The Last of Us series is one of the most critically acclaimed video game series of all time. The first Last of Us game and the second follow the adventures of protagonists Joel and Ellie as they seek a cure for a virus that has wiped out the human race.
Both games are developed by the acclaimed developers Naughty Dog and have received outstanding reviews from critics.
The Last of Us 1 focused more on Joel, while the Last of Us 2 centered more on Ellie, as she not only discovered more about the world around her but herself, personally and emotionally.
The Last of Us is a fantastic linear action game with an amazing story arc, touching millions of people from across the globe. As highlighted, The Last of Us is a standout video game series, but other games are similar to The Last of Us.
This article will outline 11 games like The Last Of Us. Such games include larger titles like Jedi Fallen Order and God of War and smaller ones like Dead Nation.
All the games featured on the list are similar to The Last of Us, whether through narrative, gameplay, or graphical standpoints.
Games Like The Last of Us: Our Top Pick👌
- Jedi Fallen Order
- The Uncharted Series
- The Middle of Earth series
- God of War
- Ghost of Tsushima
- Dead Nation
- Marvels Spiderman
- Tomb Raider Reboot
- Days Gone
- Dying Light
- The Witcher
- Red Dead Redemption 2
1. Jedi Fallen Order
Jedi Fallen Order is a game like The Last of Us. Originally released in 2019 and developed by EA, Jedi Fallen Order was the first Star Wars game to follow a linear narrative sequence and to include a gripping story.
It was also the first proper realization of Star Wars on the fourth generation of consoles. Although some may argue that other games such as Star Wars: Knights of The Old Republic and other games such as Star Wars: The Force Unleashed also had great stories (all of which is true).
Jedi Fallen Order was the first Star Wars game to mix fantastic storytelling with upgraded graphics and next-level combat mechanics.
The game featured similar combat gameplay to the Lord of The Rings game, The Shadow of Mordor, including fluid third-person action gameplay, which used combos as a means to fight.
Jedi Fallen Order follows a similar pattern with attack combinations. Thus, the game is no walk in the park and provides a real challenge for those who like high combat levels in their games.
Fallen order also has fairly linear open-world areas, which are similar to The Last Of Us. The game features expansive but linear areas filled with various enemy types and obstacles.
Likewise, the game also features puzzle-solving mechanics with dynamic and difficult puzzles, which increases gameplay difficulty.
The puzzle elements also make this game stand out from the rest of the Star Wars games, with Fallen Order taking a more mature gameplay approach than its predecessors.
As a result, Fallen Order is very similar to The Last of Us in many ways; both games have puzzle mechanics and linear narrative stories with linear open-world areas. Jedi Fallen Order was reviewed well by critics when released in 2019, with an average score of 79 and user scores in the 7’s.
Overall, Jedi Fallen Order is a game like The Last of Us and should be played by any Star Wars fan. It is a real blast to play, but don’t expect to be in for an easy ride. The game is hard.
2. The Uncharted Series
Uncharted is another video game series developed by Naughty Dog. Before Naughty Dog became famous with the Last of Us, Uncharted helped the studio rise to fame.
Uncharted is a video game series that follows the adventures of Nathan Drake, an intrepid explorer that seeks to uncover the lost treasures of the world.
The character is much like the famous Indiana Jones and is likely inspired by him. The series follows Drake as he solves mysteries and fends of villains in the hope of finding treasure.
The Uncharted series consists of four main series games alongside smaller titles. All the games in the series are highly acclaimed, with the last game in the series, Uncharted 4 being one of the best games with excellent critic reviews.
The series features similar action: gameplay and open-world areas to the Last of Us, sharing much of that Naughty Dog DNA. Both series have tricky puzzles and linear open-world regions to explore but do differ in environments and stories.
Both series have similar narrative-driven experiences and linear worlds, making for fantastic story-driven storytelling experiences.
Similarly, both series have similar protagonists in Joel and Nathen, with both characters having long backstories. Likewise, they both have the same gameplay feel and control much the same. Thus, the Uncharted series of games are like The Last of Us.
Overall, the Uncharted games reviewed well on Metacritic, scoring around the ’90s on average from critics and a high user score.
3. The Middle of Earth Series
The Middle of Earth series of games consists of two main installments: Shadow of Mordor and Shadow of Earth. Both games are critically acclaimed due to their nemesis game engine that allows no two players to have similar game experiences.
In short, the game’s engine learns upon the player’s moves and mistakes, making the game progressively harder while also at the same time adding variation to the gameplay.
The games engine systematically remembered where and how you might have killed an enemy, creating unique and interesting encounters and combat arrangements.
The game follows a ranger of Gondor named Talion as he seeks revenge on his dead family. The ranger is helped by the wraith Kellibringbore, who brings him back from the dead.
Talion quickly realizes the wraith is far more than just a spirit, taking Talion on a journey of epic proportions. The game builds on the universe created by J.R.R Tolkein and fills in gaps left by the Peter Jackson Lord of The Ring movies.
Both games have very similar gameplay in that both feature dynamic gameplay and high intense action.
Although the Last of Us is considerably less open than the Middle Earth games, both look very similar visually and give off a similar vibe in combat and third-person action. Thus the Middle Earth series of games is like The Last of Us.
All in all, both games in the Middle Earth series reviewed well, with both games reviewing in the 80s on Metacritic.
4. God of War
God of War is considered by many to be the greatest video game of all time and the best PlayStation IP. Although the Last of Us is also considered one of the greatest, both games feature similar gameplay styles.
God of War was released in 2016 on the PlayStation 4 as a reboot of the original God of War series on the PlayStation.
God of War PS4 effectively remastered the God of War series, changing the series away from the hack and slash gameplay of the first three games and giving the series a complete overhaul with third-person storytelling and dynamic action.
God of War PS4 is considered by many to have one of the best stories ever, with the game receiving critical acclaim.
The game follows Kratos, the series main protagonist, and his son Atreus as they seek to uncover the mystery behind Nordic mythology and why the gods are hunting them.
As highlighted, the games take a new direction with third-person action gameplay, great narrative storytelling, and linear but open areas for players to explore.
Aside from the great storytelling aspects of both series, both have a similar look and are even more alike in their linear narrative open-world spaces.
Both games feature explorable areas filled with puzzles and mysteries to uncover, but not vast open worlds. As a result, God of War on PS4 is a game like The Last of Us due to its linear open world and third-person action feel.
God of War scored a 94 on Metacritic, making it one of the highest-rated games of all time alongside a user score of 9.2, making it one of the best-reviewed games by fans as well.
5. Ghost of Tsushima
The Ghost of Tsushima is a fantastic first-party PlayStation IP released in July 2020 as a brand new game series.
Ghost of Tsushima follows Samurai protagonist Jin who seeks to reclaim his homeland from the evil Mongol empire, striving to conquer Tsushima and then mainland Japan.
At the start of the story, Jin loses everything, including his pride as a samurai; he quickly learns that his Samurai teachings are no match to the Mongol invaders, knowing that to defeat them, he must learn the ways of the ghost and act as a demon of the shadows rather than as a proud warrior.
The game quickly unfolds, taking Jin across his homeland to conquer it. Jin hones not only his Samurai skills but also his stealth ability. Along the way, he discovers ancient mysteries about his land, meets colorful characters, and battles dangerous foes.
Although the open-world gameplay of the Ghost of Tsushima is not the same as the Last of Us, the game does have similar attributes.
For example, both feature third-person action and use a range of combat techniques from stealth to up-close combat.
Similarly, both have great stories and often fairly linear narrative experiences. Likewise, both games are PlayStation first-party IP. The Ghost of Tsushima is very similar to The Last of Us, and thus it is a game like The Last of Us.
Ghost of Tsushima scored an impressive 83 on Metacritic from critics and a high user score. Likewise, the game’s DLC expansions also ranked high on Metacritic, with the game getting high reviews all around.
6. Dead Nation
Dead Nation is a game like The Last of Us, not from gameplay or aesthetic perspective but from a narrative point of view and premise.
Dead Nation is a top-down twin-stick action game developed by the developers of Housemarqe. The game is a classic hack and slash style game that takes players across the US as the game’s main protagonists in the hope of finding a cure for the zombie virus that has obliterated the human race.
Much like the Last of Us, the game’s narrative premise is the same, with you having to survive a post-apocalyptic world in the hope of finding a cure for a zombie virus.
Thus, although both games feature entirely different gameplay mechanics and features, both games have very similar stories and are almost identical.
Dead Nation is a great little game and should be played by any fan of zombie games or top-down action games. The game has fun and exciting gameplay as well as a decent story.
Similarly, the game can be played with friends through couch coop multiplayer, allowing you and a friend to save the human race together.
Dead Nation scored around the mid to high 70’s with reviewers and, therefore, should be played by any genre fan. Give it a shot if you haven’t already.
7. Marvels Spiderman
When PlayStation announced that developers insomniac would be developing a Spiderman game, the video game world exploded with excitement.
It was near unimaginable at the time that Spiderman would get made into a game with the interesting but tricky licensing deal between Marvel and Sony as well as the Marvel Cinematic Universes’ success.
But it did. PlayStation and Sony announced a brand new Spiderman game for the PlayStation 4. Spiderman for the PS4 was the perfect reimagining of the classic superhero.
The game featured a sprawling open-world New York, dynamic Spiderman web-slinging gameplay and classic villains we know and love from the Spiderman comics.
The game also featured classic characters such as Rhino and Doctor Octopus and a fantastic story worthy of the big screen. It was a great superhero game that captured the world of Spiderman perfectly.
Spiderman on PS4 is similar to The Last of Us in that both games feature fantastic stories and look great on the PlayStation 4. As a result, it is a game like The Last of Us in many ways.
Furthermore, it has been announced that the games are due for a sequel to the PlayStation 5 in the future.
Overall, Spiderman on the PS4 got great reviews from critics scoring an 87 from critics on average and an 8.7 user score. If you haven’t played Spiderman on PS4, you are missing out.
8. Tomb Raider Reboot
Much like the Uncharted series of games, the Tomb Raider series of recent years, beginning with the 2013 reboot of the series, is very similar to The Last of Us in many ways.
Since its reboot in 2013, the franchise took a more narrative story-driven approach filled with highly intense dynamic gameplay and action.
The games included the critically acclaimed Rise of Tomb Raided game, which helped reinvent the third-person action games genre.
It is often highlighted that the Uncharted games and Tomb Raider are very similar and help to push one another to new heights of action and storytelling due to the identical premise of let’s uncover secret mysteries and treasure.
However, it is not mentioned how the Tomb Raider series of games is similar to The Last of Us. Both games feature very identical linear open worlds filled with puzzles and mystery and high-action sequences.
The Last of Us and the latest Tomb Raider games also have comparable gameplay during fight sequences. Both series use up-close third-person action combat and close camera angles with dynamic live-action fight scenes.
Although both series do differ in premise, both have similar gameplay and worlds in terms of structure. Likewise, both series have epic stories. Therefore the Tomb Raider games are like The Last of Us.
Overall, the Tomb Raider reboot of games was reviewed well, with critics giving the games very high scores and gaining critical acclaim.
9. Days Gone
Days Gone is yet another first-party PlayStation exclusive IP that is fantastic and similar to The Last of Us.
Days Gone takes place in a post-apocalyptic world and follows the story of Deacon, a bounty hunter who seeks to survive in a pandemic-ridden world filled with zombie-like creatures called Freakers.
Days Gone is a third-person action game that pits you against Freakers and other humans as you try to survive an apocalyptic world. The game is very similar to The Last of Us in that both games feature a similar premise.
Both games are set in apocalyptic worlds filled with dangerous creatures. The games are all about survival and are filled with tension-filled moments.
Days Gone and The Last of Us are also alike in that both games have similar action and gameplay, although Days Gone is a considerably more open world than The Last of Us.
Likewise, Days Gone also features an in-depth crafting system and a more heavy focus on vehicle gameplay than The Last of Us. Nevertheless, the game is like the Last of Us and similar in many ways.
Despite its PlayStation first-party lineage, the game didn’t review particularly well, with the game achieving a 71 from critics on Metacritic and a user score of 8.4.
10. Dying Light – Famous games like the last of us
The Dying Light series is not the most famous zombie series but is one of the best and is like The Last of Us. Dying Light is a survival zombie horror series of games released on Xbox and PC.
Dying Light is an excellent series that is filled with intense high drama and zombie-killing fun. The games can be played alone, making it a great series if you want to get scared.
The series has fantastic action gameplay and is one of the best zombie survival series. The series is like The Last of Us, due to its zombie premise, with both the Last of Us and Dying Light involving killing zombie-like creatures in an apocalyptic world.
Dying light is a real treasure of a series and should be played by any survival game fan and zombie fan. If you haven’t already played this series, you should play it; it’s free on Xbox Games Pass as well.
The next installment in the Dying Light franchise will release in 2022. Thus there is no better time to jump into the series.
11. The Witcher – Games like the last of us to find his lost lover
The Witcher is a game like The Last of Us. The video game follows the Witcher Geralt as he seeks to find his lost lover. The game takes Geralt across a vast open world filled with evil monsters and enemies to defeat.
The Witcher features classic third-person action gameplay similar to Skyrim and takes you on an epic mission, uncovering secrets and becoming Legend.
The game was first released on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One and later released for other consoles and featured stunning graphics, fluid combat, and a fantastic soundtrack.
The Witcher series is not identical to The Last of Us in its gameplay and vast open world. Both have excellent stories and a similar gritty apocalyptic feel, whereby the world is filled with anarchy.
Similar to The Last of Us, the Witcher is critically acclaimed and considered one of the greatest games of all time. The Witcher is famed for its open-world gameplay, and despite it being very different from The Last of Us, both series have a magic quality about them.
Likewise, both games’ main protagonists are similar in that they have a conflicted backstory and are acting the way they are for a just cause. The Witcher reviewed very well on Metacritic, recovering a score of 93 from critics and a high user score.
12. Red Dead Redemption 2
Red Dead Redemption 2 is a great open-world western-inspired game that is similar to The Last of Us.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is the direct sequel to the original Red Dead Redemption and follows the main protagonist as they seek to survive in a wild west world filled with mystery, deception, and violence.
The game is excellent, with a big open world filled with quests to complete and things to do. Likewise, the game’s story is also fantastic, rivaling that of the very first Red Dead Redemption game.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is one of the best games of the last decade and one of the greatest open-world games ever. It is similar to The Last of Us, not in its gameplay nor the open world, but it’s a story with both series featuring gripping stories with epic twists and turns.
Likewise, both games have a similar third-person action-adventure feel. Thus, it is a game like The Last of Us. Red Dead Redemption scored well, with critics receiving scores of 97 on Metacritic, making it one of the most highly rated games of all time.
Final Thoughts on Games like the last of us
Overall, this article has covered 11 games like The Last of Us. The article shows that The Last of Us is one of the greatest games of all time from both a gameplay and narrative perspective.
Similarly, there are many games like The Last of Us, such as God of War and Spiderman, and smaller lesser-known titles such as Dead Nation and Dying Light, which are similar to The Last of Us through zombie-based narratives.
It shows us that games can influence one another and that games inspired The Last of Us, and how The Last of Us series has inspired countless games.
This article has also highlighted how strong PlayStation first-party IP is in storytelling and gameplay; most of the games released from PlayStation studios are fantastic.
This highlights how superior PlayStation games are to its rival Xbox’s first-party titles. Titles such as The Last of Us and God of War have proven this with future games such as Star Wars Knights of The Old Republic, also strengthing the brand’s lineup.
Nevertheless, Xbox is likely to strengthen its first-party lineup with the acquisition of Bethesda studios. Despite this, PlayStation is still on top in terms of its first-party games and very well may be in years to come with the announcement of future PlayStation titles such as Wolverine and a future Spiderman game.
All in all, if you are a fan of PlayStation or a gamer, you have a lot to look forward to in terms of quality games.
It is also likely near the end of the PlayStation 5 era, we see another Last of Us, possibly a Last of Us 3, carrying on one of the greatest video game series of all time.
We might also likely see Last of Us DLC for the second game, which is possible due to the potential gap between number three and last.
