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The open-world genre has lent itself incredibly well to various genres— from action RPGs like The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt to renowned FPS games like Crysis. The free-form nature of the genre has allowed developers to expand the scope and scale of these games' fundamentals to new heights. One specific genre that is pretty much synonymous with the open-world name is the zombie genre. There have been numerous efforts, especially in the indie and double-A space, to innovate this specific combination.
While some have been successful, others have missed the mark. With so many options available for players, which ones stand out above the rest?
Note: This article is subjective and only reflects the writer's opinions.
Sunset Overdrive and 4 other best open-world zombie games of all time
5) Dead Rising 2: Off the Record
Capcom's whacky zombie series has always lived under the shadow of the Japanese publisher's more prominent names, like Resident Evil. Yet it has carved out its niche, which has been successful enough for the publisher to invest in half a dozen installments. However, the 2011 reimagining of the second entry. It is considered one of the best in the series. Instead of Chuck Greene, the first game's protagonist, Frank West, returns to face the undead terror.
With his goal of revitalizing his photojournalism career, Frank steps into the infested Fortune City to prove his worth. Gameplay is the same as Dead Rising 2 with some quality-of-life improvements. Players must still scour the open-world locales for Zombrex to prevent Frank's zombie infection from progressing. The key highlight is the gameplay, where players can pick up most objects in the environment and even fuse them to create crazy weapon combos to deal with zombie hordes.
Dead Rising 2: Off the Record is available on PS3, Xbox 360, and PC,
4) The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners
The Walking Dead franchise is one of the most famous zombie media franchises. While popularized into mainstream status by Telltale's cinematic adventure titles, other studios have made varied efforts too. Perhaps the best one thus far is The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners. Developed by Skydance Interactive, it is based on the comics and is a first-person VR-exclusive open-world survival game.
As a custom avatar, players must survive while finding a way to escape the impending doom. Players will meet different characters and make tough choices, but the gameplay is the highlight here. Players explore sandbox urban environments for resources to craft gear and manage a limited inventory. Thanks to the immersion of VR, there are unique ways of executing the "walkers," including grabbing their skulls for a melee bash or accurately flailing around a sword.
It is available on PC, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5 via PSVR and PSVR2, respectively.
3) Project Zomboid
Not many will have heard of this entry, as this PC-only survival game has been in the works for over a decade. Project Zomboid development studio The Indie Stone has been working hard to implement new features and improve the game's core systems over the years. This is key because it is the most complex and deep zombie survival game on the market. Despite its simplistic isometric visuals, Project Zomboid is a brutal game.
Players control a custom protagonist in rural Kentucky, fighting the waves of undead. There is immense detail in every facet of gameplay, from selecting backgrounds and following skills to navigating the open world. Players must manage a dozen factors, from fatigue to boredom and even a line-of-sight system, which further increases the tension. As usual, players must scavenge for resources while building a safehouse to increase their chances of survival. But the odds are against the players at every turn, as even the simplest mistake can result in death.
2) Sunset Overdrive
Developer Insomniac Games turned heads with the announcement of Sunset Overdrive back in 2014. An original IP from the Ratchet & Clank studio, it remains one of the decade's most fun open-world parkour experiences. After the rushed fizzy drink from the soda company FizzCo turns the populace of Sunset Cty into terrifying mutants, the Player must swoop in to save the day. The city's vibrant open world awaits exploration via rail-grinding, wall-running, and bouncing.
The waves of OD have overrun the city to wreak havoc, so their numbers must be quelled with bizarre weaponry. From a teddy-bear grenade launcher to a garden-gnome acid sprinkler, all of these fit the comic-esque visuals of the game. Paired with the frantic pace of cathartic gameplay, it's hard not to dive into a zen-like state. There is nothing else like it out there.
Sunset Overdrive is available on PC and Xbox One.
1) Dying Light: Enhanced Edition
After a series of misfires with the Dead Island games, Techland struck gold with 2015's Dying Light. It is a first-person survival horror open-world title set in a fictional Turkish city, Harran. As undercover agent Kyle Crane, players explore a quarantined town while hunting for an individual named Rais, who could possess clues to cure the virus. With most citizens turned undead, Kyle must brave the open-world streets by day and rooftops by night.
The first-person parkour gameplay is the show's star as players scale across the city using grappling hooks and paragliders. Melee combat is also a highlight, with players engaging in brutal close-quarters combat. Stakes peak during nighttime as deadly predator mutants called Volatiles to emerge to hunt prey. Co-op for up to 4 players also further enriches the experience.
Dying Light: Enhanced Edition is available on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch.
