With the chilling ending of “28 Years Later” still fresh in our minds, the quest for truly exceptional zombie games is more intense than ever. Popular culture’s enduring fascination with the undead has consistently delivered quality entertainment, but nothing quite compares to experiencing the apocalypse firsthand in a brilliant PC game. Whether you crave oppressive wasteland survival, fluid parkour action, Lovecraftian eeriness, or even surprisingly vibrant home defense, our comprehensive list has something for every zombie enthusiast.
Join us as we navigate through the relentless hordes of shambling corpses to uncover the absolute best zombie games available. We’re coming to get you!
- Dying Light: The Beast
- Project Zomboid
- Left 4 Dead 2
- Back 4 Blood
- Dead Island 2
- Call of Duty Black Ops 6: Zombies
- State of Decay 2
- Plants vs Zombies
- They Are Billions
- Resident Evil 2
- Resident Evil 4 Remake
- Days Gone
- World War Z: Aftermath
- The Walking Dead
- The Last of Us Part I
- DayZ
- Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster
- Organ Trail: The Director’s Cut
- Killing Floor 2
- Atom Zombie Smasher
- 7 Days to Die
- Unturned
1. Dying Light: The Beast
The latest installment in the Dying Light series proves that sometimes less is truly more. With a slightly tighter focus, this first-person zombie nightmare achieved a depth and texture previously unseen. It retains the core mechanics of parkouring, relentless looting, and a heavy reliance on melee combat, but elevates them to an entirely new level.
As reviewers noted, “The story is simple, yet effective, the combat packs a real punch, and the world feels lived in and, weirdly enough, alive.” The blend of residential and rural environments, coupled with a dense array of activities, makes The Beast a genuine treat for both long-time fans and new players. If you’re ready to unleash your inner beast, there are various in-game freebies available, from wallpapers to powerful weapons, to aid you in smashing your enemies.
2. Project Zomboid
“This is how you died,” the incredible isometric zombie sandbox, Project Zomboid, ominously declares as you first step into the overrun American countryside. It quickly becomes clear that a happy ending is not on the cards. However, you can prolong the inevitable through smart scavenging, resourceful food gathering, and essential first-aid skills. Unlike many zombie games that prioritize direct combat, Zomboid emphasizes avoidance, meticulous management, and slow-burn strategic survival.
Critics have praised the game’s bleak atmosphere and intricate simulation, noting that “Though survival is the only objective, it’s a complicated goal. Even managing your exhaustion, hunger and thirst levels becomes a challenge in this dying world, as food becomes increasingly scarce and all the tasks demanding your attention stop you from sleeping.” Zomboid has been in open development for over a decade, benefiting from numerous substantial updates that have refined gameplay and added features. The dedicated modding community has also contributed a wealth of enhancements, further enriching the experience.
3. Left 4 Dead 2
Many titles have attempted to recapture the magic of Valve’s legendary co-op shooter, with some of the original developers even trying their hand (see the next entry). Yet, it’s an undeniable truth: no FPS zombie game quite matches the brilliance of Left 4 Dead 2. Whether you’re working as a four-person team to repel waves of nightmarish undead or embodying powerful boss zombie variants in versus mode, Left 4 Dead 2 masterfully balances fast-paced action with unbearable tension.
Even with cities emptied by evacuations, humanity’s presence feels tangible through messages scrawled on safe house walls. The game also exudes a unique warmth, with the cultural influences of New Orleans and its surroundings permeating from the swamps to the streets and into the distinctive soundtrack. If you’re looking for similar thrilling co-op experiences in different settings, there are many games that attempt to emulate Left 4 Dead 2’s enduring appeal.
4. Back 4 Blood
Hear us out on this one. When Turtle Rock released its spiritual successor to Left 4 Dead in 2021, it faced a challenging launch. The high expectations, fueled by the involvement of seven talented developers from Valve’s original team, created a formidable hurdle. However, thanks to numerous balance patches and updates over the years, Back 4 Blood’s campaign has evolved into a worthy contender on our list. Despite its improvements, it still holds a distinct identity from Left 4 Dead.
Reviewers noted that, “Whether you’re in the heat of battle or strategising with your friends in a safehouse, the shooting is satisfying, the zombies gush and spew and splatter with Savini-esque flair, and the campaign features some spectacularly confident escalations.” The game features a unique card system that grants buffs to playable characters, known as Clearers, helping to balance the dynamically adjusting difficulty. Mastering these cards is key to evening the odds against the infected.
5. Dead Island 2
After a tumultuous development period, Damnbuster Studios’ sequel to Techland’s original emerged into the vibrant LA sunshine as one of the most satisfying zombie-slaying simulators available. Its bright and breezy setting immediately sets it apart from the groaning masses, complemented by disgustingly excessive gore technology that caters to your darkest impulses and highlights the game’s creative weapon-crafting mechanics.
While the game’s Hollywood facade may conceal some imperfections, the core zombie-slaying loop is undeniably glorious. As one reviewer aptly stated, “Dead Island 2 is an uneven experience; its ups and downs might make you feel like you’re on a rollercoaster on the end of the Santa Monica pier. But the highs are worth sticking out the lows…and the fun you’ll have dominating the zombie hordes will carry you through.” The game features six playable slayers, each offering a unique perspective and altering your experience of this chaotic zombie outbreak.
6. Call of Duty Black Ops 6: Zombies
While many of Treyarch’s Call of Duty games could grace this list – their round-based zombie horde modes are consistently top-tier – we’ve become utterly enamored with the latest Zombies mode integrated into Black Ops 6. It’s packed with secrets to uncover and possesses an addictive “just one more go before bed” quality.
As described in reviews, “The longevity of Zombies correlates to how deep its secrets go. Players will hunt for days looking for the next easter egg, and the maps here are dense and dangerous.” Although the game initially launched with two Zombies maps, that offering has since expanded to five, providing ample opportunities to whet your appetite for undead mayhem.
7. State of Decay 2
For a compelling central storyline, the original State of Decay might be preferable. However, its sequel excels at refining the first game’s systems, creating a far more engaging open-world experience. It plays like an RPG, featuring a simple yet deeply satisfying core loop: you, as an exceptionally unlucky survivor, must select a protagonist from your community and venture into the wilderness to scavenge for food, fuel, and medicine essential for everyone’s survival. When your chosen character succumbs to exhaustion or, more likely, to a zombie’s blows, you seamlessly switch to another member of your homestead, inheriting their unique background, personality, and combat skills.
Reviewers have highlighted how “State of Decay 2 is full of these mini narratives you create for yourself. Undead Labs plant story seeds across the world – another Enclave might steal your supplies for you to hunt down, an exiled community member might ask for your help to clear their name – but you can take full ownership of your community and decide to do whatever work you please.” The game benefited from six years of updates before support concluded, making the current version significantly improved from its launch. It’s a challenging game, so seeking out community guides can provide an edge against the biters.
8. Plants vs Zombies
A notable tonal shift! While you won’t be grappling with agonizing life-or-death choices or managing scarce resources here, Plants vs Zombies remains a contender for one of the greatest zombie games ever conceived. Who needs conventional firearms when you have Peashooters, strategically placed Potato Mines, and resilient Wal-nut blockers?
These botanical heroes are your last line of defense against an army of cone-hatted, decomposing fiends determined to dirty your pristine patio. The gameplay loop is deceptively simple yet incredibly effective, offering hours of engagement across 50 adventure levels and even a never-ending mode for the truly insatiable. While the series has since branched into third-person shooters, the original strategy game holds a special place in the hearts of many. If your appetite for strategic defense remains unsated, many other tower-defense titles offer similar compelling gameplay loops.
9. They Are Billions
Steampunk base building meets intense crowd control in this taut and urgent real-time strategy game. The relentless standoffs you must endure while striving to prevent the undead from breaching your city walls create an unusually stressful and engaging experience within the genre. The sheer number of infected is staggering; even the slightest misjudgment can lead to catastrophe, with death flooding into your sanctuary to wreak untold destruction.
While the campaign may not be as robust as the survival mode, Numantian Games skillfully leverages the game’s unique setting, embracing a rich aesthetic, compelling lore, and a deep upgrade system to deliver a unique blend of gameplay mechanics. If strategic management and base defense are your passion, a plethora of other strategy games offer similar challenges and rewards.
10. Resident Evil 2
What respectable list of top zombie games would be complete without a Resident Evil entry (or two)? After much anticipation, Capcom’s Resident Evil 2 remake delivered on most expectations in a spectacular fashion. Adopting Resident Evil 4’s over-the-shoulder camera, rather than the original’s fixed angles, it offers a fresh perspective on the iconic police station, surrounding streets, and other eerie locations—all teeming with zombies eager to consume your face.
And, of course, there’s the perpetual, terrifying presence of Mr. X, stomping around as if he owns the place. Overall, the game was adored by critics, even if some of its more eccentric personality traits were toned down. As one review put it, “Capcom’s remake is a spectacularly gory game that brings a classic in line with horror titles of today, and only at the loss of some of the original’s beloved goofiness.” This re-imagining offers a more realistic and intense survival horror experience.
11. Resident Evil 4 Remake
Capcom once again worked its magic with another highly successful remake, breathing new life into one of the most beloved games of all time. While the Resident Evil 4 Remake doesn’t feature traditional zombies like its predecessors, its malevolent infected villagers are arguably even more terrifying and redefined the perception of Resident Evil games.
Critics urged players to, “Pay close attention to the way Resident Evil 4 Remake handles its small moments…and you’d argue you have a game that is, if not as transformative as the original, at least the new watermark for games of its kind. In terms of the experience of shooting – of aiming, firing, and witnessing the resultant blood and carnage – this is the best game played since The Last of Us or Max Payne 3, and perhaps even better.” To fully immerse yourself in the game’s dark world, there are extensive resources available detailing various unlockables.
12. Days Gone
While other games might boast about the sheer number of undead on screen, Days Gone’s cascading swarms come a very close second – and critically, you’re thrust right into the heart of the chaos, rather than observing from afar. Bend Studios’ crowd technology remains impressive years later, resulting in an experience that often feels more like battling an ocean of water than individual zombies, albeit an ocean with teeth, claws, and a ravenous desire to tear you apart.
The game begins deliberately, taking its time to flesh out its world and its genuinely likable protagonist. However, once it gains momentum, the pace becomes relentless. As reviews noted, “Days Gone makes you wait a long time for its strongest material, but the spectacular horde battles and charming characters make the journey worthwhile.” To navigate this shrinking world and its unyielding threats, your trusty motorbike is indispensable. For those who enjoy the freedom of the open road and vast landscapes, a multitude of open-world games await.
13. World War Z: Aftermath
World War Z: Aftermath may not command the same spotlight as its co-op genre counterparts like Left 4 Dead and Killing Floor 2, but Saber Interactive’s cooperative zombie swarm shooter is criminally underrated. Similar to They Are Billions and Days Gone, the undead charge at you in overwhelming numbers, but here you can team up with friends to take them down.
Released in 2019 and based on the film, the game challenges you to cleanse a series of iconic landmarks and cities worldwide. It offers a diverse range of classes, a satisfying weapon upgrade system, and, thanks to the 2023 Aftermath update, the flexibility to play in both third- and first-person perspectives. This seemingly minor tweak intensifies an already astonishing spectacle. Thankfully, you won’t have to face it alone. If you need a break from the constant onslaught but still want to team up with friends, there are many other excellent multiplayer games to explore.
14. The Walking Dead
Telltale’s The Walking Dead series can be aptly described as a conversation system tethered to a timer, driven by profound social anxiety. While that might not sound like typical fun, the resulting experience is incredibly compelling. It’s a narrative cocktail infused with interpersonal warmth, yet framed by an overarching sense of gloom, akin to a campfire on a cold night. The game frequently disarms players with humor and moments of calm, only to cruelly snatch away characters they’ve grown to deeply care about. Telltale Games, through this series, proved themselves to be masters of emotional manipulation.
In reviews of The Walking Dead: The Final Season (one of four main seasons, alongside several shorter narratives), critics observed: “The setup for this four-episode story is strong…although that’s hardly surprising given the largely consistent level of quality of Telltale’s whole series. What is surprising is the level of presentation on show. Telltale has never made a game that looks and feels this good. For this final season, the developer has opted for an over-the-shoulder camera, making environments feel more claustrophobic and unsettling than ever, which in turn brings the game closer to Resident Evil.” This series offers a double dose of zombie goodness, and for those who appreciate rich, narrative-driven experiences, many other adventure games are available.
15. The Last of Us Part I
While some staunch zombie purists may lament any departure from the classic shambling archetype – with some still agitated by the sprinting rage-virus victims of 28 Days Later – we firmly believe that variety is the spice of (recently expired) life. The cordyceps-infected adversaries in The Last of Us are among the most brilliantly conceived variants ever, their fungal growths somehow even more horrifying than reanimated decomposing flesh.
Any game in this incredible series would be a worthy inclusion, but if you’re new to the saga, we strongly recommend starting with the beginning – specifically the 2022 ground-up remake. This version revises gameplay and controls, enhances lighting and performance, and introduces new accessibility options. Beyond the immediate body horror, the true terror lies in the depths of human depravity within a post-apocalyptic setting, a theme The Last of Us confronts head-on. An astonishing tale of loss, family, and survival, it has received critical acclaim and multiple remakes. When it comes to deciding whether to play it, there’s little room for doubt.
16. DayZ
Originally conceived as a mod for Arma 2, DayZ launched as a standalone release in 2018, culminating a significant five-year early access period. Bohemia Interactive’s multiplayer offering is a zombie fan’s dream, plunging you into a vast, expansive map with only minimal supplies and the clothes on your back, then challenging you to scavenge for survival. The undead, however, often prove to be the least of your concerns.
You must constantly assess the intentions of other players you encounter. As one reviewer recounted, “I’ve met and teamed up with random survivors before with very mixed experiences. Some will defend you ’til the death, others will lure you into a trap. I’ve even traveled with two others for a number of hours, only to be axed in the back the moment a disagreement arose. It makes DayZ an unusually tense and odd experience: you’ll repeatedly feel your fight or flight instincts kicking in at a moment’s notice.” While we can’t guarantee friendly encounters, we can guide you to the best DayZ servers for your preferred flavor of apocalypse.
17. Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster
Some remasters simply polish frame rates and resolution, but Capcom took a comprehensive approach with Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster, porting the entire experience to the powerful RE Engine. The result is not only enhanced graphics and welcome quality-of-life improvements but also an address to deeper flaws that occasionally undermined the original’s spirited and playful nature.
As one reviewer noted, “The Dead Rising remaster feels like an example of where games, even if they are less than 20 years old, might benefit from a second draft. It achieves more than preserving the essence and energy of the original game. It heightens it, and enables you to experience it in a more direct and concentrated form.” The game follows Frank West, a freelance journalist trapped inside a zombie-infested shopping mall, with a 72-hour wait for rescue. What better way to pass the time than by creatively dispatching the undead using the mall’s diverse wares, from katanas to stuffed bears? Fans of chaotic sandbox gameplay will find plenty to love in similar titles.
18. Organ Trail: The Director’s Cut
A clever homage to the classic computer game The Oregon Trail, Organ Trail: The Director’s Cut challenges you to guide a group through a grueling journey in a zombie-infested world. To heighten the terror, developer The Men Who Wear Many Hats allows you to name your party after friends, setting the stage to watch them meet gruesome ends one by one. It’s a morbidly delightful experience.
Like many zombie survival games, your primary concerns revolve around maintaining adequate supplies of food, medicine, and ammo, all while evading relentless packs of flesh-eating undead. However, the true stars of Organ Trail are its unpredictable random events, which will continue to catch you off guard hours into the game. You must be prepared for anything, from being pursued by ruthless gangs of raiders to facing off against infected bears in boss battles.
Echoing its inspiration, you are perpetually on the defensive, managing your party’s gradual decline into illness and hysteria through a series of horrific encounters. Every narrowly won fight feels like a monumental achievement, fueling your feeble station wagon onward. For those who enjoy revisiting computer classics, many other excellent old games await on PC.
19. Killing Floor 2
Another triumph born from a mod-to-standalone transition, the Killing Floor series boasts a rich lineage stretching back to a 2009 total-conversion mod for Unreal Tournament 2004. Killing Floor 2 stands as the undisputed peak of the franchise, pitting you and up to five friends against wave after terrifying wave of grisly ghouls known as ‘Zeds’.
This intensely satisfying, extreme violence is underscored by a rambunctious heavy metal soundtrack and defined by one of the most creative FPS arsenals available. An engaging tactical layer is also present: do you expend your blood-soaked resources now, or conserve them for a more brutal future confrontation? Rounds in Killing Floor 2 feel more chaotic and less scripted than those in Left 4 Dead, but an exhilarating sense of ‘barely keeping things under control’ ensures your adrenaline never dips. While Killing Floor 3 was released recently, the current version doesn’t yet convincingly surpass its predecessor. However, never underestimate the power of future updates to evolve a game. If fast-paced FPS action is your preference, countless other excellent first-person shooters are available.
20. Atom Zombie Smasher
If you haven’t played BlendoGames’s remarkable turn-based space opera Flotilla, we highly recommend it. Both it and its sequel expertly blend deceptively simple elements to craft experiences far deeper than the sum of their parts. The studio applies this signature design philosophy to the RTS genre with Atom Zombie Smasher, placing you in command of Nuevo Aires’ defense forces and tasking you with saving as many citizens as possible. From a top-down perspective, you coordinate rescue helicopters, direct sniper teams, and make difficult, sometimes monstrous, sacrifices to achieve your objectives.
For most maps, your goal is straightforward: air-evacuate as many civilians as you can. You designate helicopter landing zones, position marine teams, and set up explosives. Then, with a press of a button, zombies surge in from various entry points. If a zombie reaches a civilian, instant infection occurs, and city blocks can rapidly become overwhelmed if you lose sight of the bigger strategic picture. Sometimes, cutting your losses is inevitable. Every time you establish a game-saving blockade, you invariably trap some of your charges on the wrong side. This distanced, utilitarian perspective – with yellow dots representing civilians and pink dots as zombies – encourages cold, calculated decisions. You aren’t a survivor on the ground; you are the military, dropping bombs from above. If this strategic, detached approach appeals to you, many other excellent RTS games offer similar thrills.
21. 7 Days to Die
The Fun Pimps have been immersed in the zombie-hunting genre for over a decade, and their open-world survival horror epic, 7 Days to Die, has consistently grown in strength, despite its decaying enemies. This beloved survival hit has long been a Steam favorite, and earlier this year, it celebrated the launch of its 2.0 overhaul. This significant update introduces unique environmental hazards across various biomes, a dynamic storm system, and two new terrifying special infected zombie types: the Plague Spitter and the Frost Claw (neither of which are friendly, you can be sure).
These additions provide convincing enhancements to the game’s already compelling voxel-based gameplay loop, which seamlessly blends elements of first-person shooting, survival horror, tower defense, and RPG mechanics into a potent brew. Naturally, this kind of game attracts creative players who enjoy tinkering, resulting in a vibrant modding community. Numerous excellent 7 Days to Die mods are available to further customize your apocalyptic experience.
22. Unturned
Unturned is another game designed with creative players in mind, featuring an extensive in-game map editor and a welcoming stance towards modders. Its Steam Workshop is brimming with thousands of player-created mods, items, weapons, sounds, and even new gameplay mechanics.
At its core, Unturned offers a free-to-play DayZ-like experience that receives continuous updates from developer Nelson Sexton. While the visuals may not appeal to everyone (it originated as a Roblox mode called Dead Zone and retains that aesthetic despite transitioning to Unity), there’s more than enough charisma to overcome any initial reservations. It might not be the most realistic survival game out there, but it truly comes alive when you’re patrolling the zombie-infested streets alongside a few trustworthy companions.
New zombie games on the horizon
Our regularly updated list of upcoming PC games tracks many new zombie titles shambling into view. We’re particularly excited about the singularly stylish survival horror Holstin, the parkour zombie slayer Dying Light: The Beast, the open-world epic State of Decay 3, the co-op shooter John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando, the survival FPS The Midnight Walkers, and the medieval extraction effort Blight Survival. Who knows, some of these may soon find their way onto our definitive list.
For now, we believe our current selection of 22 games offers a particularly strong lineup. If you feel we’ve missed one of your favorites, please share it with our community. If you’re still seeking scares, we have an excellent selection of the best horror games to keep you on the edge of your seat. And for an overview of the best PC games to play right now, our site has you covered.