Naughty Dog’s highly anticipated sequel to 2013’sThe Last of Uslooks set to drop on June 07, 2025. All things considered, the game’s release date is not that far away; however, time tends to slow to a crawl whenever the future holds anything worth getting excited over.The Last of Us Part IIdefinitely fits the bill.
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As a way to pass the time until the PlayStation 4 welcomes its newest addition to the survival horror genre, let’s take a look at ten zombie-themed titles that might feel the void untilThe Last of Us Part IIhits store shelves. Please note, these games are not necessarily all that similar to Naughty Dog’s action-adventure series, but they should scratch that post-apocalyptic itch.
10Telltale Games' The Walking Dead
Starting with a franchise that is simultaneously extremely similar and completely removed fromThe Last of Us,Telltale Games' The Walking Deadhelped reinvigorate episodic adventure games in modern gaming.
While the quality can be rather inconsistent in subsequent entries, 2012’s first season tells a gripping tale filled with endearing characters and difficult choices. Lee Everett and Clementine’s relationship is reminiscent of Joel and Ellie’s in Naughty Dog’s masterpiece, while the minimalistic gameplay serves as a welcome change of pace from the other more action-heavy entries featured on this article.
9Dying Light: The Following - Enhanced Edition
From the studio responsible forDead Island,Dying Lightimproves in nearly every way on Techland’s other famous zombie license. The original release was adequate, butDying Light: The Following - Enhanced Editionrendered that version obsolete.
Including the base game andThe Followingexpansion pack, this edition ofDying Lightoffers a huge map to explore, enhanced gameplay that highlights the license’s incredible parkour system, and a new bounty mode to add even more content.
8Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse
Now for something slightly different,Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulseflips things around by placing players in the shoes of an undead protagonist. Somewhat comedic in nature,Stubbsfollows the titular character as he explores a 1950s inspired city while searching for a former lover and digesting the occasional brain.
Released in 2005,Stubbshas understandably aged over the last decade, but the setting and soundtrack are still top-notch. The premise is executed relatively well and remains as unique as it was the dayStubbshit the market.
7State Of Decay 2
State of Decay 2earned a mixed reception due to launching with an array of bugs and looking barely any better than its predecessor. That said, 2018’s open-world survival game fine-tunesState of Decay’s already satisfying combat and delivers more of the cooperative gameplay loop that made the original title a cult hit.
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WhileThe Last of Usis far more cinematic in nature, Naughty Dog’s Joel feels like an ordinary person forced into situations better suited to action heroes.State of Decay 2offers a similar perspective, as this is a game about average people struggling to survive a zombie infestation.
6They Are Billions
Moving away from third-person action,They Are Billionsis a real-time strategy game set in a steampunk post-apocalyptic landscape overrun with giant hordes of zombies. Focusing on base building and resource management,They Are Billionsshould feel rather familiar to anyone intimate with the RTS genre.
Numantian Games execute the genre’s conventional elements effectively and in a setting quite different from most other RTS titles. As the campaign progresses, the zombie hordes grow exponentially larger, until they truly seem to number in the billions.
Valve’s cooperative zombie shooter needs no introduction, as most people who have owned a PC over the last decade have presumably sampledLeft 4 Deadat one point or another. AsThe Last of Us Part XVwill likely come out beforeLeft 4 Dead 3, 2009’s sequel will have to do for now.
Left 4 Dead 2is designed to be played with friends, as four Survivors try to make their way through five campaigns packed with the walking dead. The kinetic gunplay is inherently entertaining and the levels last just long enough to feel comprehensive without overstaying their welcome.
4Project Zomboid
Project Zomboidis a special case as the game has yet to be released in any stage beyond alpha, although it has been part of Steam’s Early Access since 2013. One of the better examples of that service’s potential,Project Zomboiddelivers a satisfying survival horror experience that is in a constant state of development.
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Along with a traditional survival mode that tasks players with persevering in Knox County for as long as possible while managing a collection of resources,Project Zomboidalso has an alternative sandbox mode that provides more freedom in the way the user interacts with the world.
Serving as a prime example of how to craft a proper expansion,Undead Nightmaresucceeds in presenting an adventure that is quintessentialRed Dead Redemptionwhile also being completely unlike the base game.
Taking place in an alternate reality to the main story, John Marston finds that a plague is injecting something akin to life into the dead, prompting the former gang member to investigate this occurrence while trying to protect hisfamily. Fusing Gothic imagery with the original’s western aesthetic,Undead Nightmareis a delightful side-story that rivalsRed Dead Redemptionin many ways.
Capcom’sDead Risinghas very little overlap withThe Last of Us, however, they share one thing in common: They are both great games featuring zombies. Capcom’s franchise drops players into open-world environments - be it malls or towns - and asks them to use all sorts of everyday items to fend off the undead hordes.
WhileThe Last of Usoffers a mix of gameplay and story,Dead Risingprimarily focuses on the former. A beat ‘em up with the occasional escort mission thrown in, the originalDead Risingis arguably the most frustrating entry in the franchise, but it also has the most unique voice.
1Resident Evil 2 (2019)
Capcom essentially popularized the survival horror genre in gaming, especially ones with a zombie spin. Any of the earlyResident Evilentries are must-play games for anyone remotely interest in the medium, but 2019’sResident Evil 2remake is the perfect title to fill in the void untilThe Last of Us Part IIdrops in May.
Resident Evil 2not only does a fantastic job of updating the original for a modern audience but it also set a new standard for third-person action-horror games. Like Naughty Dog’s license,Resident Evil 2expertly balances cinematic grandeur with tight gameplay that makes every encounter feel potentially fatal.
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