A masterpiece of storytelling like The Walking Dead only comes along every once in a while. Since the last game in the franchise came out, we’ve been left desperately waiting to experience that kind of game again. Well, the time for waiting is over! We’ve compiled a list of games that will throw you right back into the apocalypse. So, only one question remains… How far are you willing to go to save the people you love?
10. The Last of Us
The heart-wrenching, award-winning game The Last of Us is an absolute classic. Imagine a zombie virus that’s spread not just by bites but by spores. It’s in the air. It’s inescapable. The human race is slowly dying off. But what if someone came along who wasn’t affected? Some who were immune? A little girl, perhaps?
Much like The Walking Dead, The Last of Us is set in a dystopian future where mankind is overtaken by a zombie virus. However, instead of slow and rather stupid zombies, they’re lighting fast and driven by relentless rage. If you were looking for a more intense and action-packed version of The Walking Dead, this is definitely the one for you.
In The Last of Us, you’ll play as Joel; A man tasked with the protection of the little girl, Ellie, who is immune to the spores. You’ll have to run, hide, shoot, and explode your way through dark and beautiful landscapes to bring her to a group of people who can make a vaccine. But be aware it’s not just the infected you’ll be worrying about…
Choose this game if you like:
- Action; This one is packed full of high-intensity moments. You’ll be running and fighting like your life depends on it (Because it quite literally does).
- Horror; Whilst The Last of Us isn’t inherently a horror game, it does have some rather terrifying moments. Especially when you get locked in a basement full of Clickers! There’ll certainly be some moments where you’ll find your heart racing.
- Father-Daughter relationships; If you loved Lee and Clementine, then this game is sure to tug at your heartstrings. Joel and Ellie’s relationship is warm, emotional, and tough at times. We’re certain you’ll fall in love with them just as we all did!
9. The Wolf Among Us
If you loved the comic-book style of Telltale games, then it’s certain you’ll enjoy The Wolf Among Us. You’ll take on the role of Bigby Wolf, the sheriff of Fabletown, as you embark on a gruesome and bloody journey through the not-so-friendly city. This game is a dark take on typical fairy tales, allowing you to explore the horrific secrets hidden behind closed doors.
The play style of The Wolf Among Us is pretty much the same as The Walking Dead. It’s split into five episodes, giving it the feeling of a TV show. It also uses the same choice mechanic, making it a must-play if you want a similar vibe as The Walking Dead. However, the timing of your choices will have an impact on your story. So, think before you speak. Or don’t. Then see what happens.
When a dead hooker appears on your doorstep, it’ll be up to you to solve the mystery of what happened to her. Playing as the Big Bad Wolf in human form, your goal will be to find the person behind the murder. It’s not just the crimes of others you’ll have to face but also your own. In the search for the sins of others, you’ll be digging up your own past in an attempt to find redemption.
Choose this game if you like:
- Choices; The choices you make matter a great deal in The Wolf Among Us, so be careful. You’ll also get the chance to compare your choices to the rest of the players at the end of each episode!
- Fables comics; For seasoned fans of the comics, you’ll love this take on it! Don’t worry if you’re new to them either, this game takes place before the events of the first comic.
- Folklore; Fairytale characters have escaped into our world. But this version tells a much darker and grittier tale for even the most mature audiences.
8. Until Dawn
An isolated cabin in the middle of nowhere. Sounds safe.
If you’re looking for a good choice-based thriller, I’m sure you’ll like Until Dawn. It’s been a year since a cruel prank led to the death of two sisters, and what’s a better way to remember them than to have a party at the exact same isolated cabin in the mountains? But this isn’t just any teen slasher, there’s something much more menacing on the loose…
Until Dawn has a similar choice-based mechanic to The Walking Dead. To make things more interesting, you’ll be able to find ‘totems’ which can give you a glimpse into the future. Be sure to pay attention to these as they reveal the possible endings of some of the choices you’ll be faced with. Maybe they’ll help. Maybe they won’t. It’s worth a shot, right?
You’ll be playing as several characters within a group of teens as you tackle love triangles, tough choices, and a supernatural murderer. What starts out as a seemingly innocent reunion becomes increasingly more menacing as the story goes on. The choices you make will determine who lives and who dies. Will everyone be there by the end of the game? It’s up to you.
Choose this game if you like:
- Slashers; Until Dawn certainly lets you relive those teen slasher vibes. From the dialogue to the relationship drama, it’ll keep you hooked. But the story also has a deeper supernatural layer, giving the typical genre a new twist!
- Great actors; The acting in this game is absolutely phenomenal, using mocap (Motion capture) to capture every detail of the characters' faces.
- Relatable characters; Whilst some of the dialogue can get a little cringe at times (Like most slashers), the characters are lovable and entertaining. With plenty of different characters, you’re bound to have a favourite. Just try to keep them alive!
7. The Man of Medan
Play alone at your own risk…
If you’re looking for a good scare, The Man of Medan is a good choice. This chilling choice-based horror will throw you right onto the haunted decks of an old ship filled with sinister secrets. What led you to get stuck on a ship like that? Getting drunk with your rich friends on a yacht.
Similar to The Walking Dead, The Man of Medan is a dark and gritty tale from the Dark Pictures Anthology. It’s full of tough choices and supernatural mysteries to be solved. If you wanted a game that wasn’t scared to get gruesome, then this is the game for you. For fans of the cinematic aspects from the Telltale series, The Man of Medan is guaranteed to keep you entertained.
In this game, you’ll be able to play as a group of five friends who are just trying to enjoy a boat holiday. But, like all horror games, it’s never that easy. Things start to go very wrong, very quickly, as you end up on an eerie ghost ship. It’ll be up to you to keep your characters alive, as any decision you make could make things go from bad to worse.
Choose this game if you like:
- Co-op; You don’t have to go through this traumatic tale alone! There is a multiplayer option that will allow you and up to 4 other friends to play through the story. This feature is available online and offline, so it’s great for a night of horror with your group!
- Ghost stories; The Man of Medan is bone-chilling and full of ghostly secrets. With the right mix of jumpscares and a great soundtrack, you’ll be kept on edge throughout your playthrough.
- Tough decisions; You have full control over the fate of your characters. Every single playable character can die. So, whoever you’re left with by the end of the game is completely up to you.
6. State of Decay 2
It’s your turn to define what it means to survive.
Zombies. Blood. More zombies. State of Decay 2 is the perfect game for those of you who love a good old survival game. In this open-world post-apocalyptic game, you’ll get the chance to build your own group of survivors. Scavenging, base-building, and zombie slaying are all part of State of Decay 2.
Whilst this game isn’t exactly as cinematic as The Walking Dead, you’ll still be in control of the decision-making! Every player’s community is unique in this sandbox-type survival game. You’ll be in charge of choosing who’s in your team, who goes out to scavenge for resources, and whether you want to be a peaceful or aggressive community.
The goal of this game is to create your unique community and build up a base to survive the apocalypse. Each character has their own traits and abilities, so no two playthroughs will be the same. There are two distinct game modes to choose from: A 10-hour narrative campaign or a 4-player siege defence mode!
Choose this game if you like;
- Slaughtering zombies; If you love cutting down hoards of zombies at once, then State of Decay 2 is guaranteed to keep you entertained. You’ll get the chance to shoot and slash your way through the barrage of zombies at your walls.
- Co-Op; This game provides hours of multiplayer fun as you’ll be able to visit the bases of your friends and provide them with support. Not only will you be helping out a buddy in need, but you’ll be able to bring back rewards for your own community!
- Challenging gameplay; With 5 separate difficulties ranging from ‘green’ to ‘lethal’, there are plenty of opportunities for seasoned players to challenge themselves. Even better, these difficulties can be adjusted separately for ‘Action’, ‘Maps’, and ‘Community’.
5. Days Gone
Motorbikes and zombies. The best combo.
Days Gone is an action-adventure game set in a brutal dystopian open world. You’ll get to live out all your badass biker dreams as Deacon St. John. As a bounty hunter, you’ll be fighting for your survival against giant hoards of zombies and other hostile gangs.
Like The Walking Dead, you’ll be thrown right into the middle of a zombie apocalypse. The vast open world holds countless opportunities to scavenge and upgrade your gear. If you’re a sucker for a good storyline, Days Gone offers a gritty tale of desperation and regret. Trying to cope with loss is hard enough as it is. Try doing it with a hoard of Freakers chasing you across the country.
In Days Gone, the goal is to traverse across the Pacific Northwest with your trusty motorbike. You’ll have to face vicious gangs and even more vicious infected. Not to worry, there are plenty of weapons to defend yourself with. With upgrades, customisation, and skills at your disposal, surviving the apocalypse will be a breeze. Okay, maybe not. But it’s fun to smack into Freakers with your bike.
Choose this game if you like:
- Amazing setting; You’ll get to explore a wide range of environments, from forests to desert lava fields. The weather is ever-changing, and even better, the gameplay changes with it!
- Adaptive enemies; We all know the infected change and evolve over time. In Days Gone, they even adapt to their environment. So, be aware whenever you enter a new landscape, as you never know what they’ll be capable of.
- Plenty of playtime; This game includes several modes, such as survival mode and challenge mode. It also offers ‘new game plus’, which means it has great replayability.
4. Life is Strange
Ready for the mosh pit, shakabrah.
Ah, Life is Strange. One of my all-time favourites. If you’re looking for a game that will make you fall in love and rip your heart out, then this is the answer to all your prayers. This choice-based narrative game follows the story of Max, a young photography student who realises she possesses supernatural abilities. Time travel.
Much like The Walking Dead, Life is Strange is split up into 5 brilliant episodes. It’s a great cinematic experience and definitely keeps you hanging on each and every episode. Choices are a vital aspect of this game. Your actions will have huge consequences on the people around you and the choices they make in the future.
In Life is Strange, your goal is to find out why you’ve acquired this strange power. With the help of your childhood best friend, Chloe, you’ll find yourself falling further down the rabbit hole of strange disappearances and events. Having a superpower sounds great, but what if using it meant that everything you loved would be destroyed?
Choose this game if you like:
- Emotional storylines; With nostalgia set to the max and twists around every corner, you’ll be absolutely hooked on this story. It’s certainly on par with The Walking Dead.
- Loveable characters; Life is Strange is full of relatable and entertaining characters. I guarantee you’ll fall in love with at least one of them. The depth and relationships between them are one of the game's best aspects!
- Stunning soundtrack; The collection of music throughout is perfectly chosen for each scene and is guaranteed to pull at your heartstrings whenever you listen to them afterwards. If you’re a fan of indie-folk, then you’ll adore this soundtrack.
3. Dead Rising
There’s a hoard coming. Chop chop.
Taking a break from the more serious, gritty stories, I give you Dead Rising. It’s time to step into the shoes of Frank West. As a journalist, you’ve taken a trip down to a small suburban town in search of a juicy new story only to find out it’s fallen victim to a zombie apocalypse. Trapped inside a zombie-infested mall, you’ll have to whack, smack and hat (Yes, hat) your way through the hoards.
Sharing the apocalyptic setting and witty humour of The Walking Dead, this game is great fun and guaranteed to keep you entertained for hours. Dead Rising features intense, detailed gore and swarm technology, offering non-stop action. The mall is full of endless resources, including some incredibly random items to use at your disposal.
The goal of this game is to survive long enough to figure out what happened. Dead Rising uses a real-time system, meaning that key story events happen at certain times. Be aware these events happen regardless of whether you’re in the right place or not, so be careful not to miss any!
Choose this game if you like:
- Mysteries; Despite the wave-like gameplay, there is actually a story to this game. You’re there to find out what’s going on in that strange town, so go get that scoop!
- Silly gameplay; Dead Rising puts the fun in 'zombie apocalypse'. It doesn’t have ‘fun’ in it? Oh well, it does now. From dumb challenges to whacking enemies with umbrellas, you’ll find yourself cackling at the silliness.
- Extensive items; You can pick up pretty much anything in this game, from clothes to benches. The whole mall is at your disposal; get creative!
2. The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners
The opportunity to live out your Walking Dead dreams!
Whilst we’ve been excluding other games from the franchise, I thought that Saints and Sinners was worth mentioning. Imagine all the fun of The Walking Dead but in VR! This game is available on Windows, PlayStation, and Oculus. You’ll be scavenging your way through the bayous of New Orleans, facing gory fights and tough choices.
As this is from the same franchise, Saints and Sinners shares the same style and mechanics as the originals. There’s a lot of free reign with your choices, allowing you to define your journey and means of survival. Whether you want to fight or sneak your way through hoards is completely up to you!
In Saints and Sinners, your main goal is to struggle through the brutal faction wars going on in New Orleans. The city is stuffed full of secrets and mysteries. Will you be able to unravel them all? You’ll have to scavenge the ruins to upgrade your supplies and sustain yourself while trying to defend the people you love.
Choose this game if you like:
- VR; If you have a headset, this is a super fun game to try out. You can unleash all that inner violence on the undead as you stab, shoot and punch your way to survival.
- Moral dilemmas; Some of the decisions you encounter will force you to choose between peace and violence. These choices will follow you throughout the game and impact your story, so choose wisely.
- Horror; A scary game is one thing. A scary game in VR is on a whole different level. You can never get too comfortable in Saints and Sinners. You’ll be kept on edge as you creep through houses, checking behind doors and behind walls.
1. Dying Light
Things get a little tricky when you’re turning into a zombie.
Dying Light is a fantastic game for all you die-hard apocalypse fans. This action survival game throws you right into the thick of it as you’re sent on a secret mission in a zombie-infested city. A winner of over 50 awards, Dying Light is a must-play for lovers of action and parkour.
Just like The Walking Dead, Dying Light is set in a post-apocalyptic environment. However, these infected are far more aggressive. They can climb, sprint, and evolve into horrifically powerful mutations. By the end of it all, you’ll have to come to terms with the truth and face an ultimate choice…
Throughout the game, you’ll be sent on various missions to aid survivors and progress your mission. While upgrading your abilities and weapons, you’ll find yourself facing tougher and tougher enemies. Make sure to keep track of time, as the day-night cycles have some pretty eerie effects on the infected!
Choose this game if you like:
- Parkour; This game is known for its free-running mechanics, so you’ll be spending a lot of time running, jumping and swinging through the run-down city. The ground isn’t safe, so sticking to rooftops is essential for survival.
- Co-op; If you don’t feel like going through it alone, you can bring up to 3 other friends to help battle through the campaign together. There are also plenty of community challenges to complete along the way, offering non-stop action and events!
- Open world; The city is absolutely huge, giving you plenty of space to parkour around and scavenge for items. It’s packed with hidden weapons and secret zombie nests to find along the way.
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