The Best Zombie Games Set Immediately After The Outbreak

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Summary

  • The outbreak scenarios in zombie games vary, from comedic beginnings in Lollipop Chainsaw to serious survival in Dead Island.
  • Yakuza: Dead Souls offers a wild twist on the zombie genre, with hordes attacking Kamurocho.
  • Resident Evil 3 stands out for showing the end of Raccoon City amid the outbreak, adding depth to the story.

Every compelling zombie narrative, whether it’s on screen or in video games, often features intriguing initial scenarios for the outbreak. It could be a virus leaking into a population, or perhaps a town being infected by some form of demon. No matter the circumstances, the suspense of uncovering the cause can make up a significant part of the enjoyment. In contrast, many contemporary games and films opt to unfold their stories following the onset of the zombie outbreak.

The Last of Us serves as an excellent illustration because it initially portrays a zombie outbreak and then jumps forward through the years. Are there any other games out there that depict a zombie apocalypse from the beginning to the end? Let’s examine some well-known zombie games, evaluate them based on how convincingly they establish the outbreak and overall game quality.

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7. Lollipop Chainsaw

In The Name Of Love

Lollipop Chainsaw revolves around comedy rather than seriousness, using hordes of zombies as a metaphor for humanity’s demise. The story unfolds when Juliet, a cheerleader, and her football boyfriend Nick go on a date, only to be interrupted by an outbreak of zombies in their town. In a desperate attempt to contain the infection, Juliet decapitates Nick, puts his head in a jar, and then embarks on a gruesome yet comical journey, slaughtering hundreds of zombies with her trusty chainsaw.

This game offers a juicy, enjoyable experience, as it features numerous fantastic music tracks from the initial version that seemed slightly muted in the revised edition. Notably, before shaping the DC film series, James Gunn penned this very game, which is evident in its quality.

6. Dead Island

From Paradise To Tragedy

The game titled Dead Island begins at a picturesque resort inhabited by four characters enjoying their time. However, following the festivities of the welcome party, players will find that their chosen character has woken up to discover the resort ablaze and littered with debris and bodies. To make matters worse, hordes of zombies roam the area. The game incorporates a fair amount of B-movie humor, similar to Lollipop Chainsaw, but its gore is significantly more gruesome.

What sets this zombie game apart from others is its distinctive features: a progression system that allows you to level up, and a tool for customizing weapons. The thrill of slaying zombies with an electrified machete, such as the one you mentioned, remains consistently exciting.

5. Yakuza: Dead Souls

The Wildest Spinoff To Date

Some might have found Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, a pirate-themed action RPG featuring Goro Majima, to be quite whimsical. If this is accurate, it suggests they may not be aware that Yakuza: Dead Souls exists.

This game deviates from the traditional Yakuza series and presents an alternate scenario where Kamurocho is overrun by zombies. Players can choose from multiple characters such as Kazuma and Majima, and there’s a greater emphasis on shooting action compared to usual games in the series. Although it lacks a grand narrative and expansive open world, its quirky nature is exactly what Yakuza enthusiasts love about the franchise.

4. Dead Rising

Mall Security

As a gamer, I jump into the boots of photojournalist Frank West, who’s tipped off about a bizarre event unfolding in a quaint Colorado town. Upon arrival, I quickly realize that this seemingly peaceful place has been overrun by the undead. My task? Survive for an intense 72 hours amidst the chaos, with the clock ticking down at an alarmingly fast pace.

One appealing aspect of this video game lies in combining weapons such as knives attached to boxing gloves, which you can then use to destroy hordes of zombies roaming around a deserted shopping mall. Abandoned shopping malls are a popular setting for zombie games, and Dead Rising certainly lived up to expectations. While the original version still has its appeal, the remastered edition, Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster, is more accessible for players today.

3. Telltale’s The Walking Dead: Season One

Oh, Sweet Clementine

In the debut season of Telltale’s The Walking Dead, events kick off much like in the comics and TV series but with a unique ensemble of characters. It commences with Lee Everett, a former convict who breaks free from police custody, accidentally enters a neighborhood swarming with zombies, and ends up saving a young girl named Clementine along the way. As they join forces with other survivors, they must navigate challenges one day at a time, from scavenging for essentials to finding sustenance.

This initial season struck like no other, catapulting Telltale into legendary status as a developer that major IPs such as Game of Thrones and Borderlands eagerly collaborated with afterwards. They significantly advanced the adventure game genre by emphasizing narrative over puzzles. It’s highly recommended for players to experience all seasons of Telltale’s adaptations to fully appreciate how the story unfolds in its entirety.

2. Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare

Outbreak In The Old West

In a different take on the main game, there was an additional content called “Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare.” This creative spin explored a hypothetical situation where the Wild West was overrun by terrifying events such as zombies and undead steeds of doom. The narrative starts with John Marston observing his zombified uncle infecting his wife and son.

John secures them, then ventures outside in search of a remedy, but instead, he’s encircled by grotesque ghouls from all directions. This DLC is still highly regarded as one of the best ever produced, not to mention an exciting Rockstar journey that maintained its open-world style while introducing zombies effectively.

1. Resident Evil 3

Bye Bye Raccoon City

It was found and seemingly controlled that the zombie outbreak originated from Spencer Mansion in the initial Resident Evil game. Yet, it’s plausible that one or even more zombies escaped into the forest, causing Raccoon City to be locked down in Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3. These games take place around the same time, or at most a few days apart, depending on the specific game section.

From the standpoint of an outbreak scenario, “Resident Evil 3” stands out because it offers players a front-row seat to the devastating fall of Raccoon City. The protagonist, Jill Valentine (a carryover from the first game), navigates through the city’s streets, sewers, and ultimately, into a concealed Umbrella laboratory. Despite the city’s collapse, it’s important to note that zombies remain a threat within this universe due to Umbrella’s ongoing experiments.

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2025-07-22 06:05