Best Underrated Zombie Games On Steam

Zombie games are a dime-a-dozen these days, and some of the best ones such as Dying Light 2 or even the upcoming, belated Dead Island 2 are proof that the undead are not dying as a genre. Far from it, actually. But that doesn't automatically mean all zombie games are bound to be as popular or as successful as the biggest ones. Some didn't have the marketing budget or advertising they deserved.

Still, that doesn't mean some of these underrated zombie games are not as good as the more mainstream ones. If players give them a chance, then they might just prove themselves to be worthy of more praise at the very least. So for those who just can't get enough of zombies, these titles might just reignite that newfound love for the living dead.

7 They Are Billions

Release Year: 2017
Other Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One
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The beauty of zombie games is that they always allow for multiple other genres or formats of gameplay. They Are Billions is a good example of this, as it's a tower-defense and strategy game that lets players focus on shoring up their walls to withstand a notoriously generous serving of a zombie army.

That's where the name came from. The other thing that makes They Are Billions unique is that it's set in a steampunk world whereas most zombie games are set in contemporary or futuristic eras. They Are Billions remains one of the highest-rated zombie games on Steam.

6 Zombie Night Terror

Release Year: 2016
Other Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Android, iOS, Linux
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It's another side-scrolling zombie game, except the difference with Zombie Night Terror, is that the players are the zombies. That makes for a refreshing change of scenery; it does get tiring playing the victim in a zombie game over and over again. Hence, this big change.

In Zombie Night Terror, players will control their zombie horde and try to budget them while siccing them on hapless and somewhat dangerous humans. These humans will, of course, fight back and run away. Other obstacles include fancy human architecture, though that really won't help their cause too much.

5 Stubbs The Zombie In Rebel Without A Pulse

Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse gameplay

Release Year: 2005
Other Platforms: Xbox, Mac OS X, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
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Stubbs the Zombie has always been one of the most peculiar series of games where players get to play as the zombie as well. The primary goal here is pretty self-explanatory. The challenge is trying to convert these humans into zombies in the most creative or wackiest ways possible using Stubbs, a zombie who looked like he missed a couple of caffeine shots in an 80-hour work week.

And despite being a zombie, Stubbs can drive around the city with a zombie squad in tow. Do note that this is an old game so the visuals are naturally outdated. But Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse is a solid recommendation as it's the highest-rated entry in the series on Steam.

4 Zombies Ate My Neighbors

Release Year: 1993
Other Platforms: Super NES, Sega Genesis, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
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Going back even further – back in the previous millennium, to be exact, we have Zombies Ate My Neighbors. It was released back in 1993, a time when dinosaurs still existed. This game plays out like an old 1980s B-movie about zombies. A mad scientist created a wide variety of monsters – zombies included – and unleashed them on a suburban neighborhood.

Since one can never trust their government or the military in zombie settings, it's up to two teenage friends to save the day. The graphics are even more outdated, but it's a nostalgic trip down memory lane that also offers couch co-op, which is somewhat rare these days for a zombie game.

3 State Of Decay 2

Release Year: 2018
Other Platforms: Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Series S
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State of Decay 2 is quite possibly the most complete zombie game out there. It has base building, survival mechanics, zombie action combat, simulation management, and even an open-world setting. So it can be puzzling as to why it didn't quite reach the mainstream heights of other titles despite having Xbox Game Studios as its publisher.

Regardless, State of Decay 2 is an impressive game like its predecessor. It's set in a fictional modern world fresh from a zombie outbreak, meaning civilization isn't quite ravaged and ruined yet. It's up to the players to gather survivors and keep them alive while also navigating their dangerous, new but old world.

2 SurrounDead

Release Year: 2022 (early access)
Other Platforms: N/A
Download link

Think of it as Valheim but with zombies instead of Vikings. SurrounDead is gradually generating the buzz it deserves though it remains quite underrated to this day as it's an early access title. Despite the development status, it's worth trying out the game for fans of both zombie and survival genres.

Its premise is rather simple. There are zombies out in the wild and in urban areas, and it's best not to get eaten by them. That's on top of managing other aspects of survival present in other survival games. The visuals are simple and blocky though they also lend the game its signature and unique atmosphere.

1 Project Zomboid

I wounded survivor defending themselves against zombies in Project Zomboid

Release Year: 2013
Other Platforms: Linux, Macintosh operating systems
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Speaking of zombie survival games, Project Zomboid is also another awesome game that usually goes undetected on people's radars. It had a 2013 release date but that doesn't mean it's outdated right now. In fact, one doesn't see many zombie games in this format too often.

Project Zomboid offers a top-down, isometric view of the carnage and terror down below as players scramble to collect resources and deal with the zombie hordes. This game is a sandbox, by the way, so the goal is mostly up to the player's imagination. But it does help to play it with friends as it has good multiplayer.

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