There are no good zombie games

[Pulsar_t]

Everything and their dog can potentially garner their own cult, or not so cult, following. Zombie media is entertaining, but people put too much stock in the possibility of an essentially-impossible outbreak. There simply isn't enough blowfish in the world, or enough independent thinkers for that matter

[Erik_Twice]

Then about a year ago, I came into work and some kid was reading some sort of "Zombie Survival Guide," that supposedly tells you what to do in the event of a zombie attack. I of course rolled my eyes. But became surprised when this other guy chimed in and say "oh cool, you're reading about zombies?"

It's an interesting read and it's fun. If he enjoys it, there's nothing wrong with it.

[Anayo]

This is why John Steinbeck's "The Pearl" is scarier than Resident Evil 4.

[Ack]

Then about a year ago, I came into work and some kid was reading some sort of "Zombie Survival Guide," that supposedly tells you what to do in the event of a zombie attack. I of course rolled my eyes. But became surprised when this other guy chimed in and say "oh cool, you're reading about zombies?"

I dunno. I just don't get it

Actually, that was a book by Max Brooks, the son of Mel Brooks. He formerly wrote for Saturday Night Live, and the Survival Guide is a serious look at a zombie apocalypse, which is what makes it feel so tongue-in-cheek to me. His second book, World War Z, is a literary documentary about said zombie apocalypse, and while ultimately humanity survives by banding together and fighting back, it makes for an excellent horror novel that feels realistic for the most part.

I figure ultimately the whole zombie craze took off again with the release of a slew of zombie horror films in the last decade. Let's face it, they're easy to pull off, and the plot has been done hundreds of times so it's not like they really have to think about it.

I've also had friends that joke about my being into zombies, though I'm very much interested in horror in general. I figure it's a fad that's petering out and will be replaced by something else in the next decade.

[Snickerd00dle]

I mean, they never stopped making zombie movies, people just never saw them, there are horror fans that have kept the genre alive to thank for that

In relation to games though, I think we can all agree that Typing of the Dead really captures the anxieties and horrors of humanity like no other during the ZA (Zombie Apocalypse)

[Luke]

"Zombie games draw heavily from film but do so without ever replicating what it is that makes the movies horrific. Anyone well versed in this particular film subgenre would be aware that it is not the zombies that are the greatest horror. Zombies may produce the most ’shocking’ moments, but it is the degenerative humanity in the survivors that is most horrific. Sure, there are moments of cooperation but invariably it is the selfishness or inhumanity of a survivor that leads to the groups eventual downfall. I cannot recall any game in recent years that has successfully replicated this. " - Gerard Delaney

This guy has obviously never played Zombies Ate My Neighbors. Ya know what? Sometimes I Don't save the slob in the inner tube.

[Snickerd00dle]

"Zombie games draw heavily from film but do so without ever replicating what it is that makes the movies horrific. Anyone well versed in this particular film subgenre would be aware that it is not the zombies that are the greatest horror. Zombies may produce the most ’shocking’ moments, but it is the degenerative humanity in the survivors that is most horrific. Sure, there are moments of cooperation but invariably it is the selfishness or inhumanity of a survivor that leads to the groups eventual downfall. I cannot recall any game in recent years that has successfully replicated this. " - Gerard Delaney

This guy has obviously never played Zombies Ate My Neighbors. Ya know what? Sometimes I Don't save the slob in the inner tube.

LOL

[Gamerforlife]

Yeah, Dead Rising is a decent example, even though it's too comical to be taken seriously. The survivors are a much graver threat than the zombies.

Decent? How about great? The psychopaths alone capture what we're talking about perfectly. And while the game's gameplay can be a bit comical as well as some of the psychopaths I just mentioned, the game's main storyline takes itself fairly seriously and focuses heavily on the idea of people losing their humanity(Carlos)as well as humanity's obsession with consumption.

I also love that the game gives you the CHOICE to save every survivor you can find, or just let them die with no real consequences beyond what is on your conscious.

Dead Rising was made to resemble a Romero film, it's exactly the sort of game we're talking about here.

[Gamerforlife]

Also, people always complain about what a pain it is to save the survivors. Maybe that's the point, when the people you're trying to save are idiots, or don't listen or are drinking them selves into oblivion, are they worth saving? That's the question the game's throws at you. With half of the game's survivors showing you humanity at its worse, maybe you should just go, "screw them". I mean the annoying AI often times represents who the survivor actually is. The cowards for example, will often drop to the ground and become useless forcing you to really risk your neck to save them. Then you have the morons who are too gung ho and will go try and attack the cultists in the game and just get themselves killed.

Between the annoying survivors, the crazy psycopaths, the damn cultists, as well as Carlos' entire back story and character arc, Dead Rising pretty much shows you nothing BUT humanity at its worst. Even Frank himself, who is using a horrible situation to try and make himself famous by taking pictures of everything. He starts the game concerned mainly about getting a good story, with little concern for the actual tragedy of the situation. The game begins with you taking pictures of innocent people getting killed by zombies from the safety of your helicopter and the game rates the quality of your pictures and rewards you.

You even get achievements for taking pictures of two of your closest companions in the game after they have become zombies.

Dead Rising is ALL about humanity at its worst. Only a few of the main characters, and possibly Frank if you choose to have him save all the survivors show any redeeming qualities

[Haoie]

There are no good vampire games either [barring Legacy of Kain, etc].

And face it, zombies are so overdone thesedays.