The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

If you want more: Games with excellent characters and themes of found family
Notable differences: Roleplaying game structure and mechanics
Availability: Windows (Steam Deck OK), Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch

The Witcher 3 is an unlikely follow-up to The Last of Us, but there’s a good reason it should be on your list after Joel and Ellie’s first journey together: It’s another well-written game filled with endearing characters who come together in the face of hardship.

In The Last of Us, Joel loses his family early on with the death of his daughter. In the world of The Witcher, Geralt’s forced transformation into a witcher denies him any chance of a biological family of his own. The Witcher 3 opens with Geralt searching for those who are the closest he could ever know as family: Yennefer and Ciri. Like Joel, Geralt’s connection with Ciri is an opportunity for him to establish a missing familial bond and feel that sense of belonging and purpose that he clearly values and desires. As a fantasy story, the plot escalates to feature some high magical concepts, but at itscore it’s a relatable and human story of loss and connection, exploring the lengths many of us will go to hold on to those who are most important to us.

In terms of gameplay, The Last of Us and The Witcher 3 have almost nothing in common. If you’ve an appetite for a lengthy open-world RPG (one of the best out there, I might add) The Witcher 3 will present you with a cast of delightful characters who are written and brought to life so well that you’ll feel like you’ve known them your whole life.

Finally, feel free to jump into The Witcher 3 first. While the first two games are wonderful and should be played, it’s very easy to jump into the third entry and it makes for a much better first impression than the original Witcher. Afterwards, you can check out our guide on what to play following Geralt of Rivia’s curtain call.