World War Z

About World War Z

World War Z was released by Saber Interactive on 16 April 2019 for PC, where it was first sold on the Epic Games Store, and for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. It came to Steam with the Aftermath update on 21 September 2021, to Nintendo Switch on 2 November 2021, and to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S on 24 January 2023. Aftermath adds episodes in Marseille, Rome and Kamchatka, a first-person view, revamped melee and the Vanguard class. The game is based on the Paramount Pictures film of the same name, and its makers drew on Left 4 Dead.

You play one of a group of survivors in short story episodes set around the world. Each mission is a run from point to point with a squad of four: you collect better weapons, set up turrets and barbed wire, and defend a spot until the way forward opens. Eight classes, the Gunslinger, Hellraiser, Slasher, Medic, Fixer, Exterminator, Dronemaster and Vanguard, level up and unlock perks over many runs. The original campaign takes about five hours, with missions of 15 to 30 minutes.

The horror is the swarm. Its engine draws hundreds of zombies at once, and they behave like a crowd: they jam narrow corridors, flood over cars and pile up into living towers to climb walls toward you. Special zombies grab, charge and gas the team, and armoured zombies in riot gear push through gunfire. A swarm breaking through your defences, all screaming at once, is a real rush of panic.

Besides the co-op campaign there are PvPvZ modes, where two teams fight each other while the swarm attacks both, and cross-platform play. Critics gave it mixed reviews, around 70 on Metacritic for PC, while Steam players rate it Very Positive. It is an action shooter, not a game of hiding, and you are well armed. It suits groups of friends who want a Left 4 Dead style co-op night with huge crowds of the dead.

How to play World War Z

1. Pick an episode, a difficulty and one of the eight classes, then join or host a squad of four.
2. Move through the mission with your team, picking up ammunition, heavy weapons and explosives on the way.
3. When a swarm is coming, set up turrets, mines and barbed wire at the chokepoints.
4. Stay together and revive teammates who are pinned or downed by special zombies.
5. Level up your class and weapons between missions to take on higher difficulties.

Tips

• Defend from high ground or a narrow passage; the swarm loses its numbers in a bottleneck.
• Save explosives for the moment a swarm climbs over your defences.
• Do not wander away from the squad; special zombies prey on anyone alone.
• Try each class early, then commit to one to unlock its stronger perks.

Questions