6 best games like The Last of Us to play on PC & console in 2024
The Last of Us is one of the most recognisable franchises from PlayStation Studios - and below, you'll find our picks of games just like it, based on the similar style of experience they offer, or if they have acting and performances of the same calibre as Naughty Dog’s series.
After honing its development skills at crafting third-person action games with the Uncharted series, Naughty Dog followed it up by releasing the enthralling, intense, and emotional The Last of Us in 2013 and its risky and divisive sequel The Last of Us Part 2 in 2020.
Since then, both games have been remastered for PS5 and PC. And, if you have seen Ellie and Joel’s journey so far, then you may be looking for a similar, story-focused, linear adventure to sink your teeth into.
Great games like The Last of Us
6 - A Plague Tale: Innocence
Click to enlarge- Platforms: PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
- Release date: 2019
- Key features:
- Concise, engaging narrative that doesn’t overstay its welcome
- Intense, eerie atmosphere with impressive visual density
- Great performances
If you love the two-person-led narrative of The Last of Us, where you go on a journey with someone and connect and learn more about them across that journey, then A Plague Tale: Innocence is the game for you. Clearly taking heavy inspiration from Naughty Dog’s series, A Plague Tale: Innocence puts you in the shoes of Amicia who has to protect her little brother Hugo as they are on the run from French Inquisition soldiers.
During your journey, you will upgrade your sling to become stronger in combat, hone your stealth skills, and meet a small but friendly cast of characters who will help you on your journey. But, while soldiers are a tough fight, nothing is as terrifying as a horde of rats. See, a plague has broken out in the streets of France and thousands of rats now swarm tunnels, open fields, and buildings.
To avoid being eaten alive, you will need to solve a variety of puzzles to clear the way of rats, lighting fires and torches to make it to safety, all while on the run. It’s a fantastic first entry in the series and the sequel, A Plague Tale: Requiem, is even better.
5 - Spec Ops: The Line
Click to enlarge- Platforms: PC, PS3, Xbox 360 (backwards compatible)
- Release date: 2012
- Key features:
- Thought-provoking narrative
- Solid third-person combat
- Additional multiplayer mode
If you loved the thought-provoking, deep narrative that The Last of Us Part 2 and its predecessor to some degree had, Spec Ops: The Line should be your next game. Despite being released back in 2012, it's still one of the best games of its type to this day.
Ostensibly, Spec Ops: The Line is a third-person shooter but in reality, the campaign is a harrowing experience “designed to challenge players’ morality by putting them in the middle of unspeakable situations where unimaginable choices affecting human life must be made”.
That description was taken from the Steam Page, but it's accurate. As you explore the desert of Dubai, you will face several hard choices that will stick with you long after the credits roll. While it isn’t exactly a fun game to play outside of the solid shooting, if you want a narrative that tackles similar themes to The Last of Us Part 2 and its focus on violence, then this underrated gem is for you.
4 - Resident Evil 2
Click to enlarge- Platforms: PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
- Release Date: 2019
- Key features:
- A fantastic remake of a survival horror classic
- Gorgeous visuals thanks to the RE Engine
- High replayability
Resident Evil 2 is a survival horror classic. Lauded to this day, the original is still one of the best games in the genre. However, in 2019, Capcom remade the entire thing, modernising the gameplay, camera, and controls, as well as updating the visuals thanks to the latest version of the stunning RE Engine.
The structure of this remake is largely the same as the original but this time the horror has been amped up to 11. If you love the eeriness of walking down hallways in The Last of Us or the jump-scares Clickers offer, then Resident Evil 2 is full of similar frights as well as intense setpieces and boss battles.
Plus, there is a good amount of replayability here thanks to subsequent playthroughs, unlockable items, and challenges to complete.
3 - Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture
Click to enlarge- Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
- Release Date: 2016
- Key features:
- Bitesize narrative adventure
- Mysterious and gripping narrative
- Beautiful visuals capturing the English countryside
Diverting slightly from the action-focused entries on this list, if you want another apocalyptic adventure, then Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture is a haunting tale set in the UK countryside. As the name suggests, everybody has vanished, and voices haunt the village of Yaughton as it stands still day and night.
Your job is to unravel the mystery behind what happened in the last days of Yaughton and uncover what you can about the members of the community, who they were, and what they did during their last days.
Unlike the other games on this list, Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture is a walking sim and doesn’t feature any combat, so you will need to be willing to listen to a lot of dialogue as you learn about the village and its people.
But once you are in, the mysteries in Yaughton will keep you hooked till the credits roll.
2 - Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2
Click to enlarge- Developer: Ninja Theory
- Platforms: PC, Xbox Series X|S
- Release date: 2024
- Subscription service: Xbox Game Pass
- Key features:
- Engaging narrative
- Photorealistic visuals
- Brilliant acting
The Last of Us is all about telling an intimate tale of survival, with very few characters outside of Joel and Ellie, and Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 also echoes this. As a deep dive into the darkest depths of the psyche, Senua's Saga offers a harrowing look at humanity that stands toe to toe with The Last of Us.
As well as its engaging narrative, Senua's Saga also features incredible photorealism and stellar acting performances that may even rival that of The Last of Us and its sequel. As more games continue to blur the lines between them and film, it wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility if we saw Senua hit the big or small screen soon.
What is the best game like The Last of Us?
1 - Red Dead Redemption 2
Click to enlarge- Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One
- Release date: 2018
- Key features:
- Critically acclaimed narrative and performances
- Living world where each NPC has their own daily routine that changes dynamically
- Large open world with dozens of activities, quests, and tasks to complete
By now, you are probably familiar with Rockstar Games - creators of one of the best-selling games of all time, Grand Theft Auto 5, and the developers of the highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto 6. But, in between those games, they released the sequel to their 2010 Western, Red Dead Redemption 2.
Offering a distinctly different experience, Red Dead Redemption 2 places more of a focus on the narrative and crafting a realistic world than letting you cause mayhem (although it has its fair share of shootouts). As Arthur Morgan, you and the Van Der Linde gang are on the run, fighting and stealing their way across the American Heartland to survive. However, with so many people counting on each other to survive, internal divisions and strife threaten everything.
The game is one of the best-rated games in the last 10 years, sitting at a 97 on Metacritic and performances from Roger Clark and Benjamin Byron Davis bring gravity and weight to its emotional, gruelling narrative.
Additionally, Rockstar provides an incredibly tactile experience where everything feels physical and placed within the world. For example, Arthur Morgan opens up his physical diary to look at drawings and think back on events. When you upgrade your weapons, you can see changes made in real time and if your horse dies, you are going to have to go out and find another one.
As such, Red Dead Redemption 2 feels incredibly cohesive and polished to a degree few games ever get to.
Now that you know which games like Naughty Dog's The Last of Us to play, if you're looking for more gaming recommendations, we've covered the greatest Steam Deck games and cosy games, as well as battle royale games like PUBG and Fortnite.
