Zombie

Zombies are common hostile creatures in Abiotic Factor, encountered throughout Cascade Laboratories and other outbreak areas. They are former GATE employees and other people from Anteverse 23 who have been afflicted by IS-0102, a symbiote from Anteverse 16 known as The Love Potion. Although they are slow and physically frail, they remain dangerous in groups and can overwhelm unprepared players.

Zombies move very slowly at all times and can see players through doors, though they cannot open them themselves. If they reach a corpse while not actively aware of the player, they will bend down and feed on nearby bodies. They attack anything within range, including the player. Their slow movement makes them easy to kite, but their numbers can become a serious problem, especially in the Furniture Store and during Assault Events.

In combat, zombies are usually best handled with melee weapons or precise ranged headshots. They are fragile enough that a few melee swings are often enough to kill them, and a shot to the head from a ranged weapon will usually finish them instantly. If a zombie manages to grab the player, it will bite and inflict Strange Virus, an incurable debuff that causes intense vomiting and dehydration before eventually killing the victim. Keeping distance is therefore the safest approach.

• Lightning Spear is especially useful for clearing crowds, since its chain lightning can jump between nearby zombies. Two chained hits are enough to kill one.
• Laser Katana is extremely effective thanks to its range, sweeping arc, and high damage.
• Zombies rely on group pressure rather than durability, so separating them or thinning them out before engaging makes fights much safer.

Zombies can also spawn with cosmetic gear. Some in the Furniture Store and some spawned through Assault Events may wear hats, and there is a small chance for them to wear a backpack. When killed, zombies that are wearing one of these items will drop the corresponding piece of gear. Zombies may also drop a Human Skull, and this drop is guaranteed from some zombie entries. Hydroplant Worker zombies are a tougher variant and always drop a Human Skull as well. They also have increased health, with 80 head health and 60 torso and limb health, and their melee attack deals 20 additional damage. Zombies in the Hydroplant always drop a Human Skull.

Zombie behavior and availability change as progression advances. After unlocking Containment Block Helmholtz, zombies begin spawning in other parts of Cascade Laboratories. Zombies in Cascade Laboratories and the Security Sector parking garage do not drop any loot.