Zombie games, and especially zombie survival games, have been popular for decades. Most of these games feature a crafting system and some type of base building mechanic, primarily as defense against zombies.

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Some zombie games are single-player only, and have role-playing aspects, while others are squarely aimed at the PvP community, with base building becoming a way to build defenses against player raids. However, one feature they all share is the need for the player to establish a safe space where they can undertake activities without having to defend themselves from zombies.

7 Unturned

Simple Graphics With Fun Gameplay

Not everyone has access to a modern gaming rig. Some gamers are quite happy to play survival and strategy games with simple graphics as long as the gameplay is good. And this is where games like Unturned come in. This is a full zombie survival, PvP-enabled game that can run on any PC.

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Base building is a large part of this game. Initially, a base gives the player a safe respawn point, but it can also offer so much more. Basic structures are constructed from parts, including floors, support pillars, walls, and roofs. All of which require the player to gather appropriate resources before they can be constructed. Unturned takes the bottom place on this list, as its base building mechanics are quite limited.

6 They Are Billions

Base Defenses Are Key

They Are Billions is a zombie survival game with a bit of a twist. The player will need to fight massive invasions of hordes of zombies. And this means setting up base defenses is a massive part of the gameplay. The game is included on this list due to the excellent top-down view that makes designing a base layout simple.

Game maps are generated randomly, and players can identify choke points in the map and set up base defenses to turn these into a kill zone for incoming zombie hordes. Gameplay is in third person, and the entire game plays very much like a real-time strategy game.

5 SCUM

Mastering Puppets

The premise of SCUM is that the player is an inmate of the super-max prison, SCUM island. As an inmate of this island-wide prison, the player is left to fend for themselves, as this is primarily a survival game with a twist. In SCUM, zombies are called puppets, the reanimated corpses of previous inmates.

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Base building and crafting are a huge part of SCUM, and it has some of the best crafting mechanics out there. Whether the player is enjoying a PvE game or deeply involved with an active PvP server, base building is vital to long-term survival in this often brutal game. This game is often overlooked but deserves a place on this list due to the deep base building mechanics.

4 DayZ

Complex Base Building Mechanics

DayZ is an open-world zombie survival game, most notable for its intense PvP action. However, this game isn’t all about combat. Base building is something most players will become involved in at some stage, as defensive bases are a requirement.

The base building in DayZ is quite complex. There are many different building parts available, and each of these has a number of crafting requirements. Additionally, existing base parts can be modified and upgraded. For example, attaching some wire to an existing wooden wall will turn it into an operable door. Players need to learn the upgrades available in order to plan an effective base. No zombie game list would be complete without DayZ being included, as it is considered one of the definitive titles of the genre.

3 State Of Decay

Fixed Base Layouts

State of Decay is an open-world zombie survival game that does base building a little differently. In this game, players can't just build a base anywhere. Instead, the player can choose to turn an existing building or area into a base. An older game, but a good one, well worth a place on this list.

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When a base location has been chosen, it will have a number of pre-defined base structure slots. The player is then free to decide which base facilities they want to build in each of these slots. For example, if the player chooses the Trucking Warehouse for their base, they are limited to 12 build slots and 8 outposts for the entire base.

2 Project Zomboid

Top Down Base Building

Since its release in 2013, Project Zomboid has become something of a cult classic, which has earned its place on this list. With its simple retro look, it has surprisingly deep gameplay. It can be played in solo mode or on a fully PvP-enabled server. Base building in Project Zomboid is a requirement rather than an optional activity, as it is needed for defense against zombie hordes or other players.

The base building mechanics are very complex in the fact the player needs to first locate the correct tools for constructing different types of base structures. They will then need to harvest all of the required resources, all the while fighting off any attacking zombies.

1 7 Days To Die

Tower Defense Mechanics

7 Days To Die is part zombie survival game, part tower defense game. Every 7 days, a blood moon takes place. During this event, several waves of zombies will spawn and try to reach and attack the player. This continues until either the player or all of the zombies are dead. Therefore, having good base defenses is absolutely vital.

Base building in 7 Days To Die is done by constructing blocks. These blocks can be made from various materials and shaped to form complex structures. Furthermore, a good 7 Days To Die base will equip the player with plenty of crafting notations and lots of storage to store loot and materials. It earns to place on this list due to the fact that base design takes on a whole new level of importance on Blood Moon night.

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