State of Decay 2 is even better than its predecessor.
Five years of work on graphics is visible to the naked eye. Performances are smoother, textures have gained depth, and shadows are more natural.
The surrounding locations are swarming with undead, and you with a small group of survivors have to get food and needed resources so risking your life is inevitable.
Searching for the right place, and developing a base are something that many followers of survival games enjoy. On top of that, fighting for survival against monsters and resources management provides excellent gameplay.
State of Decay 2 alternatives lack none of these qualities, if you want to relive such an adventure in a slightly different climate then check out the list below.
| Game | Release | Genre | Developer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Days Gone | 2021-05-18 | Action | SIE Bend Studio |
 | Dying Light 2 | 2022-02-04 | Action | Techland Publishing |
 | How To Survive 2 | 2016-09-08 | Adventure | Eko Software |
 | Dead Rising 4 | 2017-03-14 | Fighting | Capcom Game Studio Vancouver, Inc. |
 | Dead Rising 3 Apocalypse Edition | 2014-09-05 | Adventure | Capcom Game Studio Vancouver |
 | Dead Island Definitive Edition | 2016-05-31 | Action & Shooter | Techland |
 | Miscreated | 2014-10-30 | Adventure | Entrada Interactive LLC |
 | Project Zomboid | 2013-11-08 | Indie | The Indie Stone |
 | How To Survive | 2013-10-23 | Adventure | Eko Software |
 | Mist Survival | 2018-08-15 | Adventure | Rati Wattanakornprasit |
 | 7 Days To Die | 2013-12-13 | Adventure | The Fun Pimps |
 | Left 4 Dead 2 | 2009-11-16 | Action & Shooter | Valve |
 | Dead Island 2 Ultimate Edition | 2024-04-22 | Action | Deep Silver Volition |
 | Dayz | 2013-12-16 | Adventure | Bohemia Interactive Studio |
 | Sons Of The Forest | 2023-02-23 | Survival | Endnight Games Ltd |
Dead Rising 4
| Release date: | 2017-03-14 |
| Genre: | Fighting |
| Developer: | Capcom Game Studio Vancouver, Inc. |
Frank West is back in action in the fourth installment of Dead Rising, this time as a college professor. On the outskirts of Willamette in Colorado, he will once again face hordes of hungry undead.
A new strain of the virus has attacked the residents, resulting in a new kind of zombie with thousands of them. This is an action-adventure video game with a dash of humor. In addition to classic weapons, you can choose something unconventional, such as a coffee pot or chainsaw, and create combo weapons.
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Sons of the Forest
| Release date: | 2023-02-23 |
| Genre: | Survival |
| Developer: | Endnight Games Ltd |
Cannibal villages, mutants, and the island’s dark history have taken on new colors in the sequel to the survival horror game The Forest. This time you take on the role of a journalist to find the missing CEO, his wife, and 20-year-old daughter, Virginia.
In this installment, new features have been introduced. A friendly NPC Kelvin helps the main character in gathering food or building. The map has been quadrupled, and the building mechanics have been improved. Also, new types of cannibals and mutants await your arrival, and the changing seasons will make survival more difficult.
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Left 4 Dead 2
| Release date: | 2009-11-16 |
| Genre: | Action & Shooter |
| Developer: | Valve |
Left 4 Dead 2 is an FPS game focused on four Survivors who must face the zombie apocalypse in five expansive campaigns. The “Green Flu” has turned people into aggressive Infected, and Coach, Nick, Rochelle, and Ellis must fight their way out.
As one of these heroes, you’ll wield diverse weapons: from large caliber pistols, to chainsaws, and vorpal frying pans. Each campaign consists of several levels with safe rooms where you take a moment to breathe with your companions before the next battle.
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DayZ
| Release date: | 2013-12-16 |
| Genre: | Adventure |
| Developer: | Bohemia Interactive Studio |
In this game, you’ll focus mainly on survival in a post-apocalyptic world. It’s not just zombies that pose a threat, but also other survivors and basic life functions.
You have to get food, water, watch out for wild animals, and find shelter while remembering that other players are also trying to survive, and not everyone will be friendly. There are plenty of undiscovered locations on the map, diseases for which you must have a cure, and gas attacks at random times.
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How to survive
| Release date: | 2013-10-23 |
| Genre: | Adventure |
| Developer: | Eko Software |
The game is for fans of simplicity and great crafting possibilities. You start your adventure as a castaway on an island that turns out to be full of zombies. The game is linear and the plot is loosely woven into the gameplay.
From a top-down perspective, you will watch the actions of your character, you will need water, food, and resources to craft weapons. There are two modes to choose from: story and challenge. Choosing the latter, your goal will be to cross the map without dying to the other side of the island. Each game mode allows for up to two-player play.
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Dead Island 2
| Release date: | 2024-04-22 |
| Genre: | Action |
| Developer: | Deep Silver Volition |
The story of Dead Island 2 is set 15 years after the events in the earlier installment. This time, zombies have overrun Los Angeles.
It is an action RPG game with graphics like in the movie. Fights are brutal, animations with blood and gore based on the most advanced dismemberment system. The map is divided into 10 zones that you can easily explore, but to move between them, you will have to head to Zone Exits, fast travel points will be available when you reach a certain progress in the game.
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Project Zomboid
| Release date: | 2013-11-08 |
| Genre: | Indie |
| Developer: | The Indie Stone |
As many times you die, you lose your progress in the game. Sound daunting? Nothing could be further from the truth.
Set in an open world, this is an Isometric game Project Zomboid in which you will have to watch out for undead and take care of basic needs like hunger, fatigue, stress, and boredom. Zombies will pour into your place, so make it as safe as possible and craft weapons to defend yourself. Sometimes you will have to hide in the shadows and sit quietly, sound and visibility mechanics in the game make avoiding zombies even more difficult.
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Conclusion
Zombie games have carved out a significant niche in the gaming world, offering a blend of horror, survival, and action. Each of these productions has something unique about it, but they are certainly the best zombie games in their original way. Which one will be your new favorite?