Genre: Four player cooperative third-person shooter (completely playable offline with bots)
Developer: Saber Interactive
Publisher: Focus Home Interactive, MadDog Games
Release Date: April 16th, 2019
Price: $39.99
Platforms: Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC (Epic Games Store exclusive)
Game Availability: World War Z will be available both digitally and physically.
Xbox One X and PS4 Pro Enhancements: Dynamic 4K resolution, no other enhancements known of at this time.
ABOUT THE GAME
World War Z is a thrilling four-player cooperative third-person shooter featuring massive swarms of zombies that recklessly rush their living prey. Focused on fast-paced gameplay — and based on the incredibly popular Paramount Pictures property of the same name — World War Z explores new storylines and characters from around the world in tense, overwhelming, gruesomely exciting missions.
The swarm feels neither fear nor mercy. It rolls forward to spread and consume. Together, make your stand and unload an arsenal of deadly weaponry into these hundreds of swarming zombies. Feel the satisfying rush of life as you cheat death and prevail against such overwhelming odds. Cut the undead down with rocket launchers, machine guns, sentries, turrets, grenade launchers, barbed wire, and more.
STORY AND MISSIONS
Humanity is on the brink of extinction. From New York, to Moscow, to Jerusalem, the undead apocalypse continues to spread. Countless millions of ravenous zombies without feeling or fear overwhelm and infect the embattled survivors of World War Z. As the end looms, a hardened few band together and endure. Alone, we are easily overcome. Together, we may yet bring down the horde and press on. For our story – the story of humanity – can only live on if we do.
World War Z functions much like Left 4 Dead structurally - a set of four "campaigns" feature three missions each. Each campaign is set in an entirely different location that the last and has a light narrative wrapping. There is also a PvPvE mode wherein two squads face off while a horde barrels down on them. Details are currently scarce about this mode but it is expected to be 4 vs. 4. While Saber Interactive has mentioned intentions to expand on the game with free post-launch support, the game's four campaigns at launch are...
MOSCOW
Father Popov and his team must survive the zombie horde to find a secret Kremlin bunker.
NEW YORK
A group of survivors atop a Manhattan office building must survive the zombie infested buildings, streets and subways of New York to escape the city while the military attempts to take it back.
JERUSALEM
A military squad must rescue a top scientist from the fallen city to activate a weapons system on an abandoned satellite base.
TOKYO
Quick to respond to the global outbreak, Japan decides to evacuate the country. A volunteer search and rescue team must battle the hordes to protect the civilian population as they retreat to Tokyo harbor.
CHARACTERS, CLASSES AND PROGRESSION
World War Z does not feature a character creator, instead, players choose between six distinct characters and may choose a specialization class that features a set of its own unique class abilities.
- Gunslinger – For those who skip the questions and shoot first, the Gunslinger is loaded with an arsenal of weapon damage and ammo-boosting perks to mow down the dead.
- Hellraiser – Enough explosives can solve any problem! Hellraisers come armed with C4 and other tools for effective crowd control.
- Slasher – For warriors with a sense of elegance, the best way to kill is with your trusty blade. Slashers have perks that increase melee damage and effectiveness while their armed tasers deliver electrifying results.
- Medic – Sometimes the best way to fight the undead is keeping your teammates from becoming one of them. Armed with a Stim Pistol, Medics can heal fellow survivors from a distance and help keep the chaos under control.
- Fixer – When versatility in any situation is the highest priority, the Fixer is there for you, starting out with an explosive ammo case and several teammate ammo-restoring perks.
- Exterminator – Fire is the answer! Armed with Molotov cocktails and increased fire damage, the Exterminator just wants to watch the undead burn.
THE HORDE
In-game Zombie Hordes behave like real crowds, getting stuck in narrow corridors and climbing on top of each other to reach players on higher levels. Hordes become increasingly more difficult to defeat and behave like single entity bosses as players progress through the game. The proprietary Swarm Engine by Saber Interactive seamlessly renders hundreds of zombies on-screen in incredible firefights.
Advanced gore and dismemberment systems provide a visceral and gruesomely satisfying third-person shooter experience. Procedural enemy and item spawns — based on player performance — provide a highly replayable co-op experience. Stand your ground, gear up, and strategize as you set traps, barricades, turrets, and sentries to survive the zombie swarms. Special Infected like "The Bull", a charging enemy that pins you to the ground, "The Screamer", a L4D Witch-like enemy that attracts large hordes with her shrieking and countless others keep combat from becoming one note and keep survivors on their toes.
Q&A
Q: Will there be a Steam release?
A: As of right now, there is no information on a limit to the Epic Games Store exclusivity. If you want to mow down the Zeke hordes on PC, the EGS is the only place to do it.
Q: Is this a looter shooter/other incorrect term for this rising sub-genre?
A: World War Z is not a looter shooter. Items like ammo and various other resources will be found on the map but there is no loot system in place.
Q: Will there be a Versus and Horde mode?
A: There is no Versus or Horde mode at launch but Saber Interactive has mentioned that they are aware of the communities demand for these modes.
Q: Are you able to play as a zombie?
A: While you will not be able to play as a zombie (at least at launch), your character will turn into an AI controlled zombie upon your death and join the horde attacking your teammates.
Q: Does the character I choose affect gameplay?
A: No. You will be able to choose any weapon loadout and specialization class for any character.
Q: Can you have multiple of the same class on your team?
A: Yes, there is no limit to how many players can play a specific class.
Q: Is there split-screen?
A: No, there is no split-screen.
Q: Is there cross-platform play?
A: No, there is currently no cross-platform play at launch.
Q: If you had to compare World War Z to other titles, what is it most similar to?
A: World War Z has been compared to Tom Clancy's The Division, Days Gone (for its horde tech) and Left 4 Dead. Those titles feel like a fair approximation of the World War Z experience.
Q: Does the game have any connections to the book?
A: There was a book?
Q: What framerate does the game run at on consoles?
A: All console versions run at 30 FPS.
Q: Do the "enhanced consoles" increase the density of the horde?
A: Because of the nature of the game (an asynchronous four player cooperative experience), the horde will be the same across all console platforms. Don't worry though - when you're knee deep in Zeke guts and another two hundred of them are barreling towards you, you won't be wishing for more.
Q: What resolutions are the base consoles utilizing?
A: The base Xbox One will be running at 900p while the base PS4 is 1080p.
Q: Is there a chainsaw?
A: There is a chainsaw.
MEDIA
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