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Everybody loves zombies, right? It’s one of the strangest fascinations that we have in pop culture, but whether it’s TV, movies, or video games, there is something about zombies that the global population can’t get enough of. Maybe it’s the fact that zombies represent humans in their most primal and terrifying form and the fact that they’re often made up of people that characters either knew or recognized that makes it such an addiction to us. Some of the best games ever have been made about zombies, so it’s of little shock that we’ve gotten so many zombie games already despite being in the relative infancy of mainstream VR.
In terms of my background as a VR user, I’ve been playing VR since 2017 and had experienced it long before that in the opening days of the Oculus demo kits. I’ve found it to be the most profound form of gaming I’ve ever experienced and, in many ways, a life-changing device. VR is not only great for gaming, but it’s an incredible learning tool and can be a great workout asset as well. I’ve played tons of different zombie games in VR, so I have a pretty good grip on what you’re looking for and which are the quality titles to seek out.
Not all the zombie games in the VR world are particularly scary but be forewarned that some of these titles are going to keep you up and night and be absolutely terrifying at times. If you’re brave enough and think you’ve got the zombie-slaying skills to make your mark on the VR, then saddle up, get on your best post-apocalyptic gear, and let’s get ready to pull off some headshots. In no particular order, here are the best zombie VR games you can find.
Selection Criteria
- Zombies are in the game
- Fun to play
- Scary
- Well made
Bottom Line Up Front
The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners is the best zombie game available in VR. The combination of awesome physics, great gameplay, and terrifying sequences is everything a zombie fan could dream of.
Best Zombie VR Games
1- Arizona Sunshine
Metacritic: 81
Developer: Vertigo Games
Genre: Survival Horror
Although it’s one of the older VR games at this point, there is no denying that Arizona Sunshine is about as good as it gets when it comes to VR zombie games. Instead of the typical nighttime atmosphere, you find in zombie-based media, here, the sun is shining, and you’re in a unique desert locale in Arizona, where the zombie plague just happens to be running rampant. The game does not take itself too seriously at all, which works pretty well, and the main character will be quipping all over the place, lending to the B movie quality it’s clearly going for.
The shooting mechanics here are excellent, though, and the zombies are taken out with locational damage, so things like headshots and taking out the legs to knock them to the ground are important things to keep in mind when playing. You can also dual wield, throw grenades and wield a ton of different weapons in this decently lengthed experience, which gets a bit longer with the added DLC. You can play the entire experience with a friend online as well, making this the complete zombie-slaying package.
2- Pavlov VR
Metacritic: N/A
Developer: Vankrupt Games
Genre: Mutliplayer Shooter
Pavlov is maybe the best thing that VR has produced. It’s essentially Call of Duty in VR, but the community add-ons to it have made the game take on a life of its own, and it’s constantly expanding each week. One of the best additions is the extensive Pavlov Zombies mode. It basically recreates what Call of Duty: Zombies was in VR, and the result is fantastic. You have tons of levels to fight through with a variety of different themes from WW2 to futuristic, Minecraft style, and even a Star Wars zombie mode featuring undead Stormtroopers. Each level will have you taking on a larger amount of zombies, and you get to unlock new weapons and items along the way.
Some of these game modes feature up to 32 players at a time, and while the action can get pretty chaotic, one of the coolest moments I’ve had in VR was being part of a massive group of players all hiding behind a barricade in a mansion while mowing down an increasingly large horde of zombies coming right at us. It’s both horrifying and thrilling, and needing to grab that spare ammo clip from your hip to make sure you pull off a last-second kill with a zombie lunging for you is quite the thrill. It’s all supported by excellent gunplay and seriously realistic reloading mechanics.
3- The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners
Metacritic: 81
Developer: Skydance Interactive
Genre: Survival Horror
It’s really tough to pull off a great game that’s based on a popular license, and The Walking Dead has already seen its fair share of gaming failures among a couple of successes. The doubt was high when The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners was first announced, but thankfully, instead of another licensed game failure, we get maybe the best Walking Dead game of all time. In this completely original story, you investigate New Orleans and work your way through a twisting story that has multiple outcomes depending on what you decide to do at key points during the game.
The zombies in this game are animated somewhat like the comics, but that doesn’t stop them from being downright terrifying. The mix of music, sound effects, and incredibly animated zombies that feel so real and will not think twice about trying to devour you. The VR physics here are incredible, and the fact that anything you see in the environment can be a weapon means you will always have a way to defend yourself. A common scene in this game is trying to loot a house, being swarmed by zombies, grabbing one by the head and shoving a screwdriver in its skull between jumping out the window and physically grabbing the side of the house before you take fall damage. If that sounds fun to you, then this game is right up your alley.
4- Hellsplit: Arena
Metacritic: N/A
Developer: Deep Type Games
Genre: Horror Action
Most zombie games involve a post-apocalyptic landscape and a whole lot of guns. That’s where Hellsplit: Arena comes to shake up the formula. Instead of a modern scenario, we get a wild, undead world where we’re tasked with fighting through various arenas against horrifying creatures with only melee weapons like swords, maces, and shields to defend ourselves with. The majority of the enemies you’ll be facing are undead knights, and they are fiercely realistic here, complete with some of the most gruesome dismemberment mechanics that you can find in VR.
These zombies get their heads lopped off, throats slit, and even will come after you with a single arm or leg. It’s a difficult game that requires precision striking and can really get your heart rate going as these zombies will appear behind you much of the time, so keeping your head on the swivel is imperative here. For those looking for a much different kind of zombie game, Hellsplit: Arena is an awesome experience.
5- SURV1V3
Metacritic: N/A
Developer: Candymakers
Genre: Survival Horror
SURV1V3 is one of the more recent zombie VR games to be released, but it’s also one of the best. If I had to describe this game in one phrase, I’d say it’s basically Left 4 Dead but in VR. It’s also a survival game, and with that comes a ton of things to consider. The damage you take, for example, is pretty realistic, so you don’t want to take too many hits here, or else you can go down early. You have the choice of using melee weapons or guns here, and you’ll need both at different times. Customization-wise, you’ll find tons of attachments for guns that will change the way you use them, and the variety here is incredible. This is very much a zombie action game moreso than survival horror, but that’s what some will be looking for.
6- The Walking Dead: Onslaught
Metacritic: 61
Developer: Survios
Genre: Survival Horror
Another Walking Dead game, The Walking Dead: Onslaught, attempts to fill in the story between seasons of the actual show with the help of several of the show’s voice actors; while also creating an engaging VR game. The action here is like a more intense version of The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners minus the survival elements. The graphics here are great, and the VR physics work incredibly well, allowing you to grab zombies and stab them or lop off limbs in a crowd with a samurai sword. The characters from the show all show up here, although only a few of them lend their voice acting talents to the game. This story is heavily based on the show, so for fans of that, this is pretty much a must-play.
7- Killing Floor: Incursion
Metacritic: 68
Developer: Tripwire Interactive
Genre: Horror Action
Killing Floor: Incursion is the first taste of VR zombies that I’ve ever had, so while it might seem a bit biased, I have to include it on this list of great titles. Unlike some of the other games on this list, Killing Floor: Incursion has a pretty good story that takes you to some very weird and unexpected places. Mission to mission wise, it also gives you some of the most varied areas and scenarios to fight through that I’ve seen in a VR game. The zombies here are called Zeds but make no mistake, these are the flesh-eating monstrosities of your nightmares. They come at you fast and in large numbers, and in between that, you have to solve a variety of objectives that keep the action feeling fresh.
You get a ton of weapons to choose from here, and the action rarely lets up. The graphics are also great here, and everything looks amazing, from the blood effects to the weapon animations. You also can play through the entire game in co-op as well. There are also multiple modes to play through, too, with Holdout mode being more of a wave-based game that challenges you to survive as long as you can from increasingly crazy amounts of zombies.
8- Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
Metacritic: 86
Developer: Capcom
Genre: Survival Horror
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard was an incredible return to form by the Resident Evil franchise in 2017, and fans probably would’ve been happy with just the normal version of the game, but no, Capcom went above and beyond and made the whole experience on PSVR as well. You don’t exactly get the traditional zombie experience here like the plague that is running through the chilling family at the center of this experience is a bit different, but these people are very much undead, and facing them down in VR is absolutely terrifying.
Moreso than any game on this list, the graphics in Resident Evil 7: Biohazard is incredibly realistic, and that leads to some of the most chilling moments you could ever experience in VR. The one caveat of this game is that it uses a game controller instead of your motion controllers, including using your head to aim your weapon. In this day and age of VR, the implementation feels just a little bit archaic and can be unpleasant to play through for those looking for a more hands-on, true VR experience. This also allows you to play the game effectively while sitting down, though, so for VR players who just want to play VR games while sitting on the couch, this is a great option for them. There is also a third part VR mod being made for the PC that will enable full motion controls, so be on the lookout for that as well.
9- Resident Evil 4 VR
Metacritic: 85
Developer: Armature Studio
Genre: Horror Action
If you played Resident Evil 7: Biohazard but were ultimately not fulfilled by the lack of the VR controllers being involved, then Resident Evil 4 VR is for you. This is a complete remaster of Resident Evil 4 in VR, complete with motion controllers and completely redone segments to adapt better to the VR medium. The result is getting to experience one of the best games of all time in VR.
The zombies here exist in a persistent world, so they are basically all-around at all times instead of being generated when you enter an area. This allows them to surprise you in different ways depending on where you are at each level. The melee attacks are still made in the third person which is admittedly a bit jarring when it occurs, but other than that, you get full VR shooting, stabbing, and whatever other things you want to do in the game. It’s a very scary experience, and despite the somewhat older-looking graphics, it’s still an incredible game to play through.
10- Dead Effect 2 VR
Metacritic: 53
Developer: App Holdings
Genre: Horror Action
Despite being a sequel to a completely unknown game, Dead Effect 2 VR is one of the best zombie games you can find right now. It’s almost 5 years old at this point, but it’s one of the most purely fun experiences you can have in a zombie-based VR game. The action here is most similar to that of Doom VFR, so if you’ve played that game, you know it’s going to be fast, intense, and all kinds of bloody. There is a story here that guides you along, but the main attraction is the intense combat, and here, you’ll have the option to use swords, guns, combos of the two, and more as you take on tons of undead enemies.
The enemies in this game explode like pinatas of blood, and it’s clear from the get-go that you’re here to kick some ass and not care about really anything else. The action will have you swinging like a crazy person and scrambling to reload your ammo as you will undoubtedly be overwhelmed by the number of zombies that are going to be thrown at you. This is definitely one for the action fans out there, and it’s pretty light on scares as well.
11- After The Fall
Metacritic: 74
Developer: Vertigo Games
Genre: Wave Shooter Horror
After the Fall is one of the most hyped VR games I’ve ever seen, and usually, when that happens, it’s tough to live up to it. For me, After the Fall just nails it in so many ways. It’s a 4 player co-op game that puts you in multiple different levels and tasks you with working your way to an objective while fighting through absolute scores of zombies. The result is an insane amount of action, blood, explosions, and most of all, fun.
You have tons of different weapons to unlock and mess around with, and you’ve also got a host of powers to mess around with as well. Unlike other games on this list, you’ve got a ton of bosses to fight too, and the special types of zombies are well varied and help keep the action fresh. The shooting feels amazing here, and the impact of the bullets rips through the zombies in a more satisfying way than I’ve seen in pretty much any other VR zombie game. The ice-covered LA set in the 1980s also comes across incredibly well in VR, giving you a very unique landscape to do battle with zombies in compared to your typical city at night scenario that so many zombie titles usually go for. If you want nonstop action with friends that doesn’t worry about realism After the Fall is the VR zombie game you need to try.
12- Propagation VR
Metacritic: NA
Develop: Wanadev
Genre: Survival Horror
All the games on this list cost a bit of money to purchase, except Propagation VR. While that might be a red flag for some, fear not; this is one of the best zombie games you can play. It’s an incredibly short experience at 30 minutes, but it inspires multiple playthroughs that reward you by tracking your scores and 4 different difficulty modes that keep the challenge fresh. It’s also possibly the scariest title on this list as well.
The action is much slower-paced than in other games, but when it hits, it hits powerfully and makes you jump every single time. The graphics here are just amazing, and you can play through the whole thing in co-op with a friend and get scared together. It’s a very short experience that can be played over and over, and while it might seem more like a demo than a game, it’s free and if you’re dying to get some VR zombie action going in a short amount of time, definitely give Propagation VR a try.
13- Contagion VR: Outbreak
Metacritic: N/A
Developer: Monochron, Inc
Genre: Survival Horror
Contagion VR: Outbreak is one of the cheaper titles you can find for a VR zombie game, but it doesn’t lack in quality because of it. You get an intriguing setup here that has you playing each mission as a different character and story, and during each, you’ll be fighting off tons of different kinds of zombies. You’ll have access to melee weapons and guns here, and although it’s only 4 missions long, each one is intricate and involves several different scenarios.
The levels are pretty large too, so while each one needs a loading screen to start up, there is a good amount of real estate to eat up here. You can also try out the firing range mode to try out all of the guns in the game and practice your aim. Once you’re through with that, you can go to free roam mode and just have a blast killing all the zombies while collecting different resources and trying to survive as long as you can.
Honorable Mention
Boneworks
Metacritic: 72
Developer: Stress Level Zero
Genre: Sci-Fi Horror
Boneworks was the progenitor to Half-Life: Alyx and was heavily inspired by the Half-Life franchise, but that doesn’t stop it from being a fantastic game in its own right. You start off stuck in a factory going seriously wrong for reasons you’ll slowly discover, and here, you’ll be facing off against really creepy robot zombies that are just as chilling as their human counterparts and the excellent VR physics present in Half-Life: Alyx are just as good here in a whole different environment. There are a bunch of modes to unlock, weapons to use, and even some physics-based puzzles that will challenge your mind and work up a pretty good sweat in the process.
FAQs
Question: What is the Best VR Zombie Game?
Answer: The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners is as good as it gets in VR. It’s a complete game that has multiple paths through it while giving you a massive arsenal of weapons to experiment with and some excellent combat to boot. The zombies are terrifying, and the human interactions are pretty interesting to play through as well.
Question: Which Headset is Best for VR Zombie Games?
Answer: PCVR headsets are best for zombie games right now simply because they allow you to play the most zombie VR games. Oculus Quest users have a smaller amount of games available to play, but you can also access the Steam ones via an Oculus Link.
Question: What is the Scariest VR Game?
Answer: Resident Evil 7: Biohazard is just terrifying to play through. It’s got the best graphics of any VR game I’ve seen and is just so genuinely disturbing that nothing I’ve played has even come close in terms of horror.
Conclusion
There are tons of VR games that feature zombies, but trust me on this, so many are very, very bad. This list is filled with nothing but quality when it comes to the zombie genre, so hopefully, it will help you figure out which one will be right for your zombie slaying fantasies.
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