Fight back against the zombie hordes in these open world post-apocalyptic zombie games
Zombies: You either love them or you hate them. Streets filled with the shuddering undead are both the worst nightmare and the greatest fantasy of many gamers. Of course, the zombie apocalypse unfortunately doesn’t look like it’s due to happen anytime soon, so while you’re waiting, here are some of our top open world zombie games to help feed the gnawing hunger in your living (we hope) stomach.
11. Project Zomboid
Find a safe place, build a base, fight with friends or alone, and ultimately, die at the hands of the ravenous horde.
With it’s isometric, pixel-based graphics, Project Zomboid is bringing zombie-killing back to its retro arcade origins, in looks at least. When you start playing however, it becomes clear that they’re bringing a little something new to the table.
Each character is unique, having their own personality and bad habits; one character may be high in strength, and have the ability to kill zombies with their bare hands. But they also may be suffering from alcohol addiction and struggling with low morale that’s threatening to develop into depression.
Managing your characters effectively, and keeping them happy, is the key to survival. There are three game modes available, horde, sandbox and multiplayer, all of which are exactly what they say on the can. All games are moddable, and a map-editing tool is being released soon. Do what you will with that information.
Plus, according to their website, they will soon be adding dogs to the game. And if that doesn’t get you playing, we honestly don’t know what will.
10. Unturned
You’re abandoned on the map of your choice with no items and are tasked with finding weapons and resources to help you survive against zombies, not to mention the environment in general.
With a blocky design similar at first glance to Minecraft and a GUI reminiscent of HTML design class in 8th grade, Unturned may at first not seem too promising. But with multiple game modes and maps, vehicles, weapons and skills developed by experience, the game actually has a lot of hidden depths.
Additional features include multiplayer mode, random boosts to skills, and the ability to run down a road full of zombies with a school bus. Which is a personal favourite.
There is a fairly steep learning curve in this game, as you learn the basics of survival. Tip: don’t skip the tutorial. The controls take some getting used to, and you don’t want to be trying to learn how to fill a magazine when a zombie is coming for you. Plus, some of them are very, very fast.
Luckily for all you low-res zombie lovers out there, Unturned is currently free on the Steam store for all the foreseeable future, and took about a minute to download, even with a horrific internet connection. So get to work, troops.
9. Dead Frontier
A dark, free-to-play gorefest of MMO proportions. In this top-down shooter, make your way through Fairview City (not nearly as attractive as the name suggests), navigating the heavily infested streets and making your way to safe zones and personal bases. But be careful, the undead will try to head you off at every turn.
And by head you off, we mean, remove your head. And skin. And organs. Slowly and painfully. Which is really all you want from a good Z game, if you think about it.
Choose who you hate more: zombies, or other players. In this game, you’re free to fight both. Of course, you could also communicate or trade with them, but that’s not nearly as fun. However, try not to alienate people too much; once the bigger zombies start coming your way, there’s no way you’re going to survive without at least a few… Well, not allies, but at least they might not shoot you as soon as your back is turned.
With lots of different variations on the traditional zombie, such as huge, gnarly brutes and creepy, wispy climbers, there’s plenty to keep you on your toes.
8. Subterrain
You’re a scientist living in a subterranean colony on Mars in 2050, and you’ve just been arrested for murder. We all know how that feels. Unfortunately, something seems to have gone awry with your Alzheimer’s research. So now there are mutated monsters everywhere, trying to kill you and destroy the colony’s power core.
With evolving mobs that get worse the longer you’re fighting them, a defend-or-die objective and limited time to achieve your mission, this is quite possibly one of the most realistic closed-community infection simulations around.
Manage your most basic needs and interact with your environment as you fight to survive, and help the colony as a whole do the same. Also featuring customizable weapons, non-linear story and an awesome underground structure on Mars to explore, it could also be one of the most fun. But we’ll leave the ultimate decision up to you.
7. Dead Rising 2
Chuck, a motocross racer, is trapped in a shopping mall during the beginning of the zombie apocalypse, and must make do with whatever weapons he can find and/or shoddily assemble (although seriously, why is there dynamite in a mall?) in order to destroy the undead and other “survivors” (read: murderous psychopaths) and complete his missions and ultimately escape.
Obviously, the dead are trying to kill you. That’s a given. But now, unstable humans are doing the same. Why aren’t the undead attacking them? Who knows? But neither side is pulling any punches. And then there’s you, with your household rake, and some tape, and… Is that a car battery? I have an idea…
Dead Rising 2 continues the ancient tradition of video games that should really have a “Do Not Try This At Home” sticker before each scene. Because when you tape two chainsaws to a canoe paddle, the results are likely to be murderous only to yourself. Will Chuck survive, or be killed by the inevitable uncontrollable recoil of such a weapon? Or, (much more likely, with videogame logic) will he die with zombies as the cause? That’s up to you.
Oh, and there’s multiplayer arena mode. Happy hunting.
6. H1Z1
There are zombies everywhere, and survivors desperately clinging to life hidden all over. How you interact with either of them is up to you.
Build bases, join factions and club together with others, or go it alone and become the lone wolf; whichever you choose, you’ll have to watch your back. Both Living and Undead are smart, and you’ll need your wits about you to survive in this new, unforgiving world.
Time of day, seasons and location will all affect how your world works, and the strategies you’ll have to use to get by. Craft and scavenge your way to a higher standard of living before inevitably losing it all. Watch life and death happen all around you and try not to get caught up in the cycle. Good luck: you’ll need it.
5. Dying Light
First-person perspective, beautiful high-res graphics and a vast urban wasteland- everything you need for a truly immersive, terrifying gameplay experience.
Enjoy blissful freedom of movement with the ability to climb walls and fences, free running over rooftops and all-new fighting styles. And you’re going to need them. Not only are the dead a threat, but you’ll have to fight other desperate survivors if you want to gain vital resources such as food, water and weapons.
By day, you are the cunning hunter, cutting down the undead in swathes and fearlessly exploring the abandoned city. But when it comes to the night, everything changes. Watch the hunter swiftly become the hunted, as not only the dead are rising against you, but another unseen force lies in wait to claim you as its own… The Night Hunter is much stronger than the horde, and you would do well not to underestimate it.
The game also has a four-person multi-player mode, so check out Dying Light on your own, or bring your friends along for the epic ride. It’s all up to you.
4. 7 Days To Die
You’re in Arizona, and so are the zombies. Obviously. We would say “but fear not”, but actually you will almost certainly die. Very quickly. Pitted against hordes of nocturnal zombies that can and will invade your home, natural wildlife that definitely wants to kill you, and a worrying lack of resources, the question isn’t whether or not you’ll die. It’s when, and how.
But while you’re waiting, feel free to explore a multitude of biomes, including cities, caves, and… Snow? In Arizona? But hey, it’s the apocalypse, so who knows. You can build and craft (integral to night time survival), as well as run away as fast as possible from the increasingly aggressive mutant-zombie-things.
However, if running isn’t so much your thing, you can also distract them, try to get past using stealth, or just, you know, hack and slash your way through as many as possible before dying an ultimately painful and grisly death.
Pro tip: Build traps around your base. The zombies can and will climb structures/tear them apart piece by piece to get to you. They’re actually worryingly intelligent. So have fun with that.
3. Dead Island 2
Welcome to Dead Island 2, the no-holds-barred killing spree we’ve all been waiting for. Paint the town red with an array of deadly weapons and unlimited murderous fun, alone or with friends.
Tear through California’s rising Undead population faster than a terrier on speed, and enjoy the beauty of Unreal Engine 4 graphics while you rip every Undead creature in sight to shreds. No plot, no missions, just killing.
Which is a breath of fresh air somewhat in the genre, and could be pretty useful for anger management. Boss has unrealistic expectations? Dead Island 2. Partner keeps nagging you? Dead Island 2. Child just got sent home from school again? Dead Island 2. [Note: We at GamersDecide do not condone the use of video games as a form of escapism and take no responsibility for any events which may occur as a result.]
So enjoy that gory freedom. It’s yours to take. Over, and over, and over again.
2. DayZ
Welcome to beautiful Chernarov, where the bandits are plentiful, friends are scarce, and the dead are walking. Will you survive?
With 225km2 to explore and a variety of habitats to explore, there’s no shortage of things to do in Day Z. Switch between built-up urban environments and unforgiving wilderness, each with their own pros and cons, and an abundance of stumbling undead.
With plenty of different weapons and customisable vehicles to use, you can really make the game your own. Additionally, you have the option to interact with other players, in whatever form that may take. We would advise having a knife handy, just in case. You start the game with nothing, and your objective is simply to survive, however you can.
1. Human Element
Sometimes it’s not the undead you have to fear. Sometimes it’s other humans who are the worst creatures you’ll have to face.
Human Element was an open world zombie survival game that aimed to make you fear people. Why past tense, you ask? Well, that’s the kicker. In January 2015, the games developer Robotoki, who were making the game, shut down. So why still include it? Because everyone can dream, that’s why, so stop asking questions and let us tell you about the game.
Human Element was originally going to be a narrative-driven, beautiful open world that focused on the true danger of the zombie apocalypse: fear. Then, it turned into a fast-paced, 5 vs 5 arena game online. But that was okay.
The original game was still going to be made, just after the developers had asserted themselves in the industry and gained some more staff. Unfortunately, they then went down. And all their fans cried. It was a very sad day. So by placing the game at the top of our list, we will honour that dream. And also beg the developers to somehow still make it happen. Somehow. Please.
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