Summary
Stalker 2has only been released recently, but it’s already a smash-hit title with a huge player count andpresence 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 throughStalker 2for 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 donecutting their way through mutantsand 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 ofStalker 2engaged for hours after their time with this new smash hit is over.
Few games can afford the same cathartic multiplayer experience thatLeft 4 Dead 2can.Stalker 2may one day offer multiplayer of the same caliber, but while players await the free update that will bring this multiplayer,Left 4 Dead 2is the perfect post-apocalyptic shooter to take on.
The game has an incredible legacy only bolstered by thehost of custom mapsthat have been made since its release, some of which showcase the incredible things this game’s engine is capable of.
After completingStalker 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, asMetro Exodus, based on Dmitry Glukhovsky’s fantastic line of novels, is an exceptional game.
Players who enjoyedStalker 2’s mix ofopen-world and horror elementswill find similar catharsis inMetro Exodus, and any of the otherMetrogames, 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.
Shadow of Chernobylis perhaps the only title that can giveStalker 2a run for its moneyin 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 Chernobylhas an ominous, forbidding atmosphere. There is some new, fresh terror that will attempt to kill players around every corner. It’s an experience that has been emulated in titles well beyond theStalkerseries, including more recent titles likeLethal Companywhich also has players exploring decaying, mutant-filled industrial remnants for items.
Days Goneis 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 inStalker 2,Days Gonewill 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.
With therecent release ofFrostlinecementing this title as popular and relevant as ever, fans who want an open-ended experience of post-apocalyptic exploration should definitely giveDayZa try. Beyond the zombies (try to avoid these) other players are the biggest threat on the map - as unpredictable as ever.
Stalker 2will hopefully take some tips from howDayZand its DLC have utilized multiplayer to make for an immersive, atmospheric title with few equals.
While the settings ofFalloutandStalkerhave much in common, gameplay is an area where the two series have traditionally diverged.Fallout 4is more like a shooter than any other entry in its series, however, and provides a similar gameplay loop of exploration and scavenging.
Similar toStalker 2, there are a variety ofmajor and minor factionsto join, and the gunplay is very satisfying. One thing to note is that unlikeStalker 2, players can become overpowered by late game, which diverges from the newer title’s more tactical gameplay.
2Brigand: Oaxaca
An Instant-Classic, Retro Shooter RPG
Players will be hard-pressed to find a game as inventive or immersive asBrigand: Oaxaca. An indie-developed love letter to classic first-person RPGs likeDeus Ex, this game has players exploring a post-apocalyptic Mexico filled with mutants and mysticism in equal measure.
Especially if the olderStalkertitles 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.
From the scratchy and static-choked depths of the VHS horror genre, or maybe from the lingering legacy of visceral first-person horror demos likeP.T., there has been a recent surge inbodycam horror games, and the new zombie mode inBodycamstands as an excellent, adrenaline-filled shooter among them.
If having to be smart and tactical about combat was the main draw toStalker 2for 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.
