Fans of AMC'S blockbuster show, The Walking Dead, may find themselves lost as they await the early-awaited spin-off series' starring fan-favorite characters like Rick Grimes and Daryl Dixon, to name a few. Luckily, video games are the perfect medium for any gamers that are craving their mindless zombie fix!
Telltale Games' adaptation of The Walking Dead further popularized the zombie genre, which many developers took advantage of. There are many thrilling zombie-themed games available on the market, filled with adrenaline-pumping action for any thrillseekers out there, ranging from immersive narrative-driven games to hardcore zombie-apocalypse survival. This list features just some of the best games for fans of The Walking Dead that aren't part of their franchises.
10 Plague Inc: Evolved
- Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.
Curious as to how zombie outbreaks occur? Plague Inc: Evolved allows players to play the hand of God in a real-time strategy-simulation game. The aim is to create a unique contagion to bring about the end of the world while adapting against humanity's defenses by exploring different evolutions and genetic approaches.
There are 10 different pathogens for the player to master, from humble bacteria to a zombie virus, all used to bring about the apocalypse. If one pandemic isn't enough, players can team up with another toxic pathogen to infect and scourge the world in Plague Inc: Evolved's cooperative mode.
9 This War Of Mine
- Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android devices.
Fans of AMC's The Walking Dead may be interested in This War Of Mine to see if they have what it takes to scrounge for supplies and survive in an apocalyptic environment. This War Of Mine is an unflinchingly realistic 2D survival simulator where players control a group of regular civilians battling to survive in a war-torn city.
Although zombies are nowhere to be seen in this atmospheric game, it gives players a glimpse into the horrors of war from a unique angle. The player must focus on fortifying their shelter and providing for their survivors, making important life-or-death decisions along the way and even sacrificing some lives to ensure the rest of the group's survival.
8 Dead Island
- Platforms: PC, PS3, PS4, and Xbox One.
Tropical island getaways and luxurious holiday resorts have never been more terrifying in Dead Island! The beautiful and remote island of Banoi is at the heart of a zombie outbreak, and the player is caught right in the middle. They must try to survive while exploring paradise and find a way to escape the zombie apocalypse.
Released in 2011, Dead Island was the pioneer of zombie games, featuring realistic blood and gore and thrilling yet satisfying hack'n'slash' mechanics for players fighting their way through hoards of zombies, able to chop off limbs and bash in zombie heads. Any fan of The Walking Dead will adore playing Dead Island while awaiting the eagerly-anticipated Dead Island 2.
7 Left 4 Dead 2
- Platforms: PC and Xbox 360.
Though it seems dated now, Left 4 Dead 2 still holds up in terms of longevity despite being released in 2009. It is a first-person co-op horror shooter framed in the middle of a zombie apocalypse. Playing with up to three other friends, players control a human survivor equipped with a devastating arsenal of weapons to battle the undead, ranging from chainsaws to the simple but effective frying pan.
Left 4 Dead 2 forces players to communicate with their team to win and offers hours of entertainment, as no two stages are the same. An A.I. called The Director changes each stage's layout and can dictate when a swarm of infected zombies will be heading their way.
6 World War Z: Aftermath
- Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
Inspired by the blockbuster film starring Brad Pitt, World War Z: Aftermath follows the movie's events. Players can fight against the mindless zombies solo with AI-controlled teammates or with three other friends, with fully supported cross-platform-play.
There are multiple ways to play World War Z: Aftermath. Players can experience the story campaign mode and retake fallen cities back from the vast swarms of the undead! If players are extra daring, they can play through the Horde XL game mode, featuring endless waves of zombies for players to survive and fight through.
5 Days Gone
- Platforms: PC and PS4.
Days Gone is an atmospheric open-world game that somewhat twists the zombie mythos. The plot follows the rugged anti-hero Deacon St. John as he searches for his missing wife amid the global pandemic that has turned most of the world's population into Freakers, aka zombies.
Paired with his Drifter bike, Deacon St. John is comparable to the beloved fan-favorite character Daryl Dixon in AMC's The Walking Dead. The zombies in Days Gone aren't the only thing the player has to fear; there are ruthless human groups and vicious wild animals to watch out for.
4 Dead Rising 3
- Platforms: PC and Xbox One.
Dead Rising 3 is an excellent and entertaining representation of trying to survive the zombie apocalypse, as players must use their cunning and creativity to survive. The protagonist, Nick Ramos, must make his way out of the zombie-infested city of Los Perididos with other survivors before it is wiped out by a military strike.
The great thing about Dead Rising 3, and the other Dead Rising games, is that anything and everything can be crafted into a weapon. There are hundreds of devastating combos designed to behead the living dead and plow through the endless streams of zombies.
3 7 Days To Die
- Platforms: PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
Set in an apocalyptic world swarming with the walking dead, 7 Days To Die is an innovative sandbox game to let creative minds thrive. It combines gameplay elements like tower defense, FPS, and RPG to create a unique foray into the zombie genre.
As the title alludes, every seventh night spawns a massive hoard of zombies threatening to break down their walls. 7 Days To Die forces players to scavenge for organic materials and life-saving supplies in abandoned buildings to fortify their settlements' defenses against zombies. They can craft anything from traps to bombs to make their base an impenetrable fortress.
2 Dying Light
- Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch.
Dying Light is a standard zombie survival-horror game featuring an open world for players to explore at their own peril, lest they be mauled by flesh-hungry zombies. There are unique parkour mechanics allowing players to reach unprecedented heights and stay out of the grasp of stretching zombies' hands.
Dying Light's vast open environments mean that players have the freedom to explore at their leisure. However, the realistic day-night cycles in the game mean that these hulking undead creatures become significantly more powerful at night. The player's only hope of survival is to barricade themselves indoors and await daybreak.
1 The Last Of Us Franchise
- Platforms: PS3, PS4 and PS5. Coming soon to PC.
Naughty Dog's beloved The Last Of Us is potentially the best game to satisfy lovers of The Walking Dead, and it is even getting a television adaptation in 2023, developed by HBO. The Last Of Us provides a twist on the typical zombie mythos, with Clickers stemming from a fungal infection instead of the undead rising from the ground.
Clickers are a formidable foe and more terrifying due to their unique characteristics. They're created by the cordyceps fungus infecting the human brain and slowly taking control over the body. Some clickers rely exclusively on hearing instead of sight, so the player must rely on their stealth skills to survive. The Last Of Us franchise provides two games that are intense from start to finish, so players are in for a rollercoaster of emotions!