The Last of Us and Valheim Collide in 2026 Survival RPG, One to Watch

If you’re a fan of The Last of Us and Valheim, then you might want to check out this new survival RPG that’s arriving in 2026.

Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us is, without a doubt, one of my favourite video game franchises of all time. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve completed The Last of Us Part I and The Last of Us Part II on multiple platforms, especially with the remasters and remake.

The Last of Us from Naughty Dog just about has it all. A post-apocalyptic world caused by the cordyceps fungus (a real thing), reluctant and strong relationships, heartwarming and heartbreaking moments, and above all else, they play and look great.

Honestly, if you’ve never played The Last of Us Part I, you need to change that ASAP. Both games are available on PC and PlayStation, as well as being available in select PS Plus tiers.

Next up, we have Valheim, one of the most popular survival MMORPGs in recent years, inspired by Norse mythology. So, if you’re a fan of God of War from 2018, then this game from Iron Gate Studio might be your cup of tea.

Valheim was originally released as an early access title on Steam in 2021, before being ported to Xbox in 2023. Furthermore, Valheim is finally coming to PlayStation 5 in 2026. Better late than never, as they say.

The Last of Us MeetsValheim in This New RPG

So, what is this game that can be compared to The Last of Us and Valheim, I hear you ask? The game in question is called Ardem, developed and published by the indie team at Techtive Games.

“Ardem is an immersive open-world survival RPG that takes you into a virus-ravaged, fully interactive world,” reads the synopsis of the game on Steam. “Alone or with friends, explore abandoned places, gather resources, build shelters, repair vehicles, and restore power to bring remnants of civilisation back to life — or let them fade forever.”

“When the RHAB-14 virus broke out, the world fell within weeks. Cities fell silent, order collapsed, and humanity turned into restless, mutated beings driven by hunger and rage. Years later, civilisation is nothing but a memory. Nature has reclaimed the land, power grids lie in ruins, and every day is a fight to survive.”

At the time of writing, Ardem does not have a release date. However, you can request access to its playtest via its Steam page. The game is planned to launch sometime in 2026, and its early access phase is “coming soon”.