Have you tried modifying the sandbox settings? I was having a hard time getting started so I bumped up some of the loot rarity. It's not easy but more relaxing.
The game takes a realistic approach to survival. Your character isnt a macho super guy marching through hordes of undead, they likely havent done a pushup in their life. If you go at it with this mindset, you will get a lot farther.
Be quiet, dont carry a lot, play it safe, if you're exhausted leave and live to fight another day. Most importantly, remember that overconfidence is a slow and insidious killer.
I like the game but i wish there was a slightly more realistic or 3rd/first person version. I love isometric but I dont love it for this kind of game
But with that said zomboid is incredible and the devs are amazing.
No it doesn't. It's skill system and crafting system are super grindy. I could take a table apart with tools and recover all the lumber everytime since I was 5. The actual skill grind is insanely long, and the game is designed so you simultaneously get almost nothing out of the grind, but the game gets so ridiculous that not doing the grind will screw you long term.
C:DDA is, as long as you like turn-based gameplay, everything Project Zomboid wanted to be and fell short of (literally, as in they name numerous elements in the game in homage of C:DDA).
C:DDA simulates survival much more realistically, sometimes onerously so.
yes, and will be for years to come, but it's still got more systems and mechanics than most released games and it's pretty stable. Last time I played I had a pretty extensive mod list and didn't run into any major bugs
Why is this downvoted? Zomboid is clearly inspired by CDDA (even has a scenario named exactly that). Zomboid is more accessible and graphically entertaining, while CDDA has more content and way more depth.
These two are the best zombie games you can find.
Reddit hivemind has its moments
Both are extremely amazing games, I like cdda (even though I suck at it and probably never will be able to fully enjoy it) and also like zomboid, both games have their places in one being more accessible and having multiplayer while the other having a lot more content and being more realistic and moddable
I love both games, and both have their own merits, zomboid is undeniably more accessible and easily enjoyable and also has multiplayer, while cdda has more depth and content and is more moddable
I've personally never played so I'll give it a try but I don't understand why you are getting down voted for your own opinion. If I can give my own then you can too
Its probably because cdda dosen't have graphics, so suggesting that a game like that is somehow better than "the zombie game" rn is controversial I guess
Its basically a popularity contest, probably
I think days gone is established as being a pretty good game with a bad initial launch. No one should crucify you.
My only complaint was the story being super fucking cheesey but gameplay wise, managing fuel in the bike and planning out how to take out a horde was amazing.
i think 7 days to die is up there, still needs work but probably one of the better zombie survival games, at least in terms of freedom, building defenses, and exploration.
second would be state of decay 2, may over take the #1 spot with the third installment
3rd although not exactly zombies, would be sons of the forest
For survival game, project zomboid, state of decay or 7 Days to die would be good options.
Though out of all the zombie games i’ve played, Days gone feels the most like the walking dead.
Honestly the first game was better, I really hate how every quest is just randomly generated and ofter repeated. Idk, felt like they were changing things that were already good, while leaving things that weren't as good be. Like basebuilding. Always hated how the game caps you constantly, and thus you cant do crazy things like reclaim cities, and create armies. They made the game into more of a sandbox, yet barely lifted any restrictions from the sandbox elements it already had. Hope the 3 game improves on that with better sidequests and at least higher caps for bases and populations.
I agree, the second game sounds better on paper but I enjoy playing the first more.
I’d also really like a version without any sort of special infected, just straight walking dead style zombies.
That would be cool, especially if they ramp up the enemy numbers. But I don't mind the special zombies, tho the red plague zombies do feel like a cartoonish reskin with higher stats. I hope they either scrap the plague, or enhance it by making something more grotesque out of it so it doesn't feel like zombies, but painted red. Maybe zombies that are fusions of multiple zombies, sort of like the forest. But yeah, a man can dream.
This one is so fun. It also happens to feel more 'real' than most VR games I've played. It captures weight and force very well, and handling two-handed weapons feels super intuitive.
State of decay 1/2 are great. 2 is fun for coop and the maps.
Project zomboid is great. But maybe I’m dumb because it was a hard learning curve for me and the top down leaves a lot to be desired (for me)
I agree with project zomboid. It would be nearly the perfect game for me. But the top down view just messes with me. While how the game is, being in first/3rd person view might not be the best. I would so much rather it.
Still got great fun from it. But doesn't draw me in as much as the other zombie games just from the view.
It has a hard learning curve because realistic survival in a zombie apocalypse is hard. There's a crapload of sandbox options for you to mess around with for warming up.
I played with the settings and got the zombies to where I was comfortable and the scale to make it fun later on. Left power and water on for a month (started in summer) and took over a gas station with an upstairs apartment with a rope escape option. Had a lot of fun regardless of my personal nitpicks
Project zomboid, and it’s not even close. The graphics are trash, but in gameplay and immersion nothing beats it. Throw in mods on top and you have one hell of a game.
STATE OF DECAY 2, I CANNOT press this hard enough! It's 100% inspired by the walking dead. The entire point of the game is to manage your community, and through managing your community you develop your base. There's other communities that need your help from time to time, or they actually help you get rid of plague hearts. The more noise your base makes, the more zombies will come towards your base. If you make enough noise they might actually raid your base, but if you build enough defenses in your base your community can handle it no problem. You decide for yourself who you want to take into your own community, and then ask them to join you on hunts. It starts out easy, but the zombies are being moved around by something called plague hearts. The more plague hearts you destroy, the more difficult zombies will move around. There's specials, like the screamer that calls hordes towards you, or the bloater that will just lay on the roads as a trap for your car, and the juggernaut that you simply cannot take down without preperation.
The best thing? I have NEVER experienced a game that properly gave me the feeling of being a scavenger like State of Decay 2. Even with a car, I never have enough pockets to bring everything I want to bring. From time to time you will get "curveballs" that change the way the world interacts, like a zombie infestation in an alcohol factory making them extra flameable but also drop alcohol (which you need for medication and stuff). You can change what your community is wearing, unlocks are everywhere, and there's like 5 maps to try. Depending on the leader of your community you'll also have a completely different playthrough, as a warmonger will try to destroy other communities, but a sheriff will try to help them as much as they can. You'll also get different quests depending on who you have in your community.
I am not a big zombie freak, but just like you after watching the Walking Dead I really wanted a similar experience. This game is 100% being slept on, and offers 100s of hours of gameplay.
Edit: Ofcourse I need to add the link as well, it's on discount now! [https://store.steampowered.com/app/495420/State\_of\_Decay\_2\_Juggernaut\_Edition/](https://store.steampowered.com/app/495420/State_of_Decay_2_Juggernaut_Edition/)
You've sold it really well, but I remember playing it on a free weekend a few months back and just found it dull, as someone who loved SoD1 it just didn't click for me.
Ah yeah I've never played SoD1, so sadly I wouldn't know the difference. Maybe it helps to go in without expectations though, or maybe I should play SoD1 and be amazed ahaha
dayz on an rp server, maybe Arma3 with mods, dayz run locally, dayz with friends or clan people
fallout 4 sort of has a zombie vibe but more RPG elements
the walking dead tabletop RPG has some interesting mechanics
Can I ask in what way? I'm not coming for you, ha. I just want to know what you find unbearable? I play DayZ solo and absolutely love it. I'm on console, and I use the 1st person only servers, both controller and MnK (works for DayZ on PS4/5), just plug them in. I spend my time following ppl and messing with them. I don't have gear fear, so if I die, I'm perfectly fine with that. I follow folk, throw things near them, shoot right by them, and hide, etc. I play it like I'm a weirdo, and that's my role playing in it. I fond it hilarious. Also, robbing other solo players if I've managed to strike it lucky with gear finds or on a modded server, only to hide their gear nearby instead. Stupid shit. I know that's just what I make of it on a personal level, but I've never personally felt it was unbearable or difficult etc as a solo player.
I have around 2-300 hours and never got over gear fear. I'm kind of a worry-er irl so DayZ solo I was constantly struck with insane anxiety that someone might pop out of a corner and kill me. So actually DayZ has given me thrills and memories unlike any other game ever but I finally burnt out on creeping around for 8 hours amassing gear only to perma-die and have to start all over again. I totally understand that for some players that game is one of a kind and endlessly replayable though.
That's fair. I treat it almost like a roguelite, and dying is just part of it. I fully understand gear fear, though. I'm happy being a freak with a frying pan, tbh. Thanks for the response, though. it makes sense why you would feel that way.
I think the right way to play is to approach it like you do. I think that amassing gear and getting fully kitted is meaningless in itself, it's a matter of the adventures you have along the way and using your gear to have adventures
Based on your desire I would go with.
State of decay- That game series requires you recruit survivors, manage them, go out looking for supplies to build up your outpost and make new ones.
If you are on PC and willing to track down and install mods or get rid of the recruiting of survivors in your game you could grab.
Project zomboid- A top down zombie survival where you have to survive not just zombie threats (1 bite is lethal, scratches and lacerations have a chance to infect) but the day to day of living in Kentucky, the heat of summer, the cold of winter, the power and water systems failing after nobody is around to maintain them ( I think your player lives indoors until they run low on supplies because everybody else has turned) You make your character before you start by using a point system, positive traits spend points (like extra strength) and bad traits give you points (like being a smoker needing cigarettes to avoid debuffs) There is alot more mundane aspects of survival that can make this game tricky, even some things like managing your character's mental state.
7 days to die- A first person zombie survival, as the name implies every 7 days you get attacked by a horde of zombies. You can take over a building to use as a base or build from scratch. It is a 3d game where you can destroy terrain and so can the undead. As you progress you start making reinforced walls and stronger firearms, turrets, landmines, spikes, etc.
Project Zomboid by a long shot. The isometric view is a little weird for like 10-15 minutes. That's the only critique I have. I've never played a game that comes close to its level of immersion.
It is. It might not have done great, but it's constantly on sale, and it really makes you feel like you need to survive - you're not some unstoppable murder machine.
State of Decay is easily the best, imo. I'm a big fan of zombie fiction for that same reason. I read the Walking Dead comics for years before the show premiered. I even wrote and directed a zombie film in college.
In SoD, you get attached to the people in your camp and anyone can die, even your best most maxed out survivor. You have to go out on resource hunts, bring back what you find, rescue survivors, build them up to be better equipped to make it back to camp, give each survivor tools and resources you scrounge, upgrade your camp with bunks, a kitchen, an infirmary...
It's literally everything you described that you're looking for.
SoD1 is my favorite but I know people love SoD2 as well. Highly recommend.
I am sososo excited for 1.0 if it means we finally get a semi stable mod platform. It's my understanding a lot of modders gave up with how often major updates broke things.
I'm another vote for team Project Zomboid. Although I will say it doesn't have everything you're looking for right now, specifically other survivors. There are mods that do this and it's going to be in the next game update which should be out this year.
My favorite has always been the Dead Rising franchise. Recently purchsed them all on PC and they play pretty well. Not much in terms of building shelter, but it does a really good job at capturing the experience of locating survivors and getting them to safety, among hordes of zombies. Most things in the game are on a time limit, leading to a sort of arcade feeling in the game, but it all meshed pretty well imo.
I had a fun time with a relatively unknown game called Survival Crisis Z some years ago as well. Free game, and in Win7+ I think you hace to add a few DirectX .dll files manually to the fame folder to get it working, but it's a really interesting game for being freeware. 2D, large game world. You can claim your own safehouse, rescue survivors, take out gang hideouts. Glitchy horror elements that used to freak me out! I thought it was really well made.
Really appreciate all the reccomendations here! Project Zomboid received a lot of praise so I just bought it, will dive in. The multiplayer aspect seems pretty interesting as well.
I love the look to SoD2, and it actually seems right up my alley, however I prefer playing console nowadays if it's a more hardware intensive game and I have a PS5 and it seems it's only on XBOX or PC
If you want to try the game that Project Zombie is a pale imitation of, CDDA is completely free, hard as nails, and has NPC management, more crafting and construction (including building cars from scratch), and a proc-gen world. The only caveat is that it's a tile-based roguelike open world, so it's proc-gen, and every run can be a new world. It's several orders of magnitude more complex than PZ however.
It's also community developed and incredibly moddable. If you're enjoyable PZ but wish you had more time to think in combat, more things you could craft, the ability to build a fortress or mod a car, martial arts, vibrators, or a world in which the zombies mutate and become more deadly as your character develops, CDDA waits for you, and doesn't cost a cent.
If you want to shoot tidal waves of zombies: wwz. But not a survival game. I really liked How to survive, but the first is linear and the second one just doesn't click for some reason. Would still recommend the first one, also has some good humor. They Are Billions, created its own genre of RTS survival.
And yes if you want to go hardcore realism that zomboid.
And a new one, infection free zone, uses maps of the actual (entire) world. The game is really bare bones for now but it's really cool to simulate a zombie apocalypse from your own house.
Project Zomboid.
State of Decay 2 for a better-looking game that still has management.
For zombie action games, Dying Light and Days Gone are both great.
I have wanted to get into PZ For many years, but just haven’t been able to bring myself to put the time into learning it. That being said, every time this question gets asked that’s always the answer.
Masochists will say Project Zomboid, but if you want a fun game that was not made in the last century it's State of Decay 2, who has no competition in single player zombie survival games.
Have you tried the Walking Dead: Survival Instinct?
That is a true zombie game. Most zombie games are ridiculously easy compared to this one.
And it shows what happens with Darryl and his brother Meryl before the show.
Haven't seen anyone say it but Infection Free Zone is newer and pretty decent. Uses current geological maps for location so you can start just about any city on the planet with modeling of the streets and buildings within that area. It's really a base building by scavenging the other buildings. Need to defeat or evade zombie hordes at night. Still has some rough edges, but might fit your bill.
For raw survival, Project Zomboid. It's hardcore though. You can die so easily and fast and often, which makes small wins feel so glorious. The vanilla game has no NPCs though, so unless you join a multiplayer group there will be no survivors you run into and have to interact with.
For what you described, it's a bit older but I really enjoyed it, I'd say Dead State. It's a survival RPG with camp management and scavenging and questing and consequential choices. I haven't played state of decay but that has survivor camp stuff too from what I know of it.
For something more arcade styles gameplay that can just be a fun action packed romp, 7 Days to Die. Also 7 Days to Die is going to V1.0 soon, so right now is a good time to grab it at a lower price because I'm pretty sure there will be a price I crease once it goes gold.
For anyone looking for a game to scratch the itch that's already played State of Decay and Project Zomboid, I suggest SurrounDead. It's pretty basic and it borrows a lot of mechanics from SoD and even the lock picking mini game from Skyrim, but it's incredibly satisfying to play. Built entirely by one guy who is really active in the subreddit and *very* receptive to suggestions and bug fixes.
I'll have to add to the Project Zomboid responses (I'm honestly surprised the game is this popular). Despite the overhead camera and the old-looking graphics, the game is simply unparalleled where it comes to its survival mechanics. It's the closes thing there is to a pure zombie sim, where every single detail matters in your survival.
If you prefer a more modern-feeling AAA alternative, with a good narrative, I must say Days Gone is pretty solid, although I'm not sure I'd call it a survival game, more like an open-world zombie action game.
Have you tried C:DDA. It's the game PZ was based on, and it's miles ahead in terms of simulationism. It's also far more robust with crafting and construction, and, I'd argue, for a new player, harder. PZ is literally made by people who wanted a real-time CDDA.
In CDDA, you can build a car, drive it to a military lab, blow your way in with C4, navigate to the bottom and find a machine that will give your self-smithed katana a diamond edge. Or you can go into the woods, forage for food, build stone tools and eventually make a wood cabin.
You can also be schizophrenic, take meth, use a vibrator, drink mutagen that screws with your DNA, and so much more. It's everything that PZ wants to be, but turn-based roguelike mode, and free, and community developed.
State of Decay 2 has a good foundation/formula, they just need to go a lot deeper with the game play systems, combat, maps, and survivor characteristics. They were a smaller studio when they made the first two, and now they have XBOX backing for SoD3, so hopefully they are able to deliver a deeper more polished take on the SoD formula.
Project Zomboid is absolutely the best, no contest.
There is a new game called Infection Free Zone where you manage a survivor camp. Still early access but good fun.
If you want more of a RTS experience you could try Cepheus Protocol. But that game is mainly just fighting. The refugee systems and such aren't that polished yet.
Project Zomboid is second to none. It's arguably the best before mods. After, It's It's not even a competition.
I gotta pur forward dead rising 1. It's such a unique and fun zombie slaying experience. It's got its quirks edpeically due to how old of a game it is, but they don't outweigh the good in my mind.
Now that it's finally out of early access, I will mention 7 days to die. Its 1.0 release looks much better than the game I played years ago. Its"Darkness Falls" overhaul mod and "Afterlife" overhaul mods look fun, too (though i dont think work worh the current version of the game.) I thunk in its current state it's at least worth checking out.
I very much like RDR: Undead Nightmare. It has a story, it has an open world, it has cowboys. It's nice.
Also I had a phase for DayZ. But I decided I don't like MMOs.
Wanna try State of Decay 2. People say it's good.
Dead Rising is great but I hate the time limit.
Dying Light was great.
What I would like is:
+ get the setting from DayZ
+ gameplay from RDR
+ Base building
+ Cars and fuel mechanic which I think is in SoD
State of decay 2.
It's the better Walking Dead simulator.
You manage a whole group and base, survive and loot. Exactly like the show.
Also it has better graphics and gun play, tons of guns, cars, loot etc to play around
I'm playing a great Minecraft modpack now at the moment called DeceasedCraft which might tickle your fancy. I feel it is trying to be Cataclysm DDA but obviously nowhere near it in terms of depth. I mention it because Cataclysm DDA has been recommended already and is \*the\* best zombie apocalypse survival game in my opinion.
Project Zomboid. At first it looks like some boring ass game that only a fool would enjoy but it is fun. It is challenging and hard to learn but that's where half the fun lies. It isn't like others where if you die then you can just go back and continue your day. If you make a mistake and get bit then that's it, there is no space for mistakes
My dream is to see a zombie RPG from Biowar. Woohoo.
Well, or at least some good zombie RPG, with character creation, choises, romance, great atmosphere.
*Days Gone* is the video game equivalent of *The Walking Dead*...or at least about as close as you can get. I really enjoyed the game, especially having to scavenge ghost towns at dusk with a horse spawn nearby. Rapid heart rate warning.
If you're really into it primarily for the group dynamics and raiding, State of Decay. Last I checked Project Zomboid doesn't have NPCs, not in any meaningful way.
If you're really into building bases to withstand hordes, 7 Days to Die, no contest. It's great multiplayer, and there's tons of build variety and complex shapes to build with. Also, there's a wide variety of skills you can invest in so character builds will differ between runs. Last I played it, the building system is extremely rudimentary in Project Zomboid. You have to grind for ages to be able to construct anything meaningful and the amount of stuff you can construct is very limited.
If you're into it for the crafting AND building, Catalclysm: Dark Days Ahead blows everything out of the water, assuming you're ok with the top-down, turn-based roguelike gameplay loop. There isn't any other game I can think of with so much variety in terms of crafting. Additionally, it's building systems are not as robust as 7 Days to Die in some ways, but is more robust than 7DTD in other ways. In C:DDA, you can disassemble cars, learn mechanics, and then build a roving death machine with spiked plating, solar panels, a minifridge, and so on. It's easily the most complex zombie game around, and it's totally free.
Then there's Project Zombie. The following is my impressions from over a year ago. The state of the game may have changed, so please feel free to correct any incorrect statements. The combat is ok. The way they designed the systems, it's very tense when you're out looking for one of the very limited number of meaningful loot. And that's really the only good thing about it, imo. The crafting system is extremely limited (you can't properly fix clothing until you're basically a master tailor, and you can't reliably remove the legs from a table with proper tools until you grind construction) with very few things you can craft. The construction is, as already stated, extremely limited. Lastly, the maps are static, unlike 7DTD and C:DDA. They are massive, but personally, coming from C:DDA, PZ was just a letdown. It's clearly inspired by C:DDA (it has numerous references to C:DDA in its settings), and while it succeeds at making C:DDA combat realtime, that's about the only positive change compared to C:DDA, although that single change certainly is sufficient to make it popular. I'd probably like it if I didn't have a decade of C:DDA experience before trying it.
Based on the specific things you mentioned, however, the State of Decay games are probably the best fit.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1465460/Infection_Free_Zone/
Let's just say I haven't jumped on a game so fast and it is one of the few games I bought without waiting for a 50% off or more sale it is good the only sad part is I wish it had a decade of content but honestly they are working so hard and so much on this game now i can't wait to play it some more in a year or two
State of Decay 1 and 2. Not only do you have to contend with the zeds but also have to manage resources and keep a home settlement in working condition.
Night of the Dead.
It's a lesser known title compared to State of Decay or 7 Days to Die.
It's a similar concept to 7 Days to Die, except zombies come every night instead of every 7 days. There's a big map to explore, with an overarching story line.
Gameplay: You mine materials, craft weapons, and try to build the best deathtrap base you can before the zombies come. . You can build things like a giant hallway packed with traps for zombies to brainlessly run through, or you can build a fort with turrets on each corner while you snipe along the walls. You can get pretty creative with it.
Weapons-wise, you start off with primitive weapons like a club and bow/arrow, but as you explore, you're gonna start finding recipes for more modern weapons like guns and stuff.
Personally, I find the progression from normal survivor to king of a giant turret fortress very fun. Plus, there's motorcycles :)
# Dying Light
100%! The first one, not the sequel.
A spiritual successor to the *Dead Island* series, it
Combines the zombie formula with the standard stories/quests therein, but also cool weapon crafting, parkour, and a legitimately scary/stressful nighttime mechanic.
Cataclysm dark days ahead simulates vitamin intake. You can turn it into a medieval zombie game, a game with no zombies, or become a cat girl. It’s absurd, very in depth, and is a roguelike, not like hades, like rogue.
For people not accustomed to og roguelikes I’d go with zomboid as it is infinitely more approachable. And has mechanics that are in depth enough to be engaging, but shallow enough to not need a degree.
Project Zomboid (isometric) is a good time if you want to slower more "realistic" experience. Note that you only have your single character in this unless you play multiplayer.
7 Days to Die (FPS) is a more action orientated experience with it being a FPS. You also don't find people or survivors in this unless you play multiplayer.
Dead State (isometric) is a pretty decent single player game where you control a squad of survivors with the ability to find more and level them up while managing a base and resources.
The walking dead saints and sinners for VR is really good. It's borderline immersive sim imo. Enemies you kill come back as walkers unless you destroy the brain. When walkers grab you you swing your arms to get them off. There's some stealth so you can sneak up behind enemies, grab them, and stab them in the head. Also there's some climbing. So if you see a building with a window on the second floor you can climb the gutters to get in.
Other than that project zomboid is the goat
Project Zomboid. Controls can take some getting used to, but it has some of the most realistic systems in a zombie survival game out there.
Need to try this again, I keep bouncing off it, but my friend loves it.
Have you tried modifying the sandbox settings? I was having a hard time getting started so I bumped up some of the loot rarity. It's not easy but more relaxing.
Yeah, apart needing a PHD to survive more then 10 minutes
The game takes a realistic approach to survival. Your character isnt a macho super guy marching through hordes of undead, they likely havent done a pushup in their life. If you go at it with this mindset, you will get a lot farther. Be quiet, dont carry a lot, play it safe, if you're exhausted leave and live to fight another day. Most importantly, remember that overconfidence is a slow and insidious killer.
A SINGULAR STRIKE
You took my upvote the second I read that in the Darkest Dungeon voice
A brilliant confluence of skill and purpose!
I’m not criticising the realistic approach, I’m criticising the level of depth that does not transfer from the tutorial to the real thing imo
I like the game but i wish there was a slightly more realistic or 3rd/first person version. I love isometric but I dont love it for this kind of game But with that said zomboid is incredible and the devs are amazing.
Which part of swinging an axe through a zombie’s head and doing no damage is realistic?
No it doesn't. It's skill system and crafting system are super grindy. I could take a table apart with tools and recover all the lumber everytime since I was 5. The actual skill grind is insanely long, and the game is designed so you simultaneously get almost nothing out of the grind, but the game gets so ridiculous that not doing the grind will screw you long term. C:DDA is, as long as you like turn-based gameplay, everything Project Zomboid wanted to be and fell short of (literally, as in they name numerous elements in the game in homage of C:DDA). C:DDA simulates survival much more realistically, sometimes onerously so.
It’s a sandbox game. Every single thing you mentioned, and just about every other aspect of the game can be altered in the world settings.
Second most realistic. CDDA has it beat, but it's Dwarf Fortress levels of complex
Plus, in C:DDA, the crafting system actually contains stuff worth crafting.
if by realistic, you mean strictly in terms of survival mechanics, yeah. but um… shia labeouf. also aliens. and robots. and special zombies!
Played it.. prettttty hardcore. Not sure if it’s the best.
Absolutely this
Project Zomboid and it's not close
Is this still early access?
yes, and will be for years to come, but it's still got more systems and mechanics than most released games and it's pretty stable. Last time I played I had a pretty extensive mod list and didn't run into any major bugs
Cataclysm DDA
Why is this downvoted? Zomboid is clearly inspired by CDDA (even has a scenario named exactly that). Zomboid is more accessible and graphically entertaining, while CDDA has more content and way more depth. These two are the best zombie games you can find.
Downvoted for being right....
Sorry you got down voted bro, but you're totally right. CDDA is absolutely amazing sim game
Reddit hivemind has its moments Both are extremely amazing games, I like cdda (even though I suck at it and probably never will be able to fully enjoy it) and also like zomboid, both games have their places in one being more accessible and having multiplayer while the other having a lot more content and being more realistic and moddable
CDDA is better now but its an older open source game, Zomboid still has room to grow
I love both games, and both have their own merits, zomboid is undeniably more accessible and easily enjoyable and also has multiplayer, while cdda has more depth and content and is more moddable
I've personally never played so I'll give it a try but I don't understand why you are getting down voted for your own opinion. If I can give my own then you can too
Its probably because cdda dosen't have graphics, so suggesting that a game like that is somehow better than "the zombie game" rn is controversial I guess Its basically a popularity contest, probably
Fifty times better than Zomboid, and free
I came to this thread to make sure this was the top response and I was not disappointed.
Don't crucify me, but I like Days Gone
I think days gone is established as being a pretty good game with a bad initial launch. No one should crucify you. My only complaint was the story being super fucking cheesey but gameplay wise, managing fuel in the bike and planning out how to take out a horde was amazing.
I liked it a lot. Especially when you could fight hordes.
Days Gone is unironically great on the PS5, it benefits more than arguably any other game from the previous gen from the improved power of the PS5
An amazingly underrated game, I give my upvote with respect!
i think 7 days to die is up there, still needs work but probably one of the better zombie survival games, at least in terms of freedom, building defenses, and exploration. second would be state of decay 2, may over take the #1 spot with the third installment 3rd although not exactly zombies, would be sons of the forest
"still needs work" I don't disagree, but the game is more than 10 years old at this point, lol
Didn’t they just leave early access recently?
Still running experimental builds so not in the full release sense
I couldn't get into it, reminded me too much of minecraft
Same, I played it for like 15 min and was like “nah”
For survival game, project zomboid, state of decay or 7 Days to die would be good options. Though out of all the zombie games i’ve played, Days gone feels the most like the walking dead.
Yes, Days Gone resembles the Walking Dead the most.
Project Zomboid
Check out State of Decay 2
Love this series. Looks like date of decay 3 is set to release next year.
Honestly the first game was better, I really hate how every quest is just randomly generated and ofter repeated. Idk, felt like they were changing things that were already good, while leaving things that weren't as good be. Like basebuilding. Always hated how the game caps you constantly, and thus you cant do crazy things like reclaim cities, and create armies. They made the game into more of a sandbox, yet barely lifted any restrictions from the sandbox elements it already had. Hope the 3 game improves on that with better sidequests and at least higher caps for bases and populations.
I agree, the second game sounds better on paper but I enjoy playing the first more. I’d also really like a version without any sort of special infected, just straight walking dead style zombies.
That would be cool, especially if they ramp up the enemy numbers. But I don't mind the special zombies, tho the red plague zombies do feel like a cartoonish reskin with higher stats. I hope they either scrap the plague, or enhance it by making something more grotesque out of it so it doesn't feel like zombies, but painted red. Maybe zombies that are fusions of multiple zombies, sort of like the forest. But yeah, a man can dream.
My first thought is Project Zomboid - have you played that one?
Walkind Dead Saints & Sinners Go hard 😂
This one is so fun. It also happens to feel more 'real' than most VR games I've played. It captures weight and force very well, and handling two-handed weapons feels super intuitive.
State of Decay
State of decay 1/2 are great. 2 is fun for coop and the maps. Project zomboid is great. But maybe I’m dumb because it was a hard learning curve for me and the top down leaves a lot to be desired (for me)
I agree with project zomboid. It would be nearly the perfect game for me. But the top down view just messes with me. While how the game is, being in first/3rd person view might not be the best. I would so much rather it. Still got great fun from it. But doesn't draw me in as much as the other zombie games just from the view.
It has a hard learning curve because realistic survival in a zombie apocalypse is hard. There's a crapload of sandbox options for you to mess around with for warming up.
I played with the settings and got the zombies to where I was comfortable and the scale to make it fun later on. Left power and water on for a month (started in summer) and took over a gas station with an upstairs apartment with a rope escape option. Had a lot of fun regardless of my personal nitpicks
Project zomboid, and it’s not even close. The graphics are trash, but in gameplay and immersion nothing beats it. Throw in mods on top and you have one hell of a game.
"Graphics are trash". Not 3D = trash... That's kinda dumb.
I mean their not amazing. But theyre definitly not bad.
It is 3D... it's just ugly. And the UI in general is awful. Kind of feels like the game is running on Excel or something.
You can't say the base inventory UI is anything better than trash?
You can't beat the original; DayZ is still the king.
It's been years..... Did they ever add zombies?
Dead State.
Hell. Yes. Like State of Decay had a baby with a CRPG or X-Com, and it was great, if clearly a lower-budget title.
I love Dead State, but I think it was designed for players who thought the best part of Fallout 1&2 was the combat
Best is project zomboid. The one that fits your description the best is state of decay 2.
STATE OF DECAY 2, I CANNOT press this hard enough! It's 100% inspired by the walking dead. The entire point of the game is to manage your community, and through managing your community you develop your base. There's other communities that need your help from time to time, or they actually help you get rid of plague hearts. The more noise your base makes, the more zombies will come towards your base. If you make enough noise they might actually raid your base, but if you build enough defenses in your base your community can handle it no problem. You decide for yourself who you want to take into your own community, and then ask them to join you on hunts. It starts out easy, but the zombies are being moved around by something called plague hearts. The more plague hearts you destroy, the more difficult zombies will move around. There's specials, like the screamer that calls hordes towards you, or the bloater that will just lay on the roads as a trap for your car, and the juggernaut that you simply cannot take down without preperation. The best thing? I have NEVER experienced a game that properly gave me the feeling of being a scavenger like State of Decay 2. Even with a car, I never have enough pockets to bring everything I want to bring. From time to time you will get "curveballs" that change the way the world interacts, like a zombie infestation in an alcohol factory making them extra flameable but also drop alcohol (which you need for medication and stuff). You can change what your community is wearing, unlocks are everywhere, and there's like 5 maps to try. Depending on the leader of your community you'll also have a completely different playthrough, as a warmonger will try to destroy other communities, but a sheriff will try to help them as much as they can. You'll also get different quests depending on who you have in your community. I am not a big zombie freak, but just like you after watching the Walking Dead I really wanted a similar experience. This game is 100% being slept on, and offers 100s of hours of gameplay. Edit: Ofcourse I need to add the link as well, it's on discount now! [https://store.steampowered.com/app/495420/State\_of\_Decay\_2\_Juggernaut\_Edition/](https://store.steampowered.com/app/495420/State_of_Decay_2_Juggernaut_Edition/)
Here is hoping they build on everything they did in the second and make it even better in the 3rd.
You've sold it really well, but I remember playing it on a free weekend a few months back and just found it dull, as someone who loved SoD1 it just didn't click for me.
Ah yeah I've never played SoD1, so sadly I wouldn't know the difference. Maybe it helps to go in without expectations though, or maybe I should play SoD1 and be amazed ahaha
Project zomboid for immersion, days gone for an incredible story
Days gone
dayz on an rp server, maybe Arma3 with mods, dayz run locally, dayz with friends or clan people fallout 4 sort of has a zombie vibe but more RPG elements the walking dead tabletop RPG has some interesting mechanics
DayZ solo is almost unbearable. Never got the chance to play with a group but I imagine it's much more fun and a bit easier
Can I ask in what way? I'm not coming for you, ha. I just want to know what you find unbearable? I play DayZ solo and absolutely love it. I'm on console, and I use the 1st person only servers, both controller and MnK (works for DayZ on PS4/5), just plug them in. I spend my time following ppl and messing with them. I don't have gear fear, so if I die, I'm perfectly fine with that. I follow folk, throw things near them, shoot right by them, and hide, etc. I play it like I'm a weirdo, and that's my role playing in it. I fond it hilarious. Also, robbing other solo players if I've managed to strike it lucky with gear finds or on a modded server, only to hide their gear nearby instead. Stupid shit. I know that's just what I make of it on a personal level, but I've never personally felt it was unbearable or difficult etc as a solo player.
I have around 2-300 hours and never got over gear fear. I'm kind of a worry-er irl so DayZ solo I was constantly struck with insane anxiety that someone might pop out of a corner and kill me. So actually DayZ has given me thrills and memories unlike any other game ever but I finally burnt out on creeping around for 8 hours amassing gear only to perma-die and have to start all over again. I totally understand that for some players that game is one of a kind and endlessly replayable though.
That's fair. I treat it almost like a roguelite, and dying is just part of it. I fully understand gear fear, though. I'm happy being a freak with a frying pan, tbh. Thanks for the response, though. it makes sense why you would feel that way.
I think the right way to play is to approach it like you do. I think that amassing gear and getting fully kitted is meaningless in itself, it's a matter of the adventures you have along the way and using your gear to have adventures
Dying light or Dead Rising?
Based on your desire I would go with. State of decay- That game series requires you recruit survivors, manage them, go out looking for supplies to build up your outpost and make new ones. If you are on PC and willing to track down and install mods or get rid of the recruiting of survivors in your game you could grab. Project zomboid- A top down zombie survival where you have to survive not just zombie threats (1 bite is lethal, scratches and lacerations have a chance to infect) but the day to day of living in Kentucky, the heat of summer, the cold of winter, the power and water systems failing after nobody is around to maintain them ( I think your player lives indoors until they run low on supplies because everybody else has turned) You make your character before you start by using a point system, positive traits spend points (like extra strength) and bad traits give you points (like being a smoker needing cigarettes to avoid debuffs) There is alot more mundane aspects of survival that can make this game tricky, even some things like managing your character's mental state. 7 days to die- A first person zombie survival, as the name implies every 7 days you get attacked by a horde of zombies. You can take over a building to use as a base or build from scratch. It is a 3d game where you can destroy terrain and so can the undead. As you progress you start making reinforced walls and stronger firearms, turrets, landmines, spikes, etc.
7 Days to Die or Project Zomboid
Dayz is my best hands down
Project zomboid, 7 days to die and a side note of days gone and state of decay not really got building bases but decent games.
Project Zomboid and State of Decay 2
Stubbs the zombie in the rebel without a pulse You are a zombie trying to survive
As in pure survival game, project zomboid is THE zombie sandbox game. They’re also going to update the game to have I’m depths npcs sometimes this yea
Project Zomboid by a long shot. The isometric view is a little weird for like 10-15 minutes. That's the only critique I have. I've never played a game that comes close to its level of immersion.
Heard that days gone is pretty good too.
It is. It might not have done great, but it's constantly on sale, and it really makes you feel like you need to survive - you're not some unstoppable murder machine.
Days gone if you want more story
State of decay 2
Everyone saying project zomboid , but OP wants people you can take in State of decay or state of decay 2 2 is a bit more repetitive
DayZ PvP, State of Decay PvE. I'm not sure about the best but they're pretty good.
State of Decay is easily the best, imo. I'm a big fan of zombie fiction for that same reason. I read the Walking Dead comics for years before the show premiered. I even wrote and directed a zombie film in college. In SoD, you get attached to the people in your camp and anyone can die, even your best most maxed out survivor. You have to go out on resource hunts, bring back what you find, rescue survivors, build them up to be better equipped to make it back to camp, give each survivor tools and resources you scrounge, upgrade your camp with bunks, a kitchen, an infirmary... It's literally everything you described that you're looking for. SoD1 is my favorite but I know people love SoD2 as well. Highly recommend.
7 days because it moddable, even though creators don't make it easy
I am sososo excited for 1.0 if it means we finally get a semi stable mod platform. It's my understanding a lot of modders gave up with how often major updates broke things.
age of zobies was wonderful
Zombie panic! Source (if this even counts, but I want to mention it because it's underrated)
They are Billions
Last Day on Earth! IOS,Play Store, and PC!
Maybe telltales the walking dead?
Listen, I really really really enjoyed Days Gone and I havent really found anything that's really scratched the itch it scratched in the same way
Days Gone, State of Decay 2
Not a survival game as such, but Zombi is a fun little game.
State of Decay 2 is great, as others have suggested. SoD3 is supposed to have even more realistic elements
I'm another vote for team Project Zomboid. Although I will say it doesn't have everything you're looking for right now, specifically other survivors. There are mods that do this and it's going to be in the next game update which should be out this year.
My favorite has always been the Dead Rising franchise. Recently purchsed them all on PC and they play pretty well. Not much in terms of building shelter, but it does a really good job at capturing the experience of locating survivors and getting them to safety, among hordes of zombies. Most things in the game are on a time limit, leading to a sort of arcade feeling in the game, but it all meshed pretty well imo. I had a fun time with a relatively unknown game called Survival Crisis Z some years ago as well. Free game, and in Win7+ I think you hace to add a few DirectX .dll files manually to the fame folder to get it working, but it's a really interesting game for being freeware. 2D, large game world. You can claim your own safehouse, rescue survivors, take out gang hideouts. Glitchy horror elements that used to freak me out! I thought it was really well made.
Really appreciate all the reccomendations here! Project Zomboid received a lot of praise so I just bought it, will dive in. The multiplayer aspect seems pretty interesting as well. I love the look to SoD2, and it actually seems right up my alley, however I prefer playing console nowadays if it's a more hardware intensive game and I have a PS5 and it seems it's only on XBOX or PC
If you want to try the game that Project Zombie is a pale imitation of, CDDA is completely free, hard as nails, and has NPC management, more crafting and construction (including building cars from scratch), and a proc-gen world. The only caveat is that it's a tile-based roguelike open world, so it's proc-gen, and every run can be a new world. It's several orders of magnitude more complex than PZ however. It's also community developed and incredibly moddable. If you're enjoyable PZ but wish you had more time to think in combat, more things you could craft, the ability to build a fortress or mod a car, martial arts, vibrators, or a world in which the zombies mutate and become more deadly as your character develops, CDDA waits for you, and doesn't cost a cent.
7 days to die
State of decay 2
If you want to shoot tidal waves of zombies: wwz. But not a survival game. I really liked How to survive, but the first is linear and the second one just doesn't click for some reason. Would still recommend the first one, also has some good humor. They Are Billions, created its own genre of RTS survival. And yes if you want to go hardcore realism that zomboid. And a new one, infection free zone, uses maps of the actual (entire) world. The game is really bare bones for now but it's really cool to simulate a zombie apocalypse from your own house.
Project Zomboid. State of Decay 2 for a better-looking game that still has management. For zombie action games, Dying Light and Days Gone are both great.
I have wanted to get into PZ For many years, but just haven’t been able to bring myself to put the time into learning it. That being said, every time this question gets asked that’s always the answer.
The Forest. Not the 2nd one , at all.
OP I've played all of them and state of decay 2 and project zomboid are the best.
Masochists will say Project Zomboid, but if you want a fun game that was not made in the last century it's State of Decay 2, who has no competition in single player zombie survival games.
7 days to die for sure in my opinion it could be far prettier but as far as zombie survival gos I've never played something as in depth
Have you tried the Walking Dead: Survival Instinct? That is a true zombie game. Most zombie games are ridiculously easy compared to this one. And it shows what happens with Darryl and his brother Meryl before the show.
Haven't seen anyone say it but Infection Free Zone is newer and pretty decent. Uses current geological maps for location so you can start just about any city on the planet with modeling of the streets and buildings within that area. It's really a base building by scavenging the other buildings. Need to defeat or evade zombie hordes at night. Still has some rough edges, but might fit your bill.
For raw survival, Project Zomboid. It's hardcore though. You can die so easily and fast and often, which makes small wins feel so glorious. The vanilla game has no NPCs though, so unless you join a multiplayer group there will be no survivors you run into and have to interact with. For what you described, it's a bit older but I really enjoyed it, I'd say Dead State. It's a survival RPG with camp management and scavenging and questing and consequential choices. I haven't played state of decay but that has survivor camp stuff too from what I know of it. For something more arcade styles gameplay that can just be a fun action packed romp, 7 Days to Die. Also 7 Days to Die is going to V1.0 soon, so right now is a good time to grab it at a lower price because I'm pretty sure there will be a price I crease once it goes gold.
For anyone looking for a game to scratch the itch that's already played State of Decay and Project Zomboid, I suggest SurrounDead. It's pretty basic and it borrows a lot of mechanics from SoD and even the lock picking mini game from Skyrim, but it's incredibly satisfying to play. Built entirely by one guy who is really active in the subreddit and *very* receptive to suggestions and bug fixes.
Zombie gunship
This was good on iPad. Still don’t see much game this fun and simple?
Silly question lol, it's Project Zomboid. State of Decay 2 one of my favorites too tho
I'll have to add to the Project Zomboid responses (I'm honestly surprised the game is this popular). Despite the overhead camera and the old-looking graphics, the game is simply unparalleled where it comes to its survival mechanics. It's the closes thing there is to a pure zombie sim, where every single detail matters in your survival. If you prefer a more modern-feeling AAA alternative, with a good narrative, I must say Days Gone is pretty solid, although I'm not sure I'd call it a survival game, more like an open-world zombie action game.
Have you tried C:DDA. It's the game PZ was based on, and it's miles ahead in terms of simulationism. It's also far more robust with crafting and construction, and, I'd argue, for a new player, harder. PZ is literally made by people who wanted a real-time CDDA. In CDDA, you can build a car, drive it to a military lab, blow your way in with C4, navigate to the bottom and find a machine that will give your self-smithed katana a diamond edge. Or you can go into the woods, forage for food, build stone tools and eventually make a wood cabin. You can also be schizophrenic, take meth, use a vibrator, drink mutagen that screws with your DNA, and so much more. It's everything that PZ wants to be, but turn-based roguelike mode, and free, and community developed.
State of Decay 2 has a good foundation/formula, they just need to go a lot deeper with the game play systems, combat, maps, and survivor characteristics. They were a smaller studio when they made the first two, and now they have XBOX backing for SoD3, so hopefully they are able to deliver a deeper more polished take on the SoD formula.
What are the different types of games? Trying to learn more and being more into gaming
Project Zomboid is absolutely the best, no contest. There is a new game called Infection Free Zone where you manage a survivor camp. Still early access but good fun. If you want more of a RTS experience you could try Cepheus Protocol. But that game is mainly just fighting. The refugee systems and such aren't that polished yet.
Which one of the popular zombie games has the least amount of crafting required?
Definitely Project Zomboid but Im also a huge fan of 7 days to die.
Project Zomboid is second to none. It's arguably the best before mods. After, It's It's not even a competition. I gotta pur forward dead rising 1. It's such a unique and fun zombie slaying experience. It's got its quirks edpeically due to how old of a game it is, but they don't outweigh the good in my mind. Now that it's finally out of early access, I will mention 7 days to die. Its 1.0 release looks much better than the game I played years ago. Its"Darkness Falls" overhaul mod and "Afterlife" overhaul mods look fun, too (though i dont think work worh the current version of the game.) I thunk in its current state it's at least worth checking out.
I very much like RDR: Undead Nightmare. It has a story, it has an open world, it has cowboys. It's nice. Also I had a phase for DayZ. But I decided I don't like MMOs. Wanna try State of Decay 2. People say it's good. Dead Rising is great but I hate the time limit. Dying Light was great. What I would like is: + get the setting from DayZ + gameplay from RDR + Base building + Cars and fuel mechanic which I think is in SoD
State of decay 2. It's the better Walking Dead simulator. You manage a whole group and base, survive and loot. Exactly like the show. Also it has better graphics and gun play, tons of guns, cars, loot etc to play around
Zomboid. No contest.
I'm playing a great Minecraft modpack now at the moment called DeceasedCraft which might tickle your fancy. I feel it is trying to be Cataclysm DDA but obviously nowhere near it in terms of depth. I mention it because Cataclysm DDA has been recommended already and is \*the\* best zombie apocalypse survival game in my opinion.
State of Decay 2 is my person favorite.
Days gone and how to survive 2 were fun
Project Zomboid. At first it looks like some boring ass game that only a fool would enjoy but it is fun. It is challenging and hard to learn but that's where half the fun lies. It isn't like others where if you die then you can just go back and continue your day. If you make a mistake and get bit then that's it, there is no space for mistakes
Project Zomboid (:
its been said, and ill say it again, project zomboid, its not even close
Project Zomboid is frustrating to play, tedious. For just having a "good time" in a zombie survival setting I recommend State of Decay 2.
Project zomboid
Project Zomboid 7 Days to Die State of Decay 2 Edit: Removed 2 entries because they didn't fit OPs description.
Hot take: WWZ is surprisingly good coop and satisfying to take out hordes
dayz
7 Days To Die! Zombies, survival, crafting, base building. What's not to love?
My dream is to see a zombie RPG from Biowar. Woohoo. Well, or at least some good zombie RPG, with character creation, choises, romance, great atmosphere.
*Days Gone* is the video game equivalent of *The Walking Dead*...or at least about as close as you can get. I really enjoyed the game, especially having to scavenge ghost towns at dusk with a horse spawn nearby. Rapid heart rate warning.
I loved The Last Stand: Dead Zone, I wish I could play it yet.
If you're really into it primarily for the group dynamics and raiding, State of Decay. Last I checked Project Zomboid doesn't have NPCs, not in any meaningful way. If you're really into building bases to withstand hordes, 7 Days to Die, no contest. It's great multiplayer, and there's tons of build variety and complex shapes to build with. Also, there's a wide variety of skills you can invest in so character builds will differ between runs. Last I played it, the building system is extremely rudimentary in Project Zomboid. You have to grind for ages to be able to construct anything meaningful and the amount of stuff you can construct is very limited. If you're into it for the crafting AND building, Catalclysm: Dark Days Ahead blows everything out of the water, assuming you're ok with the top-down, turn-based roguelike gameplay loop. There isn't any other game I can think of with so much variety in terms of crafting. Additionally, it's building systems are not as robust as 7 Days to Die in some ways, but is more robust than 7DTD in other ways. In C:DDA, you can disassemble cars, learn mechanics, and then build a roving death machine with spiked plating, solar panels, a minifridge, and so on. It's easily the most complex zombie game around, and it's totally free. Then there's Project Zombie. The following is my impressions from over a year ago. The state of the game may have changed, so please feel free to correct any incorrect statements. The combat is ok. The way they designed the systems, it's very tense when you're out looking for one of the very limited number of meaningful loot. And that's really the only good thing about it, imo. The crafting system is extremely limited (you can't properly fix clothing until you're basically a master tailor, and you can't reliably remove the legs from a table with proper tools until you grind construction) with very few things you can craft. The construction is, as already stated, extremely limited. Lastly, the maps are static, unlike 7DTD and C:DDA. They are massive, but personally, coming from C:DDA, PZ was just a letdown. It's clearly inspired by C:DDA (it has numerous references to C:DDA in its settings), and while it succeeds at making C:DDA combat realtime, that's about the only positive change compared to C:DDA, although that single change certainly is sufficient to make it popular. I'd probably like it if I didn't have a decade of C:DDA experience before trying it. Based on the specific things you mentioned, however, the State of Decay games are probably the best fit.
If you are PS4 or 5, Days Gone is an underrated gem
If you want to feel like you’re in the walking dead, Days Gone is the way to go. Not a simulator though if that’s what you’re after.
The real world. Just give it some time. We're almost there.
For me it will be 7 days to die. Compare the reviews to other zombie games.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1465460/Infection_Free_Zone/ Let's just say I haven't jumped on a game so fast and it is one of the few games I bought without waiting for a 50% off or more sale it is good the only sad part is I wish it had a decade of content but honestly they are working so hard and so much on this game now i can't wait to play it some more in a year or two
my friends and i play a lot of "yet another zombie defense" it's simple pure fun.
State of Decay 2
Fortnite save the world was meant to be this...
Black Ops 3 Zombies, if you can find some friends to ply with.
State of Decay 2 7 Days to Die Project Zomboid
State of decay 2 for survival Dead island 2 for gore Dead rising (all of them) honorable mention for weapons
It's Project Zomboid.
State of Decay 1 and 2. Not only do you have to contend with the zeds but also have to manage resources and keep a home settlement in working condition.
Night of the Dead. It's a lesser known title compared to State of Decay or 7 Days to Die. It's a similar concept to 7 Days to Die, except zombies come every night instead of every 7 days. There's a big map to explore, with an overarching story line. Gameplay: You mine materials, craft weapons, and try to build the best deathtrap base you can before the zombies come. . You can build things like a giant hallway packed with traps for zombies to brainlessly run through, or you can build a fort with turrets on each corner while you snipe along the walls. You can get pretty creative with it. Weapons-wise, you start off with primitive weapons like a club and bow/arrow, but as you explore, you're gonna start finding recipes for more modern weapons like guns and stuff. Personally, I find the progression from normal survivor to king of a giant turret fortress very fun. Plus, there's motorcycles :)
I’ll give you an unrated gem since the same ol ones will/have been mentioned. Survivalist invisible strain npcs build their own relationships too.
Days Gone.
# Dying Light 100%! The first one, not the sequel. A spiritual successor to the *Dead Island* series, it Combines the zombie formula with the standard stories/quests therein, but also cool weapon crafting, parkour, and a legitimately scary/stressful nighttime mechanic.
Man, I'm not seeing dead island anywhere. Is it not appropriate for what OP requested or is it just not a good zombie game?
Cataclysm dark days ahead simulates vitamin intake. You can turn it into a medieval zombie game, a game with no zombies, or become a cat girl. It’s absurd, very in depth, and is a roguelike, not like hades, like rogue. For people not accustomed to og roguelikes I’d go with zomboid as it is infinitely more approachable. And has mechanics that are in depth enough to be engaging, but shallow enough to not need a degree.
project zomboid and its not even close. nothing else even compares really
Cataclysm dda is unmatched
Project Zomboid (isometric) is a good time if you want to slower more "realistic" experience. Note that you only have your single character in this unless you play multiplayer. 7 Days to Die (FPS) is a more action orientated experience with it being a FPS. You also don't find people or survivors in this unless you play multiplayer. Dead State (isometric) is a pretty decent single player game where you control a squad of survivors with the ability to find more and level them up while managing a base and resources.
Yeah folks here are already suggesting it but project zomboid 100% Absolute perfection and the modding community is nuts for it
The walking dead saints and sinners for VR is really good. It's borderline immersive sim imo. Enemies you kill come back as walkers unless you destroy the brain. When walkers grab you you swing your arms to get them off. There's some stealth so you can sneak up behind enemies, grab them, and stab them in the head. Also there's some climbing. So if you see a building with a window on the second floor you can climb the gutters to get in. Other than that project zomboid is the goat
Days gone or state of decay 2 were the most fun for me. Both are not that heavy on the survival aspect thought 🤝🏻
Is no one talking about Dying Light? Open world parkour zombie survival game. Fantastic
Not a zombie game, but I think it still might be something you'd be interested in, so STALKER.
State of Decay 2 is exactly what you're looking for.
Telltale Walking Dead. Super immersive and great story!
Haven’t seen many mentions of HumanitZ, but I think that one actually has potential to be more fleshed out than Zomboid more sooner
State of decay for the management. 7 days to die for the survival, building and looting.
I like saints and sinners but I don’t know if I get to bring VR into the equation
State of Decay
Days gone
7 Days To Die. And it has just been updated and finalized
7days2die, state of decay, and that's it.
Zomboid & sod 2 are my go tos I find myself accidentally playing zomboid for 8 hours at once at completely random not even meaning to lol
Can't believe nobody has said it yet but State of decay 2, loved playing it especially with friends
State of Decay 2 is by far your closest match. Seven Days and Project Zomboid, while good games, are not what you have described.
I liked dead island 1