The best zombie games

7 days ago, by Enzo

Zombies may have been dead for a long time, but they continue to fuel one of the most popular genres in video games. From pure horror to uninhibited action, survival, co-op, and even humor, the undead lend themselves to all kinds of experiences and, above all, offer an excellent excuse to test our ability to survive when everything falls apart. For this first selection of the best zombie games, we’ve therefore included both must-play classics and more recent titles, each with its own unique take on the walking dead.

Dead Island 2 has turned Los Angeles into a massive playground where slicing up zombies becomes almost an art form. Its particularly satisfying dismemberment system, offbeat atmosphere, and brutal gameplay make it one of the most cathartic experiences in the genre. Completely unexpected, Days Gone Remastered transforms Oregon into a veritable post-apocalyptic hunting ground. This remastered version earns its spot thanks to its spectacular hordes, its survival atmosphere, and the improvements made to an adventure that was already exceptionally rich.

With Resident Evil 9, Capcom continues to evolve its famous series by offering a new plunge into horror and survival, pushing realism and suspense to the limit. Its inclusion in our selection is as much due to its legacy as to its ability to reinvent the game’s conventions.

For something a little more colorful, Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 takes the series’ classic concept and transforms it into an amazing third-person shooter that’s as colorful as it is wacky. With its many classes, ever-present humor, and fast-paced battles, it proves that zombies can also be synonymous with fun and spectacular action.

Project Zomboid takes zombie survival to a level of detail rarely seen, where every injury, every sound, and every resource can hasten the player’s demise. Its particularly demanding system and sandbox approach make it one of the most realistic and unforgiving games in the genre. With Dead Rising, Capcom also made a lasting impression by letting players take on hundreds of zombies while turning virtually any object into a weapon. Its open-world shopping mall, dark humor, and massive hordes helped define a new, much more uninhibited approach to the zombie apocalypse.

Another unconventional offering is The Walking Dead: The Telltale Definitive Series. Here, the zombies almost take a back seat, making way for the characters, choices, and consequences. Through Clementine’s story, the game demonstrates that the apocalypse is most compelling when it serves as a backdrop for deeply human narratives.

This initial selection ultimately shows just how versatile the zombie is as an adversary in video games. Whether you prefer to survive alone in a hostile world, slaughter hordes with friends, tremble in a horror-filled atmosphere, or simply laugh at absurd situations, there’s bound to be an apocalypse that appeals to you.