It seems like every month, another studio announces a new zombie game coming out or in production. While the undead genre has long been popular across all forms of media, it would seem that television’s smash hit, The Walking Dead, has semi-permanently injected flesh eaters into our regular dose of entertainment. Luckily, most people don’t seem to mind one bit.
Today, we decided to spend a few hours digging up all of our favorite video games from the zombie realm to present our top five favorites. Of course, we had to make a decision on what would pass as a zombie game, so we decided to include any title where the antagonists acted like you expect a zombie would. To give you an example of what we mean, while 28 Days Later isn’t really a zombie film, we would give it a pass if our list was about movies rather than video games.
Disclaimer: We know that almost every list out there will differ (at least slightly) from our own. We’re not trying to convince you these are the best, so much as present you with reasons these are our favorites, then ask you to let us know what your list would look like by commenting below.
5. Resident Evil 2
Released on January 21, 1998, Resident Evil 2 was the first zombie game that we ever got our hands on, and boy did it leave a lasting impression. Not only did it ignite our interest in the genre, to this day it remains one of the scariest video games we remember playing, although admittedly, we’ve taken a few blows to the head in the last 16 years.
Assuming control of the two protagonists, Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield, the game was a mixture of puzzle solving, combat and heart-stopping scares that were enough to convince us to play with the lights on… as well as with a group of friends. Strength in numbers, we say.
4. The Last of US
Before you freak out and cause us severe bodily harm, let us mention that we think The Last of Us is one of the best video games of all time, but that has more to do with the story between Ellie and Joel than the Infected. Still, there are enough genuinely terrifying encounters in this game that it deserved to make our list.
Whether it’s rooms of Infected in Chapter 3: The Outskirts, or a tunnel in Salt Lake City in Chapter 10: Bus Depot, this is a game that, even when we know what’s about to happen, can cause our heart to feel as if it might pound its way out of our chest. While visuals play a large role in that, so does the spine chilling sound of a nearby Clicker, masterfully voiced by Misty Lee and Phillip Kovats.
3. Left 4 Dead and Left 4 Dead 2
Every list needs an option that is slightly off the beaten path, and the Left 4 Dead series fits nicely into that role. While a lot of zombie survival games take on a more serious tone, this one was about teaming up with your friends for some mindless, undead violence. In that way, it’s kind of like a killing spree in Grand Theft Auto 5. Every once in awhile you have to blow off some steam. That’s what Left 4 Dead brings to the genre’s table.
2. The Walking Dead
How can you leave what was widely believed to be the Game of the Year in 2012 off the list? Where a title like Left 4 Dead brings the mindless fun, The Walking Dead brings the emotional storytelling. It falls somewhere between an animated movie and video game, with players rarely having to do more than press a single key or click the mouse.
What it does bring to the zombie genre is its ability to let players feel like they are determining their own destiny, and to an extent they are. Choices made throughout the game can often impact which characters live and which ones die, along with altering individual experiences in other ways. As far as video game storytelling goes, this is one that nobody should miss.
1. DayZ Standalone
There are currently more bugs in DayZ than an entomologist’s lab, but that doesn’t stop it from taking the top spot on our list of the best zombie games of all-time. You see, while DayZ might have its flaws, it excels at something that almost every other title in the genre fails with – the ability for players to be whoever they choose, and for the community to determine the tone of the experience.
Chernarus (the fictional nation DayZ takes place in) certainly has a lot of annoying zombies, but just like The Walking Dead (television series), they are the second most threatening creatures in the world behind human beings. Players in DayZ can choose to be good, interacting with other players and helping those in need. Or they can choose to be bad, killing other people on sight and taking whatever supplies they might carry. Because the game intentionally doesn’t give players objectives, they are left to create their own goals, the results of which tend to be quite troubling.
Published: Aug 14, 2014 04:55 pm