the way to make money!: Tack's Top 8 Upcoming Post-Apocalyptic Games

An apocalypse might not be great for the denizens of Earth, but it’s an awesome backdrop to create interesting and unforgiving worlds for players. From nuclear-tinged wastelands to abandoned cities, the post-apocalyptic setting offers storytellers a chance to start fresh – and embrace the harsh realities of society breaking down when survival is the only thing that matters. Today we take a look at some upcoming titles that happen in a forsaken future, and our obsession with inevitable doom (Number 5 will blow your mind). Note that these provisional rankings do not reflect Game Informer's collective editorial staff, and are only my personal picks.

8. The Division

Ubisoft’s open-world shooter tasks players with restoring order after a pandemic spreads. As a member of a special unit of agents tasked with getting things back to normal in the case of a complete collapse, it’s up to you to do whatever it takes to get New York City back to some semblance of our privileged reality. In traditional fashion, the actual cause behind the apocalypse takes a second-seat to the depths of depravity that man can sink to when the chips are down, and you have to battle plenty of other less-than-noble survivors for a shot at collecting important loot and securing essential objectives. As showcased in a recent video, even your friends can quickly turn to enemies when something valuable is on the line.

7. Wasteland 2

“But wait,” you say, “Wasteland 2 is already out!” So it is…on PC. But the grim, radioactive trek through blasted-out Arizona and Los Angeles is coming to both Xbox One and PS4. The journey is bleak, even for a post-apocalyptic adventure, but there are humorous elements in both dialogue and characters that keep you smiling – even as your actions condemn innocents to death by mutants. I mean, where else can you recruit everyone’s favorite shotgun-toting legendary hobo Scotchmo into your group? Check out our review of the PC version here.

6. Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture

In stark contrast to many other titles on this list, Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture takes a more serene approach to examining the world-after-the-world. The spiritual successor to the tranquil Dear Esther, the focus here is more exploration and narrative. In an open-world environment, players piece together the stories, relationships, and mysteries of those who came before them. The next game up may contain the worst apocalypse of all time...