World War Z | Xbox One Review
Are you looking for a game that involves gigantic swarms of zombies that you and three friends can attempt to survive against? If so, then World War Z from Saber Interactive might just be the game you are looking for. The game is based on the book and movie of the same name. Initially it seemed like a spiritual successor to one of my favorite series, Left 4 Dead which is a franchise that I hold near and dear to my heart. Let’s take a look and see if this might be a game for you.
A Story in Every Port
The campaign for this game is very straightforward and closer to the style of storytelling that came from the book, which I loved. A series of small stories, in different locations across the globe, of people trying to survive a horrific zombie outbreak. The four locations you traverse through are New York City, Moscow, Jerusalem and Tokyo. Each of the four settings have been well crafted to make the player feel that they are immersed in the environment.
There are six different classes to choose from, providing a wide variety of mayhem and carnage for players to enjoy. Each one of the classes has a deep skill tree to help customize your character as you progress. The weapons you collect can be upgraded and customized as well. After you complete each mission you acquire points to spend in either your class skills or weapons, so choose wisely. For the majority of my time playing I chose the Gunslinger class, which is generic shooter stylized class. If you prefer sometime else there is also the Hellraiser (demolition), the Medic (healer), the Fixer (ammo replenishment), the Exterminator (fire), and my other favorite the Slasher (melee). Each one of these different classes brings a certain element of fun to any group.
The Dead Rise (Again)
What you’re up against is one of the most overused villains in all of gaming: zombies. This style of zombies is fast and unrelenting, and they also have some special zombies mixed in the general population. Gasbags leave a cloud of toxic gas, which drains your health. Bulls are huge tank-like zombies that take a lot of punishment. The most annoying to me was the Screamers, which attract more zombies due to making a ton of noise.
One of the most impressive feats is the diversity of the zombies that you come across. In similar games the character models are repeated quite often. With World War Z, you have to look pretty close to notice any repeated models. That is a very impressive accomplishment with hundreds of zombies being on the screen at the same time in certain areas. The gunplay is very tight and well crafted, with a diverse selection of weapons that you come across.
The graphics in this game are quite good for being a budget title and the amount of detail they are able to squeeze into each area is impressive. The shots of the zombies hordes coming at you are a sight to behold. The dialogue between the characters and some of the story beats fall flat, and at times seem uninspired. It’s passable but don’t expect anything riveting. The zombies AI seems to be on par and truly makes them feel like a threat. What’s more amazing to me is I played on the lowest difficulty as well.
Fight for Survival with Friends
I do have some difficulty truly loving this game. It’s a good game, don’t get me wrong. However, for this game to reach its peak you need three other friends playing along with you. I had a blast when playing with friends, but on the other side of the coin was the misery when playing with random players. I feel that the release of the game is too far removed from when the movie of the same name debuted. Also the escort missions in this game are tedious, and not as entertaining. I also understand the creators are going for a more serious tone, but I was yearning for some lighthearted moments. Some more missions would benefit this game as well, though a horde mode has been announced in an upcoming DLC pack.
World War Z is a game after my own heart. It stirs up memories of LAN parties with my friends playing Left 4 Dead and similar games. I enjoyed playing through the campaign and have continued to dive back in with the difficulty turned up to test my limits. Even with the game’s faults, it is still a very enjoyable experience and I believe it’s worth taking a look at. Find some friends and prepare to survive.
This review is based on an Xbox One review copy provided by Sandbox Strategies for coverages purposes, and it is also available on PS4 and PC.
World War Z
$39.99
Pros
- Fun Shooting
- Solid Visuals
- Great with Friends
Cons
- Boring/Annoying Missions
- Lackluster Storylines
