Whether it’s fighting a robotic uprising, scrounging for supplies while evading zombie hordes, or simply trying to survive the classic nuclear annihilation scenario, there’s something oddly compelling about the end of the world. Anarchy, chaos, and the breakdown of law and order don’t sound like much fun in reality. But put a controller in our hands, and the post-apocalypse can make for some of the best gaming experiences going.

We chalk that up to the freedom you’re given to explore these often giant open-world sandboxes. These usually either paint a hopeful vision of the future – or a bleak prediction of humanity’s downfall. If civilization has only just crumbled, or Mother Nature has reclaimed the land over centuries, there are usually plenty of ruins and abandoned buildings to loot through and outfit your character with the tools needed to survive.