5 games like The Last of Us you should play in 2023

Tyler Constable
Official artwork from The Last of Us featuring Joel and Ellie.

With the HBO adaption of The Last of Us now airing there are more eyes on the original game than ever before. If you’ve already played the game countless times, however, and are looking for something new, there are plenty of similar titles out there. Here are 5 games like The Last of Us you should play in 2023.

The Last of Us tells one of the most beloved stories in all of gaming. Its rich dangerous world and emotional narrative have been capturing the hearts of players since it was released in 2013.

If you’re a long-standing fan, you may have already experienced the story countless times and are looking for something similar to dive into. Thankfully, there are plenty of titles out there that take inspiration from or share similar themes with The Last of Us.

Whether it’s an emotional story or some good old fashion zombie action you’re after, here are 5 games like The Last of Us you should play in 2023.

Eastward

A screenshot from Eastward featuring the characters in a town.
Eastward follows a similar journey to The Last of Us where a young girl and a man must journey across the country together.

Eastward was one of the biggest indie hits of 2021. This charming title explores a very similar concept to The Last of Us being set in a post-apocalyptic world where humanity has almost been wiped out due to a virus. The story follows a middle-aged miner, John, and a young girl called Sam who must journey across the country together.

The core gameplay involves exploration, combat, and puzzle solving where the player must utilize the skillsets of both protagonists in order to progress. Eastward is a truly engaging action RPG with a wonderful art style that fans of The Last of Us will surely enjoy.

A Plague Tale: Innocence

An official image from A Plague Tale: Innocence, one of the games like The Last of Us to play in 2023.
A Plague Tale: Innocence is a great narrative story containing stealth gameplay.

If you were particularly fond of the stealth encounters in The Last of Us, then A Plague Tale: Innocence could be the perfect game for you. You take control of Amicia de Rune, a 15-year-old girl living in Aquitaine who must escape the soldiers of the French Inquisition while avoiding hordes of plague-ridden rats and keeping her 5-year-old brother, Hugo, safe.

The gameplay is firmly rooted in survival horror, the player must use stealth to avoid hostile soldiers as Amicia will be killed instantly if she is caught. However, she does have a sling that can be used to distract, stun or kill enemies.

Overall, it’s a fantastic narrative game that’s perfect for stealth lovers.

Days Gone

An official image of Days Gone featuring protagonist Deacon St. John.
Days Gone is a fast-paced adventure-action zombie game.

Days Gone is a post-apocalyptic tale that follows former outlaw Deacon St. John as he navigates the zombie-infested streets of Oregon.

It’s an open-world experience with a lot to explore and plenty of exciting combat options. Deacon uses his trusty motorcycle to traverse the land and avoid dangerous hordes of ‘Freakers’ but players have to keep a close eye on how much petrol is in the tank. In combat, Deacon can equip firearms and melee weapons to defeat Freakers.

Days Gone features a lot of objectives to complete and a big world to explore, it’s far from perfect but it’s still a brilliant zombie game.

Resident Evil 4

An official image of Resident Evil 4 artwork, featuring Leon and Ashley. One of the games to play like The Last of Us in 2023.
Resident Evil 4 is noticeably different from previous entries in the horror franchise.

Resident Evil 4 takes the eerie zombie-filled environments from previous entries and swaps them for a village of hostile cult members. While it’s much less survival horror focused and more action-oriented, this game has quite a few similarities to The Last of Us.

Players take control of Leon S. Kennedy who has been tasked with rescuing the president’s daughter, Ashley Graham, from a cult in a rural Spanish village. Throughout the game, you’ll be involved in fast-paced shootouts as you have to battle violet cult members while escorting Ashley back to safety.

With a remake coming in 2023, there’s no better time to pick up this great entry in the beloved horror series.

Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons

An official image from Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons showing the two protagonists in combat.
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons is still one of the most unique adventure games available in 2023.

This adventure game follows two young brothers who set out on a journey to find a cure for their father’s illness. Like The Last of Us, it puts a strong emphasis on character relationships.

The most enticing element of the game is its core gameplay – each brother can be controlled by either the left or right thumbstick and this allows players to complete cooperative puzzles.

Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons is a rich emotional journey with an extremely distinct controller mechanic that makes it one of the standout adventure games available in 2023.

Those are 5 games like The Last of Us you should play in 2023! For more gaming content, check out our recommendations below:

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About The Author

Tyler is Dexerto's Gaming Evergreen Specialist. He loves many games but is particularly fond of JRPGs and The Last of Us. When he's not writing about or playing video games, he can be found watching Doctor Who or reading a fantasy book. You can contact him at tyler.constable@dexerto.com