World War Z is a survival horror/slasher third person multiplayer shooter game developed by Saber Interactive and released on April 16, 2019. It is loosely based on combined elements from both the novel by Max Brooks and the 2013 movie adaptation. The game is divided into four Episodes, each occurring in a different country, with each Episode subdivided into Chapters. It has both online and offline modes for both solo and multiplayers, for up to four teammates.
Gameplay
Players can choose from five difficulty levels. When a team first spawns on a map, the zombie hordes will not yet be aware of their presence. It will therefore be possible for them to sneak around while they gather supplies and quietly pick off small numbers of zombies with their silencers and melee weapons. However, once they’ve made noise, any other nearby zombies will be attracted to the characters’ location. Furthermore, if a player encounters a Screamer, it may start crying out to the other zombies and also attract them. Each chapter has different objectives and tactical elements, although they are all infested with zombies.
As players explore each area, they will find weapons and med-kits lying around but should also search through crates and boxes for loot. At the end of each chapter, players will be awarded points that can be used to gain new abilities on their skill tree or to upgrade their weapons. Higher-level weaponry is necessary to complete levels with higher difficulties. The developers have stated that hey envisioned this game as a ‘session’ game, where people can just sit down to play for 10 -20 minutes whenever they have time. That’s why players can immediately select any chapter from the beginning, because even though each chapter is narrative-driven, each campaign is enjoyable on its own.
Classes
Each Episode has four different characters to choose from, and the player can decide which class to play their character as. At release, there will be six playable classes. Each class starts out with a basic skill set and weapon capability, with new skills and weapons being unlocked at Level 10, 20 and 20. As each character levels up, the player will be able to upgrade their skills on a skill-tree. Players can also customize their weapons.
The classes are:
Gunslinger – This is the firearm expert class. Their opening weapons are a Frag Grenade and Compact SNG.
Medic – They start off with a Stim Pistol, Compact SMG and a med-kit. Med-kits can be used up, so they should be used sparingly. All characters can use med-kits, but the medic has a bonus effect of receiving 25% healing when they heal another teammate. They are also capable of healing their teammates from a distance.
Hellraiser – They are explosives exports and are capable of explosive and sniper combinations. They start out with a Shotgun, C4 and a Hailstorm MGL
Fixer – They are capable of fixing equipment when it wears down or breaks down. They begin with a supply bag and Scout Rifle, with the added bonus of allowing all teammates to carry 10% more ammunition.
Slasher – They specialize in melee attacks, begin with a Stun Gun and Compact SNG.
Exterminator – This class specializes in crowd control, by killing zombies in rapid succession from a distance. They start out with Molotov cocktails and a Shotgun, with an extra 25% damage being inflicted on zombies when they are in swarms.
Modes
Co-op Campaign mode:
Players can queue for teammates to play online or play solo or with a friend offline. If players don’t have enough teammates, they can opt to have the empty slots occupied by AI characters that will follow their teammates around and provide them with basic backup.
PvPvE:
This mode has teams facing off against each other, either one trying to defend a position against an opposing team, while still combatting zombies. So, it basically seems like a mixture of CS:GO and Zombie survival. This should certainly add yet another level of intensity to World War Z.
Types of Zombies
Screamers – They cry out to the other zombies, thereby alerting them to the presence of prey.
Bulls – These are tank-type zombies that are very strong and carrying out charge-attacks. They wear full-body police riot -gear and are therefore difficult to take down.
Gasbags – Zombies wearing radiation suits will charge at characters. If their head is shot, toxic gas will burst out, which will negatively affect the characters’ health.
Zombie swarm – This is when zombies group together to form a mob rush-assault on the characters. While working together, they can rush add walls and pile on top of on another to reach higher walls.
Creepers – These zombies lurk in nooks and entryways in the hopes of launching a surprise attack on their unsuspecting victims.
Cities
Each city has its own climate and aesthetics, with some modes mainly occurring in buildings, while other take place in the city.
Moscow – This section revolves around a group of survivors seeking out a secret bunker I Kremlin, in the hopes of finding a safe-haven.
New York – This Episode finds another group of survivors struggling to find a way out of the city. In the meantime, the military is attempting to regain control of it.
Jerusalem – This episode focuses on the attempts of a military squad to locate and evacuate a scientist from overrun Jerusalem, in order to have him activate a weapons system on a satellite base.
Tokyo – The Japanese military have opted to evacuate the city and move the survivors to the sea. Players therefore take on the role of a rescue team that is seeking out other survivors to escort to the ships awaiting them at the harbor.
