Zombie games have been a staple of the gaming industry for decades, offering a unique blend of horror, suspense, and action. In this article, we delve into the realm of offline, single-player zombie shooting games that have captured the hearts of PC gamers worldwide.
A Brief History of Zombie Games
Zombies, the undead creatures, have a certain chilling allure that has fascinated gamers for years. This fascination has given rise to a whole sub-genre of games, aptly named ‘Zombie Games’. These games often pit the player against hordes of the undead in various settings, ranging from post-apocalyptic cityscapes to isolated rural areas.
The rise of zombie games can be traced back to the 1980s and 90s, with games like ‘Zombie Zombie’ and ‘Resident Evil’ gaining popularity. The success of these games paved the way for a new wave of zombie games, which incorporated elements of survival horror and first-person shooting. Some of these games, like ‘Left 4 Dead’ and ‘Dead Island’, have achieved cult status among gamers.
Characteristics of Single-Player Zombie Shooting Games
In single-player zombie shooting games, the player typically assumes the role of a lone survivor in a world overrun by zombies. The primary objective is to stay alive while battling the undead.
- Realistic Survival Elements: Single-player zombie shooting games often incorporate realistic survival elements. For example, players may need to keep track of their health, hunger, and fatigue levels. They may also need to scavenge for supplies and craft weapons.
- Immersive Storylines: These games often feature immersive storylines that draw the player into the game world. The narrative can range from a simple survival story to a complex plot involving multiple characters and locations.
- Varied Combat Mechanics: Single-player zombie shooting games often feature a wide range of combat mechanics. Players may have to use different types of weapons, from handguns to shotguns, and employ various tactics to defeat the undead.
Best Offline Zombie Shotting Games for PC
Dying Light 1 & 2
A first-person zombie adventure game set in a post-apocalyptic open world overrun by zombies. The game is incredibly story-driven and focuses on parkour and fluid combat. You can also play the sequel, Dying Light 2: Stay Human, which has a different main story but similar gameplay elements.
Resident Evil Franchise
Resident Evil is a series of survival horror games that started in 1996 and has become one of the most popular and influential franchises in the video game industry. The games follow various characters and stories in a world plagued by a viral outbreak that turns people and animals into zombies and mutants. The games are known for their tense atmosphere, challenging gameplay, and memorable characters and enemies.
Some of the main features and differences of the Resident Evil games on Steam are:
- Resident Evil: The first game in the series, remastered in HD with improved graphics and sound. You play as either Chris Redfield or Jill Valentine, members of a special forces team who are trapped in a mansion filled with zombies and puzzles. You have to manage your limited inventory, ammo, and health, as well as avoid deadly traps and enemies.
- Resident Evil 0: A prequel to the first game, also remastered in HD. You play as Rebecca Chambers, a rookie medic, and Billy Coen, a former soldier, who team up to survive a train infested with zombies and a secret facility. You can switch between the two characters and use their unique abilities and items.
- Resident Evil 2: A remake of the second game, with modern graphics and gameplay. You play as either Leon Kennedy, a rookie cop, or Claire Redfield, a college student, who are caught in a zombie outbreak in Raccoon City. You have to explore the city, solve puzzles, and fight against various enemies, including the relentless Tyrant.
- Resident Evil 3: A remake of the third game, with similar graphics and gameplay as the second game. You play as Jill Valentine, who is trying to escape from Raccoon City while being hunted by Nemesis, a powerful bio-weapon. You can also play as Carlos Oliveira, a mercenary, in some sections of the game. The game has more action and less puzzles than the previous games, and also features a multiplayer mode called Resident Evil Resistance.
- Resident Evil 4: A game that revolutionized the series with a new perspective, gameplay, and setting. You play as Leon Kennedy, who is sent to a rural village in Spain to rescue the president’s daughter from a cult. You have to fight against hordes of infected villagers, cultists, and monsters, using various weapons and items. The game has a dynamic camera, quick-time events, and an upgrade system.
- Resident Evil 5: A game that follows the events of the fourth game, with more emphasis on co-op and action. You play as Chris Redfield, who is partnered with Sheva Alomar, a local agent, in Africa. You have to stop a terrorist group from unleashing a new virus that turns people into aggressive mutants. You can play solo or with another player, and use various weapons and items.
- Resident Evil 6: A game that features four interlocking campaigns, each with different characters, gameplay, and tone. You can play as Leon Kennedy, who is involved in a zombie outbreak in a city; Chris Redfield, who is fighting against a bio-terrorist organization; Jake Muller, who is the son of a notorious villain; and Ada Wong, who is a mysterious spy. You can play solo or with another player, and use various weapons and skills.
- Resident Evil 7: A game that returns to the roots of the series, with a first-person perspective, a creepy atmosphere, and a focus on survival. You play as Ethan Winters, who is looking for his missing wife in a dilapidated plantation in Louisiana. You have to face the Baker family, a group of twisted and infected people, as well as other horrors. The game also supports VR mode.
- Resident Evil Village: The latest game in the series, and a direct sequel to the seventh game. You play as Ethan Winters, who is taken to a mysterious village in Europe, where he encounters new enemies, such as werewolves, vampires, and witches. You have to survive and uncover the secrets of the village, using various weapons and items. The game also has a multiplayer mode called Resident Evil Re:Verse.
Borderlands 2
A loot-driven zombie shooter that mixes humor and action. The game has a colorful and vibrant open world, filled with quirky characters, quests, and secrets. The game also has a DLC called Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep, which adds a fantasy-themed zombie mode.
Left 4 Dead 2
A cooperative zombie shooter that can also be played solo with AI teammates. The game features four survivors who must fight their way through hordes of zombies and special infected. The game has a dynamic AI director that changes the gameplay based on your performance and actions.
Back 4 Blood
A spiritual successor to Left 4 Dead 2, this game is a cooperative zombie shooter that can also be played solo with AI teammates. The game has a card system that adds variety and replayability to each run, as well as different types of zombies and bosses to challenge you.
Killing Floor 2
A fast-paced zombie shooter that pits you against waves of mutated creatures called Zeds. The game has a variety of weapons, perks, and classes to choose from, as well as different game modes and maps. The game also has a gore system that allows you to dismember and decapitate the enemies.
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
A first-person shooter that features a zombie mode where you can fight against waves of undead enemies in various maps and scenarios. The game has a rich story and lore, as well as different weapons, perks, and upgrades to customize your gameplay.
The Walking Dead Franchise
The Walking Dead is a series of episodic adventure games based on the popular comic and TV show of the same name. The games follow different characters and stories in a zombie-infested world, where your choices and actions have consequences and affect the outcome of the game.
- The Walking Dead: The first game in the series, released in 2012. You play as Lee Everett, a convicted criminal, who has been given a second chance at life in a world devastated by the undead. With corpses returning to life and survivors stopping at nothing to maintain their own safety, protecting an orphaned girl named Clementine may offer him redemption in a world gone to hell. The game has five episodes, plus a bonus episode called 400 Days.
- The Walking Dead: Season Two: The second game in the series, released in 2013. You play as Clementine, who is now a young teenager, and must survive in a harsh and unforgiving world. You will meet new survivors, explore new locations, and face new threats, while dealing with the emotional and physical scars of your past. The game has five episodes.
- The Walking Dead: A New Frontier: The third game in the series, released in 2016. You play as Javier, a man who has lost his family, and Clementine, who is now a young adult. You will join forces to find the ones you love and fight for your family. You will encounter the New Frontier, a ruthless group of survivors who have their own rules and agenda. The game has five episodes.
- The Walking Dead: Michonne: A spin-off game in the series, released in 2016. You play as Michonne, a fan-favorite character from the comic and TV show, who is haunted by her past and coping with unimaginable loss and regret. You will experience her untold journey during the time between issues #126 and #139 of the comic. The game has three episodes.
- The Walking Dead: The Final Season: The fourth and final game in the series, released in 2018. You play as Clementine, who is now a fierce and capable leader, and AJ, an orphaned boy and the closest thing to family she has left. You will test your morals and shape your future as you protect the ones you love in a world that is about to change forever. The game has four episodes.
- The Walking Dead: The Telltale Definitive Series: A collection of all the games in the series, released in 2019. You can play all 23 episodes across four seasons, plus 400 Days and Michonne. You can also enjoy graphical enhancements, behind the scenes bonus features, and faithful recreations of classic menus and UI.
- The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners: A VR game in the series, released in 2020. You play as a survivor in the flooded ruins of New Orleans, where you will face gut-wrenching choices, and find out who you are in the face of the horrors and humanity of the zombie apocalypse. You can also play the Chapter 2: Retribution DLC, which adds new missions, weapons, and enemies.
- The Walking Dead Onslaught: Another VR game in the series, released in 2020. You play as one of the iconic characters from the TV show, such as Rick, Daryl, Michonne, or Carol, and fight your way through the walker-infested streets of Alexandria. You can also scavenge for supplies, upgrade your weapons, and rebuild your community.
Dead Island Franchise
Dead Island is a series of action RPG games that take place in a tropical island overrun by zombies. The games have a focus on melee combat and crafting, as well as a dynamic day and night cycle that affects the behavior of the zombies.
Some of the main features and differences of the Dead Island games on Steam are:
- Dead Island: The first game in the series, released in 2011. You play as one of four survivors who have a natural immunity to the zombie infection. You have to explore the island, scavenge for weapons and items, and complete quests for other survivors. The game also has a co-op mode for up to four players.
- Dead Island: Riptide: The sequel to the first game, released in 2013. You play as one of the four survivors from the first game, plus a new character, who are stranded on another island after escaping from the first one. The game has similar gameplay and features as the first game, but with some improvements and additions, such as new enemies, weapons, and vehicles.
- Dead Island: Retro Revenge: A spin-off game in the series, released in 2016. You play as Max, a man who is looking for his kidnapped cat in a zombie-infested California. The game is a 16-bit side-scrolling beat ’em up, with retro graphics and music. The game has three episodes, each with 12 levels.
- Dead Island: Definitive Edition: A remastered version of the first game, released in 2016. The game has improved graphics, sound, and performance, as well as all the previously released DLCs. The game also includes Dead Island: Retro Revenge as a bonus.
- Dead Island: Riptide Definitive Edition: A remastered version of the second game, released in 2016. The game has the same improvements and features as the Definitive Edition of the first game, as well as all the previously released DLCs.
- Escape Dead Island: A spin-off game in the series, released in 2014. You play as Cliff Calo, a journalist who is investigating the origins of the zombie outbreak on the island of Narapela. The game is a third-person stealth action game, with a comic book style and a psychological twist. The game has a single-player campaign, as well as a free DLC called Underwater Labs.
World War Z
A third-person shooter that is inspired by the movie and book of the same name. The game features massive swarms of zombies that can climb and overwhelm you, as well as different classes, weapons, and skills to choose from.
The Last of Us
A first-person zombie adventure game that features a rich story and unforgettable characters. You play as Joel, a smuggler who must escort a teenage girl named Ellie across a post-apocalyptic America. The game has a prequel chapter called Left Behind, and a sequel called The Last of Us Part II.
State of Decay 2
State of Decay 2: An open-world survival fantasy game that lets you build a community of survivors in a zombie-infested world. You can scavenge for resources, recruit new members, and defend your base from zombie attacks. The game has three add-on packs: Heartland, Daybreak, and Independence.
Conclusion
Whether you’re a fan of survival horror, fast-paced action, or strategic gameplay, there’s a single-player zombie shooting game out there for you. These games offer an intense and immersive gaming experience that will keep you on the edge of your seat. So, put on your bravest face, load up your virtual weapons, and get ready to take on the undead in these thrilling offline single-player zombie shooting games for PC.
