Although Resident Evil is widely seen as the best franchise when it comes to zombie games, there are still a bunch of other excellent games in the genre. Zombies have been around for decades now, and some would argue that they’re a bit tired at this rate. We’ve had countless movies, TV shows, and video games that feature people trying not to get bitten by the undead or slaying them in absurd action sequences. Still, it’s a lot of fun to blow hundreds, if not thousands, of bullets in killing zombies in a video game. There’s a reason it remains a staple in Call of Duty nearly 20 years after it was introduced to the franchise.
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With that said, if you’re looking to shoot (or slash) some zombies, we’ve compiled a list of some of the best non-Resident Evil games that let you do so.
7) Days Gone
Days Gone wasn’t the most beloved game at launch and is seen as a lesser game compared to other first-party PlayStation exclusives, but there’s no denying that it is a pretty great zombie game. It manages to balance being a survival game without compromising much on having thrilling, satisfying action with an awesome upgradable motorcycle, a wide range of weapons, and a variety of enemies to battle.
Days Gone in particular nails the idea of being swarmed by the undead. The game features massive hordes that will surround you and try to cut you off before eating you alive. It leads to some really tense action that lets you not only spray automatic weapons and lob explosives into the crowd, but also set up traps to try and cut their numbers down. It’s a solid zombie game, and it’s disappointing that Bend Studio won’t get another chance to build upon its ideas in a Days Gone sequel.
6) Left 4 Dead 2
Left 4 Dead 2 was released just a year after the first game took the world by storm, and largely does everything bigger and better. There are some things the first game has over the sequel, but for the most part, the sequel is deemed the better game. While the sequel is less spooky and atmospheric, it trades it in for a more comedic tone that’s much more action-packed. New enemy types, weapons, and overall depth also give it a major advantage over its predecessor. It’s still widely regarded as one of the best co-op games of its era and one of the best zombie games ever made.
5) Dead Rising 2
Dead Rising 2 took everything about its predecessor and turned it to 11. You’re no longer stuck inside of a mall, but instead a casino resort with multiple different venues to spice things up. The game also added vehicles, including a dirt bike which you could upgrade to feature chainsaws to slice through enemies. Overall, the crafting system got a huge upgrade, allowing you to combine items together for whacky, powerful weapons to slay the infected with.
Dead Rising 2 also added a co-op mode, making it even more fun to explore all the stores, casinos, and venues. The game also had an underrated competitive multiplayer mode set inside the game’s dystopian reality game show, where players compete in deadly and over-the-top games to win prizes. It was fun, unique, and a great sequel.
4) Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare
In 2010, Rockstar Games delivered gaming’s greatest western to date in the form of Red Dead Redemption. It was gritty and emotional, but also boasted everything that makes Rockstar’s open-worlds fun. No one would’ve expected an expansion revolving around zombies, but alas, it happened.
Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare is an expansion to the base game where John Marston must stop a plague that is causing the dead to rise in the wild west and once again save his family. You no longer just had to worry about gangs, but now there were packs of zombies roaming the desert and prairies looking for a fleshy snack. It was a truly excellent expansion to one of Rockstar’s best games and an excellent addition to the zombie genre.
3) The Last of Us
Technically speaking, the infected in The Last of Us are not “zombies” in the traditional sense. They’re mutated humans who are actually still very much alive, unlike zombies which are reanimated corpses. It’s more of a parasitic form of mind control than anything else. However, The Last of Us still takes full advantage of zombie storytelling tropes with a post-apocalyptic setting, tension around bite marks, morally corrupted human survivors, and more.
The Last of Us also shakes things up by innovating beyond just having mindless monsters charging at you. Some of the infected are totally blind, relying on heightened hearing to detect sounds and attack prey. It ups the stakes a lot and allows for a more refreshing gameplay experience within the genre. Of course, The Last of Us also has some of the best characters and story in the genre as well.
2) Dying Light
Dying Light is a stupid amount of fun. Developer Techland pushed the genre forward with brutal yet satisfying melee combat where every swipe of a blade has the chance of smoothly severing a zombie’s limb clean off, sometimes in slow-mo, without sacrificing punchy gunplay as well. However, the defining factor of Dying Light was its slick parkour system, which allowed you to leap from building to building and use the environment in creative ways to not only get away from enemies, but also get the jump on them.
Dying Light was released during a time when zombies were starting to lack their scare factor, as we’d seen them so many times at this point. However, Techland found a way to keep it terrifying. The zombies were pretty dull during the day and easy to kill, but at night time, they grew stronger. If you got caught out after dark, you’d typically be subjected to riveting chases that turned your stomach into knots. Even though the sequel was pretty good, the first game is arguably the best this series has ever been.
1) State of Decay 2
State of Decay 2 is yet another brilliant co-op zombie game, but it’s also one of the only games that really feels like a true survival game. You have to establish a base and manage restores, upgrade it to sustain everyone, collect survivors from around the map, and regularly make an effort to go loot abandoned buildings and vehicles for things that can aid your mission. It’s an expansive game that has so many different systems that keep things interesting.
State of Decay 2 also gives you the ability to switch between any of your survivors. A big reason for that is that if one of them dies, they will die for good. There are no respawns; your characters have a lot more weight as a result, as they will disappear forever if you lead them into a situation that is too dangerous. It’s a highly replayable and super-engaging zombie game that has a level of depth not found elsewhere in the genre. One can only hope that State of Decay 3 isn’t too far away from releasing.
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