11 Games with a post-apocalyptic setting like Gears of War 3 that you should try

Games like Gears of War 3 · Find similar →

Filter by:Post-Apocalyptic×← Back to home

We filtered the 50 games similar to Gears of War 3 down to the 11 that fit the “Post-Apocalyptic” category. Gears of War 2, Contra III: The Alien Wars and Rogue Trooper top the list, ranked by affinity and similarity score to Gears of War 3.

iRank89/ 100

Did you find what you were looking for?

GenreShooterSubgenreTPS

The best games with a post-apocalyptic setting like Gears of War 3

11 similar games foundUpdated July 2026

Handpicked by our similarity algorithm, these are the titles with the highest gameplay match to Gears of War 3. Each one has been evaluated across 13 real attributes — from combat style and progression mechanics to world structure and visual perspective — so every recommendation is based on how the game actually plays, not just its genre label.

#1Gears of War 2

iRank90

GenreShooterSubgenreTPS

OfflineSoloMultiplayerCo-opSci-FiPost-ApocalypticThird Person

IGDB90· 5

Year 2008Dev Epic Games · Microsoft Game Studios

✓ Both are third-person shooters — sharing shooter, third-person shooting and setting scifi

≠ Stands apart with melee combat and ranged combat, while skipping dark, oppressive atmosphere

Details →

Xbox

#2Contra III: The Alien Wars

GenreShooterSubgenreTPS

OfflineSoloMultiplayerCo-opSci-FiPost-ApocalypticThird Person

Year 1992Dev Konami

✓ Same family of third-person shooters: shooter, third-person shooting and setting scifi

≠ Its own twist: adventure storytelling, visual isometric and visual 2d, while skipping dark, oppressive atmosphere

GenreShooterSubgenreTPS

MultiplayerOfflineSoloCo-opSci-FiPost-ApocalypticThird Person

Steam👍 95%· 516RAWG👍 73%· 59MC69IGDB76· 3

Year 2006Dev RebellionPlaytime ~1hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Same family of third-person shooters: shooter, third-person shooting and setting scifi

≠ Its own twist: melee combat, stealth mechanics and ranged combat, while skipping dark, oppressive atmosphere

Details →

Steam GOG

#4Shadow the Hedgehog

iRank46

GenreShooterSubgenreTPS

OfflineSoloMultiplayerSci-FiPost-ApocalypticThird Person

IGDB46· 2

Year 2005Dev Sonic Team · SegaOn PlayStation 3

✓ Both are third-person shooters — sharing shooter, third-person shooting and setting scifi

≠ Its own twist: precision platforming and adventure storytelling, while skipping dark, oppressive atmosphere

Details →

#5Twisted Metal 2

iRank73

GenreShooterSubgenreTPS

OfflineSoloMultiplayerDarkHorrorPost-ApocalypticThird Person

IGDB73· 1

Year 1996Dev SingleTrac · Sony Online EntertainmentOn PlayStation 3 · PC

✓ Both are third-person shooters — sharing shooter, third-person shooting and dark, oppressive atmosphere

≠ Stands apart with racing gameplay, fighting mechanics and survival mechanics, while skipping setting scifi

Details →

#6ARC Raiders

iRank86

GenreShooterSubgenreTPS

MultiplayerCo-opSci-FiPost-ApocalypticSkill TreeThird Person

Steam👍 84%· 395KIGDB89· 4OC87· 95

Year 2025Dev Embark StudiosOn Xbox · PC · PS5

✓ Same family of third-person shooters: shooter, third-person shooting and setting scifi

≠ Where it differs: brings crafting mechanics, while skipping dark, oppressive atmosphere

GenreShooterSubgenreTPS

SoloMultiplayerDarkHorrorPost-ApocalypticLootSkill TreeThird Person

IGDB92· 13

Year 2013Dev Naughty Dog · Sony Computer EntertainmentOn PlayStation 3

✓ Both are third-person shooters — sharing shooter, third-person shooting and dark, oppressive atmosphere

≠ Stands apart with adventure storytelling, survival mechanics and stealth mechanics, while skipping setting scifi

Details →

#8Lost Planet: Extreme Condition

iRank79

GenreShooterSubgenreTPS

MultiplayerSoloSci-FiPost-ApocalypticThird Person

Steam👍 82%· 2.2KIGDB74· 5

Year 2006Dev K2 LLC · CapcomOn PlayStation 3 · PC

✓ Same family of third-person shooters: shooter, third-person shooting and setting scifi

≠ Stands apart with adventure storytelling, precision platforming and survival mechanics, while skipping dark, oppressive atmosphere

GenreShooterSubgenreTPS

SoloMultiplayerSci-FiPost-ApocalypticThird Person

Steam👍 73%· 1.8KIGDB69· 6

Year 2009Dev GRIN · CapcomOn PlayStation 3 · PC

✓ Fits the third-person shooters cluster, with shooter, third-person shooting and setting scifi

≠ Stands apart with adventure storytelling, precision platforming and first-person shooting, while skipping dark, oppressive atmosphere

Details →

Steam

#10Days Gone

iRank83

GenreShooterSubgenreTPS

SoloMultiplayerDarkHorrorPost-ApocalypticThird Person

Steam👍 93%· 114KIGDB75· 16OC72· 183

Year 2019Dev Bend Studio · Sony Interactive EntertainmentOn PS4 · PC · PS5

✓ Both are third-person shooters — sharing shooter, third-person shooting and dark, oppressive atmosphere

≠ Stands apart with adventure storytelling, survival mechanics and sandbox freedom, while skipping setting scifi

Details →

Steam GOG Epic

#11The Last of Us Part II

iRank94

GenreShooterSubgenreTPS

SoloDarkHorrorPost-ApocalypticThird Person

IGDB95· 11OC93· 205

Year 2020Dev Naughty Dog · Sony Interactive EntertainmentOn PS4 · PS5

✓ Both are third-person shooters — sharing shooter, third-person shooting and dark, oppressive atmosphere

≠ Its own twist: adventure storytelling, survival mechanics and stealth mechanics, while skipping setting scifi

Details →

Explore games similar to Gears of War 3 by category

Rankings in the same genre

Best Third-Person Shooter Games Best Shooter Games