Best VR Zombie Games, Ranked

Of the many genres and subgenres the ever-developing world of virtual reality has tackled, few promise more scares than zombie apocalypse. A staple of horror cinema since the ’60s, the undead have become an effective tool to create suspenseful action in everything from Call of Duty to Dying Light over the years.

Related: Best Zombie Games Ever, Ranked

Once a player steps into the VR setting, everything changes as they get completely immersed in the gameplay. By extension, entering a world of murderous zombies and survivalist terror can become that much more intense. While the VR genre has been widely regarded as hit-and-miss over the past few years, the zombie scene has contributed a number of effective, action-packed chillers for fans of the medium to get engrossed in. From adaptations of hit zombie shows to space-set, sci-fi undead mayhem, these games have managed to provide a bit of something for everyone within the confines of the genre. These are some of the best VR zombie games.

Updated on December 2, 2023, by John Cunningham: Zombies have long been a staple of the horror genre, and have frequently made their presence felt in the gaming medium thanks to everything from Call of Duty to Left 4 Dead. The grim thrills of tackling zombies in the immersive medium of VR gaming are both addictive and terrifying all at once, making for a unique gaming experience. Due to their continued popularity, four more exciting zombie VR titles have been added in.

10 The Persistence Is Persistent In Its VR Scares

Meta.com Rating: 3

As if being trapped on Earth with zombies wasn’t bad enough, The Persistence cranks the tension up a notch by trapping players with the undead out in space. Taking control of a clone of a security officer, players must get the damaged spaceship operational again, all while dealing with a seemingly endless number of murderous zombies prowling about. To get the job done, players must traverse through all four of the ship’s decks, dealing with a litany of suitably sinister zombies along the way.

Making full use of the futuristic sci-fi setting, The Persistence offers players a variety of curious weapons, including a handy serum that makes zombies assist the player and the Gravometric Hook, a devastating gravity gun. One of the less conventional aspects of the game is the manner in which it handles the player character’s death. Rather than just respawn at an earlier point in the game, players will simply assume the role of another clone and carry on from where they were. Overall, The Persistence is a thrilling piece of sci-fi VR entertainment that effectively serves as a cross between Death Horizon and the modern classic Dead Space.

9 The Walking Dead: Onslaught Puts Players In Charge Of Several Leading Characters

Meta.com Rating: 3.1

It’s all in the subtitle. This Walking Dead VR adaptation sees players locked into a grim scenario of Alexandria, a key setting in the original TV series, being overrun by the dreaded Walkers. For fans of the show, a lot of fun can be found in this game’s option to play as many of the series’ most popular characters, with Rick, Michonne, Daryl, and Carol all being options. The plot kicks off soon after the protagonists’ lengthy and bloody feud with Negan and the Saviors has finally been settled.

Related: Best Zombie Apocalypse Comic Book Series

The core narrative of the game focuses heavily on the aftermath of the battles with the Saviors, as the protagonists look to rebuild a broken community and move on from the traumas of war. This aspect of the game provides an emotional hook to proceedings, ensuring players can enjoy some thought-provoking character development as they go on suspenseful scavenger hunts and look to ward off potential zombies onslaughts against the town. For fans of the show, the appeal of this game is obvious. For everyone else, its in-depth look at post-apocalyptic life in a zombie-dominated world makes for compelling, dramatic fare.

8 Killing Floor: Incursion Provides Players A Close-Up Look At The Series’ Action

Meta.com Rating: 3.6

As always, the Killing Floor series’ apt title gives players an excellent idea of the kind of thrill ride they’re in for. In this instance, fans of Tripwire Entertainment’s first-person shooter get to enjoy a far more sense-encompassing action game than they’re used to. Throwing the player right into the thick of the action, Incursion sees rigorous first-person shooting action against stampedes of monstrous undead entities. As is customary with the Killing Floor series, zombies are not a straightforward, one-note issue, but a variety of off-putting deformities and monstrosities caused by sickening medical experimentation.

Regardless of the potential moral quandaries surrounding such a premise, it’s the player’s job to completely clear the area, wiping out as many of the laboratory-produced zombies as possible. Much like prior installments, Incursion is an all-action affair as players run through a wide selection of lethal weaponry to eviscerate the undead enemy. Crisp graphics, fast-paced gameplay, and suitably horrible, zombified enemies make this a strong entry into the zombie VR medium.

7 The Brookhaven Experiment Is An Intense, Effective VR Shooter

Meta.com Rating: 3.8

This suspenseful wave shooter thrusts players into a bleak timeline where a reality-altering experiment has changed the world for the worse. With monstrous undead roaming free and humanity on the brink of complete annihilation, The Brookhaven Experiment succeeds admirably in creating a sense of high stakes.

Resource management is key here, as players must be mindful of both their bullets and batteries when dealing with the grisly action on hand. With a variety of tools and weapons at the player’s disposal, wave upon wave of horrific enemy hordes must be survived and overcome in order to progress. On top of the immersive, sweat-inducing action, The Brookhaven Experiment provides some neat narrative depth as well through its unfolding mystery of how the world became so consumed by zombies in the first place.

6 Dead And Buried 2 Gives Zombie Lovers A Fun, Old West Setting To Sift Through

Meta.com Rating: 3.8

For fans of Red Dead Redemption‘s classic Undead Nightmare DLC, this underrated VR gem is a must-play. Dead and Buried 2 takes players to a supernaturally afflicted Old West where the undead are running amok.

With a variety of gameplay modes, including an addictively competitive online multiplayer option, this six-shooter-stuffed thriller offers plenty of value to players. As should be expected from a western, Dead and Buried 2 even offers a one vs. one quickdraw showdown to test the reflexes and timing of its gamers. On top of all the fun modes, the game also delivers the goods where it matters most: killing zombies. Fast-paced and unpredictable, the undead shoot ’em-up action is an on-point, worthy follow-up to the acclaimed original.

5 Arizona Sunshine Proved To Be A Landmark VR Game At The Time Of Its Release

Meta.com Rating: 4.2

Vertigo Games’ visceral VR thriller proved to be a hit with both critics and players at the time of its release. Players start their gory journey in a cave in Arizona, where the vague sound of a human voice on a radio prompts a signal-hunting journey.

Needless to say, the journey is riddled with hiccups, as players must contend with bloodthirsty hordes of murderous zombies. While it may not be the most puzzling or complex of games, its straightforward, well-paced plot allows players to blitz through relentless, zombified action. Arguably played at its best with an AIM controller, Arizona Sunshine also offers players a fun co-op mode on top of its thrilling story. A seminal VR release at the time of its debut, this popular zombie thriller’s influence can be felt in many of the similar games that have been released in the years since.

4 Death Horizon: Reloaded Provides An Even More Intense Look At The Grim Horizon Facility

Meta.com Rating: 4.3

This no-nonsense first-person shooter essentially took everything the original Death Horizon had to offer and perfected it for a more complete VR experience. Dropping back in 2019, the game sees players return to the dreaded Horizon facility for more bloody zombie action. Horizon has been abandoned and is now overrun with seemingly endless zombies for the player to kill their way through. Players get a variety of firearms and melee weapons as well as more environmental factors such as ladders and cables to work interact with and use.

Related: Best Sci-Fi VR Games For The Oculus Quest 2

While the overall storytelling is fairly sparse, intrigue is built around a mysterious figure who provides the players with some help whilst watching them via CCTV. The more the game goes on, the more curiosity there is in finally discovering who exactly this individual is, providing players a key reason to continue playing through the numerous bloodthirsty hordes of the undead prowling about. With plenty of blood-splattering action to enjoy, this is an obvious choice for zombie lovers looking for a fun VR experience.

3 The Walking Dead: Saints And Sinners Expands The Series’ Lore

Meta.com Rating: 4.6

It’s hardly surprising the seminal Walking Dead TV series has contributed so effectively to the suspenseful world of VR. Arguably the most important mainstream depiction of zombies of the 21st century, The Walking Dead‘s Saints and Sinners VR ensures the franchise remains at the pinnacle. Players take control of the Tourist, a protagonist who has traveled into the deadly, zombie-dominated remains of New Orleans. The player is there with a specific purpose: to locate a mysterious government base known simply as The Reserve.

As is customary for so many action-focused VRs, both chapters of Saints and Sinners predominantly function as first-person shooters, as the player is forced to gun down hordes of the ravenous undead. Along with the shoot ’em up action on offer, this well-regarded VR tour de force offers players plenty of survival horror tropes and themes to contend with as well, offering a well-rounded zombie terror experience in the process. Much like Onslaught, this is simply a must-have for diehard fans of the blockbuster undead franchise.

2 Resident Evil 7: Biohazard Gives Players A Scarily Immersive VR Experience

Meta.com Rating: 4.7

As if the original Resident Evil 7 wasn’t scary enough, the VR version throws players even more completely into the grim journey of Ethan Winters. Sporting superb atmosphere and intensity, the game’s unpredictable, subversive narrative provides a rewarding anchor to the visceral, VR thrills on offer.

RELATED: Video Games That Are Better On Hard Mode

As is customary with the long-running series, Biohazard places a heavy emphasis on the difficulty of survival, as players must contend with the struggle of managing limited resources. As if that wasn’t difficult enough, the wide variety of horrific creatures and bosses players must contend with over the game’s nerve-shredding runtime often provide a sense of apocalyptic dread, further enhancing the already scary gameplay and settings. Overall, this is a must-play VR experience for Resident Evil fans.

1 Resident Evil 4 VR Provides A New Look At The Iconic Thriller

Meta.com Rating: 4.7

The iconic fourth installment has enjoyed the remake on two impressive levels in recent years. Back in March, the action-packed mission that sees Leon S. Kennedy out to rescue the President’s daughter was re-released for the ninth generation of consoles. Garnering acclaim for its high-quality production value, the remake was not alone in bringing Resident Evil 4 to a new generation. For PlayStation 5 users, a VR DLC is purchasable for the game, allowing players to completely step into Leon’s shoes with a grisly, startling effect.

The VR experience maintains the gameplay, action, and plot of the original, providing fans with a more fully immersive experience of fighting their way through a parasite-infested rural Spain. Unsurprisingly, it offers a much scarier style of gameplay, as the player is constantly targeted by ravenous fiends and locked into noisy, all-action shootouts. Fun, effective, and relatively new for the Resident Evil franchise, this VR is a must-play for fans of the long-running series.

More: The Best Open-World Zombie Games Ever Made