Computed from player tags · Not ranked by quality
24 games like Defiance (2026)
Every game below overlaps with Defiance on things players said about it rather than on our opinion of what feels alike. Each entry shows what it matched on, so you can throw out the ones matching on the part you did not care about.
The short version
- Closest match: Tom Clancy's The Division, which both post-apocalyptic, open world and survival.
- Defiance is tagged Free to Play, Looter Shooter, Open World, Action, Massively Multiplayer, Multiplayer, Third-Person Shooter, RPG by Steam players. Those tags are what the matching runs on.
- 24 games qualify, each with at least fifty player reviews behind its sentiment figure.
- 7 are free to download, so you can test the resemblance yourself at no cost.
How these were matched
Steam tags carry the most weight, because players apply them and they describe how a game feels rather than how it was filed. Souls-like, Atmospheric and Cozy exist as tags and as nothing else, which is exactly the vocabulary this question needs. Formal genres count for less, themes and a shared studio for more.
Tags carried by more than a third of the catalogue are thrown out before matching. Nearly everything is tagged Singleplayer, so matching on it is matching on nothing. That cutoff is computed from the catalogue rather than fixed, so it moves as the catalogue grows.
All 24, closest first
- 1
Tom Clancy's The Division
Why it matched: both post-apocalyptic, open world and survival; shares 11 player tags including Looter Shooter, Third-Person Shooter and Shooter; released around the same time (2016).
A tactical open world third-person shooter set in New York after a deadly pandemic. Team up or go solo to restore order against deadly factions, secure loot, and conquer high-risk endgame challenges.
Tom Clancy's The Division at a glance Released 2016 Studio Ubisoft Reflections Player sentiment 71% positive of 96,706 Price $29.99 Looter ShooterThird-Person ShooterShooterRPGOnline Co-OpPost-apocalypticSurvivalMassively Multiplayer
- 2
Tom Clancy’s The Division
Why it matched: both post-apocalyptic, open world and survival; shares 11 player tags including Looter Shooter, Third-Person Shooter and Shooter; released around the same time (2016).
A tactical open world third-person shooter set in New York after a deadly pandemic. Team up or go solo to restore order against deadly factions, secure loot, and conquer high-risk endgame challenges.
Tom Clancy’s The Division at a glance Released 2016 Studio Massive Entertainment Player sentiment 71% positive of 96,713 Price $29.99 Looter ShooterThird-Person ShooterShooterRPGOnline Co-OpPost-apocalypticSurvivalMassively Multiplayer
- 3
Fallout 4
Why it matched: both post-apocalyptic, open world, survival and science fiction; shares 9 player tags including Post-apocalyptic, RPG and Shooter; released around the same time (2015).
From Bethesda Game Studios, the award-winning creators of Starfield and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, comes Fallout 4. A landmark in open-world RPG design and winner of over 200 ‘Best Of’ honors, including the DICE and BAFTA Game of the Year.
Fallout 4 at a glance Released 2015 Studio Bethesda Game Studios Player sentiment 81% positive of 428,604 Price $19.99 Post-apocalypticRPGShooterFirst-PersonSci-fiFPSSurvivalThird Person
- 4
Fallen Earth Free2Play
Why it matched: both post-apocalyptic, open world and survival; shares 10 player tags including Free to Play, Survival and Post-apocalyptic; released around the same time (2012).
Fallen Earth Classic is a free-to-play massively multiplayer online role-playing game developed by Reloaded Productions and operated by Little Orbit. The game takes place in a post-apocalyptic wasteland located around the American Grand Canyon.
Fallen Earth Free2Play at a glance Released 2012 Studio Little Orbit Player sentiment 60% positive of 7,569 Price Free Free to PlaySurvivalPost-apocalypticMassively MultiplayerRPGShooterFPSFirst-Person
- 5
Fallout: New Vegas
Why it matched: both post-apocalyptic, open world, survival and science fiction; shares 8 player tags including RPG, Post-apocalyptic and First-Person; released around the same time (2010).
Welcome to Vegas. New Vegas. Enjoy your stay!
Fallout: New Vegas at a glance Released 2010 Studio Obsidian Entertainment Player sentiment 96% positive of 261,194 Price $9.99 RPGPost-apocalypticFirst-PersonFPSSci-fiSurvivalShooterThird Person
- 6
Will To Live Online
Why it matched: both post-apocalyptic, open world and survival; shares 9 player tags including Survival, Free to Play and Post-apocalyptic; released around the same time (2018).
Will To Live is a MMORPG-shooter whose action takes place in a severe post-apocalyptic world. Explore the world, engage in fights with mutants and other survivors, join the clans in the struggle for existence and prove your right to Live.
Will To Live Online at a glance Released 2018 Studio AlphaSoft LLC Player sentiment 69% positive of 18,389 Price Free SurvivalFree to PlayPost-apocalypticFPSMassively MultiplayerShooterMMORPGFirst-Person
- 7
Deadside
Why it matched: both post-apocalyptic, open world and survival; shares 10 player tags including Survival, FPS and Post-apocalyptic.
An Open World Survival Shooter blending hardcore PVP and PVE action. Secure precious loot in safe zones or build your own fortress in the wild. With intense gunfights, stunning visuals, and performance smooth enough for any system, the challenge awaits!
Deadside at a glance Released 2024 Studio Bad Pixel Player sentiment 76% positive of 40,512 Price $24.99 SurvivalFPSPost-apocalypticThird-Person ShooterShooterFirst-PersonMassively MultiplayerOnline Co-Op
- 8
RAGE
Why it matched: both post-apocalyptic, open world, survival and science fiction; shares 8 player tags including FPS, Post-apocalyptic and Shooter; released around the same time (2011).
Powered by id’s revolutionary id Tech® 5 technology, RAGE is an intense first-person shooter with breakneck vehicle combat, an expansive world to explore, and jaw-dropping graphics!
RAGE at a glance Released 2011 Studio id Software Player sentiment 78% positive of 18,288 Price $9.99 FPSPost-apocalypticShooterFirst-PersonSci-fiRPGSurvivalOnline Co-Op
- 9
Undawn
Why it matched: both post-apocalyptic, open world and survival; shares 9 player tags including Massively Multiplayer, Survival and RPG.
Explore, adapt, and survive in Undawn, a free-to-play open-world survival RPG for mobile and PC developed by LightSpeed Studios and published by Level Infinite. Embark on an adventure with other survivors four years after a worldwide disaster where hordes of infected roam a shattered world.
Undawn at a glance Released 2023 Studio Lightspeed Studios Player sentiment 54% positive of 6,602 Price Free Massively MultiplayerSurvivalRPGMMORPGPost-apocalypticShooterThird-Person ShooterFree to Play
- 10
Infestation: Survivor Stories 2020
Why it matched: both post-apocalyptic, open world and survival; shares 9 player tags including Survival, Massively Multiplayer and RPG.
Infestation is a Survival Horror MMO that immerses players in a zombie-infested, post-apocalyptic world in which a viral outbreak has decimated the human population leaving in its wake, a nightmare of epic proportion.
Infestation: Survivor Stories 2020 at a glance Released Not recorded Studio Fredaikis AB Player sentiment 42% positive of 25,385 Price Free SurvivalMassively MultiplayerRPGFPSPost-apocalypticShooterFree to PlayThird-Person Shooter
- 11
XERA: Survival
Why it matched: both post-apocalyptic, open world and survival; shares 9 player tags including Free to Play, Survival and Post-apocalyptic.
Action-focused, open world survival shooter, PvPvE against fellow mercenaries and lethal XOIDS. Raid for resources alone or with team-mates, build and defend your base, stash your gear and survive against the odds. You are the hunters. You are the hunted. And the robots never sleep…
XERA: Survival at a glance Released 2021 Studio Spotted Kiwi Interactive Player sentiment 66% positive of 7,941 Price Free Free to PlaySurvivalPost-apocalypticShooterMassively MultiplayerFPSThird-Person ShooterLooter Shooter
- 12
Survarium
Why it matched: both post-apocalyptic, open world and survival; shares 8 player tags including Free to Play, Survival and FPS; released around the same time (2015).
Survarium is a post-apocalyptic online FPS game. If you are looking for a shooter where skills matter, look no further! The opposing players and deadly anomalies will never stop you on the way to victory, right? Then start playing now for free!
Survarium at a glance Released 2015 Studio Vostok Games Player sentiment 55% positive of 25,266 Price Not listed Free to PlaySurvivalFPSPost-apocalypticShooterFirst-PersonMassively MultiplayerRPG
- 13
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl
Why it matched: both post-apocalyptic, open world, survival and science fiction; shares 7 player tags including FPS, Post-apocalyptic and Survival.
Enter the Chornobyl Anomalous Zone — a vast open world where anomalies, mutants, and rivals stand in your way. Explore, scavenge, and try to survive in this brutal and dangerous land. Evolving with every update, now overhauled and crowned with UPDATE 2.0.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl at a glance Released 2024 Studio GSC Game World Player sentiment 80% positive of 138,669 Price $41.99 FPSPost-apocalypticSurvivalShooterRPGFirst-PersonSci-fi
- 14
No More Room in Hell
Why it matched: both post-apocalyptic, open world and survival; shares 8 player tags including Free to Play, Survival and Online Co-Op; released around the same time (2013).
The chances of you surviving this all out war of society and the undead are slim to none. Already, there are millions of the walking dead shambling about, searching for food to eat. There's no known cure. One bite can possibly end it all for you. However, you aren't alone in this nightmare.
No More Room in Hell at a glance Released 2013 Studio No More Room in Hell Team Player sentiment 90% positive of 76,511 Price Free Free to PlaySurvivalOnline Co-OpFPSFirst-PersonShooterPost-apocalypticMassively Multiplayer
- 15
Borderlands Game of the Year
Why it matched: both post-apocalyptic, open world and science fiction; shares 8 player tags including Looter Shooter, FPS and RPG.
Get ready for the mind blowing insanity! Play as one of four trigger-happy mercenaries and take out everything that stands in your way! With its addictive action, frantic first-person shooter combat, massive arsenal of weaponry, RPG elements and four-player co-op, Borderlands is a breakthrough experience that challenges all the...
Borderlands Game of the Year at a glance Released 2023 Studio Gearbox Software Player sentiment 90% positive of 31,877 Price $29.99 Looter ShooterFPSRPGShooterOnline Co-OpFirst-PersonSci-fiPost-apocalyptic
- 16
Creative Destruction
Why it matched: both open world and survival; shares 9 player tags including Free to Play, Shooter and FPS; released around the same time (2018).
Welcome to the world of Creative Destruction where everything is fully destructible! Creative Destruction is a new FPS/TPS sandbox survival game that features the utmost fun of building and firing.
Creative Destruction at a glance Released 2018 Studio NetEase Games Player sentiment 79% positive of 18,190 Price Not listed Free to PlayShooterFPSMassively MultiplayerFirst-PersonThird PersonThird-Person ShooterSurvival
- 17
WildStar
Why it matched: both open world, survival and science fiction; shares 7 player tags including Free to Play, Massively Multiplayer and MMORPG; released around the same time (2016).
Critically acclaimed and now Free to Play, WildStar is a fantastical sci-fi MMO where you can join your friends or undertake your own epic adventures on the fabled planet Nexus!
WildStar at a glance Released 2016 Studio Carbine Studios Player sentiment 75% positive of 5,124 Price Not listed Free to PlayMassively MultiplayerMMORPGRPGSci-fiSurvivalFPS
- 18
Tom Clancy’s The Division 2
Why it matched: both post-apocalyptic, open world and survival; shares 8 player tags including Looter Shooter, Third-Person Shooter and Online Co-Op.
Join The Division in this open world tactical shooter. Engage in intense cover-based combat, team up with friends, and build your ultimate agent to save Washington, D.C.
Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 at a glance Released 2023 Studio Ubisoft Player sentiment 79% positive of 35,893 Price $29.99 Looter ShooterThird-Person ShooterOnline Co-OpShooterRPGPost-apocalypticSurvivalMassively Multiplayer
- 19
Skyforge
Why it matched: both open world, survival and science fiction; shares 7 player tags including Free to Play, Massively Multiplayer and RPG; released around the same time (2017).
Discover a universe of adventure in Skyforge, the sci-fi action MMO brought to you by Innova Co SARL. Explore the breathtaking world of Aelion, become an Immortal, switch between 18+ classes, and master amazing powers to defend the planet from invasion. Play for free today!
Skyforge at a glance Released 2017 Studio Innova Co SARL Player sentiment 60% positive of 4,358 Price Not listed Free to PlayMassively MultiplayerRPGMMORPGSci-fiOnline Co-OpSurvival
- 20
OUTRIDERS
Why it matched: both post-apocalyptic, open world and science fiction; shares 8 player tags including Looter Shooter, RPG and Third-Person Shooter.
Outriders’ brutal and bloody combat combines frenetic gunplay, violent powers and deep RPG systems to create a true genre hybrid.
OUTRIDERS at a glance Released 2021 Studio People Can Fly Player sentiment 67% positive of 61,283 Price $19.99 Looter ShooterRPGThird-Person ShooterShooterOnline Co-OpSci-fiThird PersonPost-apocalyptic
- 21
Metro: Last Light
Why it matched: both post-apocalyptic, open world, survival and science fiction; shares 6 player tags including Post-apocalyptic, FPS and First-Person; released around the same time (2013).
It is the year 2034. Beneath the ruins of post-apocalyptic Moscow, in the tunnels of the Metro, the remnants of mankind are besieged by deadly threats from outside – and within. Mutants stalk the catacombs beneath the desolate surface, and hunt amidst the poisoned skies above.
Metro: Last Light at a glance Released 2013 Studio 4A Games Player sentiment 91% positive of 81,499 Price $19.99 Post-apocalypticFPSFirst-PersonShooterSurvivalSci-fi
- 22
DayZ
Why it matched: both post-apocalyptic, open world and survival; shares 7 player tags including Survival, Online Co-Op and Post-apocalyptic; released around the same time (2018).
How long can you survive a post-apocalyptic world? A land overrun with an infected "zombie" population, where you compete with other survivors for limited resources. Will you team up with strangers and stay strong together? Or play as a lone wolf to avoid betrayal? This is DayZ – this is your story.
DayZ at a glance Released 2018 Studio Bohemia Interactive Player sentiment 78% positive of 468,392 Price $24.99 SurvivalOnline Co-OpPost-apocalypticShooterMassively MultiplayerFPSFirst-Person
- 23
Zombie Army Trilogy
Why it matched: both post-apocalyptic, open world and survival; shares 7 player tags including Third-Person Shooter, Survival and Shooter; released around the same time (2015).
The cult horror shooter series comes to an apocalyptic conclusion with an epic new third chapter, a heart-pumping new horde mode, and remastered editions of the best-selling Nazi Zombie Army 1 & 2.
Zombie Army Trilogy at a glance Released 2015 Studio Rebellion Player sentiment 86% positive of 18,739 Price $44.99 Third-Person ShooterSurvivalShooterPost-apocalypticThird PersonFPSFirst-Person
- 24
PlanetSide 2
Why it matched: both open world and science fiction; shares 8 player tags including Free to Play, FPS and Massively Multiplayer; released around the same time (2012).
PlanetSide 2 is an all-out planetary war, where thousands of players battle as one across enormous continents. Utilize infantry, ground and air vehicles, and teamwork to destroy your enemies in this revolutionary first-person shooter on a massive scale.
PlanetSide 2 at a glance Released 2012 Studio Rogue Planet Games Player sentiment 80% positive of 74,813 Price Free Free to PlayFPSMassively MultiplayerShooterSci-fiFirst-PersonOnline Co-OpRPG
Common questions
What game is most like Defiance?
Tom Clancy's The Division, on the evidence we have. It both post-apocalyptic, open world and survival. That is a statement about overlap, not a promise you will like it as much: two games can share every tag and still feel different to play.
How is "similar to Defiance" decided?
By overlap on the tags Steam players applied to each game, the formal genres, the themes both sit in, and whether the same studio made them. Tags carry the most weight because players write them, so they describe how a game feels rather than how it was filed. Tags carried by more than a third of the catalogue are ignored: matching on "Singleplayer" is matching on nothing. Every entry below shows exactly what it matched on.
Are these ranked by quality?
No. They are ordered by how much they overlap with Defiance. Where two games overlap equally, the better received one goes first, but that only moves a game a place or two. Each entry shows its own player sentiment so you can weigh that separately.
Do you get paid for these recommendations?
No. The order is computed from tag and genre overlap and nothing else. No placement here can be bought, and a game appearing high on this page is a statement about resemblance rather than an endorsement.