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Project Zomboid

25 Games like Project Zomboid that you should try

Games like Project Zomboid · Find similar →

Project Zomboid is hard to replace: few games combine survival mechanics, dark, oppressive atmosphere and open world exploration in quite the same way. The NextGameLike team compared Project Zomboid against over 6,700 titles across 25 gameplay attributes and found 25 genuine alternatives — not generic genre suggestions. Sons Of The Forest, Green Hell and Barotrauma lead the list, with Sons Of The Forest reaching a 77/100 similarity score. Every game here is ranked by how closely it replicates what makes Project Zomboid special.

NextGameLike85/ 100

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GenreSurvivalSubgenreHorror Survival
Tags
DarkHardcoreSoloMultiplayer
Year 2013Dev The Indie Stone

Quick answer

The closest game to Project Zomboid is Sons Of The Forest — scoring 77/100 on our similarity scale. Green Hell and Barotrauma follow close behind.

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Top games similar to Project Zomboid

25 similar games foundUpdated May 2026

Handpicked by our similarity algorithm, these are the titles with the highest gameplay match to Project Zomboid. Each one has been evaluated across 25 real attributes — from combat style and progression mechanics to world structure and visual perspective — so every recommendation is based on how the game actually plays, not just its genre label.

1

Sons Of The Forest

77
NGL79
Sons Of The Forest
Closest overall match
SurvivalHorror Survival
MultiplayerSoloCo-opDarkNarrativeOpen WorldSandbox WorldHorrorExplorationCraftingEarly Access
Year 2024Dev Endnight Games · NewnightPlaytime ~11hOn PC

Genre puts it alongside Project Zomboid, and so does dark, oppressive atmosphere, open world exploration and horror setting. The common ground extends to exploration and discovery, and single-player focus. Where the two diverge is visuals and progression: base building and a first-person view.

Released 11 years after Project Zomboid.

Genre100Tone80World80Game mode79Setting70Progression64
2

Green Hell

71
NGL83
Green Hell
SurvivalHorror Survival
MultiplayerSoloCo-opNarrativeOpen WorldSandbox WorldHorrorExplorationCrafting
Year 2019Dev Creepy JarOn Xbox · PS4 · PC

On paper it is what Project Zomboid is — strong narrative focus, open world exploration and horror setting — though the resemblance is mostly at that level. To that it adds exploration and discovery, and multiplayer gameplay. They part company on visuals and tone: this one brings online features and a first-person view.

Released 6 years after Project Zomboid.

Genre100World79Progression70Game mode66Setting62Tone29
3

Barotrauma

70
NGL84
Barotrauma
Closest on tone
SurvivalHorror Survival
MultiplayerCo-opSoloDarkHardcoreNarrativeProceduralHorrorManagement2DEarly Access
Year 2023Dev FakeFishPlaytime ~4hOn PC · Apple Macintosh · Linux

Same family as Project Zomboid: dark, oppressive atmosphere, procedural generation and horror setting. To that it adds multiplayer gameplay and resource management. They part company on setting and world: this one brings a sci-fi setting.

Released 10 years after Project Zomboid.

Genre100Tone100Game mode72Visuals58World48Progression48
4

Obscure

67
NGL80
Obscure
Closest on game mode
SurvivalHorror Survival
OfflineSoloCo-opMultiplayerDarkNarrativeHorror
Year 2004Dev Hydravision Entertainment · Mighty Rocket StudioPlaytime ~2hOn PC · PS · Xbox

What carries over from Project Zomboid is dark, oppressive atmosphere, horror setting and offline play. The distance is in visuals — its own ground is a third-person camera.

It predates Project Zomboid by 9 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Tone79Setting72Visuals0
5

Resident Evil: Revelations 2

66
NGL76
Resident Evil: Revelations 2
SurvivalHorror Survival
OfflineSoloMultiplayerCo-opDarkNarrativeHorror
Year 2015Dev CapcomOn PlayStation 3 · PS4 · PC

Its point of contact with Project Zomboid is dark, oppressive atmosphere, horror setting and offline play. Where the two diverge is visuals: a third-person camera.

Genre100Game mode94Tone82Setting72Visuals0
6

Subnautica

63
NGL88
Subnautica
Closest on world
SurvivalHorror Survival
SoloMultiplayerNarrativeOpen WorldSandbox WorldHorrorExplorationCrafting
Year 2018Dev Unknown Worlds EntertainmentPlaytime ~10hOn PC · PS · Xbox

The genre is the same as Project Zomboid’s, and with it strong narrative focus, open world exploration and horror setting. Both also lean on exploration and discovery, and single-player focus. The distance is in visuals and tone — its own ground is a sci-fi setting and base building.

Released 5 years after Project Zomboid.

Genre100World81Progression67Setting57Game mode48Tone31
7

Subnautica: Below Zero

63
NGL87
Subnautica: Below Zero
SurvivalHorror Survival
SoloMultiplayerNarrativeOpen WorldSandbox WorldHorrorExplorationCrafting
Year 2021Dev Unknown Worlds EntertainmentOn Xbox · PS4 · Switch

It comes from the same genre as Project Zomboid and shares strong narrative focus, open world exploration and horror setting. To that it adds crafting mechanics and single-player focus. They part company on visuals and tone: this one brings a sci-fi setting and base building.

Released 8 years after Project Zomboid.

Genre100World81Progression64Setting55Game mode49Tone32
8

Dead Space 2

62
NGL92
Dead Space 2
SurvivalHorror Survival
SoloMultiplayerCo-opNarrativeDarkHorrorCrafting
Year 2011Dev Electronic ArtsPlaytime ~5hOn PC · PS · Xbox

Same family as Project Zomboid: strong narrative focus, horror setting and single-player focus. To that it adds crafting mechanics. They part company on visuals and progression: this one brings loot and gear systems, and a sci-fi setting.

Genre100Tone83Game mode78Setting43Progression37Visuals0
9

Resident Evil 2

57
NGL94
Resident Evil 2
SurvivalHorror Survival
SoloMultiplayerDarkNarrativeHardcoreHorror
Year 2019Dev CapcomPlaytime ~11hOn PC · PS · Xbox

It comes from the same genre as Project Zomboid and shares dark, oppressive atmosphere, horror setting and single-player focus. They part company on visuals and game mode: this one brings a third-person camera.

Released 6 years after Project Zomboid.

Genre100Tone100Setting72Game mode45Visuals0
10

Friday the 13th: The Game

63
NGL71
Friday the 13th: The Game
SurvivalHorror Survival
MultiplayerSoloCo-opDarkNarrativeOpen WorldHorrorExploration
Year 2017Dev Illfonic · Gun InteractiveOn PS4 · PC · Xbox

The genre is the same as Project Zomboid’s, and with it dark, oppressive atmosphere, open world exploration and horror setting. To that it adds exploration and discovery, and multiplayer gameplay. They part company on visuals and world: this one brings a third-person camera.

Released 4 years after Project Zomboid.

Genre100Tone80Game mode79Setting72Progression39World37
11

Resident Evil: Revelations

60
NGL78
Resident Evil: Revelations
SurvivalHorror Survival
SoloMultiplayerCo-opDarkNarrativeHorror
Year 2013Dev CapcomOn PlayStation 3 · PS4 · PC

On paper it is what Project Zomboid is — dark, oppressive atmosphere, horror setting and single-player focus — though the resemblance is mostly at that level. They part company on visuals and setting: this one brings a sci-fi setting and a third-person camera.

Genre100Tone83Game mode71Setting58Visuals0
12

The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope

60
NGL74
The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope
SurvivalHorror Survival
SoloMultiplayerCo-opNarrativeDarkHorror
Year 2020Dev Supermassive Games · Bandai Namco EntertainmentOn Xbox · PS4 · PC

Same family as Project Zomboid: strong narrative focus, horror setting and single-player focus. The distance is in visuals and setting — its own ground is a mythological setting and a third-person camera.

Released 7 years after Project Zomboid.

Genre100Tone84Game mode78Setting51Visuals0
13

Five Nights at Freddy's: Sister Location

57
NGL85
Five Nights at Freddy's: Sister Location
SurvivalHorror Survival
SoloDarkHardcoreNarrativeHorror
Year 2016Dev ScottgamesOn PC

On paper it is what Project Zomboid is — dark, oppressive atmosphere, horror setting and single-player focus — though the resemblance is mostly at that level. Where the two diverge is visuals and game mode: a first-person view.

Released 3 years after Project Zomboid.

Genre100Tone100Setting72Game mode23Visuals0
14

Five Nights at Freddy's 4

57
NGL80
Five Nights at Freddy's 4
SurvivalHorror Survival
SoloDarkHardcoreNarrativeHorror
Year 2015Dev ScottgamesOn PC

On paper it is what Project Zomboid is — dark, oppressive atmosphere, horror setting and single-player focus — though the resemblance is mostly at that level. Where the two diverge is visuals and game mode: a first-person view.

Genre100Tone100Setting72Game mode23Visuals0
15

Resident Evil 0

57
NGL77
Resident Evil 0
SurvivalHorror Survival
SoloMultiplayerDarkNarrativeHardcoreHorror
Year 2016Dev Capcom Production Studio 3 · CapcomOn PlayStation 3 · PS4 · PC

Same family as Project Zomboid: dark, oppressive atmosphere, horror setting and single-player focus. Where the two diverge is visuals and game mode: a third-person camera.

Released 3 years after Project Zomboid.

Genre100Tone100Setting72Game mode45Visuals0

More similar-games lists to keep going

Found one on the list you already love? Open its own list: the games that play most like it, ranked, with the reason for each.

Explore games similar to Project Zomboid by category

If Project Zomboid left you wanting more, this is where you narrow it down. Was it the simulation or the sandbox that hooked you? There is a list of just that. And if you play on Nintendo Switch, PS5, PlayStation and Xbox, filter by platform and skip the games you could not play anyway.

Rankings in the same genre

Sometimes what you want is not a Project Zomboid look-alike but simply the best Survival Horror Games there are. That is what these rankings are for: no comparison to anything, just the highest-rated games. And if you feel like widening the net, the Survival Games ranking is a good way to run into something you were not expecting.