If you’re anything like us, you’ll love a good zombie survival game. Yet, in recent years it seems the genre has become oversaturated, leading standards to drop. There are still good titles to be found, though.We’ve sifted through the not-so-good zombie titles, so you don’t have to. Here are the 10 best zombie survival games in 2019.
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10. Dying Light
Developer: Techland
Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, Techland Publishing
Year of Release: 2015
Platform: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Linux, OS X, Java
Dying Light is a zombie apocalypse survival game that incorporates elements of horror, action, and survival gameplay.
In Dying Light, you play as Kyle Crane, an undercover agent on a mission to find antagonist, Suleiman, in the fictional Middle Eastern city of Harran. To navigate the huge open world urban metropolis, players can utilise the protagonist’s parkour abilities. This adds a unique twist to exploration that makes traversing the environment particularly enjoyable.
The game features a dynamic night and day system, with different experiences to be found in each. Players must scavenge and explore in order to survive, all while being mindful of the ever-present risk of being infected by zombies.
Dying Light received positive reviews upon its release, with many praising its unique first-person parkour navigation and storyline. Dying Light is certainly one of the 10 best zombie survival games to try, even still in 2019.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikzMN4w_JFw
9. Dead Rising 4
Developer: Capcom Vancouver
Publisher: Microsoft Studios, Capcom
Year of Release: 2016
Platform: Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, PlayStation 4
Dead Rising 4 is an action-adventure game that the fourth instalment in the popular Dead Rising series by Capcom Vancouver.
The game is set in the year 2021 after an outbreak of a zombie virus in Los Perdidos, California, the year previous. Photojournalist, Frank West, and one of his students, Vicky Chu, are forced to flee the site of the first zombie outbreak after discovering that it is still being used as a zombie research centre. Frank and Vicky are, subsequently, sent on a lifechanging journey involving action and undead in abundance.
Dead Rising 4 is an open world action game, like its predecessors, that is played from third person perspective and features multiple weapons and skills to aid resistance against zombie hordes.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEOV9jg2aVY
8. State of Decay
Developer: Undead Labs
Publisher: Microsoft Studios
Year of Release: 2013
Platform: Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, Xbox One
State of Decay is an action-adventure survival game that utilises gameplay elements of action, stealth, and horror. The game was one of the success stories of 2013 for the Xbox 360, and received widespread critical acclaim.
The game follows a group of survivors as they attempt to endure a zombie apocalypse in the fictional place of Trumbull Valley. The survivors become entrenched in political and military turmoil, as they learn that the army is trying to contain citizens in order to gather information about the zombie virus outbreak.
The gameplay in State of Decay combines third person combat with simulation, in which the player is in charge of a small group of survivors and must complete certain tasks in order to ensure their survival.
State of Decay is a truly awesome game and one that still stands up well against more recent titles – this game is very deserving of its place in our top 10 zombie survival games to play in 2019.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPY1tQZ2bC4
7. 7 Days to Die
Developer: The Fun Pimps
Publisher: The Fun Pimps, Telltale Publishing
Year of Release: 2013
Platform: Microsoft Windows, Linux, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, OS X
7 Days to Die is an open world zombie survival game that, despite some unfavourable reviews, has a loyal fanbase among its various platform releases.
The game is set in a futuristic post Third World War setting, in which nuclear activities have completely decimated large parts of the world. A few areas survive, however, including the playable area of Navezgane, Arizona, in which the player must survive by finding food and shelter and avoiding the undead.
In 7 Days to Die, players need to survive the randomly generated world in which they are spawned by sourcing all the necessary resources required to live. Zombies will try to impede your progress, of course, as can other human players, if you decide to take the game online. There is lots of fun to be had in this game, and successful zombie survival feels particularly rewarding due to its difficulty.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcIqMc4Yul8
6. Project Zomboid
Developer: The Indie Stone
Publisher: The Indie Stone
Year of Release: 2011
Platform: Microsoft Windows, Linux, OS X, Java
Project Zomboid is a British and Canadian open world zombie survival game that, despite numerous setbacks (including frozen PayPal funds and theft from the developers), is one of the most enjoyable and best zombie survival games of recent times.
The game is set in the fictional Knox County, a post-apocalyptic setting in which the player must survive for as long as possible before succumbing to inevitable death. The game is played from birds eye, a la The Sims.
In order to survive, players must manage various attributes, including tiredness, mental health, hunger, and pain. Scavenging is essential to ensure your survival, and you must do this all while avoiding the impending threat of Romero style zombies.
Project Zomboid is an enjoyable indie title that was a welcome surprise in 2011, and still stands up as one of the best zombie survival games in 2019.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qWTQz0cy-Q
5. Dead Island
Developer: Techland, Sumo Digital, Fatshark, Stunlock Studios
Publisher: Deep Silver
Year of Release: 2011
Platform: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Linux, OS X, Java
Dead Island is an action role-playing horror game that provides players the opportunity to survive a large zombie infested map by any gruesome means necessary.
For lovers of gore, Dead Island could be the choice for you. In fact, its level of gruesomeness is so extreme that it even drew complaints from some gamers and was banned from release in certain countries.
The game is set in the fictional open world environment of Banoi, a tropical resort situated off the coast of Papua New Guinea. The history of the island makes for an interesting backstory, provides context for the four main characters whose story begins the night after a mega party on the island resort.
The game is played from first person perspective and requires players to complete quests and explore the open world. Melee weapons are the predominant method of defence in Dead Island, and platers can level up to acquire new attributes by completing missions and killing zombies.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdTWbaM6cOI
4. Days Gone
Developer: SIE Bend Studio
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Year of Release: 2019
Platform: PlayStation 4
Days Gone is an action- adventure survival game that is the most recent of the entries in this list. The game received mixed reviews upon its release, but if you take the away the hype which surrounded it before its release, Days Gone has to go down as one of the best zombie survival games to ever be released.
The game is set in Oregon, two years after a global pandemic created an apocalyptic world in which huge hordes of zombies roam the environment. Players take on the role of Deacon St. John, an awesomely cool former outlaw who is led on a quest to find his wife, who was hitherto thought to be dead.
Days Gone is played from third person perspective and features numerous ways in which Deacon can protect himself against zombies, or “freakers”. You can use melee, short range, long range, and stealth tactics to navigate your way around enemies, and you can travel around the huge open world using Deacon’s motorcycle – though, it’s best to avoid the nights!
If you have read some negative reviews and have been put off by them, don’t be. Days Gone is a thoroughly enjoyable horror title and is certainly one of the best zombie survival games of 2019.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbqmlK7b0m4
3. DayZ
Developer: Bohemia Interactive
Publisher: Bohemia Interactive
Year of Release: 2018
Platform: Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, PlayStation 4
DayZ is a survival horror video game that has spent much of its life in an early access period for Windows. First developed as a mod for ARMA 2, the game was released as a standalone title due to its popularity. Despite the recent underwhelming release for the Xbox One and PlayStation 4, DayZ should not be overlooked, and is one of the best zombie survival games to play in 2019.
The game is set in the fictional environment of Chernarus, a post-Soviet Republic which has been overridden by a zombie-infecting plague. The open world map is huge (225 km2) and features numerous places to explore, including towns, barns, forests and coastal areas.
The aim of DayZ is to survive for as long as possible. Yet, this isn’t a simple task. Players need to scavenge their surroundings to source food, water, and supplies, all while avoiding and defending against infected foes. The undead aren’t the only cause of concern, human players can choose to interact with you in a friendly or hostile manner, so you need to remain guarded at all times.
We strongly recommend giving DayZ a try, you won’t regret it.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bu7-vCI2O0o
2. The Walking Dead
Developer: Telltale Games
Publisher: Telltale Games
Year of Release: 2012
Platform: Android, iOS, OS x, Linux, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One
The Walking Dead series by Telltale Games is a masterclass in storytelling episodic adventure games that breathed fresh life into the genre – particularly the first season.
The game is set in the same post-apocalyptic world as the comic series and, apart from a few guest appearances, features a new cast of characters. It is here where the game wins, the character development is perfectly executed with some exceptional dialogue and plot progressions throughout the series. It is hard not to become completely engrossed in the lives of Lee, Clementine, Kenny, and the others.
The gameplay is simple. Played from a third-person perspective, you have to interact with characters and items and, at certain points of the game, make choices that affect the outcome of the story. These choices often lead to unpredictable outcomes, what may seem like a good decision at the time could come back to haunt you.
Graphic adventures are meant to be engaging, and The Walking Dead series accomplishes this engagement to an expert level. If you’re looking for the best zombie survival games in 2019, this is simply a must.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYtBU-6aBvM
1. The Last of Us
Developer: Naughty Dog
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Year of Release: 2013
Platform: PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4
The Last of Us recently topped our list of the greatest survival horror games for the PS4, and we have unashamedly ranked it number one again here. The game really is that good.
Set in a post-apocalyptic United States, the game portrays a scenario in which a mutant Cordyceps virus has turned a large portion of the populace into blood-thirsty undead cannibals. Players follow the story of Joel and Ellie, as they attempt to traverse the country in order to learn more about Ellie’s unique genetic immunity to the virus.
You can choose from a variety of ways to circumnavigate enemies in The Last of Us, ranging from stealth combat to full-blown ammo-laden chaos. The pacing of the game is perfect, the characters are engaging, and the environments are visually spectacular.
With the upcoming release of The Last of Us 2, now is the perfect time to try, or re-play, this game. For us, this is the best zombie survival game around in 2019.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-G3atTc9CE
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If you enjoyed reading this list of the 10 best zombie survival games, you might want to check out our list of some of the best steampunk video games for the PC.
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