10 best zombie games to play in 2026: Halloween favorites & beyond

Spooky season is upon us, so there’s no better time to hop into some of the best zombie video games for gruesome combat opportunities. Whether you’re new to zombie games or have grown familiar with these creatures, this category has something for all wannabe survivors.

Games featuring zombies play a role in adding suspense and setting the scene in an apocalyptic world. Plus, mowing down hordes of the undead can be satisfying and allow for replayability, no matter which of the best zombie games you are playing.

10 best zombie games in 2026

Zombie games crossover with horror and survival genres, while some of them have multiplayer functionalities. From older titles to those released in recent years, we’ve ranked the best zombie games that have stood the test of time and bring out the best in a world full of ghoulish creatures.

10. Project Zomboid (2013)

Despite being in Early Access for 12 years, Project Zomboid is still one of the best zombie video games out there because death is inevitable. You can only loot houses and build up your defenses for so long before resources run out. The game focuses on realism to test how long you’d really survive if a zombie apocalypse occurred in your area. The game makes use of real-time sounds and lighting to create a truly chilling atmosphere.

Crafting tools, barricades, and locating food to prepare are just the start, as you’ll even have to manage feelings of boredom, illness, and more while zombies are trying to infiltrate your setup. Project Zomboid also supports online multiplayer and local split-screen, allowing for group survival and roleplay scenarios.

9. Days Gone (2019)

An action-adventure, Days Gone is set in Oregon, two years after a global pandemic turned the population into mutated Freakers that possess zombie traits. Play as a former outlaw biker named Deacon (trusty motorbike included), a bounty hunter trying to survive the lethal land and rugged landscapes in which the game is set.

Scavenge through abandoned settlements for crafting materials to create items and weapons to defend yourself against the Freakers. Since Deacon has suffered personal loss, you will navigate the challenges of a post-apocalyptic world, along with Deacon’s internal struggles and regrets. In a genre that doesn’t typically deliver happy endings, the main ending in Days Gone is one of the best open-world zombie games due to its emotional narrative that actually ends well for Deacon.

8. DayZ (2018)

For a high-stakes zombie survival experience, you can’t go wrong with DayZ. Its gameplay is PVP and features lobbies of up to 60 players who are trying to survive the zombie threat, wild animals, as well as enemy players. There are looting and crafting elements to get to grips with when it comes to patching yourself up and creating items you need to survive, such as keeping yourself warm and fixing broken-down vehicles.

Stick with the people you trust, and you might just make it out alive. DayZ is among the best zombie games on Steam because players can enjoy all that comes with official mod support. Through the Steam Workshop, you can sift through a variety of fan-made maps, weapons, game-enhancing features, and more, which will then be accessible via the game launcher when downloaded.

7. State of Decay 2 (2018)

State of Decay 2 is an open-world survival game where civilization has collapsed and zombies are overrunning the world. You become part of a small group of survivors, where you will decide how you will rebuild to try to stay alive. Take charge of what characters you want to recruit, each with their own traits, manage upgrades, decide where to settle, and, of course, defend your base against the zombies that will attack it.

With co-op capabilities, you can visit your friends’ communities and drop items for each other and team up to fight the swarms of brain-eaters. Being an Xbox exclusive, State of Decay 2 is still one of the best zombie games on Xbox. Only time will tell if the previously announced State of Decay 3 will be able to build on the addictive formula and co-op-heavy sandbox nature of its predecessor, allowing for endless replayability.

6. Dying Light: The Beast (2025)

In the latest entry in the Dying Light franchise, play as the fan favorite protagonist Kyle Crane, who can switch between man and beast. What comes with that is superhuman abilities that act as brutal ways to slay through zombies. Following Kyle’s escape from captivity, where he underwent brutal experiments at the hands of the Baron, Kyle seeks revenge for the emotional and physical turmoil he has endured.

That’s where the story quests will take you, while there’s a vast open-world set in the Castor Woods to explore, gather resources to survive, and unleash Beast Mode on the living dead that roam among the survivors. Similar to previous entries in the series, there are parkour mechanics to master, and you’re going to need them when you’re fighting for your life against the horrors that come out at night.

If you prefer to go on an apocalyptic adventure with friends that has a story, Dying Light: The Beast is one of the best zombie multiplayer games to play right now.

5. Dead Space (Remake) (2023)

Rebuilt from the 2008 original, Dead Space stands the test of time as one of the best zombie survival games. As the protagonist, Isaac Clarke is an engineer tasked with a routine mission of repairing a mining ship, only to discover upon arrival that the ship’s crew has been slaughtered and Isaac’s partner, Nicole, is somewhere on board.

As Isaac sets out to learn what happened on board, you’ll grapple with creatures known as Necromorphs that are undead aliens that shift into gruesome forms and spread a zombie-like virus. The sci-fi horror setting is stunning, but it’s unpredictable as you fight for survival against the creatures and your own deteriorating sanity.

The Dead Space remake has enhanced graphics and more brutal Necromorph dismemberment animations for better zombie slaying. The remake even has a second ending that wasn’t in the original game, only achieved in New Game Plus and after finding hidden fragments.

4. The Last of Us Part 1 (2022)

Naughty Dog’s post-apocalyptic world doesn’t explicitly contain zombies, but it is full of Clickers, which were previously humans who have been infected by the Cordyceps brain infection and mutated into creatures that will try to bite anyone who isn’t infected. Play as Joel Miller, hired to smuggle 14-year-old Ellie out of a military quarantine zone.

The journey across the US is as heart-wrenching as it is haunting, as you discover stories of loss and feel the devastation of the outbreak. Stealth is a huge focus, here, as going into an area full of fast and hungry Clickers guns blazing, isn’t the best idea. Plus, in a world ravaged by devastation, ammo is scarce. If you’re a fan of games featuring zombies, there’s fun to be had in The Last of Us Part 1, making it one of the best zombie games to play on PS5.

3. Left 4 Dead 2 (2009)

Old but gold, Left 4 Dead 2 remains among the best zombie multiplayer games. You’ll play as one of four survivors with a range of classic and upgraded weapons at your disposal. Create carnage with up to eight players as you travel through the cities, swampy biomes, and cemeteries of the southern US, blasting through zombies across five action-packed campaigns.

As a first-person shooter, you’ll have a front row seat to all the gore and challenges the infected will have to throw at you. Despite its age, finding players to party with shouldn’t be too difficult. Left 4 Dead 2 has a dedicated fanbase, with tens of thousands of players more than a decade after launch, and showing no signs of slowing down any time soon.

2. The Walking Dead: The Telltale Definitive Series (2020)

Set in the same universe as the award-winning The Walking Dead comic books, it’s no surprise that the Telltale Definitive Series sits with the best zombie games of all time. This game edition includes all four seasons, 400 Days, and The Walking Dead: Michonne, exceeding 50 hours of gameplay across 23 episodes. Step into the shoes of criminal, Lee Everett, for an adventure set in a spiraling world caused by a zombie outbreak, while protecting an orphan called Clementine.

The decisions you make impact the story outcome and the relationship with the cast of characters you’ll interact with along the way. Expect to be faced with difficult decisions that test your morals and survival skills with little breathing room, as an emotional narrative unfolds (the zombies are hot on your heels after all, so there’s no time to ponder).

1. Resident Evil 2 (Remake) (2019)

Thanks to the remake, an already timeless survival horror game got even better with improved controls, a fresh camera angle, and stunning visuals. You’ll take on the role of rookie police officer, Leon Kennedy, and college student Claire Redfield, whose stories intertwine as they navigate the zombie epidemic in Raccoon City that transformed its population into deadly zombies.

Like a true survival horror experience, ammunition and healing items are scarce, resulting in every encounter with zombies feeling more impactful than ever. After completing the game, you’ll unlock New Game Plus, which offers tons of replayability. Expect to find a new weapon, items, collectibles, but most importantly, you will be able to get five more endings that are tied exclusively to New Game Plus.

If you want a tense atmosphere with gritty exploration, satisfying combat against the undead, and a captivating narrative, the Resident Evil 2 remake is superior, making it stand out among the best zombie games to play right now.

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