[quote=@Beach Burrito]
I like how spears, staves and polearms seem to be the preferred melee accessory. It always seemed strange to me when people would willingly fight monsters with swords.
[/quote]

Well, emphasis on accessory, or secondary as a more appropriate term, at least for most people.

The logic of melee weapons in the apocalypse

Ammo tends to be expensive or scarce
Weapons are unreliable or broken
Creatures tend to want to close on you, if you're surprised and can't use your gun because of the proximity it's over unless you have a melee weapon
Melee weapons are quiet

Despite this, I don't think there are many people here taking melee exclusively over trying to shoot the thing first, I know I'd only be using a melee weapon as a last resort.