6. DayZ

A mysterious plague has turned most of the population across the globe into zombies.  Being one of the few remaining humans, it is up to you to scavenge for food, water, weapons, and other essentials.

You must stay healthy and alive following the outbreak of the virus that has befallen the world.  With only a pair of simple clothes, a road flare, and a rag, the player must explore the large 225-kilometer area in the fiction Soviet Republic.  Investigate abandoned houses and barns for any tools or supplies necessary for survival.  Keep yourself alive by finding food and water, which is a definite for staying healthy.

Also scattered around the map are a variety of weapons players can use to protect themselves.  The undead are not the only thing out there, as hostile players will also be after supplies.  Currently, the combat is focused largely on melee weapons and small firearms.  Voice chat with other players as you band together for survival, but betrayal can also be around the corner.

While travelling through the game world, players can find medicine as the environment poses as much as a threat as the undead.  Diseases like cholera, dysentery, and even hepatitis can be caught by drinking dirty water or spoiled food.

Travel across the world to build bases to keep items safe, and develop a security system to prevent others from stealing your supplies.  Coming in future releases, new vehicles and items are planned to be added for more excitement.

The zombie train is rolling down the tracks

7. Skyrim

On the continent of Tamriel, the player is led to an execution in the town of Helgen for murdering the High King of Skyrim. During the procession, the black dragon Alduin attacks the town and destroys it before the prisoner can be executed.

Now free and given a second chance, roam over the lands of Skyrim, through the wilderness and into the dungeons.  Players can navigate the lands quickly on horseback.  The non-playable characters populate the world, and like in previous instalments, can be killed by the player.  If some quest-givers die their quests may be lost forever.  Doing so is also a crime, which can trigger an aggressive pursuit by the authorities.  Each town has their laws and economy which can be stimulated by completing certain quests.

At the start of the game, characters can be chosen from a number or races, from humans to lizard-people.  Eighteen skills are available to the player divided into three schools of combat, magic, and stealth.  Training certain skills and gaining experience allows for the player to level up.  Unlike in previous games, there is no class system, allowing players to choose skills to use more frequently rather than choosing a specific class to make use of skills.

Combat relies on the use of weapons and armor, which can be bought or forged, and magic can be unlocked through the discovery of tomes.  Spell and blade can be dual-wielded by the player if they so choose o, and can be swapped out through a quick-access menu of favorite items.

Freely roam the land of Skyrim, through the wilderness on horses with the wind blowing in your virtual hair.  Delve into dungeons, enter the fortresses and protect villages across the continent.  While exploring the open world, players will encounter an assortment of wildlife.  The game animal like the elk or deer simply run at the presence, like in real life.  However, some beasts are extremely hostile toward players like the ferocious dragons.  Such beasts may show up without a notice and turn the land ablaze with death and destruction.  Even cities are not safe from these powerful creatures.

There is also an online version of the game available in Elders Scrolls Online.

Slay dragons with magic and steel.

8. Far Cry 3

Jason Brody is on vacation with a group of friends with friends in Bangkok.  They are celebrating his younger brother for getting his pilot license.  They decide to take a skydiving trip, but end up landing on a pirate-infested island.  Before they can flee, they are taken prisoner by a pirate lord named Vaas.

Far Cry 3 is a first person shooter that features an RPG element to it, including experience points, a skill tree, and crafting system.  During combat, the player has the ability to take cover to break line of sight, and to peek around and over cover.  Players get the ability to perform silent takedowns through melee attacks to quietly take down their enemies one by one.  Equipment is controlled by a system based on mission completion.  New items are unlocked after completing missions, or can be crafted by collecting items like animal pelts.  Crafting can also allow upgrading weapons with materials, increasing damage.

The map is limited at the start of the game, but disabling scrambler towers allows for the map to open up.  Outposts belonging to Vaas can be attacked and retaken, allowing for the vicinity around it to become less hostile, and unlocks side quests to upgrade different equipment.

Skills are collected by gaining experience, and experience is gained by completing missions and killing enemies.  Three skill trees can be tapped into, corresponding to the Spider, the Heron, and the Shark.  Spider upgrades stealth and hunting skills, Shark toward assault and health, and finally Heron helps long-range and mobility.  As the skills are collected, the tattoo on Jason’s forearms grows which is made of different tribal designs based on the animals.

Even a bow and arrow can work on pirates.

9. The Division

On Black Friday, a smallpox virus is transmitted on banknotes and are swept through New York.  To keep “The Dollar Flu” under control, the government activates sleeper agents to assist emergency responders in restoring Brooklyn.

Manhattan is infested with destructive environments in this open world shooter.  Players can carry up to three weapons, and explosives like the sticky bomb to fight enemies.  Take cover behind objects during firefight, and gain a tactical advantage from the third-person perspective.  Gain experience points and currency through progression throughout the game to gain new weapons and gear while improving talents and skills.  Gear can be bought, found, or crafted by gathering materials in the open world setting.

At the Base of Operations, different wings can be accessed to improve skills.  Completing missions for the specific wings to gain new talents, perks and facilities in the base.  The security wing gives insight to each in-game faction, medical gives virus reports, and tech helps provide camera footage.  Realistic weather systems can bring benefits and disadvantage.  For instance, storms can cause a hindrance to the player’s sight, making aiming more difficult.

Once you are done with the main game, jump to the Dark Zone, a competitive multiplayer mode.  High-end weapons were left behind when the military retreated. And these are for players to find.  Better items can be found in this mode, but are contaminated, meaning they can be stolen by other players, and must be flown out to be available in the campaign.  A player’s level and raking can potentially drop if they die too many times in the Dark Zone.

Walk the empty streets of Brooklyn.

10. Dead Island 2

The United States Armed Forces has put the state of California under full quarantine restriction following the new zombie outbreak.  It is unknown how this infection started.  You, unfortunately are stuck in the quarantine zone.  Take up the mantle of the average joe, and do whatever you can to survive this outbreak.

Split into three different locations around California, the open world game is played in a first person perspective.  Players gain and earn experience by completing tasks and killing certain enemies

Combat system is slightly altered from its predecessor that utilized physical attacks and the use of melee weapons.  However, melee weapons are still at the forefront, and with a new crafting system, they can be improved or built from scratch.  Along with the new crafting system is the new Rage Mode, which grants a temporary boost to physical abilities.

Love the smell of zombie brains in the morning