I’ve been pondering this question: has a truly immersive and realistic zombie game ever been created? I’ve played a ton of popular titles like Dying Light, Left 4 Dead, 7 Days to Die, Project Zomboid, and DayZ. While they each have their merits, none really nail the experience I’m looking for.
Here’s what I think is missing in the ideal zombie game:
– A first-person perspective featuring realistic movement and combat, something akin to the fluidity of the Call of Duty engine.
– A modern, fully explorable city setting with verticality—think rooftops, stairwells, and multi-story buildings.
– A day/night cycle that significantly impacts gameplay: day for exploration and planning, and night for more aggressive, siege-like survival against zombies.
– Purely sandbox survival gameplay without story missions, cutscenes, or extensive narrative.
– A system free of stats, levels, or RPG elements—survival should hinge on decision-making rather than gear upgrades.
– Looting that focuses on practical necessities rather than arbitrary items.
– Optional co-op gameplay for 2-4 players, while making solo play just as engaging.
– A persistent world where you play until you die, without timers or resets.
The vibe I’m imagining is reminiscent of the book ‘I Am Legend’ (not the movie), focusing on realism, tension, and strategy rather than just action. So, I’m curious: why do you think this kind of game hasn’t been made yet?
5 Answers
To be honest, you pretty much just described a less action-packed version of Dying Light. But I get it, you’re looking for something more persistent and realistic—Dying Light’s missions can take you out of the immersion.
For sure! It’s like we want a mix of realism and survival without the hand-holding of missions.
You mentioned being burnt out on survival crafting games, but people clearly still have an interest in zombies. I think the genre needs a fresh spin or a big-name title to revitalize it. Everyone’s hoping for Resident Evil 9 to drop!
Honestly, if I had the choice, I’d want a game influenced by Night of the Living Dead. Spend your days gathering supplies and fortifying a shelter, then defend against the undead at night. It could even work as a real-time strategy game!
Totally agree! That concept of resource management and defense sounds super engaging.
That’s a cool idea! It doesn’t have to be an action game; just managing resources and strategy would be awesome.
So, I’ve gotta say, it’s kinda funny hearing ‘realistic movement and combat’ mixed with Call of Duty! But honestly, I think your vision for a zombie game is really intriguing. Have you given State of Decay 2 a shot? It doesn’t hit all your notes but it’s close in some aspects.
State of Decay does have its problems, like being bogged down with fetch quests. I found it frustrating that once you clear an area, it just refills with zombies. There’s potential but the execution is lacking.
Yeah, but it’s not first-person, which OP really wants! That’s a big miss.
Exactly! A game where it’s all about surviving with consequences sounds way more fun than just grinding for levels.