Dying Light 2: Stay Human is a parkour, first-person combat game where players must survive and help the civilians of one of the last cities still standing after the virus conquered the world. Players must use various parkour and combat skills to traverse the city, protect themselves, craft, and kill zombies and human enemies in their path.
While the premise of the game sounds like many other zombie games, Dying Light 2 is actually quite unique and worth playing. Games like Dying Light 2 are hard to find. The developers successfully mixed simple mechanics with great freedom of movement in a terrific game.
Although Dying Light 2 is a great game, there are also other fantastic games like it that should be at the top of any zombie fans list. In this article, we will be covering the 6 greatest zombie games like Dying Light 2.
What Makes a Great Zombie Game in 2022
The last two decades in gaming were flooded with tons of zombies on every platform. Yet, only a few manage to stand out from the crowd. Those that do have great unique elements that help them stand out. For instance, Dying Light 2 has fantastic parkour movement. Moreover, Left 4 Dead (maybe the most revolutionary zombie game) introduced asymmetric 4-player combat. To this day, even after many years, these games still maintain a solid and loyal player base for good reasons.
Engaging Combat
Most zombie games are just hack and slash, or they encourage you to just shoot your gun mindlessly. These lack anything interesting to do in the game other than fighting hordes of zombies. What makes a great combat system in a zombie game is variety.
Giving a player a chance to use the environment to fight is a great improvement on this basic formula. Moreover, allowing players to craft their weapons or pick from a large armory of weaponry is also very welcome.
A great armory and well-implemented combat mechanics are also satisfying and make the game feel more realistic.
Free Roam
Zombie games are synonymous with mayhem, chaos, and a post-apocalyptic vibe that makes players wonder how it would feel to be in that universe. Making a strict linear zombie game won’t work in most cases. The survival aspect of this genre is what makes playing zombie games like Dying Light 2 fun.
Players should be free to use their exploration senses to survive and make decisions. Great zombie games like Dying Light 2 also allow players to roam and freely approach every situation.
Different Zombie Types
Slaying the same zombie grunt will get old in the first hours of gameplay, so it’s essential to have a variety of enemies like the one seen in Dying Light 2, where you have Howlers, Bolters, Volatiles, Remnants, and many more.
Having different enemy types will make the player vary their gameplay and not just rush through hordes and hordes of the same slow zombies over and over again.
Related Article: What is the Max Level in Dying Light 2 and How to Reach it Quickly?
Top Five Zombie Games Like Dying Light 2 to Play in 2022
For this list, we picked games that are highly acclaimed. Moreover, to this day, they have a stable player base thanks to their engaging gameplay.
1. Killing Floor 2
Killing Floor 2 is a horde-based first-person shooter where players must fight the waves of Zeds to complete a level. The game takes place in a destroyed Europe for most maps, where the Zeds overran most global civilizations.
In Killing Floor 2, players will have to face hordes of different types of enemies. Each type has various attacks and abilities, in a gruesome scene that only gets seen inside nightmares. The game revolves around players having to clear waves and get better equipment before the next round of enemies starts.
The game offers lots of interesting weapon choices for the player. Moreover, it has a perk system that players can adjust to fit their playstyle by buffing specific weapons and equipment.
While this game is not an open world, the significant variation in enemies, maps, and weapons makes up for it. For a game released in 2016, it still has a very stable player base with tons of mods to improve the experience.
Why Gamers Still Play Killing Floor 2 in 2022
Killing Floor 2 is a fun, chaotic experience. You have tons of guns to slay hordes with different types of monsters in gruesome scenarios. And, honestly, there are barely any games out there that do it as well as Killing Floor 2.
If you are looking for an excellent arena-based zombie game, Killing Floor 2 won’t disappoint you.
How Does Killing Floor 2 Compare as a Zombie Game with Dying Light 2
- Post Apocalyptic scenario
- Bizarre monsters
- Variety of weapons
- Variety of enemies
- Progression system
- Co-op multiplayer
- Single-player
- First-person game
2. State of Decay 2
This open-world zombie game was released in 2018 and is the successor to the 2013 hit. In this great game that reminds us of Dying Light 2, players must fight to survive in a post-apocalyptic world by finding supplies, fighting AI zombies, building up a base, and more.
Like Dying Light 2, State of Decay 2 as a game offers an excellent survival horror and role-playing experience. with many elements that will define the outcome of the gameplay. This game provides a variety of systems, such as a crafting and building system that allow the player to create bases to have storage, resources such as food, and other survivors.
Players must scavenge around the map while facing a variety of gruesome zombies trying to kill everything in their sight, which can destroy equipment and kill the player. In this game, players can also encounter Enclaves. NPCs from Enclaves can be recruited, helped, or even provoked to engage in PvE combat.
Why State of Decay 2 is a Great Zombie Game
State of Decay 2 is a relaxing game for those looking for a third-person shooter experience mixed with survival elements and community management. This game is an excellent option for those looking for a more realistic experience without having to deal with PvP.
Related Guide: Which Call of Duty Has Zombies? Which one is the best?
How Does State of Decay 2 is a Zombie Game Like Dying Light 2
- Post Apocalyptic scenario
- Bizarre Zombies
- Variety of weapons
- Variety of enemies
- Lore
- Co-op multiplayer
- Realistic zombie scenario
3. Days Gone
This open-world third-person shooter is set in another post-apocalyptic universe after a global pandemic destroyed the world due to a zombie outbreak.
Days Gone is a single-player-only experience where players take control of a Biker called Deacon St. John. In the game’s story, he is trying to survive in a land full of zombies and other hostile survivors while trying to return to his loved one. This game is a story-focused experience where players must complete missions, capture settlements, and craft equipment and weapons to survive.
The game offers a dynamic environment vital to surviving the swarms of zombies. Using the word swarm to describe a group of zombies is literal. In this game, you will fight massive hordes of enemies similar to those seen in movies like World War Z. Combat is challenging and requires patience and skill. Players will also face other survivors trying to kill them in gunfights or melee combat.
Why Days Gone is a Top-Tier Zombie Game
Days Gone is an excellent third-person and survival horror experience for those looking for a good narrative and ending. The game is full of lore, weapons, enemies, and interesting mechanics to traverse in Oregon’s post-apocalyptic rural zones.
All this will make any fan of Dying Light 2 find similarities and enjoyment on Days Gone.
Why Days Gone Is One of the Best Single Player Games like Dying Light 2
- Post Apocalyptic scenario
- Swarms of zombies
- Variety of weapons
- Variety of enemies
- Lore
- Crafting system
- Realistic zombie scenario
- Narrative focused game
4. Dying Light (The Original One)
Wait, the prequel to Dying Light 2: Stay Human!? Yes, the original Dying Light is impressive, and while the sequel improved certain aspects, the original game still does a lot of things better. This is why we think the original is one of the best games like Dying Light 2 to play.
Dying Light is where everything started for the franchise. Players take the role of a GRE agent sent to the city of Harran to investigate what is going on in the city and extract essential files from an important political figure.
Opposite to Dying Light 2, the original title is scary as the night feels like night, and it’s pitch dark. Not only this but during the night, one of the most iconic and gruesome zombies created in the industry pops up, searching for the player. They are called the Volatiles. Volatiles are highly agile and lethal enemies that chase the player wherever they go and are very hard to kill.
The game’s perfect parkour system will make any Assassin’s Creed game jealous. Dying Light also offers an excellent narrative that is arguably better than the second installment and doesn’t get confused. Yet, don’t get us wrong, Dying Light 2 is still a fantastic game in its own right.
Related Article: The Best Zombie Survival Games like DayZ
Why Play Dying Light 1 When There is Already a Sequel
While Dying Light 2 nailed the visuals and perfected the combat system, Dying Light 1 does not feel like a downgrade. Dying Light is impressive, and those who played the second installment will be able to find a completely different game but yet be familiar with some of the mechanics and the lore.
Oh, did we forget to mention that this game has real guns like pistols and assault rifles? Yes, unlike Dying Light 2, this game features much more realistic gunfights.
Why We Recommend Dying Light to Our Readers Looking for the Best Zombie Survival Games like Dying Light 2
- Same universe
- Similar combat system
- Crafting system
- Narrative focused
- Prequel to the events of Dying Light 2
- Variety of zombies
- Human enemies
- Parkour
5. Left 4 Dead 2
So you think you can survive a zombie apocalypse? Left 4 Dead 2 is here to prove you wrong.
Left 4 Dead 2 is a co-op multiplayer first-person shooter where players must traverse through different stages of a level to complete a mission. To survive, you will have to face hordes of zombies and special, elite monsters. These include the Hunter, a stealth-type enemy, and the Smoker, which will try to drag you like a mother trying to pull their crying kid out of a Toys“R”Us.
The game offers weapons found throughout the map, such as melee equipment, pistols, rifles, throwables, and more. Players can play through different levels featuring cities, farms, highways, malls, etc.
Why Left 4 Dead 2 is Considered the Best Zombie Game of All Time
Even though, Left 4 Dead 2 is more than a decade old, there is no more addicting zombie game like this one. The game offers the most fun and enjoyable experience that no other developing company has been able to match, not even its spiritual successor, Back 4 Blood.
For those looking for a PvP experience, Left 4 Dead 2 also offers one where one team takes control of the particular zombie types to prevent the humans from reaching the end of the level.
How Does Left 4 Dead as a Zombie Game Compare with Dying Light 2
- First-person game
- Variety of zombies
- Fast-paced
- Co-op multiplayer
- Variety of weapons
- Melee combat system
6. Darktide
Although Darktide is not strictly a zombie game, it has many zombie elements. The majority of the enemies you will face in Darktide behave like mindless zombies. Darktide also offers great character customization, coop gameplay, intense fighting against hordes, and a heavy reliance on melee combat. The guns are also varied and can be upgraded to improve your weapons stats in Darktide.
While some of the game’s classes are a bit more Sci-Fi, for players looking to experience a more traditional zombie game, you can opt for a ranged Veteran Sharpshooter build in Darktide. Or, if you want to mix it up, you can build an Ogryn like a tank and stand tall above the hordes.
Why Darktide is One of the Best Games like Dying Light 2
- FPS Combat
- Variety of zombies and mindless monsters
- Intense combat
- Co-op multiplayer gameplay
- Lots of weapons and some limited weapon upgrades
- Heavy reliance on melee combat
- Multiple paths through each level
Final Thoughts on the Best Zombie Games like Dying Light 2
Any of the games like Dying Light 2 covered in this list will offer you tons of hours of enjoyment, especially if you are playing with your friends.
Let us know in the comments what you think about our picks for the best games similar to Dying Light 2, or feel free to give us other suggestions that we didn’t cover on this list.
For more gaming content, check out our related list of the best roguelike games like Risk of Rain 2. There are some great picks to choose from!
Good Luck, and Have Fun!
