13 Dark games like DayZ that you should try

Held in common with DayZ: strong narrative focus, melee combat and horror setting. The common ground extends to multiplayer gameplay and a first-person view. Where the two diverge is setting: historical setting.

It comes from the same genre as DayZ and shares dark, oppressive atmosphere, open world exploration and melee combat. To that it adds exploration and discovery, and a first-person view. They part company on progression and world: this one brings crafting mechanics.

What carries over from DayZ is shooting mechanics, dark, oppressive atmosphere and open world exploration. Both also lean on post-apocalyptic world and multiplayer gameplay. The distance is in genre and progression — its own ground is base building.

Where it meets DayZ is tone and place, not genre: shooting mechanics, dark, oppressive atmosphere and melee combat. To that it adds horror setting and multiplayer gameplay. They part company on genre: this one brings single-player focus.

Held in common with DayZ: shooting mechanics, dark, oppressive atmosphere and melee combat. To that it adds horror setting and multiplayer gameplay. They part company on setting and genre: this one brings historical setting.

What carries over from DayZ is shooting mechanics, dark, oppressive atmosphere and ranged combat. Both also lean on horror setting and co-op play. The distance is in progression and genre — its own ground is skill tree progression and 3D presentation.

Held in common with DayZ: shooting mechanics, dark, oppressive atmosphere and melee combat. Both also lean on co-op play and a first-person view. The distance is in setting and genre — its own ground is historical setting.

Held in common with DayZ: shooting mechanics, dark, oppressive atmosphere and melee combat. The common ground extends to horror setting and multiplayer gameplay. Where the two diverge is genre and setting: historical setting.

What brings it close to DayZ is dark, oppressive atmosphere, open world exploration and ranged combat, and the two track each other on genre, game mode and setting. Both also lean on post-apocalyptic world and multiplayer gameplay. The distance is in world and tone — its own ground is third-person shooting and free-to-play access.

If DayZ worked for you because of dark, oppressive atmosphere, open world exploration and ranged combat, the same is here. Both also lean on exploration and discovery, and PvP competition. The distance is in world and tone — its own ground is third-person shooting and free-to-play access.

It shares the essentials of what DayZ does: dark, oppressive atmosphere, open world exploration and ranged combat. Both also lean on exploration and discovery, and multiplayer gameplay. The distance is in world and tone — its own ground is third-person shooting and free-to-play access.

If DayZ worked for you because of dark, oppressive atmosphere, open world exploration and ranged combat, the same is here. To that it adds exploration and discovery, and multiplayer gameplay. They part company on visuals and world: this one brings 3D presentation.

It meets DayZ on shooting mechanics, dark, oppressive atmosphere and ranged combat. Both also lean on co-op play and a first-person view. The distance is in setting and genre — its own ground is historical setting.