Don't let the title fool you. Behind "Zombie Army 4" is an extremely entertaining shooter that runs at full speed, especially in co-op. Raphi and I take on the undead at 1 pm.
Plays like an 80s horror film
"Zombie Army 4: Dead War" is available for PC, PS4 and Xbox One and was provided to us by Rebellion.
As a child, I wasn't allowed to have any consoles. It was only with the arrival of the family's 486 PC that the magical world of gaming opened up to me. Today, I'm overcompensating accordingly. Only a lack of time and money prevents me from trying out every game there is and decorating my shelf with rare retro consoles.
"Zombie Army 4: Dead War" sounds like the most generic shooting game of all time. The fact that the fourth instalment has already been released without me being aware of it speaks for itself. When the press release landed in my inbox, I was strongly inclined to simply click it away. But because 2020 is still stingy with new exciting games, I took a look despite my reservations. One of the reasons was certainly that it was a spin-off of the "Sniper Elite" series. The series that is known for its slow-motion X-ray shots through the bodies of enemies - including genitals. In combination with Nazi zombies, that sounds very promising.
Zombies aren't as brainless as they're always rumoured to be.
Because that's what "Zombie Army 4" is all about. Hitler has awakened the undead, who are now overrunning the entire world. You are part of the resistance group that stands in the way of the mindless Nazi hordes. "Zombie Army 4" can be played alone, but is undoubtedly designed for co-op. You fight your way through various missions, each consisting of four chapters. Sometimes you glide through Venice on the run from a zombie shark, other times you fight a zombie tank in a scrapyard. "Zombie Army 4" is not lacking in variety. Zombies come in all shapes and sizes and with your arsenal of colourful guns you can send them flying in all directions. And all of this is packaged in extremely stylish graphics, including HDR and volcano support at last. This means that the game runs amazingly smoothly even in UHD resolution - which is unfortunately not even a given with my RTX 2080 Ti and i7-7770K combo in every game.
Of course you'll also find the slogan: «We need a bigger boat!»
As expected, the game is bloody and humorous at the same time. Very much in the style of 80s horror films. This source of inspiration runs through the entire game and starts with the stylish posters for the missions. Something I already celebrated in "Left 4 Dead". The levels are designed in detail and you'll find little Easter eggs everywhere, such as boxing zombies or running zombie hands. The typical upgrade loop provides motivation. The better kill combos and the more headshots you manage, the faster your character levels up. The four selectable characters may not be the most original, but they have individual advantages and disadvantages - unlike in "Left 4 Dead", where they differ purely visually. There are skill trees for you and your weapons, new headgear, emotes and taunts. It could have done with a bit more cosmetic customisation - and for free. Because here comes my biggest point of criticism.
The characters don't look particularly original.
Although the game is a joy to play, the premium model leaves a pale aftertaste. Whether it's the weapons, the characters or the equipment: the season pass or other paid upgrades are prominently pushed on you everywhere. If you want to unlock the fifth character, Hector, or the special version of Karl, you have to go for the Super Deluxe version. For 5 euros each, you can buy new outfits, skins and even weapons separately. It's a pity that developer Rebellion resorts to such means. Otherwise, the title "Zombie Army 4: Dead War" is an extremely fun game that will become a real highlight with a few friends.
