Leading up to and following the release of Biomutant, comments on the size of the game’s world have become common. Despite how large it may be and how many quests there are to do, Biomutant is not the first game to have a sprawling overworld. Game environments have continued to grow, becoming more expansive and dense.
While there are many games that take place in modern-day settings like huge cities, there are also a number of post-apocalyptic titles that make the most of their ruined worlds. Biomutant offers a long playtime, but the size of its landmass is challenged by a number of other titles.
10 Days Gone (~8.7mi²)
When it comes to stories concerning a zombie apocalypse, many tend to focus on urban areas and crowded regions. Games like The Last Of Us and The Walking Dead follow survivors who try to escape overrun cities. Days Gone provided contrast by playing out the zombie apocalypse in the American wilderness.
The game follows a lone biker as he travels through the winding roads of Oregon following the outbreak. You can spend hours driving from settlement to settlement as you stay ahead of the hordes and try to build the perfect bike.
9 Metro Exodus (22.4mi²)
The Metro series got its start in literature which lead to several popular games. The story takes place in Russia following a nuclear war. The fallout has made the surface of the world virtually uninhabitable, forcing what few survivors remain to rebuild society in a network of subway tunnels. The lingering radiation has also led to mutated wildlife as well as supernatural anomalies.
While in previous games the surface was not well-explored, it’s the primary setting for Metro Exodus. It follows a band of survivors as they leave the tunnels in hopes of seeking a new home beyond the toxic horizon.
8 The Legend of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild (23.7mi²)
There were many who were skeptical about an open-world Zelda game, but Breath of the Wild is now one of the most popular entries in the series. The story follows Link waking up after a devastating calamity has destroyed Hyrule.
Though people and towns still exist, most of Hyrule’s civilization has been wiped out with Ganon still trapped within the castle. Considering the large size of this world, Link has learned a few new tricks to run, climb and glide across it. To this date, it’s the largest Zelda map in the series.
7 Biomutant (24mi²)
Prior to its release, there was a lot of talk over how long and large Biomutant would be. Now that people have had a chance to play it, part of what makes the world feel so large is its density.
The game takes place in a world with an ecosystem that has been drastically mutated by toxins and radiation. You play as a nameless mutant sent on a quest to save or destroy the world. During your adventure, you’ll come across various tribes, monsters, bandits, and a heavy amount of questing.
6 Mad Max (47.8mi²)
If there’s anything that can be learned from Mad Max, it’s the value of a reliable car and fuel to keep it going. All of the films focus a lot on Max’s car, a supercharged pursuit vehicle that he’s determined to keep gassed up. In the Mad Max game, this is the primary aspect of the game.
You play as Max, who loses his car at the start but meets a talented mechanic who urges him to create a new car from scratch, the Magnum Opus. In order to find parts, you must drive around the vast wastelands fighting off bandits, conquering outposts, and aiding settlers as they try to establish some form of order.
5 Subnautica (49.7mi²)
When it comes to listing post-apocalyptic games, Subnautica isn’t one of the first to pop up. Set on an alien world that appears to be mostly water, it’s a game filled with beautiful vegetation and diverse wildlife. However, the story reveals that the inhabitants of this planet were wiped out by a lethal pandemic.
You play as a crew member of a ship that crashes into the water and who can’t leave the planet until they can cure themselves of the pandemic. You must use salvaged tech and natural resources to build, survive and explore the deepest depths of this watery world.
4 DayZ (89.5mi²)
Arma II is a game that not many are familiar with, but its zombie mod quickly drew a lot of attention. From its success came the fully-fledged game, DayZ. It’s set in the ex-Soviet republic of Chernarus after a zombie outbreak destroys most of humanity. Unlike other zombie-related titles, DayZ takes a highly realistic approach to the experience.
You’ll create a survivor avatar that needs to manage hunger, thirst, illness, injuries, blood, and even temperature. Since both zombies and other players have sensitive hearing, you’ll need to move quickly yet quietly to avoid drawing attention. The large size of the map feels that much bigger when you have to crawl across parts of it.
3 Fallout 76 (~120mi²)
Since the very beginning, Fallout has always had huge maps to explore. From the old top-down style to the current 3D format, Fallout has been sending players across the United States. Fallout 3 took place in Washington, DC followed by New Vegas in Nevada and Fallout 4 in Massachusetts.
However, the most recent installment Fallout 76 sets the game in West Virginia 25 years after a nuclear war. Despite receiving a lot of backlash for its shift to online-only play, Fallout 76 provides a huge world for you to explore and experience.
2 Death Stranding (525.9mi²)
After his departure from Konami, Hideo Kojima set off to work on a new project, which would eventually become Death Stranding. While the 2019 game received criticism for its gameplay and story, Death Stranding was praised for its visuals and technical aspects.
The game is set in the US after a cataclysmic event involving ghosts and rain that destroyed most of the country. You play as Sam Bridges, a courier who must brave these dangers to create a network between all the remaining settlements. You’ll spend a lot of time on foot and climbing up mountains as you travel across the country to complete your mission.
1 Fuel (5,560mi²)
In many post-apocalyptic scenarios, having a working vehicle is considered to be important if not necessary. In both the Mad Max and Rage series, driving around the wasteland is a core part of the experience. Fuel took it a step further by creating a game solely about driving around wastelands. It’s a racing game set in a world where most of the Earth’s surface has been scorched by the sun.
You take control of a nameless racer who drives around what remains and participating in life-threatening races with the few people that are still alive. When not racing, you can drive around the massive overworld to your heart’s content.