Zombie games are a dime-a-dozen these days, and some of the best ones such asDying Light 2or even the upcoming, belatedDead Island 2are proof thatthe undeadare not dying as a genre. Far from it, actually. But that doesn’t automatically mean all zombie games are bound to be as popular or as successful as the biggest ones. Some didn’t have the marketing budget or advertising they deserved.
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Still, that doesn’t mean some of these underrated zombie games are not as good as the more mainstream ones. If players give them a chance, then they might just prove themselves to be worthy of more praise at the very least. So for those who just can’t get enough of zombies, these titles might just reignite that newfound love for the living dead.
7They Are Billions
Thebeauty of zombie gamesis that they always allow for multiple other genres or formats of gameplay.They Are Billionsis a good example of this, as it’s a tower-defense and strategy game that lets players focus on shoring up their walls to withstand a notoriously generous serving of a zombie army.
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That’s where the name came from. The other thing that makesThey Are Billionsunique is that it’s set in a steampunk world whereas most zombie games are set in contemporary or futuristic eras.They Are Billionsremains one of the highest-rated zombie games on Steam.
6Zombie Night Terror
It’s another side-scrolling zombie game, except the difference withZombie Night Terror, is that the players are the zombies. That makes for a refreshing change of scenery; it does get tiring playing the victim in a zombie game over and over again. Hence, this big change.
InZombie Night Terror,players will control theirzombie hordeand attempt to budget them while siccing them on hapless and somewhat dangerous humans. These humans will, of course, fight back and run away. Other obstacles include fancy human architecture, though that really won’t help their cause too much.
5Stubbs The Zombie In Rebel Without A Pulse
Stubbs the Zombiehas always been one of the most peculiar series of games where players get to play as the zombie as well. The primary goal here is pretty self-explanatory. The challenge is trying to convert these humans into zombies in the most creative or wackiest ways possible using Stubbs, a zombie who looked like he missed a couple of caffeine shots in an 80-hour work week.
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And despite being a zombie, Stubbs can drive around the city with a zombie squad in tow. Do note that this is an old game so the visuals are naturally outdated. ButStubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulseis a solid recommendation as it’s the highest-rated entry in the series on Steam.
4Zombies Ate My Neighbors
Going back even further – back in the previous millennium, to be exact, we haveZombies Ate My Neighbors.It was released back in 1993, a time when dinosaurs still existed. This game plays out like an old 1980s B-movie about zombies. A mad scientist created a wide variety of monsters – zombies included – and unleashed them on a suburban neighborhood.
Since one can never trust their government or themilitary in zombie settings, it’s up to two teenage friends to save the day. The graphics are even more outdated, but it’s a nostalgic trip down memory lane that also offers couch co-op, which is somewhat rare these days for a zombie game.
3State Of Decay 2
State of Decay 2is quite possiblythemost complete zombie game out there. It has base building, survival mechanics,zombie action combat, simulation management, and even an open-world setting. So it can be puzzling as to why it didn’t quite reach the mainstream heights of other titles despite having Xbox Game Studios as its publisher.
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Regardless,State of Decay 2is an impressive game like its predecessor. It’s set in a fictional modern world fresh from a zombie outbreak, meaning civilization isn’t quite ravaged and ruined yet. It’s up to the players to gather survivors and keep them alive while also navigating their dangerous, new but old world.
2SurrounDead
Think of it asValheimbut with zombies instead of Vikings.SurrounDeadis gradually generating the buzz it deserves though it remains quite underrated to this day as it’s an early access title. Despite the development status, it’s worth trying out the game for fans of both zombie and survival genres.
Its premise is rather simple. There are zombies out in the wild and in urban areas, and it’s best not to get eaten by them. That’s on top of managing other aspects of survival present in other survival games. The visuals are simple and blocky though they also lend the game its signature and unique atmosphere.
1Project Zomboid
Speaking of zombie survival games,Project Zomboidis also another awesome game that usually goes undetected on people’s radars. It had a 2013 release date but that doesn’t mean it’s outdated right now. In fact, one doesn’t seemany zombie gamesin this format too often.
Project Zomboidoffers a top-down, isometric view of the carnage and terror down below as players scramble to collect resources and deal with the zombie hordes. This game is a sandbox, by the way, so the goal is mostly up to the player’s imagination. But it does help to play it with friends as it has good multiplayer.
