Best zombie games

Why are zombie games so popular?

A brief description for those who aren't familiar with the premise of Dying Light: due to a mysterious virus, people in the city of Harran transformed into zombies. It's your job to investigate the situation. The interesting thing about the nature of the undead in this title is that during the day, they're practically harmless, and you can avoid them without a problem whatsoever. When the night comes, you know that it's no longer safe, and the best option is usually to run as fast as you can.

Because the game implemented a very satisfying parkour system that can be compared to, for example, Mirror's Edge, you're able to escape the danger via well-planned escape routes (or by improvisation, which also happens a lot).

What's so good about games like Dying Light, then? Maybe it's the constant aura of danger that we've come to appreciate? On the other hand, could it be the satisfaction that you get from barely escaping the enemy in a Hollywood style?

It's probably a mixture of both, yet the theme of a place full of infected has become a really common thing in the gaming industry. Think of such titles as Resident Evil 5 or the Left 4 Dead series.

Zombie survival games can also have a less serious tone to them, often serving as a sort of parody of the genre. It's similar to what Planet Terror tried to achieve in the realm of cinematography. No matter what the approach is taken, this is a fascinating setting that still has a lot of potential, even if it's been used in thousands of titles. We'll try to show you some of the best examples of a proper approach to it in our list of zombie games.

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Now that we get the idea of what we can expect in titles about dead bodies that somehow came back to life, let's look at some of the best zombie games that you might want to start with. The first one is Days Gone. There's something about being a regular guy who just struggles to accept the situation he's in after a global pandemic changed the majority of people into zombies.

It's no longer any noble incentive like saving humanity that makes you go forward; it's mostly that you simply want to survive. What you do along the way to achieve this goal is a matter of your morality. Will you be able to stay human in this extreme environment? 

The other title that nails the zombie theme is Dead Rising. Speaking of games like Dying Light, the zombies that you encounter here are way calmer during the day and aggressive at night. These undead somehow remember (partially, at least) who they were, and you can see that in the way they behave, as if they were doing some kind of daily routine. 

Even though the game touches upon serious topics at times, it doesn't necessarily take itself too seriously. There are many, often bizarre, weapons that you can use in exterminating your enemies, and, as a professional photojournalist that you are, you need to document what's happening in the mall. And a lot is going on.

Above where just a few examples. We wanted to introduce you to the genre, which you might explore deeper by yourself. You may look for something different: story-fuelled games such as The Walking Dead or even multiplayer zombie games like the aforementioned Left 4 Dead.

One way or another, it's a theme that isn't all about mindless, undead creatures. It's mostly about the survivors and how they get by in the extreme conditions they find themselves in. That's what makes it so interesting in the end.