8 Post-Apocalyptic Shooters to Try if You Liked Stalker 2 (2024)

Stalker 2 has only been released recently, but it's already a smash-hit title with a huge player count and presence on Twitch. This game blends masterful combat with some incredibly engaging exploration, creating what is overall a highly memorable experience worthy of the million players the game accrued shortly after launch. Many people are still playing through Stalker 2 for the first time but, as with any good game, there will be that moment upon its completion where that empty 'I have nothing to play' feeling takes over.

So what do players do once they're done cutting their way through mutants and exploring this highly innovative title? Curl up into a ball and cry, weeping over the lack of similar games? Fortunately for them, that's not the only option available. These games are post-apocalyptic shooters that are sure to keep fans of Stalker 2 engaged for hours after their time with this new smash hit is over.

8 Left 4 Dead 2

A Co-Op Shooter Classic

Left 4 Dead 2

Shooter

Systems

Platform(s)

PC , Xbox 360 , Linux , macOS

Released

November 17, 2009

Developer(s)

Valve

Few games can afford the same cathartic multiplayer experience that Left 4 Dead 2 can. Stalker 2 may one day offer multiplayer of the same caliber, but while players await the free update that will bring this multiplayer, Left 4 Dead 2 is the perfect post-apocalyptic shooter to take on.

The game has an incredible legacy only bolstered by the host of custom maps that have been made since its release, some of which showcase the incredible things this game's engine is capable of.

7 Metro Exodus

A Familiar But Distinct Experience For Stalker Fans

Metro Exodus

Systems

OpenCritic Reviews

Top Critic Rating:83/100 Critics Recommend:83%

Platform(s)

PS5 , PS4 , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S , Xbox One , PC

Released

February 15, 2019

Developer(s)

4A Games

Publisher(s)

Deep Silver

OpenCritic Rating

Strong

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After completing Stalker 2, there's sure to be a host of players thinking 'Hey, this game was great - I'd love to play another game tangentially tied to a piece of classic Russian post-apocalyptic science fiction exploring the dangers of nuclear fallout.' These players are in luck, as Metro Exodus, based on Dmitry Glukhovsky's fantastic line of novels, is an exceptional game.

Players who enjoyed Stalker 2's mix of open-world and horror elements will find similar catharsis in Metro Exodus, and any of the other Metro games, for that matter. The setting is broader than the Zone, but the maze of stifling metro tunnels means this title keeps the same intimacy with its location.

6 Stalker: Shadow Of Chernobyl

The Classic Predecessor To Stalker 2

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl

FPS

Survival Horror

Systems

Platform(s)

PC , PlayStation 4 , Xbox One

Released

March 20, 2007

Developer(s)

GSC Game World

Publisher(s)

THQ

Shadow of Chernobyl is perhaps the only title that can give Stalker 2 a run for its money in terms of the series' best title - an impressive feat, considering the difference in years between the two. Players who enjoyed the horror and atmosphere of the more recent game should absolutely give its predecessor a try.

Shadow of Chernobyl has an ominous, forbidding atmosphere. There is some new, fresh terror that will try to kill players around every corner. It's an experience that has been emulated in titles well beyond the Stalker series, including more recent titles like Lethal Company which also has players exploring decaying, mutant-filled industrial remnants for items.

5 Days Gone

An Excellent Title Often Overlooked

Days Gone

Systems

OpenCritic Reviews

Top Critic Rating:72/100 Critics Recommend:54%

Platform(s)

PC , PlayStation 4

Released

April 26, 2019

Developer(s)

Bend Studio

Publisher(s)

Sony

OpenCritic Rating

Fair

Days Gone is a title that often seems to get lost in the shuffle when it comes to AAA games, but it absolutely deserves a mention as a fantastic open-world title that does exploration right. If exploration and tactical combat were the main draws for players in Stalker 2, Days Gone will be an excellent experience.

The game is set in a broken world following a global pandemic that wiped out most of humanity (and a 2021 release on Steam, go figure) - and the fixed protagonist has an excellent story that players can explore at their own pace in this sprawling, quietly dying world.

4 DayZ

A Great Title For Exploration And Survival

DayZ

Systems

OpenCritic Reviews

Top Critic Rating:41/100 Critics Recommend:20%

Platform(s)

PC , Xbox One , PS4

Released

December 13, 2018

Developer(s)

Bohemia Interactive

Publisher(s)

Bohemia Interactive

OpenCritic Rating

Weak

With the recent release of Frostline cementing this title as popular and relevant as ever, fans who want an open-ended experience of post-apocalyptic exploration should definitely give DayZ a try. Beyond the zombies (try to avoid these) other players are the biggest threat on the map - as unpredictable as ever.

Stalker 2 will hopefully take some tips from how DayZ and its DLC have utilized multiplayer to make for an immersive, atmospheric title with few equals.

3 Fallout 4

A Post-Apocalyptic Shooter RPG

Fallout 4

RPG

Action

Systems

OpenCritic Reviews

Platform(s)

PC , PlayStation 4 , PlayStation 5 , Xbox One , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S

Released

November 10, 2015

Developer(s)

Bethesda

Publisher(s)

Bethesda

While the settings of Fallout and Stalker have much in common, gameplay is an area where the two series have traditionally diverged. Fallout 4 is more like a shooter than any other entry in its series, however, and provides a similar gameplay loop of exploration and scavenging.

Similar to Stalker 2, there are a variety of major and minor factions to join, and the gunplay is very satisfying. One thing to note is that unlike Stalker 2, players can become overpowered by late game, which diverges from the newer title's more tactical gameplay.

2 Brigand: Oaxaca

An Instant-Classic, Retro Shooter RPG

• Released (Steam): July 12, 2017
• Developers: Brian Lancaster, Laughing Coyote Software
• Platforms: PC

Players will be hard-pressed to find a game as inventive or immersive as Brigand: Oaxaca. An indie-developed love letter to classic first-person RPGs like Deus Ex, this game has players exploring a post-apocalyptic Mexico filled with mutants and mysticism in equal measure.

Especially if the older Stalker titles were something players enjoyed, this game's retro aesthetics and progression will be fondly welcomed. Anyone not playing this game is missing out on a truly unique experience among shooters and RPGs.

1 Bodycam: Zombies

An Engaging, Thrilling Early Access Title

Bodycam

FPS

Systems

Platform(s)

PC

Released

June 7, 2024

Developer(s)

Reissad Studio

From the scratchy and static-choked depths of the VHS horror genre, or maybe from the lingering legacy of visceral first-person horror demos like P.T., there has been a recent surge in bodycam horror games, and the new zombie mode in Bodycam stands as an excellent, adrenaline-filled shooter among them.

If having to be smart and tactical about combat was the main draw to Stalker 2 for some players, then they'll find this multiplayer shooter just as cathartic. Mowing down zombies might seem senseless, but poor positioning or a lack of coordination with other players will spell a gruesome end.