What World War Z is
World War Z is a third-person co-op shooter built around huge zombie swarms. The Swarm Engine renders hundreds of zombies at once, and the hordes behave like real crowds: they jam into narrow corridors, climb over each other to reach players on higher ground, and get tougher as you push further into a mission, acting almost like a single boss enemy. The action is fast and bloody, with gore systems that make each kill land hard. The story runs across the zombie-ravaged world, from New York to Moscow to Japan and Jerusalem, with new storylines told through groups of survivors fighting to outlive the dead. It is based on the Paramount Pictures film.
Playing it as a group
You can take on the campaigns with up to 4 players in online co-op. Everyone picks a class, and the eight options each bring their own perks and play style: Gunslinger, Hellraiser, Slasher, Medic, Fixer, Exterminator, Dronemaster, and the Vanguard class added in World War Z: Aftermath. Mixing classes matters, since the horde pressure rewards having different roles covered. Beyond the co-op campaigns there are several Player vs Player vs Zombies modes, where teams of players fight each other while the undead are also a factor, so a group that wants something other than a campaign run has that option too.
Progression and what to know before starting
Progression runs on two tracks: you level up your character class and you unlock weapon upgrades, both feeding into harder challenges later on. Expect to replay missions to build those levels. World War Z: Aftermath adds six new missions set in zombie-ravaged locations and introduces a first-person mode alongside the standard third-person view, so you can pick the perspective you prefer. The game is tagged for violent content and gore, and the difficulty scales up as hordes get more dangerous, so a coordinated group that communicates will get further than four people running alone.