Let's face it, zombies are old news. The Walking Dead has got a bit rubbish, we've seen all the movies and attempts to make them funny, from Shaun of the Dead to Zombeavers, and there's just no fresh ground for them to tread. Still, that hasn't stopped scriptwriters and indeed game developers from doing their all to gain our interest once more. With a current resurgence of zombie-led content on a number of platforms as of late, we were skeptical, but still looking forward to reviewing new video game, World War Z.
Marketed as an experience best enjoyed with your mates, this isn't your typical party game, but is certainly one that will bring about bouts of screaming, swearing and, when all is said and done, fits of laughter. You might want to turn your weapons on one another if your strategy isn't finely tuned, but clambering through hordes of the living dead together is one of the most satisfying gaming adventures on the market.
A string of missions are on offer through World War Z, and whilst they may not be the most inventive or inspired in terms of what you need to do, they require strong communication with your team if they're to be ran through effectively. Whether you're more of a hands-on zombie killer, or the member of the group who's better tackling the objectives whilst being defended by your comrades, there's something for every playstyle here.
This is delivered in the form of six classes, which allow you a specialised talent in certain areas. These classes aren't cut and dry; instead you'll have to level up a progression system with each, that allows you to unlock a number of different abilities. For the most part, the rate at which you level up seems to go hand-in-hand with your in-game progression, but towards the final few missions, it does feel like more of a grind than an exciting step from one level to the next.
Your handheld weapons and ammunation aren't the only form of offence and defence, with turrets, grenades and timed bombs amongst the options available to players. The weaponry on offer again means that you can switch up your approach, depending on how you like to take down your enemies, but you're not the only side with the means of surprising the opposition.
Typical zombies are a dime a dozen, but World War Z has a whole host of different opponents that you'll have to experiment against to take down. They, like real-life players, have their own skill sets, such as rallying troops for an attack, or storming head-first into a fight and dealing some huge damage. As your team begins to recognise the various zombies, you'll come up with meaningful strategies to take them down and advance.
Though 11 missions sounds like a nice, meaty chunk of content, they can be beaten in around five to six hours and, from this point on, there's really not too much driving you to want to return. Whilst bringing in a new group of friends would allow you to enjoy the comraderie of working together once more, the repetition of the same challenges and goals means that you could be left feeling the game's a little stale before too long.
Still, that doesn't take away from the fun you can have with a full four-man squad upon your first playthrough. So, if you're looking for something you and your friends can fire up on the final few cold evenings before summer, then this could be the perfect addition to your gaming library.
World War Z is available now on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC. A code for the game on PS4 was given to Female First in exchange for an honest review.
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