Before you take on the zombie apocalypse in World War Z, prepare yourself with these tips and tricks. Saber Interactive's zombie apocalypse co-op shooter, World War Z, is finally out in the wild, and players are having a blast with the game's non-stop barrage of high-octane action and class-based co-op multiplayer.
World War Z isn't a cakewalk, and even the most hardened players might have hard time trying to survive the endless waves of zombies hungry for the taste of fresh flesh. Especially on harder difficulties, it's easy to get overrun by the horde. A four-person squad may seem like an unstoppable force, but the tough zombies will exploit any weakness in their quest for yummy brains.
For beginning players, as well as those who've already cut their teeth in World War Z's first week (at least after overcoming the game's continuing problems with connectivity and crashing), we've assembled some pro tips on how to survive World War Z.
World War Z Gameplay Tips
- Start On Easy: There are five difficulty levels in World War Z. The natural instinct might be to start on Normal or Hard, but it's better to start on Easy. For an initial playthrough, it's best to just enjoy the light storytelling and get a feel for the levels and which weapons work best for you. It sounds obvious, but it's best to learn how to play before trying to conquer Insane difficulty.
- Bring Friends: World War Z is an online multiplayer co-op game. Like Diablo, Borderlands, Destiny, Army of Two, or, honestly, any co-op game, it's best played with friends. Trying to conquer levels on Hard difficulty or above can be blisteringly difficult without proper communication, and that's best handled with friends.
- Stay In Formation: Most levels in World War Z feature numerous encounters where the team is placed in a wide open area and tasked with defending a position from an onslaught of hundreds of zombies. In the very first level, the concept is introduced via the battle at the mall atrium, in which the team must set up defenses and hold the line against a swarm of zeke who are trying to climb a fence and enter the mall. Communication is key; if a well-armed team delegates responsibility over each portion of the fence, the situation can be resolved with only a minimum number of zombies making it into the mall.
- Stick Together: In addition to the arena-style horde fights, World War Z also features more traditional corridor shooting. It's tempting to race through these areas and reach the next objective, but that's an easy way to get killed. Creeper and Bull zombies can overpower an unaware player and incapacitate them until they're rescued by another player, meaning "lone wolf" players are better served running with the pack, so to speak.
- Seriously, Stick Together: Several objectives, including the final leg of the first level in New York, involve scouring a large area for items and returning them to a central point. It may seem tempting to split up and cover more ground, but that path can quickly lead to a TPK (total party kill). Zombies don't have to divide and conquer when players willingly split up and offer themselves up to be eaten by the horde. At the very least, split up into pairs, so one player can always cover the other's back. Still, on any difficulty harder than Normal, stick together at all costs.
- Stay Stealthy: Many areas can be conquered without arousing the attention of the whole horde of zombies. Sticking with silenced weapons like the initial pistols and melee strikes can allow like-minded teams to clear even large rooms without taking a single point of damage. Many level 4 or 5 weapons also feature silencers, including the Combat Shotgun and Sporting Combine (two of our personal favorites)
- Choose Your Weapon: Save for exceptions like the Heavy Weapons class and certainone-offs like the Revolver and Double Barrel Shotgun (not to be confused with the Compact Shotgun), nearly every weapon in the game earns XP with use and can level up, to a maximum of Level 5. Once you find a gun you like, try to stick with it and it can become more powerful after investing some Credits. That being said...
- Spend Credits Wisely: Whether it's purchasing class-specific upgrades, upgrading weapons, or even upgrading multiplayer classes, everything in World War Z costs credits. While it can be tempting to upgrade everything, there's just not enough credits to go around. It's better to pick and choose. Especially in the early game, where you'll be playing on the easier difficulties, it's not worth buying every single upgrade; instead, purchase the Level two versions, which cost 150 credits, and then wait for the Level 5 version, which costs 1000. Beating levels on higher difficulties awards more credits, so the more you play, the more powerful you get, the more credits you earn. The progression curve is surprisingly natural in this respect.
Page 2 of 2: World War Z: Other Tips & Tricks
World War Z Tips & Tricks
- Choose Your Class: There are six classes in World War Z, each with different strengths and quirks. At the start, the classes seem practically identical, though they really start to become distinct around level 10 or so. When playing on Easy and even Normal, there's not much strategy to class selection, but having a Medic and Fixer on hand becomes vital on the highest difficulties.
- Bring A Medic And A Fixer: Medics can partially restore their own health when healing allies, and restore more health when using medkits. Since medkits are a scarce and precious resource in World War Z, a little extra healing power truly goes a long way. Starting at Level 10, Fixers can start each level with a rare Breach Charge, which can open doors to exceptionally powerful weapons, defenses, and medkits. On Insane difficulty, a Breach Charge can easily be the difference between triumphant success and embarrassing failure.
- Seriously, Bring A Fixer: Fixers don't carry grenades, tasers, or molotov cocktails: instead, they carry supply drops, which can load any teammate's primary weapon with explosive ammo. These bullets are so powerful, they can tear through even a Bull zombie in a matter of seconds. When holding the line against a swarm, a strategically deployed supply drop can make all the difference.
- How To Handle A Zombie Wall: Some of the best moments in World War Z come when a swarm of zombies attempts to scale a vertical structure. The visual spectacle of the incredible animation is matched by the tension and excitement of trying to stop the horde from reaching the top. The best way to handle a wall of zombies is to launch explosives at the base, while a sharpshooter or two snipe stragglers who manage to elude fiery death. With coordination and a little luck, a skilled team can take down a wall without a single zombie making it over.
- How To Dodge A Bull: World War Z lacks a dodge roll, so Bull zombies can be particularly dangerous. They can take a lot of damage before going down, and have a nasty move where they charge a player and grab them, dealing continuous damage until they're taken down by other players. Once one has its sights on a player, it's really tough to evade a Bull, but there is a trick: put something between you and the Bull. Try to position yourself so the Bull will crash into a conveniently-placed obstacle; it will save a lot of grief!
- Watch Out For Creepers: The Bull's counterpart is the Creeper, who hides until a player gets close before pouncing on its target. As with the Bull, a player grabbed by a Creeper is completely incapacitated and must be rescued by a teammate. However, Creepers don't have noticeably more health than regular zombies, and a player with quick reflexes can often take one down before they use their grab move. When a Creeper is in the area, the characters will comment on it; use this opportunity to check tight corners, the preferred hiding spot of these nasty critters.
- Try PvPvZ: In addition to the co-op story, there is also a somewhat traditional multiplayer suite. Zombie swarms are still present in these 4v4 modes, adding a unique twist on an otherwise standard assortment of modes. Winning a match gains players a cool 250 credits, and getting together with a skilled team can lead to a windfall of currency which can be used to further upgrade weapons and classes.