.
