Summary
Over the years,zombieshave become a genre all their own. They’ve appeared in almost every style of video game and have been used to tell all sorts of stories. In fact, most games don’t even bother to explain why the dead are up and walking around. They justskip right to the skull-smashing, brain-spilling funthat games have come to expect.
Then there are the zombie games that harken back to their roots in science fiction. The ones that typically have grounded, in-depth explanations for the zombie outbreak and use zombies to discuss larger sci-fi themes of technology, survival, the nature of humanity, and the uncertain direction of the future.
The original 2008Dead Spacewas a perfect blend of zombie horror and science fiction. Protagonist Isaac Clarke navigates the eerie hallways of the USGIshimuraplanet cracker spacecraft while being attacked by undead entities known as Necromorphs. The 2023 remake ups the ante with improved graphics and gameplay, breathing new life into a game all about fear and isolation.
The Necromorphs are one of the more unique reimaginings of the classic zombie out there. A corpse reanimating as-is is bad enough, but Necromorphs undergo horrific mutations when they turn, thanks to the alien infection that transforms them. This givesDead Spacea lot of breathing room when it comes to itszombie designs, allowing them to reach John Carpenter’sThe Thinglevels of body horror, which was a clear inspiration for the original game.
Shocks To The System
BioShock
BioShock is a shooter unlike any you’ve ever played, loaded with weapons and tactics never seen. You’ll have a complete arsenal at your disposal from simple revolvers to grenade launchers and chemical throwers, but you’ll also be forced to genetically modify your DNA to create an even more deadly weapon: you. Injectable plasmids give you super human powers: blast electrical currents into water to electrocute multiple enemies, or freeze them solid and obliterate them with the swing of a wrench.No encounter ever plays out the same, and no two gamers will play the game the same way. Biologically modify your body: send fire storming from your fingertips and unleash a swarm of killer hornets hatched from the veins in your arms. Hack devices and systems, upgrade your weapons and craft new ammo variants. Turn everything into a weapon: the environment, your body, fire and water, and even your worst enemies. Explore an incredible and unique art deco world hidden deep under the ocean.
Zombies make for an easy source of conflict in science fiction stories, butBioShocktook the trope of “monsters created by science” and used it to help weave a tragic tale of classism, addiction, and unethical experimentation. While the Splicers that wander the city of Rapture are technically still alive, they’ve been so ravaged by ADAM usage that they’ve lost all sense of their former self, physically and psychologically. As the game’s most frequent enemy, they’re everywhere, and as freaky as they are to look at, it’s hard not to feel sorry for them. Or at least for the people they once were.
The true nature of Splicers can leave players feeling conflicted. It gets worsewhen they encounter the Little Sisters,the genetically-engineered children designed to essentially be ADAM-mules. The player’s sympathies for these little girls has a drastic impact on the game’s outcome. Almost like a test of how well players have been paying attention to the game’s themes.
TheResident Evilfranchise is the mother of all zombie sci-fi video games. Each game focuses on various heroes struggling against the notorious Umbrella Corporation and the numerous outbreaks of zombies and other mutated monsters they’ve unleashed on the unsuspecting public.Resident Evil 2focuses on the most infamous of these outbreaks, the one that brings Raccoon City to its knees.
The 2019 remake ofResident Evil 2is widely considered to be one of the best examples ofvideo game remakes done right. Not only does the game get some seriously updated graphics, but it manages to maintain the original’s tone and atmosphere perfectly. These zombies are gnarlier than ever, and the themes of evil corporations risking public lives in the name of profit are just as topical as they were in 1998. While Raccoon City itself isn’t a sci-fi city, the Umbrella labs located underground certainly use futuristic technology well ahead of anything seen today.
When most post-apocalyptic science fiction says"the end of the world," what they really mean is “the end ofhumanity.” Apocalypse scenarios such as global zombie outbreaks tend to only focus on the collapse of society, not the natural order. Plants and animals are usually left alone, free to reclaim whatever’s left of the world.
Days Goneflips the script a little. The “Freaker Virus” doesn’t just infect people. Bats, wolves, birds, and even bears can become freakers, too. This adds a whole new level of danger as protagonist Deacon struggles to survive. Seriously,no onewants to fight a zombified bear. While the majority ofDays Gonefeatures humanity at its lowest, there are story moments that focus on the science behind the “Freaker” virus that lean heavily into sci-fi themes.
TheHalf-Lifeseries is one of the most famous science fiction franchises of all time.Half-Life 2is considered to be one of the best games ever made, launching a years-long memeable outcry for the mysticalHalf-Life 3.
Zombies in theHalf-Lifefranchise start from the humble (yet horrifying) headcrab. These critters latch on to a hapless victim’s face and slowly turn them into a decaying, violent puppet. These creepy little beasties seem to take inspiration from the infamous Face-Huggers from theAlienfranchise, with the final zombified form somewhat resembling the fully-grown Xenomorphs. Their parasitic origins may also remind players of a certain post-apocalyptic game that came out a few years later, too…
Of all the entries here,The Last of Usfranchise by far has the loosest definition of a “zombie.” The Infected on display aren’t undead; the reality is much, much worse. The fungal infection in their brain puppeteers their bodies into feral, bloodthirsty monsters that attack on sight. For all intents and purposes,the Infectedare zombies, just with a more scientifically-sound origin. The themes and questions the game raises are still widely discussed to this day, thanks especially to the recent HBO adaption.
Not to mention,the world ofThe Last of Ustakes a surprisingly grounded approach to an apocalyptic scenario. Not only are the Infected a frighteningly realistic take on zombies, but humanity’s various approaches to survival all feel like honest portrayals of how people react to crises. Between total isolation and fiercely controlling resources, most people are just trying to survive, the only way they know how.
