Games Like Project Zomboid

Key Takeaways

• Project Zomboid
  has seen a rise in popularity with an increase in Let’s Plays, tutorials, and fact videos on social media, attracting new players to its realistic and challenging gameplay.
• Players who enjoy
  Project Zomboid’s
  unique zombie survival experience can find similar games within the genre, such as
  Sons of the Forest, Dying Light 2 Stay Human,
  and
  The Last of Us Part 1,
  each offering their own unique take on survival and horror.

Project Zomboid was initially released in 2013 on Steam and has experienced a rise in popularity recently. Let’s Plays, tutorials, and fact videos have been increasing across social media, and this has convinced some players to pick up the isometric zombie survival game. The game has become popular for its take on realistic gameplay, making for a steep learning curve. The tutorial even tricks players into luring zombies to their location by making a loud noise, showcasing the often brutal nature of survival games.

When the grind becomes too difficult, or if players want a different game with the same feeling, various titles fit within the same genre. After all, survival horror is a pretty broad genre that is full to the brim with some great video games, and even an itch as unique as Project Zomboid can be scratched in just the right way by the following games.

Updated on November 9, 2024, by Mark Sammut: Despite being in early access for well over a decade by this point, Project Zomboid continues to be among Steam’s most successful and beloved games. Clearly, The Indie Stone’s project has struck a strong chord with the community. While there are not many games like Project Zomboid, a few can scratch similar itches.

This article has been updated with galleries for each game, along with more specs if they are available.

17 Terraria

An Excellent Survival Crafting Game That Continues To Be Updated To This Day

Terraria is one of the most fleshed-out survival games out there, and is absolutely jam-packed with content. It’s a testament to the amazing work of the developers of this title that it continues to be updated with new feature, keeping things fresh and engaging, especially for players who are jumping back into the game after taking a hiatus.

While the ever-present threat of zombies in Project Zomboid is absent in Terraria, there are moments during exploration when Terraria certainly ramps up the tension. Still, it’s definitely a far cozier experience, and something worth checking out for fans who want to enjoy a more light-hearted experience.

16 Rust

A Multiplayer Survival Game With Memorable Organic Gameplay Moments

If zombies are the major threat in Project Zomboid, then the thing that players need to always be wary of in Rust are other people. Sure, there are other threats in the game that players should watch out for, but the true volatility of Rust comes from the duality of man.

Alliances can crumble at a moment’s notice, and players must be wary of other survivors no matter how much progress they’ve made on a map. These raids and betrayals can be truly soul-crushing, but that’s a huge part of what makes Rust such an unforgettable experience. The highs are high and the lows are bottomless.

15 Don’t Starve

An Iconic Indie Survival Game Where Light And Darkness Are As Crucial As Food And Water

A classic survival game with horror elements that fans of the genre are likely quite familiar with, Don’t Starve is an indie gem that made a big name for itself in the mid-2010s. It’s a safe recommendation for fans of Project Zomboid, with players having to prepare in the morning hours to deal with the threat that comes from the arrival of darkness at the end of the day.

As the nights progress, the game gets harder and harder. Each failure in Don’t Starve serves as a lesson, compelling the player to do everything in their power to ensure that they can survive for longer the next time around out, and start to solve the mystery at the core of this game.

14 Sons Of The Forest

A Sequel To One Of The Best Survival Horror Games Ever Made

The Forest is an excellent survival horror game that sticks players in a forested area where they must struggle to survive while being hounded by a group of cannibals. This makes for a tense gameplay loop as players gather resources and survive grueling combat scenarios.

The sequel to this title is proving to be bigger and better than its predecessor, with Sons of the Forest providing an excellent experience in every way. Fans of Project Zomboid will love how this game forces them to be on their toes as they try to avoid the cannibals trying to tear them apart, all while interacting with the game’s many nuanced systems.

13 Dying Light 2

Combines Hectic Survival In A Zombie Apocalypse With Extreme Parkour And Breakneck Action

Dying Light was a nice surprise, letting players enjoy a fun zombie-killing title with engaging parkour and decent crafting mechanics. Techland was more than impressed by the success of this title and wasted no time in the development and release of a sequel.

With meaningful choices and better gameplay mechanics than before, Dying Light 2 certainly was a step up in some departments. The uninteresting story and bloated open world took away a bit from this experience, but players who want to kill zombies in creative ways and take out their frustration at the undead after failing in Project Zomboid time and time again will be more than happy with what this title achieved.

12 The Last Of Us Part 1

A Game Set In A Zombified Wasteland Where Humans Are The Real Monsters

A legendary video game that needs no introduction, The Last of Us was a huge step forward for Naughty Dog. The game spawned a massive fanbase, a divisive sequel, and one of the greatest TV adaptations a video game has ever received.

In a game where the threat of the Infected is ever-present, the fact that humans are the real threat is a testament to the evils of mankind and how the collapse of society can bring out the worst side in people. Players who have been betrayed during multiplayer sessions of Project Zomboid can testify to the truth present in this statement.

11 7 Days To Die

A High-Stakes Survival Game That Ups The Danger Every In-Game Week

At a glance, 7 Days to Die doesn’t seem to bring anything new to the survival genre. The age-old combination of scavenging for resources and dealing with the zombie apocalypse has been done in many titles. However, there are many things that fans of the game will slowly come to appreciate as they play through this title.

Easily the most notable mechanic is the weekly assault that the zombies stage on players. This makes each week a grueling exercise as players try to reinforce their defenses and stock up on weapons to tackle the threat of the aggressive undead each and every week. Unlike the ever-present threat of the zombies in Project Zomboid, the threat posed by zombies in 7 Days to Die is relatively less until the seventh day, when things get truly chaotic.

10 RimWorld

A Tough But Rewarding Simulation Game

Players who want to see how engaging procedural generation can be should look no further than RimWorld. For a game where everything is randomized, most people will have a deeper attachment to the colonists they have to manage than most other single-player experiences out there.

The learning curve for RimWorld is extremely steep, and the title is not for players looking to relax from the get-go. However, once players master the gameplay systems of the game, there’s something oddly cathartic about building a huge base and slowly populating it with new members. Fans of Project Zomboid will be familiar with this feeling, especially since this title comes packaged with its own complicated gameplay systems that take a while to wrap one’s head around.

9 Valheim

One Of The Most Promising Survival Games In Early Access

In most survival games, eating food is important to ensure that players don’t end up starving at inopportune moments. Despite the importance of food in these games, many people will resort to eating the same cost-efficient food over and over again instead of trying to experiment with this mechanic. It’s this particular mechanic that Valheim has perfected, rewarding players for diversifying their intake of meat, vegetables, and everything else along the same lines.

Of course, this is just a small part of what makes Valheim such a magical experience. The game’s mix of exploration, survival, and combat is truly magical and will keep players invested for hours on end, especially if they love Project Zomboid for the same reasons. With this title currently in Early Access, fans can’t wait to see what the full experience will have in store for them.

8 NEO Scavenger

A Tough Survival RPG Made By A Former BioWare Employee

NEO Scavenger is one of the hardest and most challenging games out there, with players suffering death after death as they realize the wealth of mistakes they can make in this chilling experience. Players wake up with little to nothing on their person and have to explore a harsh world where raiders and monsters are constant threats that the scavenger will need to manage at every step of the way. Think of Project Zomboid, but the threat of zombies is replaced by more varied encounters instead.

While this title may seem a bit too unforgiving at times, players who decide to give this game the time it deserves will love what it brings to the table. Combat is a stressful affair that players should always avoid if they don’t have enough resources, and every corner of the map should be looted if players want to make the most of what this game has to offer.

7 Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead

A Massive Roguelike Survival RPG With Unlimited Possibilities

Speaking of brutal games like Project Zomboid, another title that comes to mind is Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead. This game pulls no punches with its tough gameplay loop and will force players to conform to its systems as they die agonizing deaths over and over again because of their hubris.

However, players who understand the brutal nature of this title and try to adhere to its gameplay will realize just how amazing Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead really is. The procedurally generated world is filled to the brim with secrets and surprises that are a lot of fun to experience and will keep players hooked to the point where major threats turn into minor issues after a point!

6 Last Day On Earth: Survival

A Mobile Survival Game

If the survival, crafting, and scary zombie chases are the main draw of Project Zomboid, then this mobile game scratches a very similar itch. With an isometric view, scrounging up random things as weapons, and stealing the clothing off of zombies’ backs, players can bring the terrifying experience to their smartphones.

Players begin with a home plot that they can scavenge and build their bases on. Everything outside their home plot consumes energy, but this regenerates at an okay speed. Just like Project Zomboid, pre-existing resources, and crafted resources must be used to progress in the game and fortify home bases. The zombies are quite scary as well, especially when big, or toxic, or big and toxic zombies can be found in areas of medium to high danger.

5 The Last Stand: Aftermath

A Roguelite Survival Game With Zombies

If Project Zomboid started players out already infected, this game is almost the same experience. The Last Stand: Aftermath is a rogue-lite zombie survival game that makes players build on the successes and failures of each of their characters. Death is guaranteed, but the progress and items gained during each adventure are saved.

Set in a compound named “The End,” this base is the last hope for humanity in Union City. Infected individuals are exiled and tasked with gathering all they can to help their community before they die. Players can gather materials and resources on their journey to craft tools, weapons, and medicines.

4 Dead Frontier 2

A Free-To-Play Horror Survival MMO With Zombies

For horror-addicted gamers on a budget, Dead Frontier 2 is a free-to-play MMO zombie survival horror game. The game offers a third-person shooter perspective, as opposed to the isometric view of Project Zomboid, and the stunning graphics show off the gruesome and scary zombie designs.

The game can be solo play or with up to 8 friends, mirroring the delightful zombie-bashing bonding time with old friends that Project Zomboid provides. Players must explore areas outside of Fairview City where the original game took place. Leveling up involves zombie slaying, looting, and completing in-game quests. The game also features a player marketplace and numerous ways to chat and interact with other survivors.

3 Darkwood

A Terrifying Survival Game With Innovative Gameplay Elements

While Darkwood lacks the zombies, the game is even scarier than being chased by a horde of zombies while extremely over-encumbered and fatigued. Darkwood has a semi-open world, with unlockable areas bound to the storyline. Like Project Zomboid, there is a crafting system, skills, stealth, and combat. For players who like the game mechanics of Project Zomboid but seek an impactful story with various choices and endings, this ticks all the boxes.

A similar pro/con skill system is implemented, with positive skills needing to be balanced with negative ones. Due to the day/night cycle, popular in horror games, players must plan their defenses to survive the nighttime, with barricades and trap-making. If they survive, they can use their credibility to trade for better and more expensive items with the trader.

2 Into The Dead Series

An Action-Packed Game With Zombies

If the stress of running away from dozens of zombies is all that some players wanted from Project Zomboid, then Into the Dead 1 and 2 conveniently puts it in the pockets of players. Players run through different areas facing hordes of zombies from a first-person perspective.

What would players do to save their families in the zombie apocalypse? As they run, players arm themselves with scattered weapons and ammo drops. Zombies can either be shot or dodged, and the gameplay experience recreates the feeling of jumping every fence possible to get away from zombies in Project Zomboid. The game has three different endings to discover from seven chapters of gameplay.

1 SurrounDead

A Fun Open-World Survival Game

The characters and world of SurrounDead don’t look too different from that of Project Zomboid. The graphics are like a 3D version of Project Zomboid, and at a glance, SurrounDead looks like a graphics mod. In this world, it has been 5 years since the start of the virus, and nothing has gotten better. Everything is in ruins and zombies run rampant.

Players can search for weapons and equipment in the open world and build up home bases with barricades, like in Project Zomboid. In true survival fashion, players must maintain their character’s stats while exploring.