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Video games and zombies go together like peanut butter and jelly: They’re a dime a dozen, just like when it comes to horror flicks. But that’s because we love seeing the undead shuffle around listlessly (or zooming toward their prey) in an attempt to scarf down brains, entrails, and body parts. We love zombies, period, and we’re always calculating exactly what we’d do in the event the zombie apocalypse actually does happen. (Fingers crossed it doesn’t.)
What better way to get in some real-world “training” than by taking zombies on in a great video game? Thanks to these shining gems of the industry, you can see exactly what it’s like to try and escape these rotten creatures, or at the very least, get up and personal with them. Without further ado, here are 25 of the best zombie games out there, listed in alphabetical order.
Just remember: Aim for the head! That’s zombie-slaying 101.
7 Days to Die
What’s worse than a third World War brought on by nuclear weapons? How ‘bout zombies springing up after much of the world and its ecosystem are destroyed? 7 Days to Die finds you seeking food, shelter, and water in Navezgane, Arizona as you work to survive as long as you possibly can against the harsh new environment and the austere hordes of zombies that want nothing more than to have you for lunch. Craft your own tools, create your own shelters, and slay the zombies as they pop up during the game’s day/night cycle. It’s like a zombified Minecraft, only much scarier.
Arizona Sunshine
Imagine being overrun by zombies after waking in a cave in an Arizona river valley. As if dealing with the undead wasn’t bad enough, right? That’s the size of things in Arizona Sunshine, forcing you to take on hordes of zombies in VR as you search for the storied town of Sunshine, Arizona, where you believe human survivors are waiting for you after the brutal zombie apocalypse has wreaked havoc on humanity. You’ve got to slice and dice your way through the undead to get there in both single-player and multiplayer modes, all the while trying not to lose your mind—or your humanity.
Days Gone
Days Gone is set in a grim, post-apocalyptic Oregon after a global pandemic has turned the majority of the population into zombie-like creatures known as Freakers. As for you? Well, you’re biker-turned-outlaw Deacon St. John, a loner who’s searching for his wife, long presumed dead. As Oregon is overrun by the bloodthirsty Freakers, Deacon’s still on the hunt for his wife throughout the game’s living, breathing world. It offers a tense, satisfying vision of the zombie apocalypse, and Deacon is a protagonist who’s easy to root for. You’ll want to spend hours traipsing around dilapidated Oregon trying to figure out if Sarah is actually out there somewhere.
Dead Island Riptide
Dead Island: flip flops, the sun shining bright up in the sky, and entrails strewn along the beach. Sound like your ideal zombie vacation? It should, given that this zombie-infested getaway is one wacky ride. As one of the few immune survivors of some sort of strange virus that’s turning the inhabitants of Banoi into the shambling undead, it’s up to you to ensure that normal survivors (people who can still be infected) stay stocked with supplies, weapons, and anything else they need to stay safe. Oh, and you’ll do this by darting around the island whacking zombies into pulp, creating weapons out materials you find on the ground, and running for your life. What a great trip. You’re relaxing already.
Dead Nation: Apocalypse Edition
After society collapses thanks to a virus outbreak, Resident Evil-style, you must find a way to get supplies for your shelter and avoid all the zombies sauntering around outside. This top-down shooter has you taking on the role of immune survivors who end up becoming something of a saviour for humanity—with a pretty gruesome catch. The journey there is addictive, with plenty of fun shootouts, strategic explosions, and loot-collecting with arcade-like multipliers to rack up as you shoot your way to freedom. Just don’t expect it to be easy.
Dead Rising
Ever been trapped in a mall absolutely swarming with zombies? That’s what photojournalist Frank West finds himself dealing with in Dead Rising as he descends upon a shopping centre in Willamette, Colorado that’s drowning in the undead. Here’s the good news: Despite the fact that there are hundreds of zombies around you, you can use literally anything you find as a weapon, including a lawnmower, guitar, and chairs. The story works on a 72-hour clock, too, so you have to escape in a limited amount of time. Good things it’s absolutely riveting the entire time.
Dying Light: The Following
Dying Light is an interesting take on the zombie apocalypse that will eventually come for us all (mark our words), serving up some frenetic, raucous danger that just isn’t found in most of the other games of its ilk. You’re protagonist Kyle Crane, the humanitarian Global Relief Effort’s main man who’s been tasked with tracking down a particularly unsavoury bandit leader who has dark secrets on the organisation in his pocket. The operation goes awry, and you find yourself a survivor in a land that’s been overrun by zombies. You’ve got to use your very best hardcore parkour skills to avoid the bloodthirsty suckers while staying in the light, picking off the brutish undead, and working toward some semblance of normalcy as you figure out what to to about your mission. No pressure, right?
Killing Floor 2
This gritty first-person shooter can be enjoyed alone or with friends, and you’ll need all the help you can get as you fight through waves of bloodthirsty undead Zeds. These deadly enemies will increase in difficulty as you fight additional monsters throughout each level until eventually culminating in a terrifying boss level. It’s like Left 4 Dead, only these Zeds mean business. You get loot and experience for eliminating them, though, so as you mop the floor with them, you also grow as a result. Leagues beyond the original Killing Floor, the sequel is a must-play for any zombie fan.
Left 4 Dead
Left 4 Dead, Valve’s seminal zombie-slaying multiplayer classic, is one of the best games for rounding up a few friends and getting your frag on while eliminating scores of the undead. Valve perfected this deliciously tense and creepy shooter when it first debuted, and it’s only gotten better with time. Join four unique survivors as they blast their way through Boomers, Witches, Hunters, and run-of-the-mill zombies (as well as a few surprises here and there), clearing out hordes of the shambling undead as they go. If you haven’t played it yet, what are you waiting for?
Left 4 Dead 2
Four new survivors. All-new maps. Hundreds of reasons to go absolutely nuts on the dozens of zombies streaming into the map with their sights set to kill. The sequel to Left 4 Dead may be largely the same game with vast improvements and new characters, but the two games are so closely related in terms of quality and excellence that you essentially have to include both on any list. They’re absolute must-plays for zombie fans, and it’s a terrible crime that we won’t be seeing a Left 4 Dead 3 this console generation, most likely. Here’s hoping we get one when the next wave of systems roll around, because it’s been far too long since we heard “Pills here!”
Lollipop Chainsaw
Cheerleaders and zombies: What more could you ask for? Lollipop Chainsaw puts you in the miniskirt of chainsaw-wielding Juliet Starling, who hacks and slashes her way through zombies as they descend upon San Romero High School and end up infecting her boyfriend Nick. What’s a girl to do? Saw through those jerks, of course, all without sullying her adorable cheerleader uniform. It’s a high-energy romp through a world of peace, love, rainbows, and gore, and certainly the cure for the common zombie game, especially if you love bubbly characters and personalities like Juliet’s.
Organ Trail
No, the title isn’t spelled wrong. Organ Trail is a parody of the classic educational series The Oregon Trail. Instead of making your way westward for a new life in a covered wagon, you’ve got to cross post-apocalyptic America in an old station wagon to reach a zombie-free new home. You’ve got a New Jersey clerk, Miami lawyer, Kentucky cop, and other motley characters to travel alongside as you scavenge for supplies, fight off zombies, and hope you all reach your destination alive.
Project Zomboid
This open-world survival game puts you right in the heart of Knox County, which is overflowing with zombies and quarantined by the government. As a survivor who isn’t really receiving any assistance from said government, you’ve got to find supplies to stave off hunger, pain, tiredness, and stay sane while keeping away the slow, plodding zombies that threaten your livelihood every single day. Though the zombies aren’t quick and ravenous like in other games, they’re still something to watch out for, and thus the game is tense and strategic in the best way.
Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare
The excellent Red Dead Redemption gets a zombie makeover as the undead descend upon the town of Blackwater. Hero John Marston must stave off the reanimated dead after they bite and zombify his wife Abigail and uncle, looking for a way to lift the curse that’s befallen the town with the virus and fighting off zombies at every turn. It’s classic Red Dead gameplay with a zombie twist, which is genius, really. Maybe something similar will finally come to Red Dead Redemption 2.
Resident Evil (Remake)
When this HD remake of the original Resident Evil debuted on GameCube, it was a game-changer. Seeing Jill Valentine and Chris Redfield with stunning new character models, voice work, and a gorgeous new set of environments gave the game an even spookier edge, transforming one of the scariest zombie games of all time into a much more terrifying affair. This update of a seminal classic still holds up today in every conceivable way, and is well worth picking up and experiencing, especially if you’ve never played the original.
Resident Evil 2 (Classic)
This hallowed entry in the world of survival gaming changed everything when it debuted, introducing the world to Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield as a police officer and a college student doing their best to get out of the zombie-infested Raccoon City. With Leon living through the worst first day of work ever and Claire on the lookout for her brother Chris (the same Chris from the original game), the pair split up and diverge at various paths throughout a perfectly tense thriller that improved on the already-great original game in every way.
Resident Evil 2 Remake
Resident Evil 2 Remake is as close to perfect as remasters and HD versions can get, and that’s saying a lot considering how many there have been over the years. Capcom worked some absolutely astonishing magic on an already excellent survival horror classic, completely remaking it from the ground up. Join rookie police officer Leon S. Kennedy and college student Claire Redfield on their journey through a zombie-ravaged Raccoon City. There’s brand-new content sprinkled in with the old, new challenges to conquer, and plenty of other secrets to uncover. Whether you’re a new or veteran fan, you’ll want to go back to Raccoon City and see how things have changed.
Resident Evil 4
For many, Resident Evil 4 was the first entry in the zombie-laden series that got them into the series in the first place. It appeared on the PlayStation 2, Wii, and Xbox 360 later on in its life cycle, but the GameCube release is the debut version, and the one everyone fell in love with as soon as they blew away their first Ganado. It featured a mixture of new, rugged vision of Leon S. Kennedy, quick-time events from hell, and an excellent plot even Resident Evil veterans had to stand up and take note of. Though it arguably strayed from the series’ survival horror roots, it was an adrenaline-fuelled thrill ride that made a lasting mark on the industry for years to come, and one of the best zombie games of all time, by far.
Resident Evil 7
After briefly switching from a more action-oriented few adventures for several instalments, Capcom took Resident Evil back to its roots a bit with Resident Evil 7. Despite being played in first person, it eschewed the constant stop-and-pop zombie-slaying gameplay from the past few games for a more puzzle-oriented storyline positively riddled with creeping dread and horror. Players follow a man named Ethan Winters, totally new to the series, as he searches the rural home of the Baker family for the missing wife—and in many places, it’s the scariest the series has ever been.
State of Decay 2
When it comes to zombies, open-world survival games are usually the ticket to an awesome experience. That remains true with State of Decay 2, which finds players building a community in a bid to survive against seemingly never-ending hordes of zombies. There’s heavy emphasis on scavenging for items, but co-op play makes it fun to search for supplies and kill off the undead who thwart your search. Plus, this entry is a much more polished affair than the previous game, and you’ll find that it’s even more difficult as well, thanks to its satisfying combat and push for realism.
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