World War Z: Horde Mode Explained

World War Z, based on the film of the same name from Paramount Pictures, pits players against swarms of the undead. The developers released Horde Mode in December of 2019 and updated it a couple of times this year to rework the balance. World War Z: GOTY Edition released on May 5, 2020, for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, and a Nintendo Switch release is on its way.

There are no Romero Zombies here. These undead creatures are bloodthirsty, relentless, and quick. Co-op teams in World War Z make a stand against the living impaired by letting loose an arsenal of weapons against overwhelming odds. An array of weapons, explosives, turrets, and traps are available to help players stay alive. This book turned movie turned game explores new characters and storylines from around the world in non-stop, tension-filled missions that are powered by Saber Interactive’s dynamic Swarm Engine.

What is Horde Mode in World War Z?

In Horde Mode, players must protect a gate from being overwhelmed while surviving an onslaught of the undead. Each wave will increase in difficulty until the zombies finally overrun the players. The game rewards teams that survive more waves in World War Z with resources that they may spend on randomized weapons and other items such as medkits, defense kits, and equipment. Completing objectives linked to each wave in Horde Mode earns additional resources. During quiet moments, players can explore the map and find some bonus loot. The developers also added the Bomber, a zombie type that explodes if it gets too close to the player.

With the February update, Horde Mode sessions were made shorter. Rewards and overall difficulty increased. Wave difficulty increased faster, while Wave preparation time after Wave 15 decreased. Resources the player receives were reduced, and the developer limited the number of defense kits of the same type the players could deploy at the same time. They cut the cost of equipment bags, and the ammo capacity of Auto Turrets decreased. The amount of resources players can obtain by breaching charges was reduced. Ammo and health were no longer restored to full when players rejoin the same Horde Mode session and more.

A March update reduced the difficulty in hard mode and the difficulty in Normal mode, with fewer Special Zombies spawned, increased preparation time between waves, supply points rewards scaled down later on, and significantly more random pickups were added. The Auto Turret max ammo increased again. They capped how many Auto Turrets the player could place on the map at the same time. Secondary weapons drained less ammo from ammo boxes, ammo crates costs decreased, and XP and currency rewards increased.

What Are Some Ways to Survive Longer in World War Z Horde Mode?

Players may choose to go into Horde Mode on the Normal or Hard setting. Horde Mode only rewards Supplies on the Normal setting while Hard adds Challenge Coins. The longer players survive and the more Horde Mode wave they make it through, the more currency and experience they earn. Playing Horde Mode on Normal is an excellent way to earn Supplies to upgrade weapons, or unlock perks for classes. Unlocks carry over from one Horde Mode session to another, making it possible to survive longer.

In between Horde Mode Waves in World War Z, the game rewards players with a shared team currency that they can use at upgrade stations found on the map. The players can buy more heavy weapons, ammunition crates, defenses, special kits, and so forth. Just as in the regular missions, having good defenses and heavy weapons will help players survives the waves of swarms longer. Avoid spending money early on. Save it for later waves.

Players will want to know what the best class to be in World War Z Horde Mode is. The support classes are essential to survival. It’s helpful to have a Medic for healing and Fixer for ammo on the player’s team. Having these classes on the team will extend their survival time. The player and their team will want to be sure to memorize the spawn points for the undead. They should close any open doors. Find the hidden Breaching Charges as they will provide better loot and weapons. Crates and dead soldiers may have useful items too. The player should use their judgment when pursuing secondary objectives, as they could wipe and lose all of their progress. They may find it’s not worth pursuing them.

Some players prefer avoiding the use of Auto Turrets so that the team saves currency. Others use them strategically behind a fence or to complement a trap. Some players swear by using Electric Fences instead. Electric Fences don’t kill the undead, but they can slow down swarms enough so that they can be picked off with weapons. Players should save Mortars for later waves, as they become critical to survival much later in the session. The team members should communicate and cover each other to survive for as long as possible. The team is going to die eventually, but they can come back stronger each time and get even farther into Horde Mode in World War Z.

With the release of World War Z: GOTY Edition, players have a new reason to dive back in and take on the swarms of the undead. The regular updates to and Easter Eggs in World War Z have shown that the developers are invested in finding a good balance for fans of the game and keeping it all fun. Horde Mode tests players’ ability to work together, helps them gain the experience and upgrades they need to survive longer.

World War Z is available for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.

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