Tack's Top 8 Upcoming Post-Apocalyptic Games

An apocalypse might not be great for the denizens of Earth, but it’s an awesome backdrop to create interesting and unforgiving worlds for players. From nuclear-tinged wastelands to abandoned cities, the post-apocalyptic setting offers storytellers a chance to start fresh – and embrace the harsh realities of society breaking down when survival is the only thing that matters. Today we take a look at some upcoming titles that happen in a forsaken future, and our obsession with inevitable doom (Number 5 will blow your mind). Note that these provisional rankings do not reflect Game Informer's collective editorial staff, and are only my personal picks.

8. The Division

Ubisoft’s open-world shooter tasks players with restoring order after a pandemic spreads. As a member of a special unit of agents tasked with getting things back to normal in the case of a complete collapse, it’s up to you to do whatever it takes to get New York City back to some semblance of our privileged reality. In traditional fashion, the actual cause behind the apocalypse takes a second-seat to the depths of depravity that man can sink to when the chips are down, and you have to battle plenty of other less-than-noble survivors for a shot at collecting important loot and securing essential objectives. As showcased in a recent video, even your friends can quickly turn to enemies when something valuable is on the line.

7. Wasteland 2

“But wait,” you say, “Wasteland 2 is already out!” So it is…on PC. But the grim, radioactive trek through blasted-out Arizona and Los Angeles is coming to both Xbox One and PS4. The journey is bleak, even for a post-apocalyptic adventure, but there are humorous elements in both dialogue and characters that keep you smiling – even as your actions condemn innocents to death by mutants. I mean, where else can you recruit everyone’s favorite shotgun-toting legendary hobo Scotchmo into your group? Check out our review of the PC version here.

6. Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture

In stark contrast to many other titles on this list, Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture takes a more serene approach to examining the world-after-the-world. The spiritual successor to the tranquil Dear Esther, the focus here is more exploration and narrative. In an open-world environment, players piece together the stories, relationships, and mysteries of those who came before them. The next game up may contain the worst apocalypse of all time...

5. Yoshi’s Woolly World

The year is 2088. The world has plunged into madness – a world where only the dead can know peace. After a devastating nuclear holocaust, coils of yarn and wool have become aberrant hosts to a plague of bloodthirsty neodinosaurs known as the Yoshi.

At night, you can hear terrifying, guttural noises as these abominations bay back and forth to each other in search of human prey. Horrifying yarn creations roam the empty streets, engulfing the few remaining survivors in a frightening display of cute carnage. Nintendo’s official narrative on this game may not sync up with the gruesome reality, but this is totally what’s really going on.

4. H1Z1

Zombies! Zombies everywhere! While zombie apocalypses have become rather commonplace in games today, H1Z1’s take is far too entertaining to take seriously. Whether you’re just roaming the streets solo living off berries, picking off hapless survivors with your trusty bow, or saddling up with a road gang and harassing stragglers with your shotguns for cans of dog food, you’re probably having a blast in the wake of the lethal virus. You can watch us have a few adventures in H1Z1 in this episode of Test Chamber (where I totally land some amazing headshots, thank you very much) and this episode of Chronicles.

3. Mad Max

It’s almost impossible to even discuss post-apocalyptic environments without Mad Max coming into the mix. From the original beloved trio of films to Fury Road, the stories in Max’s world – where lives are always in the balance for a tank of juice – are powerful and always action-packed. While we can’t all experience battling Master Blaster in the Thunderdome, we may get a chance to do the next best thing with the upcoming Mad Max game, speeding through a vast open world, upgrading our vehicle, and taking on crazy wasteland warriors. You can learn more about Max and his upcoming adventure in our cover story hub.

2. Fallout 4

Bethesda’s Fallout 4 was announced at E3 this year, and thankfully we won’t have to wait long – it’s coming in November to Xbox One, PS4, and PC. Players roam the shell of a post-apocalyptic world focusing on Boston and New England. While some of what we’ve seen so far seems rooted in gameplay aspects the series has come to be known for,  serious new features are on the horizon, like building, weapon crafting, and deconstructing structures – allowing players to create everything from basic functional bases to full-fledged settlements with power supplies, merchants and NPCs, caravans, and potent defensive capabilities. Get ready for the bomb, this one looks like it’s going to be SPECIAL. Andrew Reiner saw a bunch of new Fallout 4 goodies at QuakeCon – check them out here.

1. Horizon Zero Dawn

Guerilla Games’ upcoming PS4 exclusive takes us to a post-apocalyptic realm populated by robot dinosaurs. Players assume the role of the hunter Aloy after the collapse of human civilization. What we’ve seen so far hasn’t been much, but it’s been breathtaking in visuals and scope – a sort of futuristic Monster Hunter-style battle with a mechanized menace that looked top-notch. Players work with RPG elements as they collect items, craft, and explore.

You embrace both ranged and melee combat options, as well as less traditional methods like traps, tripwires, and other tools to help bring the mechanized monstrosities down to your level. The prospect of open-world RPG romping through a land populated by boss-bots is tantalizing, and we’re eager to see more.