4 Best Open World Zombie Games Ever Created

Open world zombie games have been rapidly gaining popularity and have become the talk of many in the gaming community as they arouse many of our human nature, such as our needs, curiosity and fear. While science and technology have denied the existence of such logic-defying creatures, our human nature of pursuing such unknown creatures is just one of the things that makes us such stubborn and unique specimens.

Although the zombie apocalypse is just a morbid fantasy of the people’s imagination, many developers have utilised their imaginative minds and created open world zombie games where we can experience face-to-face encounters with such unrealistic creatures. Today, our site will take you along the ride and explore the 4 best open world zombie games ever created.

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4 Best Open World Zombie Games 

1) Dying Light 

Even though Dying Light is now 8 years old, the game is still undoubtedly one of if not the best open world zombie games ever created. Firstly, the game encapsulates what we expect in a world with zombies. For example, while some fear for their lives from being infected, some band together and try to combat the vicious creatures. It is precisely why the asymmetrical multiplayer mode and four-player co-operative multiplayer mode in Dying Light were so well-received.

Secondly, the game features an enemy-infested, open-world city with a dynamic day and night cycle, in which zombies are slow and clumsy during the daytime but become severely aggressive at night. It is the exact representation of the zombies we have in our minds. 

Although the gameplay focuses on weapons-based combat and parkour, players can utilise their survival sense during the day to plant traps, save random survivals and use environmental factors such as electric wire fences to dodge and even kill the infected. In conclusion, Dying Light is a big success in open world zombie games, as it has broken many records and is planning to release its trilogy sometime next year.

2) Days Gone 

The second place on our list of best open world zombie games ever made is Days Gone. After its release in 2019, this game has rapidly risen to the top of the genre thanks to its third-person perspective on the post-apocalyptic zombie-filled world. 

While the story may pale when compared to Dying Light as it focuses on Deacon St. John, an outlaw-turned-drifter-bounty-hunter finding and scavenging the land to find his supposed dead wife, the features are similar as players can utilise weapons and create improvised weapons to defend themselves against the hostile, cannibalistic and vicious zombies known as Freakers.

Furthermore, players can use the distinct gaming mechanic, Deacon’s motorcycle, to traverse around the open world. However, the bike consumes fuel and becomes disabled if you run out or become excessively damaged by the zombies. To solve this issue, you must befriend settlement camps and earn their trust to unlock new weapons and upgrades to your bike and weapons. With all things considered, the game is a must-try for open world zombie game lovers.

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3) Project Zomboid

Unlike the other open world zombie games on our list, Project Zomboid is the only game still under development. Moreover, the game is now close to a decade old as the developers, The Indie Stone, were subjected to a high-profile setback following the theft of two laptops containing the game’s code. However, players can still go on Steam and have early access to the game while the game continues to develop.

As far as we know, the plot of Project Zomboid centres around the “Knox Event”. The origin of the infection still remains a mystery as speculations vary from many possibilities, such as a prion disease, an act of God, or bioterrorism. However, we know that the infection spreads through contact with saliva, blood, and airborne water droplets, and the player is the only one in the world immune to the latter type of transmission.

Thus, your aim is to survive for as long as possible in this apocalyptic and zombie-ridden area while managing your personal needs. Although the game is still far from completion, it shows how promising and tantalising this open-world isometric game is when we place it as number three on our list.

4) Unturned 

The final game on our list is Unturned, a free-to-play open-world game where players try to survive a zombie onslaught. Developed by Smartly Dressed Games in 2014, the game shares many similarities with Roblox. It is because it does as the lead developer, Nelson Sexton, previously worked at Roblox before leaving and using his experience and inspiration to create Unturned. 

Although Unturned pales in the graphical representation of open world zombie games, the different game modes all but make up for it. For example, the game’s survival mode spawns players on a game map with clothes depending on their skill set. Then, players must find weapons and supplies to survive against the zombies or even one another. The second game mode is horde mode, where players use weapons and keep their health, food, water and radiation levels intact against the waves of zombies.

The final game mode available is arena mode, where players spawn in the middle of a map with supplies and weapons scattered around and try to be the last man alive. While arena game mode is for multiplayer only, solo players will pair up with other players to form the required amount and contest against one another. After considering everything, it is a pity that Unturned is placed last on our last, but the graphical aspect just holds too much weight in open world zombie games.

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Concluding Statement

Although we tried our best to cover the 4 best open world zombie games ever created, we cannot disregard that some will please or displease some of our readers. Thus, we would love to hear from you on our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages and know more about your thoughts on our open world zombie games listicle and your personal list.

Frequently Asked Questions 

What Are Some Upcoming Open World Zombie Games to Play?

Some upcoming open world zombie games we recommend you add to your list to play include S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl, Lords Of The Fallen 2, and The Last Of Us Standalone Multiplayer. If you cannot wait to play, here’s an article about the 5 nerve-wracking free horror games you can play while waiting for them.

Are the Games in the Dead Island Series Open World Zombie Games?

Yes, the core of the two Dead Island games are pure open world zombie games. Although the Dead Island series is a bit more segmented than some of its contemporaries, the game still provides players with enough horror, dark humour and over-the-top zombie slaying to last. If you are interested in knowing more about Dead Island, click here.

Why Are Open World Zombie Games So Infectious?

While there are many reasons why open world zombie games are infectious, we narrow it down to one plausible explanation. To put into perspective, we humans love horrors and have a built-in morbid curiosity towards zombies as they may relate to us. Thus, gaming developers utilise that fact and use zombies as an ideal foe to entice us to play their games.