11 Narrative 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.

If DayZ worked for you because of strong narrative focus, a sandbox world and multiplayer gameplay, the same is here. Both also lean on exploration and discovery, and a third-person camera. The distance is in tone and game mode — its own ground is offline play.

The genre is the same as DayZ’s, and with it strong narrative focus, ranged combat and multiplayer gameplay. To that it adds a first-person view. They part company on setting and tone: this one brings a casual, approachable feel and historical setting.

The thread back to DayZ runs through shooting mechanics, strong narrative focus and ranged combat. The common ground extends to online features and a first-person view. Where the two diverge is setting and tone: a contemporary setting.