How the zombies started was Dr. Ricktofien want to have the power of mind control. In order to do that he tried accessing the the minds of dead bodies. Dr Maxis Disagrees he said it would be easier to access their minds when they are still alive. So in conclusion dr. Ricktofien is the one who started the zombie apocolypes, but it was an accedent. Many people think maxis is the good guy, but that is wrong. he wanted to blow up the earth just to save samantha. In buried you get the choice of listining to maxis or ricktofin. if you chose maxis he will try to kill you and turn ricktofin into a zombie. if you chose ricktofin he kills maxsis gains control of the zombies and help out russman marltin misty and stewlinger