With the full-on media blitz going on around the upcoming release of Capcom’s next chapter in the “Resident Evil” saga, now is the perfect time to get back into the fun of laying waste to the undead hordes. While it may be an obviously good time to revisit Umbrella Corporation-spawned baddies of the past, there are some newer zombie attractions that should get the old infected blood pumping.

Heading the pack of the new school of zombie infestation games is Valve’s incredibly gory “Left 4 Dead.” This game turns the power of the Source engine into a nonstop river of the infected just waiting to run down and bludgeon you and three of your buddies. What this game lacks in storyline, it makes up for in sheer volume of zombies, including special infected and horrifying witches.

Since this game was truly designed as a multiplayer, the true polish of the game can be seen when you get online – either on your PC or Xbox Live – and join up with friends and strangers alike to wade through the ever-growing pile of corpses. You can even choose to join the ranks of the infected to hunt down the game’s four iconic survivors.

If you really need a bit of Raccoon City nostalgia, though, pick up the DVD or Blu-ray of Resident Evil: Degeneration. While the storyline is only about as deep as a feature-length cut-scene, the animation will be familiar to fans of the series, as will the appearance of game regulars Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield.

Needless to say, the movie also offers clues to events in the upcoming “Resident Evil 5,” and the action is intense enough to keep you drooling until the big game comes out later this year, so fans would be wise to give this one a shot.