18 best post-apocalyptic games of 2021 - 2022

Post-apocalyptic video games are incredibly popular and we're always keeping an eye on this setting to tell their story or provide some fun gameplay. In this list, we're going to showcase eighteen incredible modern video game titles set around a post-apocalyptic theme. As a result, we're sticking with games or re-releases for at least the last-gen console platform era, so nothing prior will be listed below. Likewise, since these games can be quite different in terms of genre and gameplay, don't consider these IPs to be ranked in a particular order.

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#18 The Last Stand: Aftermath

Platform: PC

Release date: November 16, 2021

Genre: Survival

Not so distant future. 95% of the population is dead. Unfortunately, for the most part, the dead is not completely dead, but roams the streets with rotting flesh. The few survivors huddle in walled camps. But isolating itself from the world will not work - you have to extract resources and food. Strange as it may seem, the infected go on these expeditions. The local virus does not immediately turn a person into a zombie: before he finally loses his mind, a few more days will pass, during which, if desired, you can bring a lot of benefits to the settlement.

#17 Scarlet Nexus

Platform: PC, PS4, PS5, XBO, X/S

Release date: June 25, 2021

Genre: Action RPG

Scarlet Nexus is an anime-style game that takes players into an alternate reality. The world was invaded by mutated creatures, leaving mass chaos and panic. Luckily, humanity has come together and formed the OSF, an elite tactical force that fights these monsters rigorously. This elite force is a bit different because its members can use their supernatural power to their advantage. In the case of our main character, we have telekinesis, which allows us to throw objects at a target. Then there is the benefit of creating a group with members with unique skills. So there is some freedom in how you fight the enemy. It may not be your standard post-apocalyptic game, but it could give players a fresh take on the genre.

#16 Chernobylite

Platform: PC, PS4, PS5, XBO, X/S

Release date: July 28, 2021

Genre: Survival

Chernobylite is a survival horror game that isn't necessarily a post-apocalyptic game, but it's still worth checking out. The game places players in a former employee of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. Years after the catastrophic event, our protagonist decides to return to the Zone in the hope of finding out what happened to their missing wife. However, the nuclear zone is full of dangers with the military, stalkers and mutated creatures. Basically, you need to roam the area in search of clues, resources, and crafting new useful equipment. It's also a relatively short game, taking players just over ten hours to complete the campaign. Luckily, there is some replay value due to the multiple endings.

#15 Mad Max

Platform: PC, XBOX ONE, Linux, macOS

Release date: September 1, 2015 

PC, PS4, Xbox One September 1, 2015 

Linux, macOS October 20, 2016

Genre: Action-adventure, vehicular combat 

Mad Max is something of a hidden gem, despite the fact that the game is often recommended by the media. Gamers will explore giant deserts while taking on opponents in vehicle battles, and this is a great game to be honest. Meanwhile, when you're not fighting in vehicles, you'll find the combat to be fairly fast-paced, full of vicious attacks and quick dodges.

#14 State of Decay 2

Platform: PC, Xbox One, XSX | S

Release Date: PC, Xbox One, May 22, 2018 

XSX | S December 2, 2020

Genre: Survival 

State of Decay 2 is the latest installment in the franchise, but the upcoming installment of State of Decay 3 is worth noting. This game immerses players in a zombie apocalypse in which you are trying to survive. To do this, players will need to create a community that requires resources and civilians. As you venture out into the open world to stock up on supplies and meet those in need, players will need to keep a close eye on any hostile enemies that may be lurking nearby. Similarly, this game is a pleasure to play with friends as it offers support for multiplayer cooperative gameplay. With that said, this is an open world game full of areas to explore and collect while fighting the threats of the undead.

#13 The Division 2

Platform: PC, Xbox One, Stadia, PS4 

Release date: March 15, 2019

Genre: Action RPG, Third Person Shooter, Tactical Shooter 

Tom Clancy's The Division is an MMO created by an agency that essentially acted as a last stand for the nation. The first title set players at the start of the apocalypse as disease began to spread across the world, forcing the government to use the Division as a means of maintaining order. While the first game had a lot of fans, it's worth taking a look at Tom Clancy's The Division 2. It shows the times after the pandemic and the new apocalyptic world.

What's left of the Division is sent back to Washington, D.C. to stop a new homeland terrorist organization trying to completely overthrow the government. Like the previous game, this is an MMO game where players can team up and complete various missions, or even go it alone. Likewise, it is still a supported game with new content planned to be released to the market to keep fans logged in regularly.

#12 The Long Dark

Platform: Linux, PC, macOS, Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch

Release Date: PC, Xbox One, PS4, August 1, 2017 

September 17, 2020

Genre: Survival 

The Long Dark is a first-person survival video game in which players take on the role of a pilot who crash-landed in the cold Canadian desert during what is known as a geomagnetic storm. Here, players follow our protagonist, Will Mackenzie, who turns out to be a pilot, and Dr. Astrid Greenwood.

The duo need to transport something very important, albeit not crashed, it's all about survival. Players will need to watch their vitality in the harsh winter tundra, you will need to stay warm, collect firewood, build fires, keep the fire going, even melting snow and purifying water is just one of the regular tasks. you will have to endure. We can't forget to mention the fighting that you will also face, such as hungry wolves.

#11 Fallout 4

Platform: PC, PS4, Xbox One

Release date: November 10, 2015

Genre: action role-playing 

There are a few Fallout video games worth checking out to find great post-apocalyptic games, but if we stick to more modern releases, then we should give them away to Fallout 4. This particular installment throws players into a world right in front of nuclear bombs. dropped. Entering the vault for safety with their newborn baby and spouse, players are forced to enter chambers that put the residents of the vault into a deep sleep until they are ready to resurface. However, the players wake up early to find kidnappers breaking into their spouse's room, killing them and stealing their newborn baby.

After returning to a deep sleep, the players wake up again to find that the kidnappers have escaped with all the deceased in the vault. Players now exit the vault only to find a giant wasteland with nothing left but the remnants of building structures. To find out what happened to your child, players will need to go out into the open and find makeshift cities and NPCs that will hopefully point our protagonist in the right direction. Along the way, players will encounter several other groups that need a helping hand, as well as hostile factions or mutated creatures.

#10 Days Gone

Platform: PC, PS4

Release date: PS4, April 26, 2019 

PC Q2 2021

Genre: Action Adventure, Survival Horror 

Days Gone is made by Bend Studio, which you know from the Siphon Filter franchise that started on the original PlayStation platform. With the development of Days Gone, the studio introduced a post-apocalyptic game in which players take on the role of a deacon, St. John, who has turned into a drifter. As the world is overrun with undead zombies, humanity has turned to small factions and cities.

Instead of going to the city, Deacon and his best friend Boozer continue to travel the world on their motorcycles and help different cities with their problems in exchange for resources or funds to trade. However, after all these years, Deacon St. John can't help feeling that his wife Sarah might still be alive somewhere in this world. As a result, Deacon continued searching for clues to find out what happened to his wife as the apocalypse began to separate them from each other.

#9 Metro Exodus

Platform: PC, PS4, Xbox One, Stadia, Luna, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Linux, macOS

Release Date: PC, PS4, Xbox One, February 15, 2019 

November 19, 2019 Stadia 

October 20, 2020

PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Linux, macOS 2021

Genre: First Person Shooter, Survival Horror 

Metro Exodus is a game where players go through a world already destroyed by a nuclear war. Similar to the Fallout franchise, this nuclear radiation mutated several creatures, making the world incredibly hostile. Here, players take on the role of Artyom after the events of Metro: Last Light. Artyom wants to go east to start a new life, the path to achieving this new life will last a year. Players can expect plenty of places to explore and moments to keep them on their toes. It is currently the latest installment in the Metro franchise, but those who find this game interesting can find Metro 2033 and Metro: Last Light, which were previously released in 2010 and 2013.

#8 Wasteland 2

Platform: PC, OS X, Linux, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch

Release Date: PC, OS X, Linux September 19, 2014

director's cut

PC, OS X, Linux October 13, 2015

PS4, Xbox One, October 13, 2015

Nintendo Switch September 13, 2018

Genre: Role Playing 

Wasteland 2 was released in 2014 and is the sequel to the 1988 video game Wasteland. This is a post-apocalyptic role-playing game that tells about the events of a nuclear war between the United States and the Soviet Union. Long after the destruction of the world due to nuclear war, the game follows a squad of rangers as you travel the world trying to keep your group safe, but also encounter a lot of people along the way who will make difficult decisions. . The first Wasteland game had a lot of options and implications, and that's what the developers brought along with the sequel you can dive into right now, and even its successor, Wasteland 3, though more people seem to like Wasteland 2 a little more.

#7 Frostpunk

Platform: PC, PS4, Xbox One, macOS

Release Date: PC, April 24, 2018

PS4, Xbox One October 11, 2019

MacOS 24 February 2021 city

Genre: City building, survival 

Frostpunk is a little different from the post-apocalyptic video game on this list. While most games focus on zombies or some otherworldly disease that wipes out most of humanity, Frostpunk instead gives us a volcanic winter that has turned the world into a tundra. Here, players are given an RTS game in which your task is to lead a group of civilians to a new territory. Centered around a huge goal generator, a new city can thrive by maintaining power from the generator, allowing the area to not only stay warm, but also provide electricity.

From here we are talking about building up the city with houses, resource deposits and other useful buildings, such as hospitals. However, this is a difficult game, as you need to make sure that enough resources are available to keep everyone happy and the generator running. This means making some difficult decisions, such as sending a group out to find resources in the wild. If you can't make the city's inhabitants happy and resourceful, you may be able to start a mutiny that will allow you to successfully run the city.

#6 Rage 2

Platform: PC, PS4, Xbox One, Stadia

Release Date: May 14, 2019

Genre: first person shooter 

Fans of the early Rage video games can find Rage 2 available to play on modern platforms. In the game, players enter a post-apocalyptic world that killed most of humanity due to an asteroid that hit the Earth. Meanwhile, players will master the role of a tracker, where you are constantly fighting all sorts of impurities and enemies that bring nothing but destruction to the world. Luckily, you'll have a wide variety of weapons, vehicles, and even some useful power abilities that will make your battle for humanity's survival, along with order, a little easier.

#5 Far Cry New Dawn

Platform: PC, PS4, Xbox One, Stadia 

Release date: February 15, 2019 

Genre: Action Adventure, First Person Shooter  

Far Cry New Dawn is a standalone sequel to Far Cry 5. Set in the aftermath of a nuclear holocaust, players once again wander into Hope County, which has gone through a super boom. Now that the land has shifted and changed due to the destruction and natural takeover of the forest, players are forced to fight a new enemy that has appeared. As bandits take control of Hope County, players will once again have to fight to protect civilians from another tyrannical regime. With that said, if you're familiar with Far Cry 5, you can expect the same style of game mechanics with a mostly FPS-based title, but again, sushi has shifted a bit and offers players a new take on the game's map. .

#4 The Walking Dead Definitive Edition

Platform: Android, iOS, PS4, PS3, Xbox 360, PC, Linux, Macintosh operating systems, OS X, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Ouya, Kindle Fire HDX

Release date : 

Episode 1

PC, Mac OS X April 24, 2012 / PS3 April 24, 2012 / Xbox 360 April 27, 2012 / iOS July 26, 2012 / Kindle Fire HDX December 19, 2013
episode 2 

Xbox 360 June 27, 2012 / PC, OS X June 29, 2012 / PS3 June 29, 2012 / iOS August 29, 2012 / K indle fire HDX 19th of December 2013 

Episode 3 

PS3 August 28, 2012 / PC, Mac OS X, Xbox 360 August 29, 2012 / iOS October 28, 2012 / Kindle Fire HDX 19th of December 2013 

Episode 4 

PS3 October 9, 2012 / PC, Mac OS X, Xbox 360 October 10, 2012 / iOS November 8, 2012 / Kindle Fire HDX 19th of December 2013 

Episode 5 

PS3 November 20, 2012 / PC, Mac OS X, Xbox 360 November 21, 2012 / iOS November 20, 2012 / Kindle Fire HDX 19th of December 2013 

retail version 

Mac OS X ,  PC ,  PS3 ,  Xbox 360 December 11, 2012 / PS Vita August 22, 2013 / PS4, Xbox One October 14, 2014 / Switch August 28, 2018 / Ouya TBA 

Genre: Graphic Adventure, Interactive Drama 

Telltale Games The Walking Dead came out long before last generation console platforms, but with that said, there's a recently released Definitive Edition. Telltale Games is a major player in the adventure game genre, and while the studio didn't last long before it was initially shut down, it has managed to bring a pretty incredible series of video games to market. The Walking Dead is arguably their biggest video game series to date, which probably helped as The Walking Dead has already become a worldwide hit across comics and TV series.

However, this part of the video game notably follows a new group of characters caught up in a pandemic. Players take on the role of Lee, a man who runs into a little girl named Clementine, who is left alone during the zombie apocalypse. Taking on a little girl, the duo begin a hunt to find a safe city, though the world is far from a safe place with hostile creatures and a humanity that only cares about itself. This Definitive Edition offers some visual enhancements and also packs the entire series for The Walking Dead together so you can see Clementine throughout the journey from start to finish, as well as some side stories included in the mix.

#3 The Last of Us Remastered

Platform: PS3, PS4 

Release date : 

PS3 June 14, 2013 

PS4 July 29, 2014 

Genre: Action Adventure, Survival Horror 

The Last of Us was a huge hit on PlayStation 3, and shortly after the release of PlayStation 4, we received a remastered edition for this game. In this game, players deal with a virus that turns people into a creature infected with a fungus, a bit like a zombie. Most of the world was taken over, and with no real government control, small makeshift cities and factions were built to keep their groups alive and well.

Players in this game take on the role of Joel, a middle-aged man who is tasked with transporting a young girl named Ellie across the country to an anti-government faction known as the Fireflies. What is their purpose with Ellie and why the need for her transportation is not initially revealed, but Joel reluctantly agrees. Players travel through an overgrown world full of hostile creatures and gangs of thugs. Not to mention the fact that this is a rather violent and emotional plot of the game.

#2 The Last of Us Part 2

Platform: PS4

Release date: June 19, 2020

Genre: action adventure 

We can't mention The Last of Us Remastered without adding The Last of Us Part 2. I'll try not to spoil anything in terms of storytelling, especially if you haven't played the original. Anyway, this game takes place several years after the release of the first title, in which we find ourselves in the role of an adult Ellie, whose world is being destroyed by an opposing faction. Now seeking revenge, Ellie embarks on a journey against the odds. This is a game that is an extension of the first part. Players will have more varied enemies, larger areas to explore, and even more brutal gameplay. Likewise, since Ellie is slightly more agile than Joel, players will find it slightly easier to quickly dodge attacks and run away from danger.

#1 Horizon Zero Dawn

Platform: PC, PS4

Release date: PS4, February 28, 2017 

PC August 7, 2020

Genre: action role-playing 

Horizon Zero Dawn is another great example of a modern post-apocalyptic video game. Released in 2017 by Guerrilla Games, the same development team that worked on Sony's Killzone franchise has decided to release a new action-adventure RPG. Players step far into the future, where humanity has long since fallen. With only shells left of once prosperous cities, players will find that what is left of humanity has returned to the local tribes.

Before, little information was known about the world, but we know that humans no longer pose the greatest threat in the world. Instead, we have huge mechanical beasts that roam the open world. In this game, players take on the role of Aloy, a young hunter who was made an outcast as a newborn baby. Raised by another outcast, Aloy grows up to start a journey to find out where she came from and why she was thrown away as a newborn. Along the way, Aloy will be able to explore the open world, fight these mechanical monsters, help those in need, and fight other hostile factions that can prove to be a problem.