Let’s look back on the best zombie games ever made. From storied franchises to remarkable DLC to unsung greats, these are our favorite zombie games.
The Last of Us
The Infected in The Last of Us aren’t technically zombies since they haven’t died and risen again, but let’s face it, they share the same basic traits. They have a hunger for flesh and move at Joel and Ellie with the same voracious intensity seen in other zombie games. They’re frightening, especially in Clicker form, with their disgusting fungus limbs and mushroom heads.
The Last of Us excels in every imaginable facet, from its methodical third-person action gameplay to its stunning presentation to the delivery of its sterling story. Even if you are completely sick of zombie games, The Last of Us is a must play. The Infected are far better developed than most traditional zombies, and the overarching story is one of the best the medium has seen.
The Last of Us is available on PS3 and PS4 (remastered version).
Resident Evil 2
Resident Evil 2 is one of the greatest survival horror games of all time. The original’s tank controls and camera perspectives created much of its frights. Somehow, though, Capcom recreated Leon and Claire’s adventure in Raccoon City to be even more terrifying with modern control systems.
Playing like a less action-packed version of Resident Evil 4, RE2 has some of the most spine tingling zombie encounters we’ve experienced. From the crunch of a ravenous zombie chomping on your neck, to the sheer fear of Mr. X stomping down the hall, Resident Evil 2 is a nerve-wracking romp from start to finish. And then you have to play it again as the other hero to see the real ending.
Resident Evil 2 is available on PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
Dying Light
Dying Light mixes parkour, resource management, and crafting to create a game that you probably either love or hate. Playing as an undercover agent in a quarantined area, Dying Light forces you to scavenge for materials to survive. The strong emphasis on scavenging and crafting may be a turn off for some, but if the loop clicks, it really clicks.
In the daylight, zombies are easy to avoid with gadgets that allow you to practice parkour. At night, however, the zombies can run and are a major threat to your survival. To complicate matters further, the vast majority of the tools at your disposal are melee weapons. So Dying Light promotes, by nature, lots of close quarter, tense conflicts. Dying Light winds up as one of the best, most complex open world zombie games around.
A sequel, Dying Light 2, is currently in development. Dying Light is available on PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
Dead Rising 3
The Dead Rising series from Capcom is a more lighthearted take on zombies. Filled with comedic dialogue and wacky weapons, Dead Rising 3 shined as one of the Xbox One’s launch games back in 2013.
Unlike the first two games, Dead Rising 3 was set in a true open world. With this came bigger environments and more opportunities for massive standoffs with the undead. Areas are often flooded with zombies, with dozens upon dozens on screen at once.
While most could be mowed down easily, the strength that came with staggering numbers forced you to make use of the fairly deep crafting system. Dead Rising 3 felt like a B-movie zombie apocalypse simulator, and we say that as a compliment. An argument could be made that Dead Rising 4 upped the ante, considering the increase in zombies and all, but we prefer 3’s environments and progression.
Dead Rising 3 is available on Xbox One and PC.
The Walking Dead: Season One
Telltale Games’ The Walking Dead: Season One offered a different type of zombie experience. Using Telltale’s patented brand of interactive storytelling, The Walking Dead was light on mechanics, reserving them for dialogue decisions, quick time events, and other button prompts.
More interactive fiction than anything else, The Walking Dead relied heavily on its story. And the beginning of Lee’s and Clementine’s adventure was breathtaking. The episodic format split the impressive narrative into five chunks, each more consequential and revealing than the last.
The Walking Dead: Season One is available on PS4, Xbox One, PC, mobile, and numerous legacy consoles.
