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The best post-apocalyptic games on PS4 and PS5
From nuclear fallout to zombie outbreaks and curious cats, discover the best post-apocalyptic adventures on PlayStation consoles.
Horizon Forbidden West
Follow Aloy, the hero of Horizon Zero Dawn, as she ventures into the Forbidden West of Earth’s far future to take on a new, unknown threat which could bring about the end of life on our planet.
- Explore a fascinating, enveloping post-apocalyptic open world ruled by robotic beasts and ravaged by vicious storms, within which humanity clings on by any means.
- Investigate a seemingly unstoppable blight on the land, encounter all-new and fearsome machines, and forge alliances with new tribes.
- Go deeper into the story of Horizon as Aloy’s adventure uncovers fresh secrets of the past, unravelling a legacy that impacts her present day.
Pacific Drive
Form a unique bond with an upgradable station wagon in this first-person driving survival game. Embark on ever-changing runs into a post-apocalyptic stretch of the Pacific Northwest to find supplies and survive this surreal nightmare.
- Brave a strange landscape full of terrifying anomalies, presenting new challenges at every turn. Hold the wheel tight as you careen through danger and only step out of your car when it’s essential.
- Piece together a long-forgotten mystery as you gradually make your way to the heart of the Olympic Exclusion Zone, using retrieved items to improve your vehicle at an abandoned garage you’ve made into your home.
- Systems-driven gameplay makes Pacific Drive a game of great freedom, creativity and experimentation – just be prepared for surprises out there.
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DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR’S CUT
Brave an open world utterly transformed by a cataclysmic event known as the Death Stranding. Humanity has been pulled apart and forced to live in isolated communities – and it’s your job to reconnect them.
- Playing as Sam Bridges (portrayed by Norman Reedus) you must carry the disconnected remnants of our future across treacherous landscapes, and optionally connect with players around the world using the Social Strand System.
- Remastered for PS5, the Director’s Cut of Death Stranding features advanced combat, a competitive ranking system, additional weapons and locations, new enemies, missions and minigames.
- Death Stranding’s story will be followed by a sequel, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, due for release on PS5 in the future. It features many returning cast members, including Reedus, Léa Seydoux and Lindsay Wagner.
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Fallout 4
Leave the safety of Vault 111 and wander the post-apocalyptic landscape of Massachusetts in search of your missing child in this multi-award-winning open-world epic.
- Roam freely, meeting a vast array of characters and upgrading your own armor and arsenal as you progress. If you’re lost, your wrist-mounted Pip-Boy can access maps, stats and more information to aid you in your quest.
- Switch between first- and third-person perspective to be fully aware of the dangers around you as you journey from ruins of past society, scorched by nuclear war, to the human settlements of 2287.
- New to Fallout 4 is the option to construct your own home, using raw materials scavenged from the land. Grow food and pump water to stay healthy, and erect defenses to protect against attacks from raiders and mutants.
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The Last of Us Part II Remastered
Follow the embittered Ellie and new character Abby as their destinies cross with violent consequences in this sequel to the hugely popular The Last of Us Part I.
- Play from dual perspectives, as Ellie strikes out to find a group of former Fireflies who’ve shattered her life, and Abby becomes consumed by her own vengeance. Worlds will collide, and there will be collateral damage.
- Strike quietly using stealth or take on the infected masses using firearms and modified melee weapons, developing character skills as best suits your play style. Craft explosives and special ammo to help against the most fearsome foes.
- Take your combat skills into the new No Return mode, a roguelike experience pitting you against a series of randomized enemies, in locations drawn from the game’s story mode. And when in story mode, switch on Developer Commentary to learn about how the team at Naughty Dog made this exceptional sequel.
Days Gone
Ride into the dangerous wilds of a North America reeling from the effects of a pandemic that’s turned a large percentage of the population into zombie-like Freakers. As bounty hunter Deacon St John, you’re out here looking for a reason to live in a world full of death and destruction.
- The game’s Pacific Northwest is beautiful but lethal, with environments ranging from forests and meadows to snow plains and lava fields. Explore small towns and mountainside caves, but stay aware of who, or what, is watching you.
- The Freakers come in a variety of forms, and the weakest move in numbers and can swarm you quickly. Stay low and quiet, and don’t hesitate to get back on your Drifter bike to escape overwhelming encounters.
- Humans can’t always be trusted. You’ll find some friendly people to trade with, but others will try to take your gear, and your life, so be prepared for things to turn violent at any time.
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Dead Island 2
Head out onto the undead-ravaged streets of HELL-A for a zombie-splatting adventure rippling with body horror, black humor and gallons of guts and gore.
- Play as one of several survivors trying to get across a post-apocalyptic Los Angeles, each of whom has unique abilities and loud personalities to match. Customize your pick with a deep skill system and become the ultimate zombie slayer.
- Bash zombie brains with friends in two- or three-player co-op. You’ll need all the help you can get as these once-human monsters are relentless and will quickly overcome the unprepared player.
- Brutal melee combat has zombies coming apart in chunks, lumps, slices and sticky pools of goo. Feel the impact of each blow you land as your enemy falls apart before you.
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Stellar Blade
Earth has been abandoned after an invasion by strange and powerful creatures. What remains of the decimated human race has fled to an orbital colony – but now it’s time to reclaim the planet, with EVE leading the charge.
- Play as 7th Airborne Squad member EVE as she takes on the Naytiba threat that’s spread across the remains of the Earth, using high-intensity, brutal-yet-graceful combat to fell even the biggest foes.
- Uncover the mysteries of the past from the ruins of civilization in a story that plays out at a breathless pace and realize that EVE’s mission is far from straightforward.
- Beauty and horror are blended to striking effect across an experience that will surprise you with its narrative and challenge you with its precision gameplay and epic boss encounters.
Stellar Blade releases for PS5 on 26th April 2024
NieR:Automata
Mechanical beings from another world have driven humanity from Earth. In a final effort to retake the planet, the human resistance sends a force of androids – amongst them 2B, 9S and A2 – to destroy the invaders.
- Explore a dystopian Earth full of secrets and enjoy an RPG-sized story full of unexpected reveals, as well as multiple side-quests and additional challenges.
- Use a combination of melee and ranged attacks when facing off against a wide array of mechanical foes. The combat difficulty can be adjusted to suit players of all levels, with an ‘Auto Mode’ available for easy attacks and evasion.
- Journey through seamlessly connected areas that form a beautiful open-world setting, accompanied by a haunting and moving soundtrack.
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XCOM 2
Command the XCOM military organization in this turn-based tactics game where humanity is fighting to survive in the face of an ongoing alien occupation of Earth. Issue commands and deal with the consequences of your decisions across a series of challenging missions.
- Procedurally generated maps ensure gameplay is always varied, with different terrain and buildings in each playthrough.
- Recruit new fighters to join the cause, which come in five classes, and take control of the Avenger, an alien supply ship converted into XCOM’s mobile headquarters. Research recovered tech to develop new armor and weapons.
- Play at the level that suits you, with four difficulty settings: rookie, veteran, commander and legend. Permadeath for characters increases the drama and raises the stakes, as one wrong call can see a soldier lost forever.
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The Talos Principle 2
Set long after humanity has disappeared from the face of the Earth, this perplexing puzzle game features robots that live in the cities people have left behind and who seek to understand the civilization that died with us.
- Explore several varied environments set around a mysterious megastructure which may hold the key to understanding the planet’s past.
- Use skills including gravity manipulation and mind transference – as well as traditional lateral thinking – to find solutions to the hundreds of puzzles before you.
- Complete optional harder puzzles to deepen the story and unlock an alternative ending.
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Stray
Play as an adventurous cat and roam a neon-lit cybercity of the future, as well as its seedy underbelly, accompanied by your friendly drone companion. Uncover an ancient mystery as you escape this urban sprawl to reunite with your furry friends.
- Explore your surroundings (as all good curious cats should), climbing buildings to get the best view of the environment. Defend against unforeseen threats lurking in the dark corners of the city.
- Befriend, help and annoy the robotic inhabitants of the city, who have taken the places of humans – all of whom are notably absent from this place. Interact with the environment in silly and playful ways – just like a cat would.
- Work with B-12, a flying drone, to solve puzzles and progress to new areas of the city. And if all else fails, use the dedicated meow button. It might not help you get anywhere, but it'll make you feel all cozy.
Zenless Zone Zero
A playful spin on post-apocalyptic gaming, this free-to-play adventure from the makers of Genshin Impact mixes intense combat against world-threatening enemies with life-simulator activities.
- Civilization has been destroyed by a calamity known as Hollows, spatial anomalies filled with formidable Ethereal monsters.
- Explore New Eridu, the last metropolis that survived the apocalypse, meeting colorful citizens and visiting diverse neighborhoods.
- Enjoy a dynamic and exciting combat system that blends accessibility with depth.
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Metro Exodus
Survival horror meets intense firefights and cautious exploration in this story-driven first-person shooter set in post-apocalyptic Russia. Travel across the country, seeing the seasons change the landscape over the course of an in-game year, as you seek out new hope for humanity.
- Play as Artyom and leave the relative safety of Moscow’s Metro to battle mutated creatures and hostile human factions in the outside world – a place utterly ravaged by the effects of nuclear warfare.
- Explore every inch of non-linear levels to uncover every item and upgrade that can help Artyom and a small band of allies in their quest. Use binoculars to locate points of interest – and to identify areas to avoid until you’re better prepared.
- Pay close attention to your gas mask – it’s the one thing that can keep you alive in heavily irradiated areas. Repair cracks from combat with duct tape and replace your filters regularly or the toxic air will kill you just as easily as any mutant.
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Arizona Sunshine 2
The zombie apocalypse doesn’t have to be overly serious, as Arizona Sunshine 2 presents the end of the world with a wicked sense of humor. Arm yourself with flamethrowers, shotguns and machetes and take the fight to the undead masses.
- Indulge in physical combat that’ll have you dissecting zombies like it’s a science to be studied, splattering gore across the desert either solo or in online co-op that supports up to four players.
- Form an alliance with Buddy the dog, your best friend in an otherwise desolate world with little in the way of reliable human allies. It’s dog eat dog out there, but this guy’s going to stay loyal.
- As a PS VR2 title, you can feel every reload, every shot, every bite that comes your way through the VR2 Sense controllers’ haptic feedback and Headset vibration. Eye tracking means you’ll never miss any of the action as the game’s events react to where you’re looking.
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