The Zombie genre is a staple in the gaming industry, one that has brought along some of the most iconic and well-known gaming series of all time. However, with every great zombie game that launched, a long list of mediocre ones followed suit.

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Part of what sets a good zombie game and series apart from the pack is the depth with which they explore their post-apocalyptic setting and the time and effort put into creating a fully realized world and atmosphere for gamers to get lost in. While all zombie games feature some variation of the trope, the best ones become beloved because of the depth of the lore they are immersed in.

10 Dead Island

Official Promotional Art For Dead Island

While Dead Island is more focused on combat than it is on world-building, the game still manages to set the scene through its cast of characters and fully developed setting. Even if people haven't played this game, they most likely know of it for having one of the best video game trailers of all time.

With four playable characters on offer, all of whom are vastly different, players are quickly thrown into the deep end and must adapt quickly to the contagious and infectious plague that has taken over the fictional island of Banoi. The game explores the rapid rate at which a plague of this nature can spread through a population that is largely isolated from the rest of the world.

9 Days Gone

Days Gone 2 Would Have Been More Of The Same

The vast open-world setting of Days Gone sets the scene for its post-apocalyptic narrative and plot. While the game was met with mixed reviews on launch, the lush and developed visuals of the game make it an immersive zombie experience.

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Days Gone grapples with the moral dilemma of eradicating the zombies or trying to find a way to cure them. This focus allows the game to flesh out the creation and development of the virus and explain how it develops and mutates to create the horrifying creatures you find in the game.

8 State Of Decay

A player fighting a juggernaut in State of Decay 2.

While most zombie games take place years after the initial outbreak, the first State of Decay game focuses on the beginnings of the virus and how it spreads throughout America. This setting and narrative then set the scene for its sequel to dive deeper into world-building.

State of Decay has well-developed factions and groups within its lore that gamers either love or hate. The army plays a big role in the initial response to the zombie virus and the game portrays the decisions and actions when trying to contain and minimize the spread of such a devastating virus.

7 World War Z

World War Z survivor fighting against hordes of zombies

As the name suggests, World War Z focuses on the global impact of the zombie virus to tell a bigger story than most zombie games. While it does still focus largely on America, the game delves into other locations like Japan, Russia, and Israel to create a bigger picture of what would happen if a zombie outbreak took over the whole world.

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The game draws from the book it is loosely based on and exists in the same universe as the film adaptation that starred Brad Pitt back in 2013. World War Z utilizes its source material and expands on these foundations in the most successful way.

6 Plants Vs Zombies

A screenshot of Plants vs Zombies during a normal level.

Let’s be honest, most people have played Plants vs Zombies at least once in their life. Developed by PopCap games in 2009, Plants vs Zombies is a beloved game that dominated the mobile and PC gaming scene (and the world) during its launch.

While it may seem like a simple and minimalist zombie game, the mechanics and plot of the game are much more fleshed out than what casual fans would expect. The zombies and plants all have fully realized names, backstories, and personalities. The mythology of the characters even extends to the unofficial human protagonist of the series, Crazy Dave.

5 Dying Light

The player jumping over a zombie.

Despite being a newer series, Dying Light has quickly created a well-developed and established zombie universe that has become widely popular and appreciated by both fans and critics alike.

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The first Dying Light focuses heavily on fleshing out the dynamics between the survivors of the zombie virus and the role the Government plays in helping and assisting them as they fight off the zombies. Dying Light 2: Stay Human delves deeper into this issue but also the virus itself and the way it affects humans. And with some unique and horrifying zombies to boot, the Dying Light series is shaping up to be a zombie series with great depth.

4 Call Of Duty

Call Of Duty Zombies - Black Ops 2

While not all Call of Duty games feature zombies, the ones that do include a rich history of lore and backstory that has now become one of the most well-established zombie gaming modes in the industry.

Although the specifics and definite origins of zombies do vary from game to game, the Call of Duty franchise most commonly explores the notion of the zombie virus being a creation through the backdrop of World War II. Specifically, the idea that Nazi Germany has something to do with the creation of zombies. Across the series, various maps and locations have been used as a backdrop to tell the tale of the zombie virus in great depth.

3 The Walking Dead: The Telltale Series

Screenshot of Lee and Clem's first meeting in The Walking Dead Game

Telltale Games' The Walking Dead takes place in the same universe as the comics of the same name. This is a great reason behind the lore and mythology of the world being greatly established and fleshed out.

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The Walking Dead’s episodic style and focus on a narrative created a zombie game series heavily focused on characterization and (at times) heartbreaking storytelling. The result is a series of games that take players on a journey across America and forces them to make realistic and difficult decisions as they are living in a zombie-infested world.

2 The Last Of Us

the last of us 2

The Last of Us took the world by storm when it was launched back in 2013. It has gone on to become one of the most beloved games of all time. Part of what made the game so successful was the fantastic world-building and narrative direction. It transcends the classic hack and slash style of a zombie game and instead offered up an immersive, thought-provoking, and intense story.

The game explores the origins of the zombie virus and how a fungal-based, brain-altering virus was able to quickly spread across the world and infect a vast majority of the population. The first entry and its follow-up title, The Last of Us Part 2, delve deep into the socio-economic and political fallout and the consequences of the virus, creating a fully realized post-apocalyptic world for gamers to dive into.

1 Resident Evil

Resident Evil Revelations 2: Clair and Moira shooting at zombies

No other gaming series does zombies quite like the Resident Evil does. And while the recent Resident Evil games steered away from featuring zombies, gamers will know that the main antagonists of Resident Evil are the undead.

Zombies are brought into the Resident Evil world thanks to Dr. James Marcus’ experimentation and trials with the T-Virus. Throughout the games, the virus evolves and develops into different strains, with most of the entries focusing on how this virus can be stopped or minimized. When many think of the zombie genre across games, movies, and even comics, they think of Resident Evil and the deep lore of the universe that has been created over decades of content.

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