Video games are fascinating for countless reasons, but one of the things that impresses me most istheir ability to take the same setting and give it multiple interpretations.
Not all medieval or science fiction games feel the same; rather, through gameplay, art, story, or worldbuilding,they can be given different meanings, a reality that also occurs with post-apocalyptic worlds.
Exploring human activity after a catastrophic disaster is a narrative premise that has accompanied the stories of our civilization for a very long time, and fortunately for us doomsday fans,the interactive medium has been a space in which to explore it more deeply.
However, contrary to what one might think, not all titles in this genre point in the same direction. Although there are undeniable references such asFallout, I can confirm firsthand that there are many more ways to explore the aftermath of the world’s end.
As a result, in the interest of honoring this magnificent genre and expanding the recognition of its variety, I invite you to read this list ofthe ten best post-apocalyptic games that aren’tFallout.
10Ghostrunner 2
A Cyber Post-Apocalypse
Ghostrunner 2
While I have reasons to thinkGhostrunner 2is inferior to its predecessor, there’s one factor where the sequel is undeniably better:the setting.
When you leave Dharma Tower, the epiphany of seeing a completely desolate city, contrasting with the vibrant neon lights of the interior, is particularly powerful, especially as you explore it and delve deeper into its remains.
You have no side quests, NPCs to rescue, or monoliths to find.Ghostrunner 2presents a full-blown post-apocalypse where there’s only wasteland, ruins, rubble, and enemies wandering around so naturally that it seems they’re not even there to be gameplay fodder for us.
Therefore, between sensations and scenic vistas,it’s a pertinently empty post-apocalypse that makes you realize the stakes you’re dealing with, presenting a haunting reality check after spending so much time on cybernetic levels.
The Future is Violent
I’m fully awareRAGE 2disappointed many fans who hoped the IP would finally wake up and revalue its underrated first installment, but we shouldn’t let it cloud our judgment.
Yes, it failed in many ways, butit became one of the adventures that gave me the most pure fun when I decided to turn off my brainand stop expecting anything beyond mindless entertainment.
Within its generic story, occasional crashes, and bullet-sponge bosses,there’s an engaging post-apocalyptic open-world experience, mainly because the premise of being bothDOOMandMad Maxworks well if you know what you’re getting into.
I have the problem of being overly anticritical when I see a failed but entertaining title, and that’s my case withRAGE 2. It won’t change your life, butfor the enjoyment of shooting,driving,and completing the same side missions repeatedly,it’s highly recommended.
A Vanished Civilization
The main component that draws me to post-apocalyptic journeys is the melancholy of human reminiscences, and no game fulfills that specific component better thanJusant.
Even through architectural vestiges and beautifully written notes,the title manages to make you vividly feel what happened to the civilization whose home you explore, gradually building the events in your mind.
From feeling pain to immeasurable hope, it’s a superb narrative exercise that maximizes the best sensations of this kind of environmental approach, where every pixel tells a story if you look hard enough.
It helps that it’s an experience based on climbing rather than fighting, asthe change in the verb that motivates its mechanics allows for a different approach than the traditional one. You’re not there to survive but to discover, honor, and revitalize those who didn’t prevail.
And yet, it’s an aesthetically gorgeous post-apocalyptic world,devoid ofdull colors,destroyed buildings,or abominations roaming around.Jusantcaptures the genre’s essence without replicating its standards and characteristics, which is why, for me, it stands out immensely.
7Darksiders
Atoning for Divine Sins
Darksiders
Hack-and-slash games are accustomed to presenting solitary journeys in which the protagonist is a killing machine with nothing to worry about, which describesDarksidersvery well.
However, unlike the usual,War’s adventure is marked by the protagonist being the apparent trigger of the apocalypse, imbuing our experience with an aura of a bigger atonement that’s unusual within the genre.
Of course, we see the typical elements like the undead, empty and destroyed cities, and contrasts between urban planning and the atypical presence of nature and fantasy biomes, butthe guilt-ridden narrative makes everything feel different.
You’re not there because of a personal problem, but because of the possibility of making amends on Judgment Day itself.You rarely have the opportunity to change post-apocalyptic conditions back to a previous state, resulting in a rather refreshing storyline.
Furthermore, it’s an incredible game withwonderful combat,engaging puzzles,iconic bosses,and a well-developed story, so I would recommend it even if it weren’t a great post-apocalyptic representation, although luckily it is.
6Death Stranding
A Story of Extinctions
Death Stranding
Not only is the shift in gameplay a wonderful decision that gives the experience a noticeable depth by focusing more on human connection than on war, butthe theme itself reinforces those gameplay sensations.
We’re not there to destroy or conquer, but to reconnect and rebuild,to rediscover the fundamental principles that encourage human action. Instead of being an epic odyssey to glory, it’s a journey from the commons to the commons, the small-time work that builds entire communities.
Sure, you have supernatural entities, shooting and stealth sections, escape sequences, bosses, and all those details we love about video games, butthe best thing aboutDeath Strandingis that it excels in those aspects,and yet they’re not its main purpose.
When it comes to apocalyptic circumstances, this game is unparalleled, and there’s no better alternative if you really want to get away from the common tropes of this kind of production.
5Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
The Beauty of Fractures
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Fextralife Wiki
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33looks and sounds so beautiful that it’s difficult to believe it’s a post-apocalyptic game, but its nature is undeniable.
When you uncover all its details andsecrets, you not only realize it indeed belongs to the genre but also thatit’s one of its most brutal representatives,especially because of how it hides it.
The title presents layers upon layers of plot twists that are present in dialogue and cinematics, including them in gameplay, enemy design, character names,areas, soundtrack, and anything else you’re able to think of to perpetually convey its message.
Every element ofExpedition 33narrates the fallout from a catastrophic event and constantly foreshadows the future of a worse one. It’s a post-apocalypse and a pre-apocalypse in parallel, generating a chaotic and overwhelming dynamic that constantly displays death, hopelessness, frustration, and other inescapable feelings.
You’ll be fooled because it’s colorful, makes you laugh a lot, and devotes quite a few sections to not taking itself seriously, thoughthe harsh truth of its world permeates every step you take, which is perhaps to be expected from such a glorious turn-based RPG.
4Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights
A Melancholic Kingdom
Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights
Speaking ofbeautiful video gamesthat turn out to be more depressing than humanly imaginable,Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knightshits like a truck - a pretty one, but a truck nonetheless.
While metroidvanias aren’t exactly known for presenting optimistic worlds,Land’s End’s decay is made extremely poignant by its melancholic soundtrack and grim storylines, accompanied by a permanent grayness that won’t let you go even in the most beautiful of biomes.
Gameplay-wise, it’sHollow KnightmeetsJoJo’s Bizarre Adventureswith its interconnected map and summon-dependent combat, but thematically, it fusesFallout’swasteland tone andDark Souls’s fragmented narrative to make you feel overwhelmingly lonely.
With almost no happy endings and no sentient being left alive,every second inEnder Liliesdemands resilience and hope, because it gets pretty depressing. Its nostalgic vibe is what makes it unforgettable, but it’s also what makes it a tear-jerker.
3The Last of Us
Unscrupulous Realism
The Last of Us
If I had to pick a video game that mostrealisticallydepicts a post-apocalypse, I’d go withThe Last of Us, primarily because it’s the one that most effectively steers clear of the fantastical.
Instead,it tremendously explores the rebuilding of human civilization in a context of absolute crisis, critically reflecting the persistence of social, political, and warlike conflicts despite the demands of circumstances.
This mature approach is realized through the gameplay, where scarce resources, the possibility of dying in just one hit, and the tension of viscerally graphic confrontationsallow you not only to see the apocalypse but also to actually experience it.
While the rest of the list deals with grandiose, practically divine objectives,The Last of Usremains grounded and presents a down-to-earth story, offering a masterclass in how to turn an interstate trip to a hospital into an odyssey of colossal proportions.
I still like its successor more, but I can’t deny this one is more compact and, considering the time in which it came out,relevant to a genre that only knewFallout’sway.
2Metro 2033
A New Way of Living
Metro 2033
While realism in video games is excellent, and it’s a style I’m passionate about, it’s when they combine it with more blatant fantastic elements likeMetro 2033,that I truly fall in love with them.
The idea that an entire society has been forced to live underground by a nuclear conflict that has spawned mutants on the surface is simply tremendous, and whether throughMetroorS.T.A.L.K.E.R., it’s one of the best approaches in the entire genre.
Despite this,I decided to go with the former franchise to represent both because of how it puts immersion at the heart of the entire experience. Bullets that act as both ammunition and currency, weapons that jam, conflicts you’d rather avoid, an interface integrated into Artyom’s body… It’s perfectly coherent.
ForMetro: Last LightandMetro Exodus, we have far more tools and information at our disposal, whileMetro 2033throws us as inexperienced and ignorant soldiers into a conflict we know nothing aboutbeyond it being extremely deadly.
Every moment you step outside, every encounter with a nosalis, and every foray into the unknown recesses of the subway are unparalleled moments of pure tension, so much so that they surpass even the greatest post-apocalyptic experiences.
1NieR: Automata
Existence After Humanity
NieR: Automata
When I think of post-apocalyptic games, I think of opposing ideas, like emptiness and plenitude, hopelessness and motivation, or ugliness and beauty - that is,the constant contrast between material conditions and the unwavering human will to move forward.
Therefore, I can’t help but top this list withNieR: Automata, the game that best captures the dichotomous experience of living the day after the end of the world, or even more so, the day after the end of humanity.
Certainly, it contributes greatly to the assessment thatit tackles multiple genres outstandingly, that it has one of the best soundtracks in the history of video games, and that it breaks the fourth wall at will, but the main thing has to do with its philosophy.
The channelsNieR: Automatauses to convey its message range from dialogue to cinematics, from boss names to the credits sequence, from its replayability toits inability to be lived twice. Because, once again,it puts dialectics at the disposal of its desire to transcend the apocalypse.
As a hack-and-slash video game,NieR: Automatais a masterpiece. As a human creation,it must be remembered as one of the century’s greatest exponents, because it is a unique experience and a beacon of hope for a more human future, even if reality wants to dictate otherwise.
