The Best Games Like ‘The Last of Us’ for Cinematic and Brooding Moments, and Also Zombies
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Whether you’re just getting stuck into the games or your interest has been piqued by the new HBO show, you might be searching for the best games like The Last of Us. Of course, if you’ve not checked out the sequel, then that’s a great place to start, but we’ve gone ahead and made a list of other games that we think fit the bill too.
When comparing games to other games, it’s unusual to find exact matches, which is why we’ve made sure this list is full of games that capture something important about The Last of Us, and do it just as well, and sometimes even better. So, whether you’re looking for a heart-breaking story, heart-pounding action, or just enjoy killing zombies, or whatever they’re called in each game, we’ve got you covered.
Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End
Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End is the finale of the tale of Nathan Drake, a legendary treasure hunter, and sees the end of his journey. It’s a game filled to the brim with all of the cinematic hallmarks that Naughty Dog, the developers behind The Last of Us, are known for, but in a slightly less drab setting. As it comes from the same developer, it feels familiar despite a different setting, so it’s a good one to start with.
Tomb Raider
The new Tomb Raider games are all pretty fantastic, and they hit a lot of similar notes to the Uncharted series, which is similar to The Last of Us by proxy. You take control of a younger version of the infamous Lara Croft, and you get to learn how she ended up in the business of raiding tombs. It’s a little darker tone than the original games, but it’s no less fun to play once you get the hang of things.
State of Decay 2
State of Decay 2 is set in the midst of a zombie apocalypse, and you have to guide survivors through a lot of tasks like gathering resources and fighting off incursions to survive. You need to not only make sure that everyone can find all of the food and ammo they’ll need but also decide how to treat any other humans you come across. What’s really cool is that you can play this with friends, which completely changes how the game feels.
The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners
If you’re someone who already owns a virtual reality headset, then there’s a chance that you’ll already know about this one because The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners just so happens to be one of the best VR games going. You’ll need to do standard things like find food and weapons, but doing it all in VR just feels a bit weightier, especially when you have to fight off a zombie with a screwdriver and really put your weight into each attack to come away alive.
Red Dead Redemption 2
If the thing that drew you to The Last of Us was the story-telling, then you’d best check out Red Dead Redemption 2. Few games in the medium tell a story quite as in-depth and winding as this one, and you’ll end up feeling for nearly every character you meet. You take control of Arthur Morgan, a gang member who’s running across America with his friends trying to carve out a living. Just don’t expect everything to go well all the time, and you’ll be fine.
A Plague Tale: Innocence
If you want dark and gritty then good news, because A Plague Tale: Innocence will have you picking bits out of your teeth. This game tells the tale of Amicia and her little brother as they try and survive in a truly horrifying time against not just a practically liquid horde of rats, but also the worst that humanity has to offer. It’s a horrifying and brutal tale, but one that’s well-worth experiencing just because it’s so well-written.
God of War: Ragnarok
You could absolutely play the first new God of War game too, but Ragnarok is all shiny at the moment, so it’s hard not to recommend it. While God of War could rightly have been described as somewhat juvenile in its first iteration, the reboot gave the ever-angry Kratos a lot more humanity and, more importantly, a son. This change gives the games a lot more heart and a far more compelling reason to see the journey through. It helps that the combat is really good though, and the cinematic feel here is hard to beat.
Horizon Forbidden West
Horizon Forbidden West is yet another PlayStation exclusive on this list because the company is very good at producing games that have a similar vibe to The Last of Us. This game sees you back in control of Aloy, a woman who’s trying to not only survive in a post-apocalypse filled with robot dinosaurs, but also uncover the mysteries of that world. It’s a blast to play, the combat is fun and fresh, and the mysteries should keep you hooked until you’ve seen everything there is to see. Also, robot dinosaurs are there.
Dying Light 2: Stay Human
Dying Light 2: Stay Human retains all of the glorious parkour and zombie-kicking action of the first game but then puts it all in a bigger world. The story is dark, sometimes needlessly so, and the world is bleak. If you’re all about big bleak worlds and sad stories, then Dying Light 2: Stay Human is for you. We know that The Last of Us isn’t always bleak, but there’s definitely a shared vibe here.
Metro Exodus
Finally, we have Metro Exodus. The Metro series is a wonderfully tense trek through the ruins of Moscow that has you trying to survive in a world that desperately wants to kill you and often in horribly violent ways. Exodus takes the series into a semi-open-world, which basically means you get big maps to explore in-between more linear sections. It’s harsh, horrifying, and intensely moreish.