The zombie genre has been around for quite some time in all forms of the medium. Whether through the famous show The Walking Dead or the movie Day of the Dead back in 1985, the public is no stranger to Zombies. Even in video games, it has been well known, and sometimes it can feel overused, but there is a list of games that stand out and make the genre feel different and unique. This article will go over the ten best zombie games that have come out for the newest PlayStation—PlayStation 5 and briefly explain why they are considered top dogs.
10 of the Best Zombie Games on the PlayStation 5
Let’s take a look at the ten best zombie games currently on the PlayStation 5. These are in no particular order as they are all fantastic in their own way.
The Last of Us Part 1
Now some can argue that The Last of Us Part 1 doesn’t deserve to be on the list because they don’t believe this is a true remake of the 2013 masterclass hit. Yet, even if you don’t think it is an actual remake and more of a remaster, you can’t argue that they took one of the best PlayStation 3 games ever created and made it ten times better.
The core game is the same, but the details that Naughty Dog added make a lot of difference. The facial expressions, the enhanced sound effects, and the prettier graphics made it feel like a new game and felt right at home for the PlayStation 5. I want to touch on the facial expressions again and how important that is for a game filled with so much emotion—it makes all the dramatic moments hit a whole lot harder.
Resident Evil 4 Remake
It would only be a proper list by including the Resident Evil 4 Remake. After the somewhat disappointing Resident Evil 3 Remake—which is still a good game—fans were worried that Capcom wasn’t going to deliver to create the same experience that the original RE4 created. Everyone is more than pleased that their worries didn’t come to fruition, and the Remake is better than the original version in every way.
Leon is more badass in the remake version while using his corny one-liners that were in the original in 2005. It is the best of both worlds, and it makes it even better that Capcom made Ashley brighter in the Remake, making the scenarios with her much more pleasurable and less frustrating. It is an excellent remake on paper, one of the best PlayStation 5 games we have received so far, and easily a GOTY contender for 2023.
Back 4 Blood
Back 4 Blood is an excellent game if you are looking for one to play with your friends in cooperative play. The sequel to Left 4 Dead and Left 4 Dead 2 brought over the same charm and fast-paced action that fans grew to love from those entries. While not the scariest Zombie game on this list, moments of intensity will more than likely get your heart pumping as you scramble to find another bullet or gun.
Take on waves and waves of zombie enemies of different types and forms, all while communicating with other players to devise a plan. Going to this game alone isn’t wise as it focuses on teamwork and cooperation. Otherwise, the zombies are going to take you over quickly and easily.
Dying Light 2: Stay Human
Dying Light 2: Stay Human is the sequel to the cult classic Dying Light. While it keeps the basic formula of the original, it enhances it in every way by making it more intense through more parkour actions and cooler weaponry. A system that focuses on night and day cycles, where you need to plan your survival by figuring out the best travel time, it feels like a survival game at heart—while mixing some of the most fun gameplay in any zombie game.
What makes this game even better is that you can join or bring a friend into your game to help with your current survival mission. Together, you can devise a plan to deal with a horde of zombies while using crazy parkour moves and insane melee attacks to bash in the enemy’s skulls and limbs. It is a blast.
Related: 10 Best Single-Player PC Games.
Resident Evil: Village
Resident Evil: Village is the second addition to the Ethan Winters story of the Resident Evil series, and it takes a lot of notes from previous entries. Some can argue that Village is a spiritual successor to Resident Evil 4 and even follows the same formula as that game. You start in a village, go to a castle, and even end up on a factory-type island—just like what you see in RE4. While it can seem like a copycat in that regard, it is its own thing by bringing fresh ideas to the table.
The mix of horror and action is perfect here, as two sections of the game focus on the latter while two focus on the former. It was a great way to please fans who wanted one or the other, and mixing them made it into one of the highest-rated games on Steam to date.
Dead Space Remake
If you are looking for a zombie game that takes you on a ship in space while making you feel claustrophobic and scared to your wits throughout the whole gameplay—Dead Space Remake is for you. One of the best horror games when it was first released in 2008, it was such a hit that it then created two sequels that were regarded as excellent considering the story was so great—something hard to find in horror-action games.
The Remake on the new-gen consoles took what made the original so great and improved on it in almost every way possible. The graphics are gorgeous, the creepy sound effects are a constant, and the action gameplay is perfected to make it one of the best experiences on the PlayStation 5. The developers at Motive Studio went so far with this game that they even added a mechanic called the “Intensity Director,” which makes each playthrough feel a bit different, adding some longevity to the title.
The Callisto Protocol
Some people will disagree with this statement, but this is one of the best zombie games currently on the PlayStation 5. It deserves a spot on this list because it is so unique and different than what you typically get in a zombie game. While people will compare the game to Dead Space, the combat feels utterly seperate from that game, and for the most part, it is executed well.
The Callisto Protocol has the intensity of a zombie game in space but elevates it by making melee a focus instead of gun-ho shooting. This melee comes with a dodging mechanic that has you holding down the analog stick to dodge while finding the right time to strike your opponent back, and if you make a mistake, you will likely die. The difficulty is serious, but once you master what the game wants you to do—it becomes so much fun.
The Persistence
The Persistence is another game that takes place on a ship but feels different due to its roguelike qualities. Your goal is to fix the ship while trying to fight off the mutant-like zombies that come your way, and if you don’t, you will have to start from the beginning of your run—kind of like Returnal, for example.
The game offers players tons of weapons in ranged and melee, adding some customization to the gameplay. While this is true, The Persistence takes time and patience to master as the enemies get progressively more demanding, but this is all part of the addicting nature that the game intends to create, and it does it so well.
World War Z: Aftermath
Another horde-focused zombie game, World War Z: Aftermath, takes things to another level due to the many zombies the game throws at you. It isn’t overwhelming, though, as the game will provide players with the necessary tools and weapons to take them down in a bloodshedding manner that creates an addicting loop.
Based on the movie with the same name, World War Z, the Aftermath addition brings full crossplay so friends can play on different consoles and include new maps such as Rome and Vatican City. Each map included is unique and gives players the choice of how they would like to play this game. Nothing is better than taking down literally hundreds of zombies with your buddy.
Resident Evil 2 Remake
While Resident Evil 2 Remake initially came out for the PlayStation 4, Capcom did one for the fans and upgraded the game for the newest console. This update added quicker load times, better graphics, and smoother gameplay making a great game even better.
The Resident Evil 2 Remake had a lot going for it, having to take one of the best entries in the series and adapt it to the new generation while keeping the core of what made the original great. Capcom exceeded in every way, making the Remake arguably much better than the original and creating one of the scariest games known to date. Mr. X is terrifying here and creates tense moments from start to finish, always keeping us on the edge of our seats.
