While there are quite a few Zombie titles in the market, essentially, most of these games just boil down to shooting zombies with a wave system where zombies appear systematically. Zombies in video games appeal to gamers as they help them tap into their power fantasy of becoming a savior of the apocalyptic world.
However, over the years, developers have chosen multiple ways of telling the story in these games where players have the same core theme but deal with it in a unique fashion. Some games, like Plants v Zombies, have taken the tower defense genre and made it child-friendly, mitigating one of the harsh barriers of the zombie genre, which is generally associated with adults.
Who doesn’t want to live in a dystopian world overrun by zombies? In real life, probably not, but in video games, you have all the tools and expertise to make it work. Take out hordes of zombies with your machine, or simply use stealth to make it work.
Either way, the pleasure of holding down the fort and blasting your way through a bunch of brain-eaters is unapologetically satisfying. The PlayStation 4 provides a wide array of video games that fall under these categories, and they have quite a diversity.
Horror games, in general, are very fun to play as they keep the players on their toes. Unlike the trend of horror games just offering jump scares, there are some terrific games that craft their narrative and design enemies in such a way that they make for genuinely horrifying experiences.
Tips for New Players Looking to Get into Zombie Games
If you’re completely new to the zombie genre in video games and aren’t sure what to do, don’t worry. Follow the tips we’ve listed below, and you’ll be killing hordes of zombies in no time!
➡️ Focus on the Headshots
Zombies are dangerous, especially when they are running at you at maximum speed. Keeping composure and going for the headshots is the best way of dealing with them. It deals the maximum damage, which is essential for survival, especially since ammunition is a rare resource. So, holding your shot and aiming it precisely goes a long way.
➡️ Keep Alternative Playstyles
It feels good to go all guns blazing on the zombies but having steady playstyles is very crucial. Sometimes, it would be hordes of zombies which can’t be taken down head-on. Using pistols and stealth to avoid battles are also equally important.
➡️ Use the Environment
The environment in video games is curated in such a manner that they always provide help to the players. Take covers in shelters, use the red barrels to clear off massive hordes, or even a sound-making siren can divert the undead army’s attention. Some games also allow you to use stealth to clear stages.
Now that you’re aware of the most important tips when playing zombie games, it’s time to dive into the list!
The Evil Within 2
The Evil Within 2 returned after its 2014 prequel hit. The game carries forward the legacy of Sebastian Castellanos from the first game, and now, he has to rescue his daughter. However, things get complicated really soon when he faces some of the gruesome zombie creatures that video games have to offer.
The gameplay is rather linear compared to the first game, but the game offers multiple playstyles with stealth to plan your approach or straight-out aggression if your ammo can sustain that.
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The Evil Within 2 - PS4 | $17.40 | Buy on Amazon |
The zombies in the game have diverse categories, and according to that, the players need to adapt and use different strategies. The environment also enhances the horror feeling, and it gives that power fantasy and end-of-the-world feeling very well. The game sold over 42,941 copies on PlayStation 4 within its first week of sale in Japan, which definitely makes it one of the all-time best sellers of the horror genre.
Developer: Tango Gameworks
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Release Date: October 13, 2017
Dead Island 2
Dead Island 2 is a sequel to the 2011 Dead Island game and its second installment – Dead Island: Riptide, and it is hilarious. The great one-liners sprinkled throughout the game make it fun but sometimes borderline silly.
Unlike its predecessors, this game is set in Los Angeles amidst a zombie apocalypse. The gore, in particular, is gruesome, and the sound effects make you feel the crunch when you snap a zombie’s neck. It has excellent graphics, which adds more to the clarity of the game.
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Dead Island 2: Day 1 Edition - PlayStation 4 | $22.99 | Buy on Amazon |
The game, however, does not feature a Skill Tree. Instead, it offers a deck-building system for players to alter their strengths and weaknesses. The game features FLESH – Fully Locational Evisceration System for Humanoids to create weapon-appropriate wounds on zombies and also offers a rarity of weapons for players to choose from.
Developer: Dambuster Studios
Publisher: Deep Silver
Release Date: April 21, 2023
The Walking Dead
The Walking Dead is an episodic adventure with four main episodes and some DLCs. The game has taken inspiration from the successful comic and TV series, which became instant hits upon release.
The empathy in the entire Walking Dead storyline makes it stand out. The game is set in Georgia, just as the zombie apocalypse starts rearing its ugly head, forcing the inhabitants to kill or be killed. Amidst that, all of the characters are unique, and the plot centers on Lee Everett, the university professor and convicted criminal who becomes a protective figure to a young girl named Clementine. The player has to make choices to travel from one episode to another, which also permanently impacts the storyline. However, these choices aren’t game-ending or punishing, so to speak, because they help players find their narrative rather than being dissatisfied with their choices and rewinding the game.
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The Walking Dead: The Telltale Definitive Series - PlayStation 4 | 3,043 Reviews |
$16.44 |
Buy on Amazon |
There isn’t much zombie bashing, but the game focuses on building relationships with characters and banks heavily on that. That has worked wonders for the game’s series, as its first episode sold over a million copies, marking its triumphant arrival in the gaming industry.
Developer: Telltale Games
Publisher: Telltale Games
Release Date: April 24, 2012
DayZ
DayZ is a multiplayer survival video game that came into existence by being a mod for ARMA 2. The game takes players in the post-Soviet Republic of Chernarus, the original setting of the ARMA 2 game, where the populace has been devastated by a pandemic invested with zombies.
The player, a survivor in the post-apocalyptic world, must scavenge the world for food, water, medicine, and weapons while protecting himself from getting infected to survive the outbreak. These factors make the game more enticing and tense as survival becomes increasingly complex daily. Crafting and inventory management becomes crucial as players discover new ways of sustaining themselves.
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Dayz - PlayStation 4 |
$25.90 |
Buy on Amazon |
As the game is set in an outbreak, players need to conserve every resource they get. That could also mean using melee weapons on the zombies to save ammo for an enormous horde or risking it for better equipment in the late game. The base game sold over 1.1 million copies and has introduced new features like diseases and a better inventory system with each update to make its gameplay more diverse.
Developer: Bohemia Interactive
Publisher: Bohemia Interactive
Release Date: May 29, 2019
Days Gone
Even though Days Gone received quite a dull reception on its release, slowly, it made its presence felt through nuanced gameplay and timely updates. What made it better was its PC Port released on May 2021, which was appreciated by gaming outlets on how it wasn’t just another PC port but the title feels good performance-wise as well, which gave it a second chance to flourish in the games market.
Deacon St. John, a former outlaw-turned-drifter, quests to find his wife, Sarah, presuming she could still be alive. Players set foot in Oregon two years after the start of a pandemic that turned a portion of humans into Freakers.
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Days Gone - Playstation 4 |
$32.31 |
Buy on Amazon |
While initially, the game starts nice and slow, the pace picks up quite quickly, where it takes seconds to fill your whole screen with zombies. These hordes prepare the player to be ready to pick up their bike and often leave battles to cherry-pick fights or go all guns blazing to clear nests. The game has a dynamic weather system that changes over time, but what makes it unique is that some minute details, like cold weather, drastically alter how the bike steers and makes Freakers stronger, prompting the player to adapt to the weather conditions.
Developer: Bend Studio
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Release Date: April 26, 2019
The Last of Us
The Last of Us has become the staple game to try in the gaming industry to get a fully immersive experience of the post-apocalyptic United States. Here, the main character, Joel, is tasked with transporting Ellie through the city to the Firefly as she is the only hope for humanity to develop an antidote.
The storyline brings out the true horror of the apocalypse when the player meets characters like Sam and Henry, who showcase how brutal an infection can be when humanity’s mental state is pushed to the brink. Moreover, the moral dilemmas put in the storyline really make you feel the consequences of decisions made in the apocalypse, where sometimes there is no right or wrong. The Zombies are very nuanced in the game, starting from clickers to runners; they all have distinct ways of killing and hunting their prey.
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The Last of Us Remastered - PlayStation Hits - PlayStation 4 |
$20.40 |
Buy on Amazon |
The Last of Us’ advanced combat system uplifts the encounters with zombies and also makes the boss battles feel very real. Players can upgrade their arsenal as the game progresses to find upgrades for their weapons and even defensive skills. They can either craft a shiv to silently take out zombies on their way or develop Molotov to take out groups of zombies together.
Developer: Naughty Dog
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Release Date: July 29, 2014
Resident Evil 2
While the Resident Evil franchise has many great games, Resident Evil 2 could be a great starting point for newer players looking to experience linear storytelling in a world infested with fast-moving zombies. The remake of the same iconic game hit the floor in 2019, which has enhanced graphics.
The game picks up in Racoon City, two months after the events of the first Resident Evil title, and it is an emotional rollercoaster. The zombies, in particular, become harder to kill; as the game goes on, they produce all kinds of eerie sounds, making the environment lively.
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Resident Evil 2 Remake PS4 |
$22.99 |
Buy on Amazon |
The players are equipped with firearms but have limited ammunition, making exploration and loot hunting more engaging. The lack of defensive options for the players may make some scratch their heads but arguably, that encourages players to be careful with their resources and use them efficiently.
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Release Date: January 25, 2019
Dying Light
Dying Light brought a much-needed breath of fresh air to the horror games genre, where the developers mixed parkour with zombie slashing. While other games focused solely on combat, this game took its focus on movement and made the whole experience fun for the players.
The story revolves around an undercover agent named Kyle Crane, who was sent to infiltrate a quarantine zone in a Middle-eastern city called Harran. The player gets good momentum with the grapple hook in a first-person view, which feels very solid. The open world features zombies who attack aggressively at night. The nights are scary but optional, but they provide a high-risk, high-reward situation where players can try their luck and find good loot or just get killed by a mutant zombie.
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Dying Light Anniversary Edition - PlayStation 4 |
$52.99 |
Buy on Amazon |
Dying Light 2 is the sequel to this game, making the parkour mechanics even more fun. However, the game lacks a bit in the horror department compared to its predecessor, which makes the first game even more memorable and iconic in the gaming industry.
Developer: Techland
Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Release Date: January 27, 2015
World War Z
If you’re looking for a mindless shooter where you spawn in the cities of New York, Jerusalem, Tokyo, Moscow, Marseille, Rome, and Kamchatka and empty your gun shells to clear your surroundings and hold your fort strategically, then look no further.
World War Z is centered around four zombie apocalypse survivors who must manage upcoming hordes and help each other players with their varying classes.
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World War Z PS4 (PS4) |
$21.35 |
Buy on Amazon |
The video game can support up to 1,000 enemies on-screen simultaneously, which adds more evidence to how chaotic a scenario can get if kept unchecked. Each episode in the game is divided into 3-5 individual levels. Players receive supplies if they complete a level that helps them fight tougher hordes. The game also features five competitive multiplayer modes, which will pit two modes of players against each other while being attacked by zombies.
Developer: Saber Interactive
Publisher: Saber Interactive
Release Date: April 16, 2019
Our Take
While zombies are the common theme in these video games, the style completely varies from game to game. While some of them are easier to manage, others might be deadly mayhem to handle. So, based on the player’s dose of horror, we’ve listed every one of these categories to make it very inclusive for everyone!
Next, check out these amazing adventure games tailored for the PS4!
