Despite the fact that the film industry seems to have left the zombie genre until better times, video games continue to tell stories about the invasion of the walking dead. By 2019, a huge library of games of various genres has accumulated, where human eaters have become the main antagonists. Today we will talk about the best shooters about zombies on PC, or, as they are also called "popularly", shooters. Each of these games works fine on standard personal computers, but it can also be launched on other platforms, for example, XBox or PlayStation.
It is worth mentioning right away that the list will not include Resident Evil games. Despite the fact that some parts of this franchise perfectly fit the definition of a zombie shooter, we decided to pay attention to other projects that often remain in the shadows.
Left 4 dead
The pearl of cooperative zombie shooters on PC. Games (and there are two of them in the franchise), which have become cult for fans of the genre, as well as for fans of Valve Corporation. The plot is quite simple: the four survivors are trying to get from point A to point B, simultaneously shooting crowds of bloodthirsty zombies and other special infected people. The players are given the choice of a rich arsenal of various firearms (and from the second part also melee), which, in conditions of such an epidemic, is simply vital.
Despite a rather decent period of its existence (the release years are 2008 and 2009, respectively), the Left 4 Dead franchise still has an active online game that is played all over the world.
Dead island
This is exactly the game that gamers remembered before the release of their piercingly sad trailer. Many compare Dead Island to Left 4 Dead. Yes, of course, both games have similar features, for example, four characters that real users can control, a large selection of weapons and zombies, zombies, zombies! However, if you play Dead Island, it becomes clear that this project is unique and beautiful in its own way. The game takes place on the fictional tropical island of Banyu, which was a real paradise before the outbreak of the zombie epidemic. Dead Island is not only an exciting destruction of the living dead, but also interesting quests that help the development of history and characters.
Call of Duty: Zombies
The popular CoD series has about 15 major games and 10 branches. Of course, creating a zombie game within this franchise was only a matter of time. CoD: Zombies is not a fully-fledged game, but rather a mode, which was released first in World at War, and then in several subsequent parts of the series. All according to the standard: players unite in one group and fight against the living dead. Each time, opponents will attack with waves, from which they will have to fight back with the help of various guns.
Wolfenstein: The Old Blood
Another canonical franchise that has been on the market for more than twenty years. The plots of all parts are united by one main theme - the struggle between American rebels and Nazi forces. In The Old Blood, however, you will have to fight not only with the Nazis, but with bloodthirsty zombies. In order not to spoil the impression of the game with spoilers, we will reveal only the fact that the events of The Old Blood occur before the events of The New Order and, in fact, are a prequel.
Dayz
A project from developers from BohemiaInteractive takes the player to the territory of a fictional republic of the USSR, covered by a zombie epidemic. In its genre, DayZ combines several categories at once: here is a standard shooter, and survival with limited resources, and, of course, an open world. It is noteworthy that initially the project existed in the form of a mod for the military simulator ArmA 2, but later it acquired a huge fan base and became a full-fledged game. Despite the zombie epidemic in DayZ, the main opponents here are people who are controlled by real users around the world.
Killing floor
Another popular shooter about zombies on PC, which was originally conceived as a modification for another project. Today, the franchise consists of two parts that tell roughly similar stories. According to the plot, the company for the study of genetic manipulations and cloning suffered a number of serious failures, during which almost all people turned into aggressive monster-like creatures, somewhat reminiscent of zombies (hence the place on our list). The task of the Killing Floor gameplay is to confront these creatures using a huge supply of various weapons. You can shoot zombies both alone and with friends in multiplayer.
7 days to die
A fascinating indie game with elements of horror and a survival simulator, as well as an excellent zombie shooter for weak PCs. Events unfold in an alternate world that has just survived World War II. Due to radiation spreading due to nuclear weapons, most people were affected by the zombie virus. Now small groups of survivors have to fight for their existence in a world teeming with the living dead. In addition to the standard mechanics of any shooter, in 7 Days to Die there is a place and other interesting features, for example, the search for important resources, the organization of asylum, as well as the study of the area.
How to Survive
Unusual isometric shooter with role-playing elements from the developers of EkoStudios. The gameplay is the passage of several locations, on each of which zombies are waiting for the heroes, and a passing collection of resources necessary for survival. After the first game was released, the long-awaited sequel, called How to Survive 2, followed. The mechanics of the second part are not very different from their original, and the plot continues its logical narration. The main difference between the sequel and HtS is the conditions under which you have to play. Now the infection has spread to a critical scale, and it will not be possible to escape. All that remains to be done by survivors in such a situation is to equip a reliable shelter and keep the defense.
Arizona sunshine
What is a game list without a virtual reality project? Arizona Sunshine is an addictive first-person zombie shooter on PC that supports multiple VR headsets. Personal computer users can try this project through HTC Vive or Oculus Rift.
According to the plot of the game, the main character is surrounded by hordes of the living dead who crave only one thing - to taste human flesh. To be saved, the hero must arm himself and kill every zombie he encounters on his way. The game has two modes: story campaign and horde mode. The campaign includes more interactive survival mechanics, such as resource gathering and site exploration. Horde events take place in a remote camp, which is attacked from all sides by the dead, and the player’s only task is to hold out as long as possible. Both modes support single player and multiplayer.
System requirements
All of the aforementioned zombie shooters on PCs play perfectly on weak and medium machines and do not require any additional devices (except Arizona Sunshine). Recommended system requirements may include the following hardware specifications:
- Operating System: Windows 7 / Vista.
- Required memory: 1 GB.
- Video card: memory not less than 128 MB, NVidia 6600 or better.
- DirectX 9.
- Free disk space: at least 20 GB.
- Internet connection for multiplayer.