27 Melee games like Horizon Zero Dawn that you should try

Games like Horizon Zero Dawn · Find similar →

Ranking compiled by Lluis Enric Mayans, Founder & Head of ContentUpdated May 19, 2026How this is calculatedOrdered by an attribute-similarity model, not editorial opinion.

Filter by:Melee×← Back to home

We filtered the 50 games similar to Horizon Zero Dawn down to the 27 that fit the “Melee” category. Death Stranding, METAL GEAR RISING: REVENGEANCE and Marvel's Spider-Man 2 top the list, ranked by affinity and similarity score to Horizon Zero Dawn.

iRank87/ 100

Did you find what you were looking for?

GenreRPGSubgenreAction RPGSub-subgenreThird-Person ARPG

The best melee games like Horizon Zero Dawn

27 similar games foundUpdated May 2026

Handpicked by our similarity algorithm, these are the titles with the highest gameplay match to Horizon Zero Dawn. Each one has been evaluated across 14 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.

#1Death StrandingClosest on genre

iRank88

GenreRPGSubgenreAction RPGSub-subgenreThird-Person ARPG

SoloStealthMeleeNarrativeOpen WorldPost-ApocalypticSci-FiExplorationThird Person

Steam👍 93%· 79KIGDB84· 17OC83· 203

Year 2019Dev Kojima Productions · Sony Interactive EntertainmentOn PS4 · PC

✓ Same family of third-person Action RPGs: deep RPG systems, adventure storytelling and shooter

≠ Where it differs: brings survival mechanics, horror tension and dark, oppressive atmosphere, while skipping action RPG combat

Genre100Combat100Game mode100World100Progression100Visuals100

Details →

Steam Epic PS

#2METAL GEAR RISING: REVENGEANCE

iRank88

GenreRPGSubgenreAction RPGSub-subgenreThird-Person ARPG

SoloMeleeStealthNarrativeSci-FiThird Person

Steam👍 96%· 88KRAWG👍 87%· 1.3KMC83IGDB85· 17OC84· 19

Year 2013Dev Platinum Games · KonamiPlaytime ~6hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Same family of third-person Action RPGs: deep RPG systems, action RPG combat and shooter

≠ Where it differs: brings dark, oppressive atmosphere, punishing difficulty and fantasy world, while skipping open world exploration

After the events of the uprising took four years. Naomi Hunter creates the FOXAVILE computer virus that destroys the system of "Sons of the Patriots", thereby putting an end to the military economy, what turned the war into a profitable business.

Where it drifts furthest from Horizon Zero Dawn: setting.

Genre100Combat100Game mode100Visuals100Tone58Setting31

Details →

Steam GOG Xbox

#3Marvel's Spider-Man 2Closest on tone

iRank84

GenreRPGSubgenreAction RPGSub-subgenreThird-Person ARPG

SoloMeleeStealthNarrativeOpen WorldSci-FiExplorationThird Person

Steam👍 82%· 38KIGDB82· 12OC88· 206

Year 2023Dev Insomniac Games · Sony Interactive EntertainmentOn PC · PS5

✓ Same family of third-person Action RPGs: deep RPG systems, action RPG combat and adventure storytelling

≠ Where it differs: brings skill tree progression, while skipping shooter

Released 6 years after Horizon Zero Dawn.

Genre100Combat100Game mode100Tone100World100Visuals100

GenreRPGSubgenreAction RPGSub-subgenreThird-Person ARPG

SoloMeleeStealthNarrativeOpen WorldPost-ApocalypticSci-FiExplorationThird Person

Steam👍 80%· 14KRAWG👍 72%· 1.1KMC79IGDB78· 8

Year 2009Dev Activision · Activision BlizzardPlaytime ~3hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Both are third-person Action RPGs — sharing deep RPG systems, action RPG combat and adventure storytelling

≠ Stands apart with precision platforming, sandbox freedom and survival mechanics, while skipping shooter

New York, Manhattan Peninsula (very detailed), our days. The townspeople are struck by a mutation that turns people into bloodthirsty monsters. The protagonist of the game is a seemingly unremarkable young man named Alex Mercer.

It predates Horizon Zero Dawn by 8 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Combat100Game mode100Visuals100Setting77World70

GenreRPGSubgenreAction RPGSub-subgenreThird-Person ARPG

SoloMeleeStealthNarrativeOpen WorldPost-ApocalypticSci-FiExplorationThird Person

Steam👍 80%· 14KRAWG👍 72%· 1.1KMC79IGDB78· 8

Year 2009Dev Activision · Activision BlizzardPlaytime ~3hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Both are third-person Action RPGs — sharing deep RPG systems, action RPG combat and adventure storytelling

≠ Its own twist: precision platforming, sandbox freedom and survival mechanics, while skipping shooter

It predates Horizon Zero Dawn by 8 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Combat100Game mode100Visuals100Setting77World70

Details →

Steam Xbox PS

#6Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales

iRank89

GenreRPGSubgenreAction RPGSub-subgenreThird-Person ARPG

SoloMeleeStealthNarrativeOpen WorldSci-FiExplorationThird Person

Steam👍 93%· 53KRAWG👍 88%· 951MC86IGDB89· 16OC85· 211

Year 2020Dev Insomniac Games · Sony Interactive EntertainmentPlaytime ~9hOn PC · PS

✓ Fits the third-person Action RPGs cluster, with deep RPG systems, action RPG combat and adventure storytelling

≠ Stands apart with fighting mechanics and multiplayer gameplay, while skipping shooter

Shorter and tighter than the game it follows: venom powers add real variation to combat, and a smaller winter New York with a more personal story avoids the padding of the original. Around eight hours. It reuses that map wholesale, and side activities are the same checklist the first game already exhausted.

Where it drifts furthest from Horizon Zero Dawn: setting.

Released 3 years after Horizon Zero Dawn.

Genre100Combat100Tone100World100Progression100Visuals100

Details →

Steam Epic PS

#7Assassin's Creed III: Liberation

iRank59

GenreRPGSubgenreAction RPGSub-subgenreThird-Person ARPG

SoloMeleeStealthOpen WorldSci-FiExplorationThird Person

Steam👍 54%· 3.2KIGDB69· 6

Year 2012Dev Ubisoft Milan · Ubisoft Entertainment

✓ Both are third-person Action RPGs — sharing deep RPG systems, action RPG combat and adventure storytelling

≠ Stands apart with sandbox freedom, sandbox world and historical setting, while skipping shooter

Originally a handheld game, following Aveline through colonial Louisiana with a persona system that swaps her between three social identities to change who reacts to her. New Orleans and the premise are the interesting parts. It is short and visibly scaled down beside the console entries, the persona mechanic is more inconvenient than tactical, and the story thins out badly in its second half.

Where it drifts furthest from Horizon Zero Dawn: setting.

On reception: its Steam reviews are mixed, against very positive for Horizon Zero Dawn.

Genre100Combat100Game mode100Visuals100World71Progression61

Details →

Steam

#8Assassin's Creed Mirage

iRank76

GenreRPGSubgenreAction RPGSub-subgenreThird-Person ARPG

SoloMeleeStealthNarrativeOpen WorldExplorationThird Person

Steam👍 76%· 11KIGDB75· 9OC76· 194

Year 2023Dev Ubisoft Bordeaux · Ubisoft EntertainmentOn Xbox · PS4 · PC

✓ Same family of third-person Action RPGs: deep RPG systems, action RPG combat and adventure storytelling

≠ Its own twist: dark, oppressive atmosphere and historical setting, while skipping shooter

Where it drifts furthest from Horizon Zero Dawn: setting.

On reception: its Steam reviews are mostly positive, against very positive for Horizon Zero Dawn.

Released 6 years after Horizon Zero Dawn.

Genre100Combat100Game mode100World100Progression100Visuals100

Details →

Steam Epic Xbox

#9Assassin's Creed® Odyssey

iRank85

GenreRPGSubgenreAction RPGSub-subgenreThird-Person ARPG

SoloStealthMeleeNarrativeOpen WorldExplorationThird Person

Steam👍 89%· 184KRAWG👍 78%· 2.1KMC85IGDB88· 14OC84· 169

Year 2018Dev Ubisoft · Ubisoft EntertainmentPlaytime ~31hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Same family of third-person Action RPGs: deep RPG systems, action RPG combat and adventure storytelling

≠ Its own twist: historical setting, setting mythology and multiplayer gameplay, while skipping shooter

Assassin's Creed Odyssey is the twentieth game in its series. It is the earliest game in the Assassin's Creed universe chronology and the prequel to Assassin's Creed Origins.

Where it drifts furthest from Horizon Zero Dawn: setting.

Genre100Combat100Tone100World100Progression100Visuals100

Details →

Steam Epic Xbox

#10Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

iRank90

GenreRPGSubgenreAction RPGSub-subgenreThird-Person ARPG

SoloStealthMeleeNarrativeOpen WorldSci-FiExplorationThird Person

Steam👍 91%· 33KIGDB94· 9OC83· 34

Year 2003Dev BioWare · LucasArtsOn Android · PC · iOS

✓ Same family of third-person Action RPGs: deep RPG systems, adventure storytelling and strong narrative focus

≠ Where it differs: brings turn-based strategy, combat tactical and setting space, while skipping action RPG combat

Where it drifts furthest from Horizon Zero Dawn: setting.

It predates Horizon Zero Dawn by 14 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100World100Visuals100Combat82

Details →

Steam GOG Xbox

#11Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones

iRank83

GenreRPGSubgenreAction RPGSub-subgenreThird-Person ARPG

SoloMeleeStealthNarrativeThird Person

Steam👍 80%· 2.7KRAWG👍 89%· 713MC85IGDB80· 2

Year 2005Dev Ubisoft · Ubisoft EntertainmentPlaytime ~1hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Same family of third-person Action RPGs: deep RPG systems, action RPG combat and adventure storytelling

≠ Where it differs: brings precision platforming, ranged combat and fantasy world, while skipping shooter

Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones is a third-person fast-paced action game developed by Ubisoft. It is the third installment of the series. ###Plot After changing his fate, The Prince comes to Babylon accompanied by Kaileena. It turns out that Babylon is under attack.

Where it drifts furthest from Horizon Zero Dawn: setting.

It predates Horizon Zero Dawn by 12 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Visuals100Combat84Setting0

GenreRPGSubgenreAction RPGSub-subgenreThird-Person ARPG

SoloStealthMeleeNarrativeOpen WorldExplorationThird Person

IGDB90· 3OC87· 162

Year 2025Dev Sucker Punch Productions · Sony Interactive EntertainmentOn PS5

✓ Both are third-person Action RPGs — sharing deep RPG systems, adventure storytelling and strong narrative focus

≠ Where it differs: brings ranged combat and historical setting, while skipping action RPG combat

Where it drifts furthest from Horizon Zero Dawn: setting.

Released 8 years after Horizon Zero Dawn.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100World100Progression100Visuals100

Details →

#13Mass EffectClosest overall match

iRank92

GenreRPGSubgenreAction RPGSub-subgenreThird-Person ARPG

SoloMeleeNarrativeOpen WorldSci-FiExplorationThird Person

Steam👍 94%· 17KIGDB89· 4

Year 2007Dev BioWare · Electronic ArtsOn PlayStation 3 · PC

✓ Same family of third-person Action RPGs: deep RPG systems, action RPG combat and shooter

≠ Where it differs: brings roguelike runs, first-person shooting and setting space, while skipping stealth mechanics

Where it drifts furthest from Horizon Zero Dawn: setting.

It predates Horizon Zero Dawn by 10 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100World100Visuals100Combat76

GenreRPGSubgenreAction RPGSub-subgenreThird-Person ARPG

SoloMeleeNarrativeSci-FiExplorationThird Person

Steam👍 78%· 342IGDB96· 9

Year 2010Dev BioWare · Electronic ArtsOn PlayStation 3 · PC

✓ Both are third-person Action RPGs — sharing deep RPG systems, action RPG combat and shooter

≠ Where it differs: brings roguelike runs, first-person shooting and setting space, while skipping open world exploration

Where it drifts furthest from Horizon Zero Dawn: setting.

On reception: its Steam reviews are mostly positive, against very positive for Horizon Zero Dawn.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Visuals100Combat81Progression66

Details →

Steam Epic Xbox

#15NieR

iRank69

GenreRPGSubgenreAction RPGSub-subgenreThird-Person ARPG

SoloMeleeNarrativeOpen WorldSci-FiPost-ApocalypticExplorationThird Person

IGDB69· 4

Year 2010Dev Cavia · Square EnixOn Xbox · PlayStation 3

✓ Same family of third-person Action RPGs: deep RPG systems, shooter and third-person shooting

≠ Its own twist: deep simulation, historical setting and visual 2d, while skipping action RPG combat

Genre100Game mode100Tone100World100Progression100Setting85

Details →

Xbox

Complete list of melee games like Horizon Zero Dawn

The full catalog of games sharing gameplay DNA with Horizon Zero Dawn, ordered from highest to lowest similarity score. Use the filters above to narrow down by genre, setting or game mode and find the alternative that best fits your playstyle.