The concept of a deadly virus that turns civilians into bloodthirsty living dead has intrigued people for years. We see zombie monsters in big-budget movies, TV shows and, of course, video games.
When developers first started adding zombie modes to popular gaming franchises, players perceived them as nothing more than a fun additional feature. However, the gaming community has gotten more engaged in battles against the living dead over time. And with this in mind, software studios have begun releasing more and more high-quality zombie-themed games.
Since this genre is already full of numerous titles, we have prepared for you a selection of the most successful zombie games of recent years. Take a few minutes for this review, and you will learn about the diverse virtual worlds dealing with the endless living dead crowds.
Killing Floor 2
The Killing Floor’s sequel will suit players who prefer quick co-op battles against various zombies. You just need to gather up to 6 people in your group and defend yourself from several waves of monsters. The more people in your group, the more powerful your enemies are. And if you manage to complete all the waves successfully, you will face a powerful and extremely dangerous boss.
Many players often mention that they like the game’s resource management system. Team members have to handle ammo and other staff efficiently to get to the final boss and kill it. After favourably accomplishing levels, you will receive money and experience, allowing you to improve your character.
It is also worth pointing out that you can easily play Killing Floor 2 alone. The game has a convenient matchmaking system and will allow you to find teammates for each session.
DayZ
Those wishing to find some more realistic multiplayer survival sandbox experience surely should give DayZ a try. The game will throw you into a huge, seamless world suffering from the consequences of a zombie apocalypse. The gameplay starts with a few basic things in your inventory, and you will have to find resources to survive. You will need food, medicine, ammunition and many other things.
The game’s key feature is that you do not have to deal with hundreds of zombies simultaneously. This game is more strategic and focuses on the survival aspects. The developers ensure that you have something to do between your confrontations with zombies. You can grow vegetables, fish or hunt hares to buy yourself another day in this brutal post-apocalyptic world.
Dying Light
While the previous title offers you a more relaxed gaming experience, Dying Light approaches the zombie theme slightly differently. This game is also built on survival gameplay in a world filled with bloodthirsty monsters. But compared to DayZ, you will face a lot more dead here.
The project skillfully combines a traditional zombie shooter experience with a dynamic parkour-based movement system. Your character will be able to climb rooftops, quickly move to other buildings and even use acrobatic techniques during combat. As for weapons, the game will provide you with thousands of firearms options and various cold weapons.
Another meaningful feature is that Dying Light’s gameplay changes depending on the time of day. While players will face much less dangerous zombies during the day, the night gives the green light to more hazardous monsters and intensifies the survival process significantly.
Call of Duty: Black Ops – Cold War
This game franchise has been delighting players with quality zombie modes for a long time. You can choose any part of the game over the past few years and have a pleasant experience. But at the same time, Call of Duty: Black Ops – Cold War is the perfect starting point for any player just beginning to get familiar with this CoD’s side.
With this fresh game, you can participate in some pretty impressive bloody battles. Besides that, the Treyarch company, a video game developer, tries to keep players entertained with regular updates.
In early 2021, the developers added Zombie Onslaught mode to the project. It encourages players to find 1 partner and protect the mystical areas from destruction by killing zombie hordes. The only catch is that these areas are not static and will move as you take out the undead. So, you will have to use a more aggressive playstyle to complete the level and get your rewards.
State of Decay 2
Compared to the first part of the game, this sequel will not be able to offer you the same exciting story. Nevertheless, State of Decay 2 inherited most of the first game’s engaging mechanics and implemented them in the open world.
The project allows players to gather groups of up to 4 people. It relies on RPG elements and emphasizes resource management significantly. You can build your base in one of several available locations and modify it for better protection from zombies. In addition, you will need to look for medications and food to keep all the squad members alive day after day.
Also, the game will certainly change your idea of a typical zombie’s speed. The monsters move no slower than the players here, so that any mistake can cost you a lot. On top of that, State of Decay 2’s version of the devastating virus created even more powerful, mutated monstrosities with incredibly high attacking damage. It means that you have to combine skilful shooting with well-timed stealth techniques to survive in this wild, infected world.
Atom Zombie Smasher
This game will allow you to look at the confrontation between zombies and humanity from an unexpected angle. You will defend the fictional city of Nuevo Aires from the zombie invasion as a military force. Observe the infected location from above and control the actions of various military units saving the civilian population.
You will not only have to manage infantry squads and air transport but also make difficult decisions. Is it worth blocking a certain street to evacuate residents? At first glance, this question may seem pretty simple, but the game will change your mind. Each zombie horde destroyed can cost you human resources. And unless you can handle your powers competently, Nuevo Aires will not avoid massive infestation.
Left 4 Dead 2
If you have been looking for an action-packed zombie shooter, Left 4 Dead 2 undoubtedly will not disappoint you. Unlike numerous projects in this genre, this time-tested game has been pleasing players for a long time. And while it cannot match the more modern first-person shooters from the graphical perspective, its visuals aged pretty well.
Left 4 Dead 2 will offer you both a co-op story campaign and several multiplayer modes. Your team can include up to 4 people. But if you do not find suitable teammates, the game will replace them with AI-controlled bots.
There will also be an artificial intelligence monitoring fresh-eating and affecting your gameplay based on your skill level. For example, if you deal with zombie raids too quickly, this in-game smart machine will increase the number of attacking monsters. Besides that, it can change weather conditions and zombies’ spawn locations, which makes each game session more unique.
Resident Evil
Can you imagine one zombie-themed list without mentioning the Resident Evil franchise? Although this legendary story began in 1996, it continues to scare the hell out of people even today. The game relies on specific controls and small locations to make players feel vulnerable at all times. In addition, an overly small inventory will also keep you from relaxing, and you will have to manage numerous things to solve various gameplay puzzles.
Of course, if you cannot stand outdated visuals, the original game is unlikely to amuse you. So, you can choose its remastered version that offers a much higher level of realism. It reimagines the first game in many ways and infuses your gameplay with new scary situations.
Organ Trail
This single-player project will remind you of the days when the world of video games was 8-bit. Organ Trail is a survival game that will take you on a dangerous journey through the United States, struggling from the zombie virus. You will get a team of characters with unique gameplay features. You will need to get to the colony which has avoided infection and manage your resources along the way.
The game will present you with different challenges every few seconds. For example, if you see some tombstones on the road, you can explore them and trigger different gameplay situations. On top of that, your car is not invulnerable, and you can easily blow your tire and face serious danger.
While the game’s visual style may seem a bit archaic to you, you should give Organ Trail a shot. Once you have dived into engaging gameplay, you forget that the game relies on pixel art.
The Walking Dead
Basically, this game is an interactive story that focuses on characters instead of overloading the players with action scenes. It revolves around classical point-and-click mechanics and allows you to experience incredibly intense quick-time events. You will become a witness of Lee Everett’s survival journey and be able to make meaningful decisions affecting the overall storyline.
Given that The Walking Dead’s dialogue has many variations, the game is quite replayable. One of your actions at the starting levels can rewrite further history and, consequently, offer you a completely different viewing and gaming experience.
Regardless of which gameplay style you prefer, you can see how many players have chosen to play the same way. Plus, the final statistics will show you which potential storylines you have not unlocked yet.
Project Zomboid
This project’s developers believe that not every zombie game has to be about brain-smashing weapons and hordes of flesh-eating monsters you have to destroy. They opted for a different aspect of a zombie apocalypse and offered players isometric gameplay centred around a defensive playstyle.
Instead of forcing you to attack the undead, Project Zomboid lets you create your own base and modify it. You will need to avoid confrontations with zombies to collect more resources and prolong your character’s life. Besides that, the game will challenge you with more atypical difficulties like depression or paranoia.
Even though Project Zomboid looks slightly cartoonish, it is a multi-layered game, offering players a fairly high level of immersiveness. Variable game situations, the open, constantly changing world and the advanced craft system will help you experience the post-apocalyptic wastelands to the fullest.
Dead Island
Dead Island will delight you with an exciting combination of survival elements and action/RPG scenes. The game’s central location is a paradise island that has turned into a zombie trap for your characters. You will control one of four heroes, search for other survivors and collect various items.
The more you play, the stronger your character becomes. You will be able to discover new parts of the island, fight against numerous types of zombies and gain experience points to improve your skills. Whether you wish to use fierce attacks more often, handle the locks better or use more effective weapons, Dead Island allows you to choose the skills that suit your playstyle.
Zombie Night Terror
If you have ever wanted to watch the zombie apocalypse from the side of bloodthirsty creatures, Zombie Night Terror will give you this opportunity. You will take on the role of the main coordinator and will be able to help the zombie hordes destroy the remnants of humanity. The gameplay is based on solving logic puzzles and has many unexpected aspects.
Black-and-white stylistics surely gives the game some points in terms of an overall atmosphere. Additionally, you can make these decorations much more colourful when you help your obedient dead find and infect some survivors. People will fight against monsters spreading the virus with chainsaws, firearms and modified vehicles. So, only you can lead the zombies past all the traps and guide them to world domination.
Dying Light 2
Even though the game’s release has not taken place yet (at the time of writing in 2021), we included this title in our list as an honourable mention. Techland has already shown players that they can and want to surprise them with fresh, exciting gameplay solutions. Considering this and the information about the sequel available on the Web, it is pretty safe to assume that the developers approach it extremely scrupulously.
It means that a collection of high-calibre zombie projects may get a new addition soon, and you surely do not want to miss this event.
Resident Evil 2 Remake
When Capcom released this title in 2019, it shocked the entire industry. The redesigned game not only retains all the original’s frightening elements but also intensifies them with impressive visuals. You can play as familiar characters and guide them through hordes of vile zombies across detailed locations.
Whether you choose Claire Redfield or Leon at the start of the game, your gameplay will include tons of tense moments. These situations may occur due to both your enemies’ characteristics and some gameplay rules like lack of inventory space.
It is also worth highlighting that Resident Evil 2 Remake has another intimidating factor – the so-called Tyrant. This monster is invulnerable and will haunt your heroes for almost the entire campaign. And although it is a scripted NPC, this beast’s every step strikes fear in players who have already familiar with the project.
Zombie Army 4: Dead War
Who says that Zombie Invasion cannot be fun? In this game, you will join the battle against an alternative version of the Nazi army. And this setting is the perfect foundation for creating an absurd plot and random situations.
Of course, you cannot deal with an entire army of monsters without reliable firearms. Your arsenal will include rifles, pistols, grenades, mines and variable melee weapons. Besides that, you can improve your character with special amplifiers.
Zombie Army 4: Dead War has RPG elements, and you will accumulate XP points to gain access to more advanced skills. Many players note that the game has various enemies, a convenient combat system and well-designed locations, creating interesting gameplay situations.
World War Z
This multiplayer shooter relies on fast-paced gameplay with close teamwork. The game will allow you to choose one of seven available classes and fight against huge zombie hordes.
These living dead will undoubtedly remind you of the impressive scenes of the movie that made it to theatres in 2013. Hundreds of zombies will attack you at the same time, climb each other and create absolute chaos to destroy your team. In addition, you will encounter special types of infected monsters that have unique abilities.
As you reach the various checkpoints, you earn in-game currency to improve your equipment and skills. Plus, you can modify your weapon with these funds.
Regardless of how exactly you would like to destroy zombies, the games mentioned above will surely satisfy your gaming preferences. They will allow you to look at the dangerous virus from diverse angles and provide you with a reasonable portion of the adrenaline-pumping experience. Whether you choose a shooter, strategy or some RPG/survival project, the time-proven titles from our list will not frustrate you.
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