LikeThisGame
Dead Rising
Games Like

Dead Rising

200682/100
Hack and slash/Beat 'em upAdventure

Boss Battles · Branching Story · Comedy · Horror · Open World · Sandbox · Survival

The original defined open-world zombie action, tasking players with surviving a three-day outbreak inside a shopping mall. Its core loop of scavenging for weapons, rescuing survivors, and investigating the unfolding mystery remains compelling. The time limit, combined with the sheer number of undead and the freedom to experiment with absurd weapon combinations, generated a unique tension and a darkly comedic tone that still resonates.

About Dead Rising

Details
Frank West, a freelance photojournalist on the hunt for the scoop of a lifetime, pursues a juicy lead to a small suburban town only to find that it is being overrun by zombies! He escapes to the local shopping mall thinking it will be a bastion of safety, but it turns out to be anything but. It's a true struggle to survive the endless stream of enemies, but with full reign over an entire shopping center, Frank can utilize anything to fight off the flesh-hungry mob and search for the truth behind the horrendous epidemic.

Top 4 Alternatives to Dead Rising

1
Rating
Critic & community
70
Match
Recommendation strength
85%

State of Decay 2

2018 · Role-playing (RPG)

Like Dead Rising, you're scavenging for resources and fighting hordes of zombies, but here you're also managing a community of survivors, adding a strategic layer to the frantic action.

Why recommended

  • Features a persistent open world filled with zombie hordes and resource scavenging, echoing Dead Rising's core loop of survival in a hostile environment.
  • Criteria - Blends Action combat with Adventure elements through exploration and resource gathering, while maintaining a Challenging Difficulty with permadeath mechanics and constant threats.
  • The emphasis on managing a survivor community and making tough choices about resource allocation and character well-being adds a strategic depth to the zombie apocalypse experience.
2
Rating
Critic & community
76
Match
Recommendation strength
80%

Experience a similar blend of open-world exploration and brutal melee combat against the infected, but with added parkour mechanics that make navigating the city a thrilling vertical challenge.

Why recommended

  • Offers a vast open world to explore, filled with infected enemies and a day-night cycle that significantly alters gameplay, similar to Dead Rising's time-sensitive mechanics.
  • Criteria - Combines intense Action combat with extensive Adventure exploration, and presents a Challenging Difficulty through powerful enemy types and resource management.
  • The fluid parkour system allows for dynamic traversal and evasion, providing a unique twist on zombie survival and creating exciting combat and escape scenarios.
3
Rating
Critic & community
81
Match
Recommendation strength
78%

While trading zombies for mutants, this game captures Dead Rising's over-the-top action and creative weapon crafting, but with a vibrant, punk-rock aesthetic and emphasis on acrobatic traversal.

Why recommended

  • Features a colorful open world where players battle hordes of mutated enemies using an arsenal of outlandish, crafted weapons, mirroring Dead Rising's creative mayhem.
  • Criteria - Delivers fast-paced Action gameplay and Adventure through exploration, with a Challenging Difficulty that rewards skilled movement and strategic weapon use.
  • The game's irreverent humor and emphasis on style and mobility provide a similar sense of chaotic fun and freedom found in Dead Rising's sandbox approach to zombie slaying.
4
Rating
Critic & community
73
Match
Recommendation strength
75%

Swap the mall for a post-apocalyptic wasteland, and zombies for marauders, but retain the core loop of scavenging, crafting, and brutal vehicular and on-foot combat in a challenging open world.

Why recommended

  • Set in a harsh open world where survival depends on scavenging for scrap, crafting upgrades, and engaging in intense combat against numerous enemies, reminiscent of Dead Rising's resourcefulness.
  • Criteria - Offers a robust blend of Action combat, both vehicular and melee, with significant Adventure through wasteland exploration, all within a Challenging Difficulty due to scarce resources and dangerous foes.
  • The brutal, satisfying melee combat and the ability to customize and upgrade your vehicle provide a similar sense of progression and personal power fantasy against overwhelming odds.

Explore Dead Rising in detail

Screenshots, prices, playtime, streams and more

View Page →

Want something more specific?

Select criteria to get personalized recommendations

Select at least 1

Explore More Games