10 Best Post-Apocalyptic Games Fans Of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Need To Check Out

The S.T.A.L.K.E.R. franchise was ahead of its time; a post-apocalyptic survival crafting series that debuted ahead of heavyweights like Fallout 3 and Metro 2033, these games deserve more credit than they’re often awarded. Though bug-ridden and now painfully dated, the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. games feature a brutally real atmosphere and sense of verisimilitude almost unseen in gaming.

Fans of the original S.T.A.L.K.E.R. trilogy are doubtlessly delighted about the upcoming S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl, the first new installment in the series in over a decade. That said, there’s some time to kill between now and the game’s April 2022 release, and these 10 similar titles may help to bridge the gap.

10 Chernobylite

Released in 2021, Chernobylite was very clearly inspired by post-apocalyptic games of the nuclear armageddon variety. Boasting base-building mechanics seemingly lifted right out of Fallout 4 and an atmosphere that harkens back to the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series, Chernobylite almost feels like a well-polished mod rather than a wholly original release.

Imitation is the highest form of flattery, of course, and Chernobylite mostly does a good job of recreating what made its aforementioned inspirations so memorable. It’s brought down a bit by some uninspired story missions and a relatively short length, but fans of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. games will likely find more than a few things to like here.

9 Fallout: New Vegas

It may be far removed from the isolated wilds of an irradiated Ukraine, but the dangerous deserts of Bethesdas’ Fallout: New Vegas feel remarkably similar to S.T.A.L.K.E.R.‘s chaotic environs. An RPG with a heavy focus on inventory management and a slightly janky combat system, New Vegas bears more than a passing similarity to the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. franchise.

Its predecessor, Fallout 3, may be a bit closer to the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. games in terms of aesthetics, but fans often consider New Vegas to be the better game.

8 Desolate

Desolate first launched as an early access survival title, a status that placed it among very unfavorable company on Steam. For quite a while, survival crafting was a major trend among early access releases, and most of them languished in development hell or were totally abandoned after promising the moon.

Fortunately, Desolate did manage a full release, and, playing like a cross between S.T.A.L.K.E.R. and ARK: Survival Evolved, it’s definitely worth the time of those who take particular pleasure in the genre. The story is a bit convoluted and the inventory management system is slightly tedious, but, on the whole, it’s a neat take on an increasingly tired concept.

7 Cryostasis: The Sleep of Reason

Influenced by works such as John W. Campbell Jr.’s Who Goes There? and H.P. Lovecraft’s At The Mountains of Madness, Cryostasis: The Sleep of Reason is a forgotten psychological horror title that deserves more recognition despite some frustrating bugs and design decisions.

Taking place on an abandoned nuclear submarine in the arctic, Cryostasis offers up a quite literally chilling atmosphere akin to what’s found in the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. games. Though Cryostatsis doesn’t include any RPG elements, the two games are brought together via their derelict ambiance and horror overtones.

6 Escape From Tarkov

Tactical shooters inhabit a relative niche space in the broader pantheon of multiplayer gaming; featuring steep learning curves and extremely high skill ceilings, many of these titles only appeal to the most dedicated of hardcore gamers.

Yet, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. fans may find plenty to enjoy in Escape From Tarkov. A tough-as-nails multiplayer experience, Tarkov offers the same sense of realism evoked in games like Shadow of Chernobyl. It’s even less forgiving than the already player-unfriendly S.T.A.L.K.E.R. games, but those who enjoyed the brutality of that game’s world will eagerly ingratiate themselves into Takrov‘s harsh environment.

5 Death Stranding

Death Stranding serves as something of a deconstruction of open-world survival games. Rather than placing the emphasis on questing, crafting, and combat, Death Stranding mostly focuses on its narrative and the simple act of map traversal. Getting from point A to point B is much easier said than done in this Hideo Kojima-led title, and, while painfully dull to some, it’s certainly found its niche.

It may seem like a stretch to compare the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series to a game that more or less discourages combat, but the desolate world and often frustrating gameplay segments seen in Death Stranding feel at least somewhat similar to the equally controversial S.T.A.L.K.E.R. franchise.

4 Generation Zero

Generation Zero takes place in an alternate-timeline Scandanavia in which the Swedish government decides to bolster its defensive capabilities post-World War 2 by creating an army of automatons. Players must travel the countryside in search of survivors while either hiding from or facing these mechanized threats.

It feels a bit like if 2019’s Left Alive were set in a more open world, and, though it lacks some of the intrigues of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. games, the moments of exploration and occasional combat do feel similar.

3 Singularity

An amalgamation of many of the best first and third-person shooters from the sixth and seventh console generations, elements of TimeShift, Bioshock, and, of course, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. can be found in 2010’s Singularity. Sent in to investigate the mysterious island of Katorga-12, the player is inadvertently taken back in time, changing the course of history and putting a brutal dictator in power in the process.

Atmospheric and gripping, Singularity may be a linear FPS with very few customization options, but its setting and overall tone feel remarkably similar to the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. games.

2 Hunt: Showdown

Set in the remote Louisiana bayou near the close of the nineteenth century, Hunt: Showdown is a tactical shooter which places an emphasis on cooperative teamwork and sharpshooting skills. Often compared to Escape From Tarkov, this Crytek-developed multiplayer title may seemingly bear few semblances to S.T.A.L.K.E.R., but they’re related in spirit.

Both games task players with exploring hostile environments and taking on nearly supernatural horrors. In fact, were the PvE elements of Hunt: Showdown enhanced in favor of a multiplayer focus, the two games would feel incredibly similar.

1 Metro: Exodus

Based on the novel of the same name by Russian author Dimitry Glukhovsky, 2010’s Metro 2033 was incredibly similar in terms of tone and setting to the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. games. Though Metro foregoes an open-world approach in favor of a more linear structure, comparisons between the two series cannot be denied.

While any of the games in the Metro trilogy would fit, 2019’s Metro: Exodus features more varied and open environments and will feel a bit more familiar to fans of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. games. The greatly enhanced graphical fidelity of Exodus can also help to provide a sneak peek of what Heart of Chernobyl may be like.