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.
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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 their landscape, telling a gripping story, or offering unique gameplay mechanics to fit the morbid reality.
Updated September 25th, 2025, by Jack Pursey: This list of the best post-apocalyptic games of all time has been updated to improve the layout and image quality.
Resistance: Fall of Man
OpenCritic Rating: N/A
Resistance: Fall of Man
- Released
- November 17, 2006
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Insomniac Games
- Publisher(s)
- Sony Computer Entertainment
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 3
- Genre(s)
- FPS
Following the enormous success of the PlayStation 2, the PlayStation 3 became one of the most highly anticipated console releases of all time when it was announced. Unfortunately, the months leading up to its release were anything but smooth, with numerous delays and an excessive starting price handing the initiative to Microsoft's Xbox 360.
Consequently, the console needed to hit the ground running upon release, which it managed to do thanks to its smash-hit launch title Resistance: Fall of Man. Fall of Man gave gamers a glimpse of what the seventh generation of consoles had to offer, thanks to its significant graphical and technical improvements from first-person shooters on the PlayStation 2.
STALKER: Shadow of Chernobyl
OpenCritic Rating: N/A
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl
- Released
- March 20, 2007
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- GSC Game World
- Publisher(s)
- THQ
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
- Genre(s)
- FPS, Survival Horror
STALKER: Shadow of Chernobyl was released in 2007 and likely became a significant source of influence for subsequent post-apocalyptic titles like Bethesda's Fallout 3. It also became a fan favorite for those who enjoy post-apocalyptic video games, thanks largely to the care and attention that went into its creation.
The gameplay mechanics in STALKER: Shadow of Chernobyl may not be up to scratch with 2009's STALKER Call of Pripyat. However, the atmospheric setting and encapsulating story of Shadow of Chernobyl make it the better option for those looking to find the best post-apocalyptic games.
Left 4 Dead 2
OpenCritic Rating: N/A
Left 4 Dead 2
- Released
- November 17, 2009
WHERE TO PLAY
Left 4 Dead 2 is an action-heavy shooter that makes no apologies for the way that it focuses on fun gameplay over realism and storytelling. Fans of the game certainly wouldn't have it any other way, as Valve's modern classic is one of the most enjoyable shooters to play either alone or with friends.
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Fallout: New Vegas
OpenCritic Rating: N/A
Fallout: New Vegas
- Released
- October 19, 2010
WHERE TO PLAY
Fallout: New Vegas hit stores in 2010 to a fair amount of skepticism, due to many players seeing the lack of visual improvement from Fallout 3 and subsequently believing the game to be a glorified DLC. This viewpoint seems ridiculous today, as Obsidian Entertainment's Fallout: New Vegas has not only become one of the most beloved post-apocalyptic games of all time but also one of the best RPGs ever.
As well as expanding upon the gameplay mechanics of Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas improved upon its predecessor with the increased freedom of choice available to players, something that many open-world RPGs are still struggling to top today. This includes the Fallout series, with neither Fallout 4 nor Fallout 76 able to match Fallout: New Vegas when it comes to quality.
I Am Alive
OpenCritic Rating: N/A
I Am Alive
- Released
- March 7, 2012
WHERE TO PLAY
Ubisoft's I Am Alive may 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 like Rambo in comparison.
Rust
OpenCritic Rating: 67
Rust
- Released
- February 8, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Facepunch Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Facepunch Studios
- Genre(s)
- Survival
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 that terrifying video game zombies or some other form of mutated creature. Rust does 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 of online 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.
Mad Max
OpenCritic Rating: 69
Mad Max
- Released
- September 1, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Avalanche Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Warner Bros. Games
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure, Open-World
Mad Max was released in 2015 but isn't a tie-in to the hit movie Mad 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 Max impressed 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.
Days Gone
OpenCritic Rating: 72
Days Gone
- Released
- April 26, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Bend Studio
- Publisher(s)
- Sony
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Action, Adventure
Despite hundreds of thousands of people signing a petition calling for Sony to release a sequel, the chances of a new Days Gone game 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 are surrounded 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.
State of Decay
OpenCritic Rating: 74
State of Decay
- Released
- June 5, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
Like Days Gone, Undead Labs' State of Decay series struggled to impress critics, though it 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, the State of Decay games are more about having fun picking apart zombies than they are about evoking feelings of fear. In that respect, they're a lot like the Dead Rising games, only they boast a much larger sandbox in which to play around and place a lot more emphasis on crafting and resource management.
The Division
OpenCritic Rating: 79
Tom Clancy’s The Division
- Released
- March 8, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Massive Entertainment
- Publisher(s)
- Ubisoft
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter, Open-World
After a genetically engineered super-virus known as Green Poison brings 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 Division is 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 York really 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.