Best Games Where You Play As Undead, Ranked

The undead, as the name implies, is a classification for any being that has died, but has come back to life, often through supernatural means. These characters can be fascinating, in part due to the interplay potentially associated with their past and present lives. These beings can also often be a metaphor for fear, grief, and general feelings of unfinished business.

Due in part to their fear-inducing nature, these creatures are often enemies in the games of others. That said, certain great games allow their players to act as the undead ones for a change. Many of these games have attained a level of acclaim to the point where they themselves “resurrect” in the form of remasters designed for contemporary consoles.

5

MediEvil

A Tale of Redemption From Beyond the Grave

Sir Daniel “Dan” Fortesque had stolen valor foisted upon him, having died unceremoniously by the first arrows fired in a war against the evil sorcerer Zarok. Upon Zarok’s return about a century later, he unwittingly resurrects the deceased Daniel. Having decomposed to a mostly-present skeleton, the undead Daniel is now determined to rightfully earn his spot in the Hall of Heroes.

This hack-and-slash title revolves around defeating Zarok’s army, with Daniel collecting a variety of weapons, but also beating enemies with his skeletal arm. By completing certain challenges, Daniel can acquire a Chalice of Souls, which allows him to temporarily visit the Hall of Heroes and gain beneficial items. MediEvil has been praised for its humor and gameplay, with Daniel himself becoming popular enough to earn playable appearances in Everybody’s Golf 2 and Playstation All-Stars Battle Royale.

4

South Park: The Fractured But Whole

Mysterion’s Return

Type of Undead: Ambiguous, represented as a ghost

A sequel to The Stick of Truth, South Park: The Fractured But Whole is another RPG revolving around the titular controversial animated series. Like its predecessor, the game’s story is rooted in a game played by the children of South Park that has gotten out of hand. However, rather than a medieval-style game, the children now pretend to be superheroes. The New Kid, deemed The Amazing Butthole, serves as a protagonist caught between a superhero civil war. One of the most notable heroes is Mysterion, the alter ego of the typically incoherent Kenny McCormick. With a voice that is somewhat deeper than usual, but also comprehensible, Mysterion is significantly more intimidating than his counterpart.

However, much like Kenny, Mysterion isn’t one to stay dead for long. In his living form, he can physically attack his enemies, using a mighty attack with lower range, or weaker, more expansive attacks. When killed, Mysterion’s gameplay changes, and he is instead more focused on dealing status effects. His ultimate attack in either form allows him to switch to the other. When living, he damages his foes at the cost of his own life. When dying, he revives himself, healing his allies all the while. This multi-faceted style of gameplay is a unique element to Mysterion, already one of the most interesting characters in The Fractured But Whole.

3

Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without A Pulse

Joining the War on Zombies, On the Side Of the Zombies

Zombies are perhaps among the most dehumanized type of undead in every sense of the word. They are typically ascribed a lack of intellect, a defining hunger for brains, and a characterization as more of a hazard for the living than anything personal. This makes Stubbs the Zombie a bit more special. It’s a rare zombie-oriented game where zombies aren’t just a mode or feature of the story, but instead the zombie’s POV is central.

Stubbs awakens in Punchbowl, Pennsylvania, where his own devouring of humans is the start of a zombie apocalypse. Various armed forces, including the police and a local militia group, take matters into their own hands. The gameplay revolves around turning others into zombies by eating them, directing them to advance forward, and fighting against anyone who tries to end Stubbs’ reign of terror. This game puts a unique twist on the zombie apocalypse.

2

Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy

A Genre-Blending Game That Switches Between Combat and Stealth

Borrowing and altering some elements of Egyptian mythology, Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy is an action-adventure platformer. That being said, its two leads differ when it comes to gameplay. The demigod, Sphinx, is more combat-oriented, tending to directly confront enemies and often enhancing his physical abilities to progress further. His counterpart, the mummy Tutankhamun, serves a different role. His segments are more focused on stealth and puzzle solving.

These different styles of play are both needed to complete the game, with the characters’ arcs both being essential to the gameplay and narrative. While Sphinx is more focused on defeating the antagonistic god, Set, Tutankhamun is resurrected at brief intervals by Imhotep. His inability to die allows him to suffer potentially fatal injuries (such as being flattened or burnt alive), which he can use to aid in puzzle solving and throw a wrench into Set’s plans. While the mummy’s role is only a portion of a greater narrative, the game nonetheless uses the being’s virtual immortality and past existence to create unique gameplay.

1

Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective

An Innovative Mystery-Solving Puzzle Game

Ghost Trick was written, directed, and designed by Shu Takumi, best known for his work on the Ace Attorney series. Despite its lack of commercial success upon release, the game itself has achieved something of a second life, likely in conjunction with the growing popularity of Takumi’s better-known works. The player stars as Sissel, a mysterious ghost who is trying to uncover his own identity.

Unlike most mystery games, Ghost Trick is built around resolving murders rather than solving them. A mysterious ghost named Ray tells Sissel about his time-travel abilities, which allow him to prevent the death of an individual by interacting with various objects present at the scene of their demise. He rescues Lynne, a detective he apparently requested meet him, from being killed by a foreign agent. From this point, Sissel uncovers more about his own identity and a greater conspiracy tied to his odd ghost powers. Its unique writing, character-driven plot, and entertaining gameplay make Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective the best game to star a ghost, or really any undead being.