The world of post-apocalyptic video games is vast and dynamic, and while Fallout 4 is undoubtedly a shining star in the genre, there are plenty of other great games that explore the aftermath of a world beset by doom – each with its unique charm and style. To help you explore the uncharted territories, we've put together a list of the top five Fallout 4 alternative games that are sure to quench your thirst for post-apocalyptic adventure.
1. Metro Exodus
Metro Exodus is a first-person shooter game developed by 4A Games and is the third installment of the Metro series, following Metro 2033 and Metro: Last Light. It tells a story of survival in a post-apocalyptic Russia, featuring breathtaking graphics and a dark, intense atmosphere that immerses players in its gritty world.
Gameplay:
Metro Exodus is a survival horror game with a strong focus on stealth and resource management. It blends linear levels and sandbox areas, allowing players to explore dangerous environments, encountering mutated creatures and hostile factions along the way. The game features a dynamic weather system and a day-night cycle, both of which have a significant impact on gameplay and require the player to adapt to the changing world. Combat in Metro Exodus is tense and strategic, with a variety of firearms and gadgets at your disposal. Ammo is scarce, and crafting makeshift weapons while scavenging for resources is crucial for survival. There is also an emphasis on decisions, as your actions throughout the game can impact the story and the fates of the characters you encounter.
Story and Setting:
In Metro Exodus, players assume the role of Artyom, a survivor of a nuclear war that has left Russia a radioactive wasteland riddled with mutated creatures and deadly anomalies. The game takes place across various seasons and locations, as Artyom and his allies embark on a journey to search for a safe haven aboard a train called the Aurora. Throughout the game, players encounter various factions and characters, each with their unique motives and beliefs, bringing the world to life. The story is deep, dark, and emotionally engrossing, and unfolds through both scripted events and environmental storytelling.
2. The Outer Worlds
Developed by Obsidian Entertainment, The Outer Worlds is an action role-playing game set in an alternate space-faring future where mega-corporations hold absolute power over humanity. The game features a rich narrative and deep character development, making it a worthy alternative to Fallout 4.
Gameplay:
The Outer Worlds offers an open-world experience filled with unique planets and environments, each harboring unique challenges and stories. The game incorporates elements of stealth, shooter mechanics, dialogue branching, and immersive role-playing. The combat system is reminiscent of Fallout 4's V.A.T.S., where players can slow down time to target specific body parts of their enemies. Players can customize their character's skills, perks, and abilities throughout their journey, allowing for a tailored gaming experience. The game also features companions - recruitable non-playable characters - each with a unique personality, skill-set, and personal quests. Interactions with companions not only add depth to the story but also substantially impact gameplay.
Story and Setting:
In The Outer Worlds, players assume the role of a customizable character who awakens after years in cryosleep aboard a ship bound for the edge of a colonized galaxy. As a "stranger in a strange land," players must navigate a web of political intrigue, corporate greed, and challenging moral dilemmas while exploring the game's locations. As players progress through the game, they'll encounter various factions, each with their motivations and goals, shaping the larger narrative of the game. Choices made throughout the game significantly affect the story's outcome, making every playthrough a unique experience.
3. Mad Max
Developed by Avalanche Studios, Mad Max is an open-world third-person action game brimming with vehicular combat and exploration. The game is based on the iconic Mad Max film franchise, taking inspiration from both the anarchic setting and the over-the-top car combat for which the series is known.
Gameplay:
In Mad Max, players assume the role of the titular Max Rockatansky and embark on a mission to build the ultimate car, the Magnum Opus. The game's open-world wasteland is filled with hostile factions and roving gangs, so surviving requires both skill and tactical prowess. Players can customize Max's abilities, gear, and most crucially - his vehicle. The vehicular combat in Mad Max is intense and adrenaline-fueled, as players engage in harrowing high-speed battles against enemy cars and convoys. Max can equip his vehicle with various weaponry and defensive upgrades, working together with his mechanic companion Chumbucket to make it the ultimate war machine.
Story and Setting:
Mad Max's story takes place in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, where humanity is fighting over the last remaining resources. After losing his treasured car, the Interceptor, to a group of War Boys, Max teams up with Chumbucket to build a new vehicle and exact vengeance on the tyrant Scabrous Scrotus. As players explore the vast wasteland, they'll encounter different factions and characters, helping them gain valuable allies in their battle against Scrotus and his army of War Boys. Throughout the game, Max faces decisions that challenge him morally and emotionally, adding depth to the overall narrative.
4. Horizon Zero Dawn
Developed by Guerrilla Games, Horizon Zero Dawn is an action role-playing game set in a world where humanity has reverted to tribal societies and must coexist with robotic wildlife. Featuring a unique environment and innovative gameplay, Horizon Zero Dawn offers a refreshing take on the post-apocalyptic genre.
Gameplay:
Horizon Zero Dawn features an expansive open world with diverse environments, ranging from verdant forests to harsh deserts. Players assume the role of Aloy, a skilled hunter and archer who must utilize her environment, stealth, and cunning to survive in a world populated by deadly robotic creatures. Combat in Horizon Zero Dawn centers around exploiting the weaknesses of various robotic enemies. Players can strategically target and disable specific components on the robots, ultimately bringing them down or even turning them against their own kind. The game also features a complex crafting system, where resources gathered from the machines contribute to creating new weapons, ammunition, and upgrades for Aloy.
Story and Setting:
Horizon Zero Dawn takes place in a far-future Earth, where humanity has regressed to primitive tribal societies surrounded by robotic wildlife. Players follow the story of Aloy, an outcast from the Nora tribe, as she embarks on a journey to uncover her mysterious past and the truth about the world she inhabits. Throughout the game, Aloy encounters numerous tribes and characters, each with their unique beliefs and motivations. The story is rich and engaging, unraveling layers of lore and history about the world and its inhabitants as players progress.
5. Wasteland 2
Wasteland 2, developed by inXile Entertainment, is a turn-based, top-down, party-based role-playing game set in a post-nuclear world. As a spiritual successor to the original Fallout games, Wasteland 2 offers classical role-playing mechanics with a modern twist, providing a nostalgic experience for fans of the genre.
Gameplay:
Wasteland 2 follows the traditional gameplay formula of classic CRPGs (computer role-playing games), allowing players to control a party of up to seven characters, each with their unique abilities and skill sets. Skills range from combat prowess to lock-picking and even conversation skills, allowing for a wide variety of gameplay options and strategies. The game features turn-based tactical combat, requiring players to strategically coordinate their party members and use their abilities wisely to overcome difficult encounters. Resources, including ammunition and medical supplies, are limited and must be carefully managed to ensure survival in the harsh wasteland.
Story and Setting:
Wasteland 2 is set in the post-apocalyptic world of the American Southwest, where various factions and settlements struggle to survive amidst the deadly dangers of the new world. Players take on the role of a member of the Desert Rangers, a group dedicated to maintaining order and justice in the chaotic wasteland. Players must make difficult moral decisions throughout the game, which often leads to branching storylines and consequences that ripple throughout the world. Featuring a compelling and complex narrative, Wasteland 2 emphasizes choices and consequences, making each playthrough a unique and personal experience. In conclusion, while Fallout 4 holds a revered position within the post-apocalyptic gaming genre, it is far from the only game that offers an engaging and immersive experience. From the somber and atmospheric world of Metro Exodus to the vibrant and captivating landscape of Horizon Zero Dawn, these alternatives offer their unique takes on post-apocalyptic storytelling and gameplay. So, venture forth into these unfamiliar wastelands and uncover new stories, challenges, and adventures that await.