Just like the creatures that it features, the zombie genre just won’t die. Although there are select zombie video games that have garnered a lot of praises, the market these days has become saturated with so many subpar zombie titles. For reference, see our review of Arizona Sunshine for PSVR, a disappointingly half-baked zombie VR game.
Hopefully, 2018 will see the zombie genre bounce back. Considering many zombie games are coming out this year, let’s take a look at the most promising titles:
Days Gone
Days Gone follows the story of motorcycle club officer Deacon St. John as he battles to survive hordes of “Freakers” in a post-apocalyptic world. It plays like a true open-world game where you can ride motorbikes and are free to progress at your own pace. Judging by the gameplay trailer, Days Gone seems to be more action-oriented, but there is also the option of approaching enemies with stealth.
No exact release date has been announced yet, but the developers of Days Gone stated that it will be available sometime within the first half of 2018. The game will be exclusive for PlayStation 4.
State of Decay 2
The first State of Decay was a sleeper hit, because despite many glitches, a lot of players were impressed by its unique approach to open-world zombie apocalypse games. The upcoming sequel seems to have addressed all the problems the first game had. PC PowerPlay’s Nathan Lawrence voiced wrote an article on the game, stating that it exceeds the promise of the original. Additionally, State of Decay 2 allows co-op gameplay, a feature that the first game lacked.
State of Decay 2 will launch in Spring 2018 for Xbox One and Windows PC.
Overkill’s The Walking Dead
The developers behind the Payday franchise are taking a crack at the zombie genre with their own version of The Walking Dead. Polygon shared details on its gameplay, stating that it is a 4-player co-op shooter set during a zombie outbreak. Players can go on missions and raids to secure supplies and strengthen their defenses against both zombies and hostile humans.
It was recently announced that Overkill’s The Walking Dead will come be released in late 2018 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Windows PC.
Daymare: 1998
Fans of the Resident Evil games can look forward to the launch of Daymare: 1998, especially since some developers of the former have signed on for this project. Invader Studios noted that the title will have “many connections with beloved old school survival horror games and ’90s landmark brands.” The trailers alone provide gamers an idea of how nostalgic the game feels.
There is no official release date for Daymare: 1998, but the developers are targeting a launch this year.
Telltale’s The Walking Dead Final Season
Fans who stuck with Clementine through her heartbreaking journey will finally see the end of her story. Telltale Games, the studio known for its gripping video game narratives, shared that they felt it was the right time to put a cap on the series, or else they feared it would be run into the ground. Clementine’s story began in 2012 as an innocent girl, who has since matured after bearing witness to the deaths of those she loved. Will Clementine die at the end? Only time will tell.
The final act for Telltale’s The Walking Dead will make its debut sometime this year.
A fascination for the undead
Digital Spy suggests that the zombie genre’s popularity is rooted in social commentary, indicating that it reflects issues on racism, consumerism, and conformity. Most of these dilemmas were first shared on the silver screen, and before long, its impact spread to the world of video games.
Aside from the big budget zombie games mentioned above, there are also plenty of zombie mobile and browser games on the market. Case in point: Dead Trigger, Zombie Tsunami, and of course, Plants Vs. Zombies. Additionally, gaming portal Slingo has also developed its own zombie game called Lost Vegas, which features zombie and survivor modes. Though the mechanics are simpler than the titles mentioned above, it still stays true to the zombie genre that people can’t seem to get enough of, and keeps the flesh eating monsters relevant in pop culture.
One thing that is sure, is the zombie phenomenon isn’t going to die out anytime soon, and for that reason, expect more entertaining zombie titles to come in 2018 and beyond.
