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Whether they only complete the main story or opt for a full completionist run, players are eventually going to run out of things to do in Dying Light 2, at which point, they’ll likely be looking for a new open-world zombie game to play. The good news is that there are plenty of great options available to them, the best of which can be found below.
Updated November 8, 2022, by Tom Bowen: Whether or not Dying Light 2 was worth the wait is perhaps a matter for debate, but there can be no denying that it’s one of the most action-packed and content-rich open-world Zombie games ever made. For those who’ve had their fill of it and don’t want to splash out on the DLC though, there are plenty of other great open-world zombie games to help scratch that eternal itch. Some are a little different than Dying Light, but are still able to provide a healthy dose of undead carnage and are more than capable of keeping players occupied for quite some time.
18 Dying Light
It should perhaps go without saying, but those who enjoyed Dying Light 2 will almost certainly enjoy the game’s predecessor. After all, both games were developed by the same team and are set in the same universe. Sadly, however, a lot of people seem to be sleeping on the original game despite enjoying the sequel.
Perhaps it has something to do with the game now being more than seven years old, or maybe they’re just worried that it will end up being a little too similar to Dying Light 2 for their liking. Either way, these fears should be cast aside, as the next-gen upgrade for PS5 and Xbox Series does a fantastic job of improving the game’s performance and visuals while still preserving its classic charm.
17 The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners
The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners is an open-world game in the same way that Pokemon Legends: Arceus is. This is to say that it isn’t, really, though does boast sections that could be described as being open-world. For those who enjoy zombie games though, it’s something of a must-play, as the VR carnage that it’s able to provide really is top-notch.
Saints & Sinners throws players in at the deep end; often surrounding them with waves of terrifying zombies and forcing them to fight for their lives. The game also allows for a more stealthy approach at times, which can be as exhilarating as it is unnerving. With a sequel looming large on the horizon, those set up for VR would be foolish not to check it out, particularly if they’re fans of the show.
16 DayZ
Admittedly, the zombies in DayZ don’t really pose too much of a threat and can be easily avoided by those who know what they’re doing. Like in similar games, it’s usually other players that pose the real threat, which, perhaps ironically, ends up mirroring most television shows and movies about the zombie apocalypse without even meaning to.
Those who’ve watched The Walking Dead will know that outside of the first few seasons, it was actually other survivors that ended up killing off most of the main cast. Granted, a walker would occasionally pop up out of nowhere and take a bite out of someone much like a zombie might in DayZ, which is why the immersive ARMA mod is arguably one of the best and most realistic open-world zombie games out there.
15 7 Days to Die
Set in a post-apocalyptic future following a nuclear war, 7 Days to Die’s premise is not too dissimilar to that of the Fallout universe. Where it differs, however, is the emphasis that it places on survival, with players having to start from scratch if they perish at the hands (or teeth) of the game’s zombie hordes.
Though the game didn’t quite live up to some of the promises made during its successful Kickstarter campaign, it’s still a lot of fun to play. Nighttime can be particularly enjoyable due to how daunting everything feels, although playing with friends can make survival a lot more manageable. At least until the Blood Moon occurs on the seventh day, anyway.
14 Night of the Dead
Although Night of the Dead does have some open-world sections, these are typically used for resource gathering rather than exploration. Without these vital resources, however, players would struggle to build up their defenses and would likely be overrun by zombies pretty quickly as a result.
There have been plenty of zombie-themed tower defense games over the years, but few have managed to blend the genre’s mechanics together with realism so seamlessly, nor are many quite as enjoyable as this. The game is still in Early Access on Steam at the moment but is already shaping up to be an excellent zombie game.
13 State of Decay 2
State of Decay 2 is just one of many Xbox-exclusive zombie games released over the past decade or so, though some will argue that it’s probably the pick of the bunch. The combat on offer here is absolutely fantastic and is backed up with a great score and some decent visuals too.
One of the things that makes the same so enjoyable is its relentless difficulty, which demands improvement from players if they’re to have any hope of surviving the game’s brutal and unforgiving world. It does have one or two problems, but these shouldn’t be enough to sour the experience for most players.
12 Unturned
Unturned is a little like Minecraft, only with a lot less crafting, far more zombies, and a boatload of assault rifles. It’s free to play, is available on PC and current and last-gen consoles, and offers a ridiculous amount of customization, both when it comes to cosmetics and map design.
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There are a few different game modes available, although they all revolve around surviving hordes of zombies in some capacity. Most of them are multiplayer only, with some encouraging players to work as teams rather than go it alone. While there are PvP elements included, players aren’t obliged to kill their peers, allowing everybody to focus solely on taking out zombies if they choose.
11 Strange Brigade
Developed by the same team behind the Zombie Army trilogy, Strange Brigade took quite a few people by surprise when it was released in 2018. Rather than the spiritual successor to Zombie Army that many had expected, the game plays a lot more like Left 4 Dead, although this isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
The 1930s setting is interesting and makes a refreshing change from the dark backstreets and abandoned research facilities that typically host these kinds of games. The co-op elements also work incredibly well, although the narrative can at times feel a lot more B-movie than it does AA title. For those more interested in gameplay, though, it’s a solid pick.
10 Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare
Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare is still considered one of the best DLC expansions ever released for a video game. Other developers copied Rockstar because of it, like Sucker Punch Productions and United Front Games making Halloween DLC for inFamous and Sleeping Dogs respectively. Neither really compares to Undead Nightmare, though.
Most of the map from the original game is present in the DLC, but things have gone haywire for old John Marsden. Zombies aren’t the only thing that will get in his way either, and players will need the best set of guns they can get their hands on in order to survive. Best of all, it’s backward compatible with Xbox One and Xbox Series X and is incredibly funny to boot.
9 Days Gone
Days Gone got a bit overshadowed when it was released. It was a bit buggy and most were far more excited about Sony’s other big exclusive zombie epic, The Last of Us Part II. Reviewers may not have been particularly kind, but players couldn’t get enough and the PC release has only increased the game’s popularity.
This game is very different from games like The Last of Us and is a pure open-world zombie game in pretty much every way. The countryside is also breathtaking. Patches following its release have made it much better, so there has never been a better time to jump in, especially for PS5 owners.
8 Fallout 3
When one thinks of open-world games, the more recent Fallout titles are usually some of the first to spring to mind, even if the NPCs that reside in them are a little bit weird. Fallout 3 is where the series took a turn from its top-down perspective and helped to lay much of the groundwork for future entries in the series.
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Many might not consider it to be a zombie game in the traditional sense, but it is, in a way. Ghouls, the games’ zombie-like mutants, and other infected creatures roam the wastelands. It’s a horrifying look at the apocalypse but should feel like home for those looking for some scintillating zombie action.
7 Dead Island
Dead Island is an open-world game, but one that is a bit more segmented than some of its contemporaries. It’s like getting lost in a city landscape, albeit with lots of tropical nature surrounding it. It is a pure zombie game at heart though, and, like Fallout 3, is full of traditional RPG elements.
The game was a bit broken when it launched on the PS3 and Xbox 360 back in 2011, but it has now been patched. There’s also a collection out on last-gen consoles making it a lot easier to get hold of. Since it is usually on sale digitally, and because it is its 10th anniversary this year, now would be a good time to try it out before its own sequel finally drops.
6 Dead Rising 4
The original Dead Rising game was almost like a tech demo for the Xbox 360. Capcom showed off what the system was truly capable of, with a ridiculous amount of zombie mayhem onscreen all at once. That’s not to say that it didn’t have its fair share of problems though, because it certainly did.
Though the majority of bugs and glitches have long since been patched out, the series hasn’t really evolved much past its original concept. Dead Rising 4 is the most recent and most polished of the bunch, however, so those wishing to tear zombies apart in a mindless way should probably start there.
5 The Last Of Us Part II
The Last of Us Part II has what one could call open-world segments. They come and go as the game progresses, which mostly takes place in a linear fashion. It’s not quite Final Fantasy XIII, but it’s a far cry from some of the more traditional open-world games like Grand Theft Auto and Far Cry.
The emphasis on exploring to get materials still makes it a worthy candidate for adventure though and the story is expertly told. Plus destroying the infected in the game is far more satisfying than most, thanks in large to the brutal nature of the overall world and epic narrative.
4 The Evil Within 2
The Evil Within 2 starts off in a city that is full of exploration. It’s kind of like a more open version of Resident Evil 3, although the tone is a little different. After about the halfway mark, the game does start to get a lot more linear, however, so players should keep that in mind.
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Caveats aside, The Evil Within 2 is still a great infected game, though the citizens in its nightmare city aren’t exactly zombies. They are still bloodthirsty though and will give players quite the chase while howling frantically as they close in for the kill.
3 Yakuza: Dead Souls
Yakuza: Dead Souls is an oft-forgotten entry in the Yakuza franchise. It’s a Yakuza spin-off that effectively serves as one big hypothetical, asking players what would happen if zombies ever ran rampant throughout Japan. As with other Yakuza games, it can be a lot of fun and there’s plenty of dark humor to lighten the mood.
Kazuma and his friends must fight back to take control of their beloved city and nation once again. The action focuses more on shooting than hand-to-hand combat and it is more linear than the main entries. Even so, it still has some of that open-world goodness that many fans adore Yakuza for.
2 Sunset Overdrive
Sunset Overdrive is like a zombie apocalypse caused by Mountain Dew or an orange energy drink equivalent. Like Dead Rising, the game impressively showed just how many enemies could litter the screen at once while also showing off a wide range of vibrant colors and interesting characters.
It’s an early, often forgotten Xbox One exclusive that some will feel didn’t get quite as much attention as it deserved. The pedigree of its developer, Insomniac, is ever-present in the game though, from its wacky humor to its creative use of projectile-based weapons.
1 ZombiU
ZombiU was like Ubisoft’s answer to Dark Souls. It plays with the idea of London’s population being overtaken by a zombie virus. A lot of people passed it up because it was a Wii U exclusive, a system that did not perform particularly well for Nintendo in the sales department.
The game did eventually get a port to last-gen systems, however, making it far more accessible to the average gamer. It’s not the most original zombie game ever made, nor is it the most ambitious, but there is still a lot of fun to be had in the infected streets of London.
Dying Light 2 is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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