The Last of Us Part I and Part II

If you want more: Third-person survival horror
Notable differences: Dramatically more grounded setting and narrative, more fluid gunplay (especially in Part II)
Availability: Windows (Steam Deck Not Supported), PS4, PS5

Resident Evil is an excellent survival horror series, but let’s be honest: The drama is often a little campy, and it’s hard to believe these events are actually happening in our own reality. If the challenge of making the most out of the resources available to you is your jam, and you enjoy a slow-paced, gritty shooter in which every shot counts, then The Last of Us is a solid followup to RE4.

TLoU’s third-person lineage can be clearly traced back to the original RE4, but with more slow-burn action, real-time crafting, and life-or-death challenges of marksmanship. TLoU’s premise is also way more grounded than the zany shenanigans of Umbrella Corp. and whatever alphabet virus they’ve let loose this time. Compared to Resident Evil, it’s fair to say that TLoU’s monsters aren’t necessarily the central appeal. The emotional twists and turns of its many protagonists and antagonists take center stage, but there are a couple of excellent scares and dramatically vile beasts to shoot your way through, too.

If you’re on PC, however, as of early 2023, you’re going to want to hold off on trying the port as it’s, uh, a disaster.