Left 4 Dead 3, despite being a dead-set winner to top the best zombie games on Steam, seems unlikely to appear any time soon. Back 4 Blood has been put to bed by Turtle Rock Studios. Killing Floor 3 is yet to have a date. Call of Duty Zombies shambles on in Black Ops 6, yet in a perhaps fittingly twisted form far from the days of old. Hellbreach: Vegas, however, is out right now – having just stepped out of early access on the Valve store – and might be just the FPS game you need to scratch that co-op wave survival itch.
Hellbreach: Vegas comes from solo developer Ashley Ellis of Infinity Ape Studios, and feels like a love letter to those classic days of CoD Zombies and Left 4 Dead. Much like some of the best FPS games in that co-op wave survival mold, however, it opts to throw out the traditional undead hordes in favor of demonic terrors. As was perhaps always destined to happen, these troublesome sorts are pouring out of portals to hell that have torn open across Sin City itself, Las Vegas.
Of course, you shouldn’t expect an easy time. “In a showdown between zombies and demons, the demons would win hands down,” Infinity Ape explains. “With their enhanced speed, sharp teeth, and razor-sharp claws, they’d tear zombies to shreds. While zombies shuffle around and try to overwhelm with numbers, demons would zip through them like a hot knife through butter. It wouldn’t even be a fair fight.”
Things might start out slow, then, but as the waves progress you’ll have to deal with faster spawns of ever stronger, tougher, and speedier enemy demons. That means you’ll need to keep upgrading your gear as the rounds wear on if you’re going to stay in the fight. You’ll have 18 guns, three melee weapons, and 11 perks at your disposal in 1.0, with five game modes including the new Nightmare mode for the most prestigious experts.
The 1.0 launch has seen improved control mechanics, upgraded enemy AI and animations, and a wealth of new content including maps, modes, weapons, and accessories. It includes full controller support and is compatible with Steam Deck. Due to the extensive rebalancing from early access, Infinity Ape has also reset the leaderboards, giving you a fair shot to climb to the top if you think you’re up to the task.
Hellbreach: Vegas is out now on Steam. The 1.0 version, which launches Wednesday August 14, is priced at $14.99 / £12.79. The cost has gone up just slightly from early access as thanks to its initial supporters, but it’s still cheap enough that you shouldn’t have too much trouble convincing a group of friends to join you. If that sounds like a good plan, you can get it right now.
Alternatively, we’ve rounded up all the best co-op games to play in 2024 if you’re on the hunt for something else. Or if you simply can’t dig yourself away from the shambling sorts, here are the best zombie games.
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