5 Best Post-Apocalyptic Video Games Of All Time, Ranked

There is no shortage of possible video game settings. From 13th-century medieval Europe to the distant future in an entirely different galaxy, developers have imagined hundreds of places where their games can take place. However, to this day, one of the most common and popular settings for a video game is in some kind of post-disaster world. It’s been done time and time again with unique twists, and there have been some truly incredible post-apocalyptic games to hit the market.

If you’re looking to break into this sub-genre of video games or just want to expand your library of games built around this setting, you have an abundance of options at your disposal. Some of these games offer a world rich with lore and surprises around every corner, while others give us a real glimpse of what could happen to humanity if certain conflicts come to pass. For a more in-depth look at this iconic video game setting, here’s a ranked list of the five best post-apocalyptic games of all time.

5. Horizon Zero Dawn

More often than not with post-apocalyptic games, developers use a somewhat modern setting that has been affected by a series of devastating events. Games such as “Dying Light” and “Days Gone,” which are also great games to play if you like “Horizon Zero Dawn,” are prime examples of this type of setting. However, developer Guerrilla Games went a totally different direction with “Horizon Zero Dawn,” which takes place a thousand years into the future. While you might think this makes the setting more futuristic and technologically advanced, that’s not totally the case.

“Horizon Zero Dawn” offers a world that has been overrun by dangerous machines, which act as the game’s main antagonists, but the civilizations that have sprung up have reverted to prehistoric-era living. You play as Aloy, an outcast with an intriguing past who is tasked with uncovering a centuries-old mystery. “Horizon Zero Dawn” is made up of a massive open world teeming with life, hundreds of pieces of lore to uncover, and some impressively in-depth combat tied to RPG elements.

4. Mad Max

While franchises like “Fallout” tend to take up a majority of the spotlight in the post-apocalyptic genre, there’s one commonly forgotten series that offers an extremely intriguing universe: “Mad Max.” Many people might recognize the iconic movies from the “Mad Max” universe, but there’s also a highly underrated video game of the same name from 2015 that deserves some more love. The game takes place in the same world as the movies, where Earth has dried up after an apocalypse and forced its inhabitants to rely on cobbled-together vehicles for survival.

In the “Mad Max” game, you play as Max himself, who starts his story after losing his prized vehicle, the Interceptor. You spend a solid chunk of the game hunting down the villain behind the theft and rebuilding your new vehicle, the Magnum Opus. “Mad Max” is completely open-world, and you’ll spend a ton of time riding in vehicles, so it’s the perfect game to play if you’re a GTA fan. However, it’s also just a terrific game, featuring “Batman Arkham”-style combat, in-depth RPG mechanics, and gripping story segments.

3. Metro Exodus

There are some truly great video game franchises centered around post-apocalyptic worlds, and the “Metro” series is right near the top of that list. However, perhaps the best “Metro” game of them all is “Metro Exodus.” Set in the ruined city of Moscow, Russia, 20 years after a nuclear explosion destroyed the city, you play as a survivor named Artyom who is simply searching for other people still alive so you can all try to escape the Metro.

“Metro Exodus” is a gritty first-person shooter with some horror and survival elements sprinkled throughout its story. It takes place across a wide range of environments, where you’ll have to contend with mutated creatures, both human and animal, and explore non-linear areas of the large map. You’ll also learn more about the entire Metro series timeline and what’s happening around you, including the fact that World War III, which is what set off the initial bomb, still might not have ended.

2. The Last of Us

Few post-apocalyptic franchises are as recognizable in the modern age as “The Last of Us.” While the new TV show on HBO Max has certainly aided the popularity of “The Last of Us,” it was already iconic as a video game series far before that show hit the air. Specifically, the original game in the series is still often argued to be a top 10 video game of all time, and you won’t find any arguments against that ranking here.

“The Last of Us” actually takes place before and during a zombie apocalypse that breaks out in the modern day. You mainly play as a father named Joel throughout the game, but after certain events occur, you’ll pick up a stray child named Ellie in your travels navigating the post-apocalyptic world. Together, Joel and Ellie must contend with zombies at every turn and overcome internal battles that they both have to face. It’s one of the most heart-wrenching yet beautifully written games ever, and “The Last of Us” is more than deserving of a playthrough if you have yet to experience it.

1. Fallout: New Vegas

Does it really come as any surprise that a “Fallout” game tops our list? Easily the most iconic post-apocalyptic video game franchise to date, the world of “Fallout” takes a look at humanity long after after a series of nuclear bombs are detonated around the world in the retro-futuristic year 2077. “Fallout: New Vegas” is widely considered to be one of the best RPGs of all time, so for that reason, it easily takes the number one spot on the list as the franchise rep.

Set in the ruined landscape of modern-day Las Vegas, Nevada, “Fallout: New Vegas” follows the adventures of a character simply called the Courier. After your character is shot and left for dead by an unknown NPC who wanted the package you were delivering, you start from nothing to uncover the plot behind your attempted murder. You’ll travel through the entire Mojave Desert, visit the New Vegas Strip, and make choices that can drastically affect the ending you get before the credits roll. “New Vegas” is arguably the quintessential “Fallout” game and features plenty of RPG elements to keep you engaged for dozens of hours.