27 Best Post-Apocalyptic Games of All Time: Take Your Survival Skills to the Next Level
The fictional storyline of a game is often more fantastical than a movie or a book. Also, the interactive nature of the virtual entertainment gets you as far from real life as possible in the comfort of your seat. The fantasy treat takes the intensity up a notch if the game revolves around a post-apocalyptic theme. For all fans of the genre, here are some of the best post-apocalyptic games of all time to take your survival skill to the next level.
Metro: Last Light
Of all the post-apocalyptic games ever developed, Metro: Last Light has the most outrageous economic system where the currency is none other than bullets. Set in the ruins of Russia, you’ll bump into monsters and try to save as many rounds of precious projectiles as possible while staying alive.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat
No one says a game must be realistic, but in case realism is something you are after, look no further than S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat. Both horror and survival stories are packed with dynamic AI in addition to mind-blowing graphics.
Wasteland 2
The original Wasteland is largely regarded as the root of Fallout. The second iteration of Wasteland, on the other hand, is a time machine that takes you back to the classic world of the 1990s’ RPG. With an incredibly large map at your disposal, the exploration is mesmerizing.
Fallout: New Vegas
Think of all the things you like about the Fallout 3 game, multiply them ten times, and you get Fallout: New Vegas. Apart from the well-written storyline, the world gets a little brighter, and the script for the NPCs is a bit more organic (as opposed to robotic).
State of Decay
You’ll spend much of the time in State of Decay scavenging for foods and supplies. As mundane as it may sound, such gameplay makes the experience more realistic than you might expect. Additional updates bring new scenarios and modes to the game as well.
Left 4 Dead 2
Following the release of the original Left 4 Dead, nearly all popular co-op games after it use the same gameplay formula. Left 4 Dead 2 improves the experience even more by adding a greater variety of zombies, melee weapons, and versus mode.
Darksiders 2
Death – the main character – embarks on a journey to prove his brother’s innocence in the “premature apocalypse” case. Unlike the original game, Darksiders 2 no longer has Zelda-style design in favor of a combat-driven progression. Death levels-up as he kills enemies.
Telltale’s The Walking Dead
All the moral choices the player needs to make throughout the game will shape the experience as the plot continues. The story is presented from the perspective of a young girl, navigating her way to survival in a world full of monsters – zombies and humans.
Dead Rising 3
Playing a post-apocalyptic game doesn’t always set you in a desperate and gloomy air. Dead Rising 3 is like the end of World War Z (the film) where mere mortals gain the upper hand and are free to kill the undead in the most creative ways possible.
Organ Trail: Director’s Cut
In case Dead Rising 3 gives you too much fun, there is always Organ Trail: Director’s Cut, a game to show you how difficult it is to survive a zombie apocalypse. As the name implies, the game is loosely based on the classic Oregon Trail.
The Last of Us
It’s good that the gameplay of The Last of Us feels like a typical post-apocalyptic book where a protagonist and a prophet-like savior make their journey across a desolate nation to save the world. You are Joel, tasked with protecting Ellie from zombie-like monsters until the very end.
Horizon Zero Dawn
Most post-apocalyptic games feature either dark or barren but unmistakable desperate-looking backgrounds. Horizon Zero Dawn goes the opposite direction and picks surprisingly bright visuals. The post-apocalyptic battle here is against advanced robot animals.
Gears of War 3
Humanity is down to its last few remnants, but luckily you are Marcus Michael Fenix, a legendary war hero and the manliest man of all. He most likely is the only one to stand a chance against the genetically altered human race.
The Long Dark
Compared to a lot of other post-apocalyptic games, The Long Dark is unusually quiet. It is survival game that doesn’t require you to embark on a rampage shootout and kill monsters. What you need to do is survive amidst a resource scarcity in the wilderness.
Days Gone
Many despise Days Gone for its unpolished mission designs, but equally numerous gamers are willing to overlook the rough edges. A rebel Deacon St. John is fighting for survival against the Freakers, the zombie-like byproduct of a pandemic that has killed most of humanity.
Frostpunk
A management simulation game, Frostpunk sets you in a never-ending winter following a global-scale climate disaster. You must take the remnants of humanity to a warm shelter. As if that is not challenging enough, you must also keep them happy.
Death Stranding
With an original post-apocalyptic premise (at least in games) it is difficult not to like Death Stranding. Not only did a cataclysmic event destroy much of the world, but it also created brutal monsters that are now roaming the land. You are Sam Bridges, a courier in a devastated America, responsible for delivering supplies to colonies and restoring wireless communication.
Resistance 3
It’s true that the Resistance series will never be as well-received as Gears of Wars and Halo, but it does bring some unique ideas to the table. Resistance 3 takes you to a post-apocalyptic Earth ravaged by the chimera. Joseph Capelli has no choice but to take matters into his own hands.
Nuclear Throne
One thing that makes Nuclear Throne a gem in the genre is how it puts the player in the shoes of the monsters. You are a mutant with an insatiable appetite for destruction.
RAD
In RAD, you are a teenage clone with the ability to transform yourself into anything imaginable. Your mission is to take down all the mutated waste areas on the planet. There will be lunacy and frustration.
Mad Max
Believe it or not, Mad Max the game is only loosely based on the popular films. It can stand on its own just fine, although some gamers expect it to utilize a little bit more influences from the movie Fury Road, especially in the combat sequences. That said, the vehicle-building and driving-sequences are worth every second you play.
The Last Stand: Aftermath
There is a tiny bit of cult-classic feel to The Last Stand: Aftermath, partly thanks to the top-down gameplay, but mostly for its ridiculous zombies. The mutations get more outrageous the more you play.
Rage
After hours of killing, it is easy to forget that there is a storyline in Rage. In fact, it has many interesting ideas about what to do after the end of the world, but the game never actually excels at anything. It is a Jack-of-all-trades, and that’s rather high praise in the gaming market.
Biomutant
A blend of post-apocalyptic and Kung-Fu fables, Biomutant is without a doubt an eye-catching game. Even if the narration and progression still leave much to be desired, the charm and stunning graphics alone make it commendable.
Enslaved: Odyssey to the West
Set in the not-so-distant future where another war has devastated much of the planet, Enslaved: Odyssey to the West is the story of Monkey and a girl who desperately wants to go home. Throughout the journey, countless robots known as “mechs” are in their way.
Sheltered
You have plenty of possibilities in Sheltered, allowing you to take many different paths as long as they lead to survival. The game even gives the player a chance to build their own stories, too.
ELEX
Most of the Magalan population has been wiped out by a comet. The remaining few survivors form multiple tribes. Albs are the strongest of them all, harnessing the power of ELEX. You have to pick a side, either staying as an Alb, or choosing to be with the Free People.
The post-apocalyptic games available to play now are incredible! Most of the stories are better written than ever before, the graphics stunning, and the action top notch. Do you have a favorite P-A game? Let us know. We’d love to hear from you.
According to Sean Tirman at hiconsumption.com there are 8 survival skills that you should know. These can make the difference between being completely without hope and being a victorious survivor in the end.
Finding and purifying water
Starting and tending to a fire
Building a temporary shelter
Navigating and reading a compass
Hunting and foraging for food
Camp cooking
Dressing a wound
Tying a knot
For much more information that might save your life check out “The 8 Basic Survival Skills Every Man (or woman) Should Know.
What do you need in a survival kit?
According to the American Red Cross (redcross.org) these are the minimum things you would need in a survival type situation.
Water: one gallon per person, per day
Food: non-perishable, easy to prepare
Flashlight
Battery-powered or hand-crank radio
Extra batteries
Deluxe family first aid kit
Medications
Multi-purpose tool
Sanitation and personal hygiene items
Copies of personal documents
Cell phone with chargers
Family and emergency contact information
Extra cash
Emergency blanket
Maps of the area
How would you survive a zombie apocalypse?
According to developmentgateway.org during a zombie apocalypse one should prepare just like you would for any other unknown disaster. The first thing you should do is to keep calm and have a plan. Here is a plan to follow by Dina Abdul-Fattah.
Step 1. Create an emergency kit and know where it is.
Here’s a list of what to have in your kit.
1. A rechargeable flashlight
2. Cash
3. A first aid kit (those zombies can bite!)
4. Water. Food.
5. Important medications
6. A radio
7. Batteries
8. The phone numbers of people who do not live in your city to ask for help
Step 2. Create and emergency plan with your loved ones. Have a meeting place and don’t forget to practice meeting there about once a month.
Step 3. Check your phone. A zombie outbreak would not be the time to decide to be one with nature. Check your phone to get information from your city government.
Step 4. Know your evacuation route.
Step 5. Do not always assume you need to always evacuate.
Zombies are scary as are emergencies, but with the right tools and information you have a good chance of surviving.
