Best Games About Viruses, Outbreaks & Diseases

Bloodborne

What does it teach us about surviving the apocalypse: some scalpels have to be really big, and there might be hidden abominations observing us with too much intent.

Image credit: From Software

You came to Yharnam to seek a cure for Paleblood, but during a transfusion, you black out and wake up to a city overrun by monsters and people turned bestial. Terrible time to recuperate.

Over the course of the game you’ll clash and defeat many denizen of the city affected by the weird plague, and, in the process perhaps you’ll uncover the illness’s source and cure for it.

Bloodborn is possibly studio FromSoftware’s most respected and beloved production. An intense, fast-paced, brutal action RPG game set in a deliciously gloomy Gothic city with more than a little cosmic horror in its plot and worldbuilding. As the Hunter, you have a bloody way to cut, using an interesting arsenal, your own skill, and the game’s built-in progression system. The choices and discovering you make will influence the ending you’ll see. So, what is it going to be, Hunter? Can you brave the infested city’s horrors and emerge with your mind intact?

Prototype

What does it teach us about surviving the apocalypse: if we eat people, we can see their memories.

Image credit: Radical Entertainment

You wake up in a morgue and escaping before getting gunned down by armed guards protecting the facility. When you hop right over a tall gate, you realize things aren’t going to be simple.

It doesn’t take long for Manhattan to be in the grips of a virus causing not only disgusting mutations, but also an open intervention from a paramilitary group.

To reveal the exact nature of the virus would be considered extremely spoilery, being exposed to it gives the protagonist, Alex Mercer, incredible abilities, ranging from enhanced strength and resilience to turning parts of his body into weapons and impersonating consumed NPCs. Prototype is effectively a superhero game starring a very anti-heroic main character. It also features an interesting storytelling gimmick: while the core story is revealed to you as you progress through missions, the Web of Intrigue features nodes you can only fill by consuming specific NPCs in the open world.

Prototype

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Prototype 2

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The Last of Us Part I

What does it teach us about surviving the apocalypse: shivs are useful, but puns are the only way to maintain morale.

Image credit: Naughty Dog

In 2013, the United Stated were hit by an aggressive strain of the Cordyceps fungus, which turned thousands, if not millions of people into violent, mutated “zombies” quickly after being exposed to the infection.

Two decades later, a potential cure was found: Ellie, a girl immune to the fungus. To give humanity a chance to survive, she needs to be taken across the US, to people who have a shot at making a vaccine.

This is the premise of The Last of Us Part I, and the game has you playing as Joel, a hardened, broken smuggler tasked with protecting Ellie from fungal zombies and desperate, evil, corrupt humans alike. It’s going to be lengthy, emotionally and physically draining journey, and its story has stuck with millions of people since original 2013 release. Now, with a hit show and a full-blown remake for modern hardware, it’s the perfect time to relive Joel and Ellie’s trials once again, or to experience it for the first time.

The Last of Us Part I

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Resident Evil series (especially remakes of 2 and 3)

What does it teach us about surviving the apocalypse: that zombies are highly susceptible to headshots, and some of them can walk through walls.

Resident Evil can be considered a series that put the theme zombie virus outbreak on the gaming world map. The adventures, or rather misadventures, in undead-infested Raccoon City, gave the players a first-hand experience of trying to survive the apocalypse.

Image credit: Capcom Development Division 1

Stepping around each corner was fraught with danger, each open door could lead into a trap, each shadow could hide a new T-Virus monstrosity waiting to kill us. But, thanks to the fleshed-out protagonists – Leon, Claire, Jill and Carlos – we felt a little bit more in control.

The recent remakes of the 2^nd and 3^rd installments of Resident Evil bought the series into 21^st century with state-of-the-art-graphics and excellent mechanics combining all the best elements of the original titles with modern gameplay solutions.

RESIDENT EVIL 2

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RESIDENT EVIL 3

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World War Z

What does it teach us about surviving the apocalypse: that it’s dangerous to go alone against the undead hordes.

World War Z was a groundbreaking book in how it presented the zombie apocalypse. The work of Max Brooks told a unique story of an outbreak, which turned the population of the world into carnivorous monsters. Rather than a novel, World War Z was a chronicle of what happened after the outbreak, focusing on different efforts humanity took to stop it.

Image credit: Saber Interactive

While not as novel as its literary progenitor, 2019’s World War Z did a good job of conveying the main theme of the book – desperate efforts for survival that unified people towards a common goal. The game was based on cooperation between the players, who had to work together to survive against the hordes of the undead, flooding the level from every corner. With decent mechanics and well-written characters, World War Z is a competent action game, despite not having much to do with its source material.

World War Z

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World War Z: Aftermath

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Left 4 Dead 1 & 2

What does it teach us about surviving the apocalypse: that taking on hordes of the undead with friends when friendly fire is on can lead to really awkward situations.

Left 4 Dead is another game where cooperation between the players is the key to their survival. The game is set during an apocalypse caused by a viral outbreak, which turned infected into rabid monsters. The player’s job is to survive against the hordes of the infected, employing various weapons and cooperative tactics.

Image credit: Certain Affinity

The game features various types of enemies – from bile-spitting Boomers to tongue-lashing Smokers. Each enemy requires a different approach and cooperation from the players to take them down. Friendly fire mechanics are included in the game, which can lead to some confusion during heated firefights against the infected. The player should be careful not to hurt their friends…or not. After all, when you’re surrounded and outnumbered, it’s every man for himself.

Left 4 Dead

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Left 4 Dead 2

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A Plague Tale: Innocence

What does it teach us about surviving the apocalypse: that even during the time of plague, family bonds remain strong.

In comparison with the previous installments on our list, A Plague Tale: Innocence may initially seem a bit dull. What, no shooting zombies with heavy machine guns, no mobs or bosses filling up half of the screen?

Image credit: Asobo Studio

If you find yourself thinking along those lines, please reconsider. Innocence might not be the most action-packed title in history, but what it lacks in thrills it makes up for in the story. Set in France during the Hundred Years’ War, it tells a touching story of siblings, one of which is believed to be the carrier of the plague. The player travels through decimated villages and towns, seeing the effects of the plague on people’s lives. The game focuses on stealth as Amicia, the player’s character, is no warrior. To sneak past the guards and other enemies, the player will have to employ various evasive maneuvers and distraction tactics.

A Plague Tale: Innocence

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A Plague Tale: Requiem

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Plague Inc. Evolved

What does it teach us about surviving the apocalypse: that the safest places in the world Are Australia and Madagascar.

Plague Inc Evolved is a unique entry on our list. While other games had the player outgunning or outrunning the outbreak, in Plague Inc. the player is the direct cause of it.

Image credit: Ndemic Creations

Choosing from a variety of pathogens – from bacteria, viruses, and fungi to bioweapons, the player spreads the disease across the globe, evolving it along the way, with the sole goal of exterminating all of life on earth. The player can develop their pathogen in few different ways, acquiring new symptoms, methods of spreading and resistances with each new level, while simultaneously racing against the doctors who waste no time preparing the vaccine. At the end of the gameplay, the player is left with a feeling of sadistic satisfaction that thanks to their clever strategies, humanity has been wiped from the face of the Earth.

Plague Inc. Evolved

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DayZ

What does it teach us about surviving the apocalypse: that in the world infested by zombies, your worst enemy will be people trying to steal your car in the middle of a road.

Are you ready to spend most of your days building a base, filling it with the best vehicles and weapons only for someone to break in and steal everything the moment you step outside.

Image credit: Bohemia Interactive Studio

DayZ gives the player a unique chance to experience the world after the zombie apocalypse, where the most dangerous enemies are other humans. In the game the player is tasked with surviving in the harsh world, in which literally everything will try to kill them -from the infected to other players, to starvation.

The game heavily emphasizes staying fit and healthy, which can be done by eating consumables, wearing appropriate clothing, collecting medical supplies etc. With all that, DayZ provides the player with a genuine experience of surviving in a post-apocalyptic world, where even the smallest misstep may cause the player to kick the proverbial bucket. And get robbed. Not necessarily in that order.

DayZ

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They Are Billions

What does it teach us about surviving the apocalypse: that in staying at home during an outbreak is not all that bad – as long as your home is a fortress.

Set in a world after an outbreak, which turned most of the global population into – you guessed it! – zombies, They Are Billions tasks the player with building a base and defend it from the hordes of the infected.

Image credit: Numantian Games

The player will have to strengthen the defenses of their fortress through the exploration of nearby areas and collection of necessary materials. In the Villages of Doom – heavily infested locations on the map, the player will find resources that they can use – wood, stone, iron, and oil, among others. However, scavenging it those areas may result in a vicious counter-attack from the undead. Developing the fortress’s defenses will be crucial to avoid a base-wide infestation – inf the zombies get inside the player’s fortress, they may cause a domino effect, which may lead to the base’s downfall.

They Are Billions

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