Video games have always been about escapism. It’s something that’s especially important during trying times, and jumping into a virtual world allows you to relax and focus your mind on matters that aren’t so close to home.
Give the current situation, stopping yourself from worrying about the current worldwide pandemic is essential, so what better way to do that than by concentrating on defeating or propagating a fictional outbreak?
The following are not only some of the best games to feature absorbing stories of deadly viruses, outbreaks, and diseases but some of them are easily amongst the greatest games ever made.
10 Resident Evil 2 (PS1, 1998)
Whilst the original game is credited with popularising the survival horror genre, and rightly so, Resident Evil 2 is the game that perfected it.
The game’s engrossing story about a genetically engineered virus turning ordinary people into flesh-eating zombies (or powerful mutants) is combined perfectly with great graphics (for the time), explosive action, blinding horror, and nail-biting tension. It’s a genuine masterpiece, despite those clunky tank controls.
Last year’s bombastic revival is a much slicker game, and a real masterclass on the right way to do a remake, but the original, with its more contemplative pace, and questionable voice acting just oozes B-movie charm.
At over 20 years old it’s a little rough around the edges, but Resident Evil 2 is a game everyone should play at least once.
9 Deus Ex (PC, 2000)
Released only a couple of years after the original Half-Life, Deus Ex is another era-defining first-person shooter experience. It was one of the first games to blend typical FPS mechanics with RPG and stealth elements.
In the near future, the world has been ravaged by a deadly pandemic plague known as “Gray Death”. There is a cure but it’s in critically short supply and made available only to the rich and powerful. You play as an anti-terrorist agent with the ability to use superhuman powers enabled by advance nanotechnology.
Even at the time, the graphics weren’t the most polished but it’s the innovative and groundbreaking gameplay that makes Deus Ex an essential experience.
8 Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 (PC/PS4/XB1, 2019)
Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 is an online-only, third-person, co-operative cover shooter that builds upon the successes of the original, making for a more polished and enjoyable experience.
The game is set in Washington DC in the aftermath of the “Green Poison” pandemic, an outbreak caused by the release of a genetically engineered strain of smallpox, specifically designed to be as lethal as possible. The city is now a dangerous battlefield controlled by warring militia factions.
The Division 2 allows you to hook up with three mates to explore the devastated Washington DC where you can take part in missions to earn weapons and upgrades.
7 The Last Of Us (PS3, 2013)
The Last Of Us is a critically acclaimed third-person action-adventure from the now legendary Naughty Dog studios.
Set 20 years after a mutated fungus has turned much of the population into bloodthirsty mutant cannibals, the game follows a group of survivors trying to protect a young girl, with an immunity to the virus that could lead to a cure, in an increasingly cruel and volatile world.
The gameplay is a mixture of gun-based action, stealth, and puzzle-solving but it’s the engaging story full of loss, upheaval, and tragedy that keeps you invested.
If you don’t have a PS3, a shiny remastered version was released on PS4 in 2014.
6 Unforeseen Incidents (PC/MAC, 2018)
Unforeseen Incidents is a traditional point and click adventure, a genre that has seen something of a resurgence over the last few years.
You play as handyman Harper Pendrel, who discovers that a deadly virus is killing the inhabitants of Yelltown. In an effort to save his home town, he joins forces with a reporter and an academic to uncover the mystery of the virus.
As is typical with this type of game, there’s a delightfully offbeat sense of humor on display and, combined with the colorful art style, atmospheric soundtrack, and devilish puzzles, Unforeseen Incidents is a real treat.
5 Sunset Overdrive (XB1, 2014)
Originally released as an Xbox One exclusive in the early days of the console, Sunset Overdrive is a third-person action game developed by Insomniac Games (best known for Spyro the Dragon and the Resistance series).
The plot centers around the launch of a new FizzCo energy drink known as OCD that unfortunately turns anyone who drinks it into a horrifying and violent mutant. You’re tasked with cleaning up the mess.
The action is explosive and you have access to an insane collection of weapons to help you take down the huge boss mutants. There’s a wicked sense of humor to the story too, with plenty of nods and winks to typical video game mechanics and tropes.
4 Left 4 Dead 2 (PC/MAC/360, 2009)
If you haven’t played Left 4 Dead 2, a first-person cooperative survival horror shooter, then you’ve missed out on one of the best zombie apocalypse video games ever made.
There’s not a great deal of story on offer but essentially zombies and mutants are now everywhere following a worldwide pandemic of “Green Flu”. During each mission, you play as one of the few survivors and must battle your way to safety.
Compared to the also excellent original, Left 4 Dead 2 is the more polished game and it’s the one to play if you have to choose. The gameplay is extremely tense with enemies coming in waves dictated by the game’s vindictive AI “The Director”, often punishing you when you’re at your most vulnerable.
Valve is well-known for making great games and Left 4 Dead 2 is no exception. It’s hard as nails, frenetic, and scary as hell, but most of all it’s loads of fun.
3 Bloodborne (PS4, 2015)
Bloodborne is a third-person action RPG by developer From Software, perhaps best known for the fiendishly difficult Dark Souls series.
The game’s name alludes to a blood-borne virus that has affected the inhabitants of the gothic city of Yharnam. Playing as a “Hunter” you must traverse the city, full of Lovecraftian horrors, and uncover the mysteries of the disease.
In typical RPG fashion you create your character and set about battling evil creatures but where Bloodborne stands out is in its incredibly detailed visuals, fully realized game world, and exceptionally high difficulty.
If you want a challenging and exceptionally polished role-playing game with a fantastic story, look no further.
2 Plague Inc (iOS/Android, 2012)
Plague Inc, originally released only on mobile platforms but now available on consoles and PC as Plague Inc: Evolved, is a real-time strategy simulation where the aim of the game is to spread a deadly infection.
After infecting “patient zero” with your chosen virus you must encourage it to spread and bring about the end of the world. The game is uniquely scientific and uses a realistic epidemic model to simulate the spread of the virus.
It’s an addictive game that’ll give you a feeling of magnificent malevolence but, at the same time, it will teach you about the transmission of diseases to such an extent that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the USA has publically praised the game.
If you ever wanted to bring about the end of the world by means of a deadly pathogen, Plague Inc is the game for you.
1 The 7th Guest: Infection (iOS, 2011)
Infection was originally just one of many puzzle minigames that formed part of The 7th Guest, a 1993 PC game that incorporated live-action video clips into its gameplay.
Originally known as the “Microscope Puzzle”, The 7th Guest: Infection tasks the player with spreading their chosen microbe across the gameboard and neutralizing their opponent’s microbes to claim the board.
It can be played against human opponents or you can choose to pit your wits against the evil genius of Henry Stauf, the game’s notoriously difficult AI antagonist.
Simple yet surprising tactical and extremely challenging, The 7th Guest: Infection is perfect for puzzle fans. You might say it’s gameplay is infectious.
