8 Best Single-Player Zombie Games

Some of the best zombie games are coincidentally also multiplayer games. For example, both Left 4 Dead games are more enjoyable with a full squadron of four players taking zombies down. Even the spiritual successor, Back 4 Blood, is the same way, and then there are also the various zombie modes in Call of Duty games.

Slaying slow or fast-paced zombies with friends is a blast, but it’s also fun to face them alone. This can turn up the horror factor to create some truly memorable sequences that players will never forget. Whether they are infected by a virus or infected by parasites, these zombies are terrifying in the following single-player games.

Resident Evil 3 (2020)

Jill Faces Her Greatest Nemesis

Resident Evil 3 got a solid remake in 2020 following the success of Resident Evil 2’s remake. It saw the return of Jill Valentine as the lead, who went back to Raccoon City to finish up some Umbrella business. What she found was the city infested with zombies and a stalker that was hunting her down, Nemesis.

Resident Evil 2 is the more puzzle-focused horror game, whereas Resident Evil 3 is more action-based with fewer puzzles, more scares, and tighter gunplay. Either game is a horror masterpiece as far as the zombie iterations are concerned.

The Last Of Us

Click Click Boom

The Last of Us has two enemy types, with mankind arguably being the bigger threat in the post-apocalypse. The zombies in this universe are infected by parasitic mushrooms, turning them into various forms of infected, typically called Clickers. Clickers are brutal, fast, and even a few scratches or bites could spell the end for players.

That’s why stealth and takedowns are a big part of the gameplay as well as crafting. The Last of Us is one of the best stories in games, and the zombified humans are just part of the drama.

Days Gone

Beware The Hordes

Days Gone is another PlayStation-forward game set in a post-apocalypse, but these zombies are more traditional with a bit of a twist. These zombies are fast, and the deadliest form of them will appear in swarms that look like waves of ants crashing through forests or hunting players down on the road.

These zombie swarms are some of the scariest creations any game has ever put to digital paper. Besides the zombies, there are survivors out there looking to bring the players down, but the coolest feature of the gameplay is cruising around the Oregon wilds on a motorcycle.

Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster

Sifting Through Seas Of Zombies

Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster is a remaster of the original game, which was like Capcom’s attempt to create a sillier zombie game. Players get trapped in a mall in Colorado, which is swarming with slow-paced zombies. Players can use anything they find to take them down, from guns to lawnmowers to ashtrays.

Also, players can craft weapons to be more effective, and their characters will also level up. There are time constraints as days go by quickly, but even with those limitations, this remaster is as fun as it was originally on the Xbox 360 when it comes to satisfying ways to kill zombies, and that’s practically Dead Rising’s guarantee as a series.

Dead Island 2

The Quick And The Dead

Dead Island 2 is set in L.A., so everything looks bright, colorful, and overpriced, which is the perfect setting for a zombie game to create a sense of juxtaposition. Players can choose one of several characters, each with special skills and stats that range from melee masters to speedsters.

Whoever players choose, they can fight wild zombies who will not hold back, but thankfully, there are plenty of weapons to find and craft. Electrifying a machete, or spilling gasoline to then light up a trail of zombies, are two great ways to fight back the undead in this RPG. There is full campaign co-op, but it isn’t necessary as single-player is well-balanced.

Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare

A New Standard For DLC

Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare was released as DLC to the main game, although it is separate and takes place in a supernatural version of the Old West. Protagonist John finds himself on the same map as the main game, albeit riddled with zombies and other supernatural creatures.

The story is played to comical effect like a fun B-movie of the 1950s, but the action is not something to joke about. It’s astounding that Rockstar turned almost the entire map into a zombified wasteland, which upped the ante for other developers to get on board concerning how to make good DLC.

Yakuza: Dead Souls

Kamurocho Invaded

Yakuza: Dead Souls is a spinoff of the series, but it still takes place primarily in the fictional district of Kamurocho in Japan. From Kazuma to Goro, players will take control of familiar characters in the series and navigate linear scenarios, fighting the undead as they progress.

It’s more action than survival horror as players rarely have to worry about ammo or health as they slay zombies and other mutations. It’s a fun aside to the main drama that can be repetitive, but comforting as well, because the Yakuza characters are a fun act to travel with in any scenario.

Lollipop Chainsaw

Buffy But With Zombies

Lollipop Chainsaw is about as over the top as it gets for a game, almost like a zombie version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Heroine Julia will cut her way through hordes of zombies with her titular chainsaw to the beat of original and classic pop songs. Music plays a big role beyond background tunes in the game, as the boss zombies are all band parodies.

Unfortunately, the best way to play the game now is the remaster, Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP, which cuts out a lot of the licensed tracks. It’s still fun, but if players can get ahold of original copies, like on the PS3 or Xbox 360, they are the more rewarding versions to experience.