We’ve all played zombie games before and boy, this genre will most likely never die, for some reason people are obsessed with the idea of undead chasing them, disemboweling them, and eating their remains. And you know what? I’m also a fan!
So, it’s a great idea to talk about some of the best zombie games to be ever released - we’re going to quickly analyze why they’re awesome, how the gameplay works, and why you should try ‘em. Anyways, let’s start with the first game:
10. SCUM
SCUM is an open-world survival game where you’ll be fighting off zombies, kinda similar to DayZ, although the customization is slightly better - you get to select your gender, body type, breast size, eye color, head type, and tattoos to name a few.
It’s also worth noting that this is a multiplayer game, thus you’ll be forced to fight or befriend other players - most likely the first option, this game is not known for sunshine and rainbows appearing everywhere you go…
When it comes to zombies, they’re agile and dangerous in packs, they can accumulate into massive hordes that can be very hard to stop, especially when you’re on your own.
As a player, you can be anyone you wish - a spineless rat or an honorable, kind soul. It’s up to you in the world of SCUM and only you can decide what kind of a person you’re going to be.
Why I love this game:
- Challenging at first but everything in this game is learnable
- Can be extremely action-packed at certain moments
- Becomes even more fun when playing with friends
Fun rating: 79/100
A rather memorable title!
9. Back 4 Blood
Back 4 Blood wasn’t bad but it wasn’t what I expected at the same time. It was supposed to be better than Left 4 Dead but it wasn’t - the lack of details, and lackluster gore bugs seemed very offputting.
But there are for sure more good things than bad - one of them is the number of weapons that you can use and “tacticool” mechanics that were included in the game, which made you feel like a NAVY seal.
Let’s also not forget the weapon attachments that you could find - compensators, laser sights, barrels, as well suppressors - all of them had special benefits, as well as faults. Each attachment had a different rarity, such as Legendary, Epic, Rare, Uncommon, and Broke.
All of these weapons could be used against the never-ending hordes of zombies, sometimes the special infected and eventually the boss, which would test you and your team’s survival.
Why B4B is decent:
- High count of weapons that you can use
- Plenty of attachments for each weapon
- Special infected that will kill you in plenty of unique ways!
Fun rating: 83/100
Left 4 Dead rip-off… just kidding!
8. GTFO
GTFO is a co-op survival game where you face plenty of unique-looking monsters with unique abilities. Playing with bots is possible, although this game is most fun when played with your friends!
Communication is key and the best way of succeeding in this game, GTFO isn't one of those games where you go from room to room expecting to go on a Rambo-themed crusade - NO, you have to stick close and talk to your fellers.
The game itself has an amazing atmosphere, which constantly creates a feeling of being watched and paranoia. You can go on for a while without anything happening but once poop hits the fan, you’ll develop a masochistic love for this game…
The fact that this game is extremely challenging doesn’t really make things any better and further skyrockets your blood pressure but that’s the beauty of this game - frustration, stress, tryharding, failure, even more failure, and eventually getting a grasp of things and succeeding.
Why GTFO is awesome:
- One of the best atmospheres I have ever experienced
- Excellent graphics, very eye pleasing
- Plenty of monsters that look disturbing and even more grotesque as you progress further into the game
- Challenging gameplay but rewarding, especially after a few hours of gameplay
Fun rating: 84/100
Sounds about right!
7. Killing Floor 2
Well, I wouldn’t say that this game has “zombies” but more like Zeds, which are not zombies, they’re actually mutated human beings that were supposed to be the best soldiers…
…Of course, this experiment didn’t work out and now everywhere throughout the world, there are plenty of bald steroid junkies wreaking havoc, goring the human population and making the world look more and more bleak.
The best thing about KF 2 is its gore system - the bodies can explode into tens of pieces and splatter blood everywhere - bodies react differently to cutting weapons, as well as explosives, shotgun shells, etc.
With many classes and levels, and sometimes ridiculous weapons, you can be assured that you won’t find this game boring for a long time and probably spend a few hundred hours killing Zeds or getting killed by them!
Why I love KF 2:
- Disturbing amounts of gore, as well as blood
- You can level up and unlock more perks, becoming more and more deadly
- Plenty of weapons to pick from per class
Fun rating: 86/100
ZEDS! Not zombies.
6. Hunt: Showdown
Hunt: Showdown is a rather underappreciated game for which it took a few years to grow a relatively decent player base. As of today, the player count is between 25,000 to 30,000 players, and the all-time peak was at around 38,000 players.
If you’ve never heard of this game, it’s a survival horror game that takes place in 1895, you’re playing as a bounty hunter who’s looking for deadly monsters hiding in abandoned buildings, waiting for you to make a mistake…
But that’s not all - monsters are not the only concern, enemy players are too. They will gladly put a bullet in your head once they figure out your location and take your loot, which upon death will be lost forever!
The grim atmosphere combined with the fear of losing everything you’ve built so far creates a rather adrenaline-filled experience, with unknown entities lurking in abandoned, dusty buildings…
Why Hunt: Showdown is amazing:
- Scary atmosphere, at times, unbelievably disturbing
- A few bosses, although they’re difficult to kill and they look disgusting as hell
- Adrenaline-filled, either because of the players or the encounters with bosses
Fun rating: 89/100
A zombie/monster game that takes place in the 19th century!
5. DayZ
DayZ is one of those games that will leave you puzzled - you will sooner die from drinking dirty water than getting shot. Lack of knowledge is one of the biggest causes of death in DayZ!
You can also walk for kilometers upon kilometers, and collect as much gear as humanely possible, only to get shot by some prick camping in the woods and once more, you’ll respawn on the shores of Chernogorsk, naked and defenseless.
These factors will turn you into an animal and leave you completely emotionless toward other players - you will kill the unarmed, the defenseless, and be a completely honorless prick towards everyone you meet.
In summary, the most difficult game that you’ll ever play. Finding a weapon, let alone a vehicle is extremely hard and most players will be hostile toward you - my advice is to trust no one, be a sinister prick, and DO NOT eat human meat - it will make you laugh!
Why DayZ is awesome:
- Massive, open world with plenty of unique maps and locations
- A survival game that focuses on thirst, hunger, preventing sickness, as well as regulating your body temperature
- Most importantly, zombies. They can be alerted by you being too loud, aka firing your guns in cities or even running
Fun rating 90/100
Trust no one in this game.
4. Call of Duty: Black Ops(Zombies)
I wouldn’t live with myself if I didn’t mention this game here. Black ops I has a special game mode where you can play against zombies, complete objectives, and run away from the hordes on different maps.
The best part is that you get to play as JFK, Nixon, Castro, or McNamara - each one of these leaders has their own voice lines and personality which you will never get bored of. Unless you play as Nixon...
The gameplay itself is pretty simple, you complete tasks and gather points from killing zombies, and the points can be spent on better weaponry. Barricade yourself, wait for the zombies to come and unload everything you’ve got into them!
Black Ops 1 might seem like a brainless shooter but in terms of zombies, you have to constantly communicate with your teammates, the gameplay itself is pretty difficult.
Why I love zombies in Black Ops:
- If you have played this game before, I guarantee you massive amounts of nostalgia
- Fun and unique gameplay, you can barricade entrances and unlock new weapons as you progress
- Awesome characters(cold war era leaders) with unique dialogues+kill voice lines
Fun rating: 93/100
The childhood classic…
3. Left 4 Dead 2
Left 4 Dead 2 - if you haven’t played it, you should totally try it, as this game hasn’t aged at all. Even after this many years, players still come back to this game to relive the nostalgia of 2009!
In terms of gore, It still amazes me how well it held on - the faces, arms, legs, chests, and torsos of the infected can be mutilated in hundreds of ways, creating a never-ending, satisfying feeling for your psychopathic soul!
The graphics are still good, they are slightly better than in L4D 1, although I still prefer the maps from the first part - I love the grim NY setting of No Mercy, as well as the spectacular plane crash in Dead Air.
Furthermore, this game has special infected such as Smokers, Hunters, Boomers, Spitters, Tanks, and whatever else is there - they’re all deadly and you gotta stick close to your teammates to counter them!
This game has enormous replayability value and it’s still being played by thousands of players, even 14 years after its release - if you haven’t played it, trust me, you’re missing out.
Why L4D 2 is a legendary classic:
- For a 2009 game, this game’s gore system is still better than B4B’s
- Awesome special infected with cool soundtracks as they are slowly killing you
- Interesting main characters with long dialogues
Fun rating: 93/100
Incredible gore for a game that’s over 12 years old!
2. Resident Evil 5
None of the games mentioned above have valuable plots - this one does. It takes place in the western part of Africa, in a fictional country called Kijuju - this name always made me laugh.
You get to play as Chris or Sheva and go on a long adventure of killing hundreds and hundreds of mutated zombies and as you progress, foes become harder and even more disturbing, looking more like mutated monsters than regular zombies.
The game itself can be played in co-op, from my experience, it was pretty hard. You have to be well aware of your surroundings and stick close to your partner, look after each other, and try to preserve ammunition. I still remember playing the DEMO version of this game with my brother on a single Xbox 360, one of the most nostalgic experiences of my life was trying this game once more in 2021 <3!
Why this game is cool:
- Just like with L4D 2, the graphics held pretty well and they’re still eye-pleasing
- Intense and challenging gameplay
- Has a co-op option, which allows you to play with your buddy
Fun rating: 97/100
From zombies to overgrown mutants!
1. World War Z Aftermath
One of the most iconic moments in this game is when you first encounter the horde - a massive swarm of rabid zombies charging toward you, stacking on top of each other to climb obstacles and eventually breach the perimeter…
With ammunition slowly running out, you keep shooting and shooting but they never stop coming, you can only hope that your team doesn’t get overwhelmed and mauled to death…
My advice is to focus on the objective and don’t be too scared of the zombies - they’re fragile and will die rather quickly but it’s also important to stay with your team, there are special infected that can incapacitate you and maybe even kill you.
Use weapons with high-capacity magazines, lure zombies into choke points, and obliterate them for however long you have to. Don’t do that for too long, you might be playing an objective match!
Why this game is the best:
- Spectacular horde encounters when they’re desperately stacking on top of each other to finally eat your face
- Badass gameplay where you mow down hundreds upon hundreds of zombies
- SImilar to L4D, although it can also be played in third person
Fun rating 99.99/100
An average black friday sale…
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- Top 11 Best Multiplayer Zombie Games
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