5 Best Video Games Like Horizon Zero Dawn

One of the stellar PlayStation franchises launched within the past decade is "Horizon Zero Dawn," one of the best PlayStation 4 games ever made. A third-person action RPG set in a post-apocalyptic 31st century, civilization has fragmented into tribes while hostile robots roam the landscape. The game, and its 2022 sequel "Horizon Forbidden West," follows a young warrior named Aloy navigating this harsh world as she discovers the origins of these robotic adversaries. With its immersive environments and refined combat mechanics, the "Horizon" games have been a solid hit, with a television adaptation currently in development.

Naturally, there have been sweeping third-person action RPG epics long before "Horizon Zero Dawn" and there have been other ones since. Each of the titles we'll discuss today provide their own distinct narratives and gameplay mechanics, but have clear similarities to the 2017 game. These are kinds of games where you can sink in hours exploring the environments and completing the side quests while enjoying the epic main stories. Here are the five best video games like "Horizon Zero Dawn," featuring a mix of action RPG gameplay and exploration-driven thrills.

Two games released in 2017 were action RPGs set in a post-apocalyptic future where hostile robots roam the landscape and a young woman steps up to save the day. This broad premise not only applies to "Horizon Zero Dawn," but also Square Enix's "Nier: Automata," the second mainline installment in the Square Enix series. The latter game's initial protagonist is an android named 2B who faces a network of extraterrestrial-created machines. 2B and the subsequent protagonists explore an open-world environment as they learn about the true nature behind the Machine Network.

With "Nier: Automata," the developers upped the sci-fi fantasy trappings compared to the game's 2010 predecessor. Admittedly, the combat is much more hack-and-slash oriented than "Horizon Zero Dawn," but the thematic similarities are still prominent. This includes an immersive dystopian open-world world setting to delve into, punctuated with plenty of action along the way. An operatic action RPG weaving its own ambitious sci-fi saga, "Nier: Automata" is an excellent jumping-on point for the series.

Sony's "God of War" series underwent a stunning transformation with its 2018 installment for the PlayStation 4. Relocating the franchise from its original setting of ancient Greece to Scandinavia, the game also repositions longtime protagonist Kratos as a single father. While venturing to the tallest moment to release his late wife's ashes, Kratos and his son Atreus confront the Norse pantheon of gods. Across this arduous fantasy journey, the father and son learn the secret backstory of the woman they both mourn while growing closer together.

Though not a strictly open-world experience, the 2018 "God of War" and its 2022 sequel, "God of War Ragnarök," do feature similarly immersive environments to traverse across. "God of War" and "Horizon Zero Dawn" also have shared sensibilities when it comes to its combat mechanics and presentation, which are only more evident by both titles' sequels. Beyond the narrative similarities, the two games are also PlayStation console exclusives that complement each other well. After powering through "Horizon Zero Dawn" and its sequel, consider giving the Norse revamp of "God of War" a try.

Another PlayStation console exclusive that hews closely to "Horizon Zero Dawn" is the samurai epic "Ghost of Tsushima." Released in 2020, the game is set during the 13th century as the Mongols invade Japan. After the rest of his clan is wiped out by the invaders, protagonist Jin Sakai resorts to guerilla warfare as he seeks to liberate the Japanese island of Tsushima. As Jin's quest proceeds, he hones his samurai skills and inspires the oppressed to retake their home from the outside aggressors.

The emphasis on stealth when approaching enemy-controlled areas, ambitious open-world environment, and combat mechanics in "Ghost of Tsushima" align with "Horizon Zero Dawn." Developer Sucker Punch Productions has created a true historical odyssey that takes hours to fully beat with one of the PS4's last great titles. The game later received updates providing it with a co-op mode and a standalone sequel, "Ghost of Yōtei," in 2025. One of the most impressive titles for PlayStation platforms released in the past several years, "Ghost of Tsushima" is a modern classic.

Though Ubisoft's "Assassin's Creed" franchise has been providing players with immersive open-world experiences since the beginning, 2020's "Assassin's Creed Valhalla" takes it a step further. Set during the Vikings' expansion into Britain in the 9th century, the game follows protagonist Eivor (who can be played as male or female) as their attempts to establish a community in England are beset by enemies. These efforts are complicated by Eivor and their allies becoming involved in the long-running shadow war between the Assassin Brotherhood and Templar Order. In between these conflicts, Eivor steadily builds their settlement, crafting improvements from materials they harvest or gain from raids.

"Assassin's Creed Valhalla" is probably the closest game that the long-running series has come to offering a "Horizon Zero Dawn" style experience to date. The game features the usual open-world exploration but with community-building and crafting mechanics that resemble the 2017 PS4 game. Both stories also involve their respective protagonists uncovering an ancient secret as Eivor learns about the Assassin Brotherhood. The "Assassin's Creed" game to give a whirl after "Horizon Zero Dawn," "Valhalla" brings a fresh approach to the fan-favorite franchise.

Arguably the closest title on this list to "Horizon Zero Dawn" in terms of gameplay is the mainline "Monster Hunter" series. As a third-person action RPG, players track and hunt various forms of creatures, from brutish mammals to wyvern-like horrors, in distinct wilderness environments. Hunters have multiple weapons at their disposal, including bows and arrows, not unlike Aloy in her own adventures. Finally, another major similarity between "Monster Hunter" and "Horizon Zero Dawn" is a strong emphasis on harvesting and crafting between the two games.

At the time of this writing, the latest mainline installment in Capcom's series is "Monster Hunter Wilds," which features several open-world environments. This game has an added emphasis on environmental conditions, cooperative multiplayer, and even more feature-rich gameplay than its predecessors. At the same time, the game expands the "Monster Hunter" mythology that's been thriving for over 20 years. For players looking for the sort of hunting and survivalist stakes that are also present in "Horizon Zero Dawn," "Monster Hunter Wilds" brings these sensibilities to the next level.