News
Games like Project Zomboid
Games like Project Zomboid – Introduction
For fans of the brutal, unforgiving survival experience offered by Project Zomboid, the search for similar games that scratch that itch can be an ongoing quest. Project Zomboid’s unique blend of an isometric perspective, deep role-playing systems, and an emphasis on realism in a zombie-infested post-apocalyptic world has captured the hearts of many gamers. However, the gaming landscape is vast, and there are several titles that share Project Zomboid’s core elements while offering their own distinct twists.
We’ll explore with you a curated list of games that zombie survival enthusiasts and Project Zomboid devotees will likely find appealing, each offering its own brand of intense, immersive gameplay set against the backdrop of a world overrun by the undead or other hostile environments that test players’ survival skills.
Apocalyptic Zombie Survival
If you’re seeking an experience that truly captures the essence of surviving a zombie apocalypse, much like Project Zomboid, several games offer an immersive and harrowing journey through undead-infested wastelands. Different to Project Zomboid though, these games are not experienced from an isometric perspective, but are played from the first person point of view. This shift in perspective helps players immerse themselves deeper into the game world, allowing them to fully experience the environment and the horrors that lurk around every corner.
DayZ
DayZ is an open-world survival game that shares several similarities with Project Zomboid in terms of its brutal and unforgiving approach to the zombie apocalypse. Players must scavenge for essential resources such as food, water, and medical supplies while navigating a world overrun by zombies. The game emphasizes realism, with players having to manage their character’s health, hunger, and thirst levels while also dealing with the constant threat of zombie attacks and hostile player encounters. In DayZ, you can explore the vast open world, loot abandoned buildings and vehicles, craft tools and weapons, and engage in tense combat or team up with others to increase their chances of survival. Both games offer an immersive and challenging survival experience that tests your resourcefulness and decision-making skills in a post-apocalyptic setting.
7 Days to Die
7 Days to Die shares Project Zomboid’s core premise of surviving in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by the undead, but with a distinct voxel-based, sandbox approach. Players must scavenge for resources, craft tools and fortifications, and defend themselves against zombie hordes. However, 7 Days to Die’s first-person perspective and voxel world allow for more freedom in construction and environmental interaction. Players can dig, build, and reshape the landscape in creative ways, adding an extra layer of depth to base-building and fortification strategies. The game also introduces a unique challenge with its “Blood Moon” horde nights, where every 7 in-game days, players must prepare for a massive zombie onslaught descending upon their base. This cyclical threat forces players to carefully plan and fortify their shelters, creating intense moments of holding out against overwhelming odds.
SCUM
Get thrown onto a deadly island as a condemned prisoner, while your survival is being broadcasted in SCUM. Players must monitor their character’s metabolism, body mass, skills, and health to stay alive in a harsh, open-world environment filled with hostile players and environmental threats. Like Project Zomboid, SCUM features deep RPG systems that allow for extensive character customization and skill progression. While zombies, or in SCUM’s case “undead puppets”, may not be the primary threat, its unforgiving gameplay loop of scavenging, crafting, and defending territory from other players creates a tense, high-stakes survival experience akin to Project Zomboid. The game’s focus on realistic gunplay, detailed injury systems, and intense player-versus-player interactions further contribute to its immersive and challenging nature.
Honorable Mentions
While the games mentioned above strongly resemble Project Zomboid in their gameplay and apocalyptic zombie world, there are many other games that share these similarities, albeit in different settings. We want to showcase some of those games that you might like, if you’re a fan of survival games in general. From the dense forests to barren wastelands, these games will challenge you to adapt, strategize, and persevere in their own unique and immersive environments. While the threats may vary, the fundamental principles of survival remain the same – test your resourcefulness, make difficult choices, and fight to stay alive in worlds that are as unforgiving as they are captivating.
Sons Of The Forest
This open-world survival horror game thrusts you into a terrifying and unforgiving wilderness, filled with threats like cannibal tribes, mutants, and more. Explore an unknown island and uncover the mystery about the whereabouts of a missing family. Sons Of The Forest focuses on gathering resources, crafting tools, and building shelters to survive against the hostile environment and its mysterious inhabitants, all while unraveling a deep and intriguing story.
Rust
Survive in a world where everything wants you dead, be it wildlife, local inhabitants, the environment, or other survivors. In Rust it’s eat or be eaten. Survival demands confronting natural hazards, from sweltering heat and biting cold to insatiable thirst and gnawing hunger. Crafting shelter becomes imperative, as does mastering the art of scavenging for vital resources. Build bases and defend them against other players that are vying for your resources, or raid them yourself and take their goods. Teamwork is essential to survive.
Don’t Starve Together
Like Project Zomboid, players must scavenge for resources, craft tools and shelters, and manage their character’s needs such as hunger, sanity, and health to survive in Don’t Starve Together. The game’s distinct art style and whimsical yet dark atmosphere create a unique and immersive experience as players explore the procedurally generated wilderness, encountering various creatures and environmental hazards. Cooperation and teamwork are essential as players can join forces to gather resources more efficiently, divide tasks, and support each other in times of need.
Games like Project Zomboid – Conclusion
While Project Zomboid’s unique blend of an isometric perspective, deep role-playing systems, and a focus on realism in a zombie-infested world has carved out a special place in the hearts of survival game enthusiasts, there are many similar games to explore. From the gritty, unforgiving world of DayZ, over the eerie island of Sons Of The Forest, to the dark and mysterious world of Don’t Starve Together, numerous titles capture the essence of survival in their own distinct ways, which resemble that of Project Zomboid.
Exploring new games is always fun and exciting, but even more so when exploring them with friends. Playing together raises your chance of survival, helps you split up work responsibilities, and increases the fun you’ll have with all your friends. Get your own Nitrado server and search for a game that allows you to experience the thrill of survival, whether it’s battling zombies, braving the wilderness, or building a safe haven in a post-apocalyptic world, and embark on an unforgettable adventure with your friends by your side.
