Games like Left 4 Dead, for four friends and a lot of zombies

Left 4 Dead is the game most co-op shooters still copy: four survivors, a horde and a safe room at the end. World War Z and Back 4 Blood are the closest picks. Killing Floor 2 and Deep Rock Galactic give the same teamwork in a different shape, and Roam has four zombie games.

What made Left 4 Dead great

Left 4 Dead is a co-op zombie shooter by Turtle Rock Studios and Valve, released in 2008. Left 4 Dead 2 followed in 2009. Four survivors fight from one safe room to the next through a short campaign. Special infected, like the Smoker and the Tank, punish anyone who wanders off alone.

Its AI Director changes where zombies and items show up each time you play. That is why a level you know by heart can still surprise you.

Co-op zombie games like Left 4 Dead

World War Z: Aftermath. Saber Interactive's co-op shooter built on the movie. Huge swarms pile up walls, and every class plays differently.
Back 4 Blood. Made by Turtle Rock, the original Left 4 Dead team, in 2021. Same idea, plus cards that change each run.
Killing Floor 2. Tripwire's 2016 wave shooter. Hold one area against monsters with a trader between rounds.
Deep Rock Galactic. Ghost Ship Games' 2020 co-op game. Four dwarf miners against bug swarms in caves. No zombies, same teamwork.

How to play co-op zombie games well

Stay together. Most runs fail because one player runs ahead and gets grabbed. Move as a group and cover each other's backs.

Talk about healing. Share medkits with whoever is low, and do not use one when you can wait until the safe room. Call out special enemies early so the team can deal with them first.

Roam zombie games

Roam is a free iPhone app with thousands of short games.

Toll the Horde. First-person horde survival. Ring the bell and shoot until dawn.
Tiny Dead. A top-down zombie brawler. A tiny town, a baseball bat and a lot of zombies.
Scrap Before Dark. Scavenge scrap by day, then get ready for the night.
Last Checkout. An on-rails zombie tap shooter. The store is closed, and the shoppers are not leaving.

Play it on Roam

Make your own co-op zombie game with Roam

Describe the place, the survivors and what waits in the dark. Roam builds it, and your friends can be the other survivors.

Try: "4 friends escape a zombie city to a safe room, a giant zombie boss halfway, my friends are the survivors"

Create it with Roam See Roam

Questions people ask

Is there a Left 4 Dead 3?

No. Valve has not released a Left 4 Dead 3. Back 4 Blood, from the original team at Turtle Rock, is the closest follow-up.

Who made Left 4 Dead?

Turtle Rock Studios and Valve. The first game came out in 2008 and the sequel in 2009.

What is the best co-op game like Left 4 Dead?

World War Z: Aftermath and Back 4 Blood are the closest. Deep Rock Galactic is great if you want co-op without zombies.