Summary
- Zombies have been a staple in gaming for decades, blending fear with fun gameplay and gratuitous gore.
- Titles like Left 4 Dead 2, No More Room in Hell, and Deep Fear offer varying levels of fear and suspense in the horror genre.
- In games like The Last of Us Part 2 and Resident Evil, terrifying monsters like the Rat King add layers of horror to their experiences.
Zombies have long since been a source of scares for people far and wide, appearing in movies as far back as the 1930s in Victor Halperin's White Zombie, and novels such as Frankenstein and Seabrook's Magical Island proved instrumental in introducing the concept to Western culture. And, with anything that can delight and terrify their audience, these creatures were also adapted into the world of gaming.
Since the mid-80s, players have gotten the chance to try their hand at gunning down hordes of undead, and although their very nature is horrific, many zombie games opt out of the horror angle, placing a focus on fun gameplay and gratuitous gore. As such, it's time to shine a flashlight on these shuffling and unsettling undead games that offer plenty of fear alongside their gameplay.
10 Left 4 Dead 2
Do Not Startle The Witch
Left 4 Dead 2
- Released
- November 17, 2009
WHERE TO PLAY
The follow-up to the hugely successful Left 4 Dead, the second game threw a brand-new quartet into the midst of a zombie outbreak. They must venture from objective to objective as they pursue an exit that will take them out of danger for good, occasionally resting by safe rooms to arm themselves and heal up for the next mission.
There may not seem like a lot of horror in Left 4 Dead 2 with its constant running and gunning... That is, until they encounter a witch. The witch is the most fearsome type of infected in the franchise, as this creature quietly cries in dark corners, breaking into a blood-curling scream if startled, and ripping to shreds the poor soul that got a bit too close. She can also sponge insane amounts of bullets, further cementing her as the most dangerous and terrifying zombie.
9 No More Room In Hell
Even Multiplayer Mode Offers No Reprieve From Horror
No More Room in Hell
- Released
- October 31, 2011
WHERE TO PLAY
Though a mod using Valve's Source Engine, No More Room in Hell is a fantastic multiplayer zombie horror game in its own right, and its acclaim earned it a sequel. Based on George Romero's zombie horror series, this game drags its players into an undead nightmare that will challenge them with hordes of undead in two varying game modes that offer their own challenge: chasing objectives or holding down the fort.
No More Room in Hell throws multiple types of undead as the player, from the slow shufflers of days of yore to the fast runners from movies such as 28 Days Later and games like Left 4 Dead. The varying enemy types not only keep gameplay fresh as players have to quickly adapt their strategies on the spot, but the unpredictability also helps maintain a sense of dread levied against the players, as they never know what undead they might encounter next.
8 Deep Fear
The Isolated Location Creates Suspenseful Dread
Deep Fear
- Released
- June 30, 1998
- ESRB
- nr
- Developer(s)
- Sega
- Publisher(s)
- Sega
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
- Platform(s)
- Sega Saturn
One of the earliest zombie games still remains one of the best and among the scariest — especially back during its golden days. Deep Fear traps players in an underwater research facility where an outbreak has occurred, transforming people into zombified creatures ala Resident Evil.
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Not only does the nature of the threats create a deep sense of fear, but so does the environment. An underwater research facility isn't exactly a place the player can just waltz out of to get themselves to safety, so they are instead trapped and forced to confront the dangers. Not only that, but the clinical and sterile environment rings close to a health facility like a hospital, places that are a source of fear for many.
7 Dying Light
At Night, The Infected Grow Far More Dangerous And Terrifying
Dying Light
- Released
- January 27, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Techland
- Publisher(s)
- Warner Brothers Games
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Survival Horror
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Fair
Set in a fictional city by the name of Harran, an outbreak of unknown origin has transformed most of the population into aggressive creatures with only one thing on their mind — violence against any who are not afflicted with the same pathogen. Unfortunately for the player character, by the name of Crane, they receive a bite when they arrive in the city on a top-secret mission to recover a stolen file containing sensitive information. Other survivors take them into their sanctuary and teach them the means of survival.
One of the main ways the uninfected safely move throughout the city is mastery over parkour, which is one of Dying Light's main draws, as it provides fun and exciting ways to evade the infected. But that is during the day, as when night falls, the infected become even mor dangerous and hostile, adding a new layer of fear to this zombie survival game. Racing against the clock and zombies, Dying Light is one of the most suspenseful and immersive zombie survival experiences.
6 Siren: Blood Curse
Face The Terrifying Shibito
Siren: Blood Curse
- Released
- July 24, 2008
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- JapanStudio
- Publisher(s)
- Sony Computer Entertainment
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
- Platform(s)
- PS3
Hanuda village in Japan is beset by strange occurrences that see the rising of violent creatures known as Shibito, the reanimated corpses of the fallen. A series of characters brought together by circumstances try to find a way to survive the shibito and escape from the cursed village with their lives intact. One way they can do so is through the famous and unique gameplay mechanic known as sight-jacking, allowing them to peek through nearby enemies' eyes.
The Shibito are not average zombies, as they display a base level of human intelligence highlighted by the fact they can wield objects such as knives and pitchforks, and they are capable of speech, even though most words they speak are designed to scare the prey they are looking for. As combat is quite difficult in Siren games, most players will opt to hide, and this is the only option when playing certain characters.
5 The Last Of Us Part 1
Witness The Beginning Of The End
The Last of Us
- Released
- June 14, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
The Last of Us still remains as one of the most beloved zombie game series, even if the sequel was polarizing at its time of release. Time has been kind, allowing most gamers to agree that both remain as solid zombie titles for those seeking to scratch that apocalypse itch.
The first game kicked off with a bang, as players are given a small peak into everyday life for Joel and his daughter, Sarah, before all hell breaks loose. Their calm lives are rocked when terrifying zombie-like creatures fling themselves at their house, and when they escape, they see these creatures have all but taken over the city. Joel unfortunately loses his daughter, but he gets a second chance at happiness 20 years later in the form of Ellie. The two endure some truly unspeakable horrors, contending with monstrous humans and the terrifying clickers, the fungal zombies that haunt these games — and the nightmares of players.
4 The Walking Dead
The Horror Lies In The Tragedy Of This Tale
The Walking Dead
- Released
- April 24, 2012
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Telltale Games
- Publisher(s)
- Telltale Games, Skybound Games
- Genre(s)
- Graphic Adventure, Horror
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC, Mobile
Based on the comic book series of the same name, The Walking Dead introduces players to convicted felon Lee Everett on the day of the outbreak, who manages to escape incarceration after the cop car hits a walker, but he finds that prison might have been preferable to this new world of shambling undead. Meeting a young girl named Clementine, Lee takes her under his wing, and the duo meet others trying to survive their new reality.
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While Telltale's The Walking Dead doesn't scare its players in a typical sense, it's still a gut-wrenching experience to endure with many shocks along its runtime, such as the family of cannibals that cut off one of the group's limbs for meat, and trying to blend in the horde outside the hotel in the final episode. These moments, encapsulated with the tear-jerker of a finale, cement this as the cold and traumatizing peek into what an apocalypse would likely be for the average person, which is far more effective than throwing jumpscares at the screen.
3 The Last Of Us Part 2
The Rat King Remains One Of The Most Terrifying Boss Monsters In Gaming History
The Last of Us Part 2
- Released
- June 19, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Naughty Dog
- Publisher(s)
- Sony
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
The hotly anticipated sequel to The Last of Us, The Last of Us Part 2, handed the reins over to Ellie four years after the events of the original game. After the brutal murder of Joel in revenge for Abby's father, Ellie sets out on her own quest for vengeance, with perspectives switching between Ellie and Abby over the course of the game.
Both protagonists come face to face with their fair share of clickers, which alone are frightening enough, but it is Abby who has the misfortune of coming face to face with the Rat King. A juggernaut of a monster comprised of multiple different types of infected fused together, it is as strong as it is terrifying to behold, almost Eldritch in its construction. It was one way to truly show the horrors of the Cordyceps fungus, as it is capable of birthing monsters such as this.
2 Resident Evil
Enter The Survival Horror
Resident Evil
- Released
- March 22, 1996
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Publisher(s)
- Capcom
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation (Original), Sega Saturn, Nintendo DS, PC
One can't possibly mention zombie horror games without giving accolades to the grandfather of them all: Resident Evil. While it may not be the first zombie horror game, none can deny its influence on zombie games and survival horror in general, as well as kicking off one of the longest-running and most successful game franchises of all time.
The first game introduced players to franchise heroes, Jill Valentine and Chris Redfield, and popular antagonist, Albert Wesker. Forced to flee inside the Spencer Mansion after being beset by rabid zombie dogs, Jill or Chris must explore the mansion's interior, coming face to face with the dangerous denizens within. No one can ever forget that first zombie encounter, when the creature slowly turns its head to face them, nor the moment when the zombie dogs crash right through the window in front of the player. Even today, the original remains terrifying to those who recall playing it, and the remake introduced the horror to a new generation of gamers.
1 Resident Evil 2
The 2019 Remake Breathed Even More Horror Into This Iconic Entry
Resident Evil 2
- Released
- January 25, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Publisher(s)
- Capcom
- Genre(s)
- Horror
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
2019 saw the release of another Resident Evil remake, this time of the second game, which detailed the infamous Raccoon City incident in detail and introduced new heroes Leon S. Kennedy, Calire Redfield, and anti-hero Ada Wong. Playing as either of the two former characters, players explore various locations such as the sewers, an underground research facility, and the police department as they seek an escape from the nightmare city before it is destroyed by the US government.
The remake was even more terrifying, as it maintained the claustrophobic atmosphere of each location, while the enhanced graphics took the menagerie of monsters to a whole new level of fear. Mr. X is one of the most oppressive forces in games — unkillable as he stalks players through the police department, his thundering footsteps an omen of his imminent arrival.
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