There’s something special about the best zombie games on the market, right? They’re visceral, they’re terrifying, or they’re so brutally violent that they’re an absolute hoot to play. Okay, so that last one sounds a bit demonic, but you can fully appreciate where I’m coming from as a fan of zombie games.
In this list, we’re taking a look at the best zombie games that you can play right now in 2023. If you’re eager to tussle with the undead, look no further than this list. It’s all you need in life.
Or afterlife.
Best Zombie Games You Can Play Right Now
This is a mix of games across different genres and platforms and with varying price points. It’s a fine collection, and every one of these games is certainly worthy of being on our list of the best zombie games, but if you’ve got a different recommendation, feel free to leave it in the comments – we might add it!
1. Dying Light (And Dying Light 2)
Dying Light is one of the greatest open-world zombie games ever made, emerging in 2015 as a fast-paced, high-octane slasher from Techland. It boasted remarkable parkour mechanics and some of the best zombie combat we’ve ever seen.
Related: Dying Light 2 Had So Much Cut Content
2. State of Decay (And State of Decay 2)
The State of Decay games are exclusive to Xbox and PC, and they’re fantastic representations of the people management needed to survive in a tense zombie apocalypse. In State of Decay, players must build a community, manage a base of operations, and scavenge for resources.
Related: Where is State of Decay 3?
3. Project Zomboid
Project Zomboid is a punishing title and probably the hardest zombie game on this list. It’s one of the best zombie games out there because it’s so granular, and despite the lack of flashy graphics, Project Zomboid will have you sitting on the edge of your seat wondering where the next attack will come from.
4. Dead Island (And Dead Island 2)
Dead Island is a strange franchise – there was a ten-year gap between Dead Island and Dead Island 2, but when that gap had reached its end, one of the best zombie games ever was delivered. Dead Island 2 is a monumental slayer of a title that will have you engaged for hours.
Related: Dead Island 2 Hit 1 Million Sales in Three Days
5. Left 4 Dead (And Left 4 Dead 2)
Left 4 Dead was Valve’s stab at a zombie apocalypse title – and what a successful one it was. This four-player bullet-spraying epic took survivors through a series of stages bursting at the seams with zombies – and some well-crafted mutated zombies, too.
Related: Left 4 Dead’s Spiritual Successor is Shelved
6. The Last of Us (And The Last of Us Part 2)
Technically they’re not zombies, but the infected in The Last of Us give off those undead vibes for sure. In 2013, The Last of Us was released on PlayStation 3 and it quickly became regarded as one of the best games of all time – and it’s certainly one of the best zombie games to make this list.
7. Call of Duty Zombies (Any of Them)
COD Zombies is a legendary side mode that has been present in more than half a dozen Call of Duty games over the years. It is a staple for Treyarch’s creations, and over the years, it has gone from a simple wave-based survival mode to a full, open-world adventure.
Related: MW3’s Zombies Mode Will Be Huge
8. Dead Rising (1 – 4)
Dead Rising is one of the most iconic zombie franchises in gaming, and since the first game was released way back in 2006, it has worked to establish itself as a founding father of all modern zombie games. It typically features a race against a clock, crowds of thousands of zombies, and extreme ingenuity when it comes to crafting weapons.
Related: Is a New Dead Rising Coming Soon?
9. Days Gone
Days Gone was a one-shot PlayStation exclusive that featured a zombie-slaying bounty hunter on a bike, Deacon St. John. It was an open-world epic that boasted an engine capable of producing swarms of zombies that numbered in the hundreds, and it never failed to terrify players who weren’t expecting the masses to charge at them.
10. The Walking Dead (The Telltale Series)
The Walking Dead hasn’t had a great track record in gaming – except for when it comes to the Telltale series. This collection of games – which are episodic by nature – offers up a phenomenal experience in The Walking Dead’s universe, bringing a choice and consequence model to the table in some of the best zombie games we’ve ever seen.
