World War Z: Horde Mode (Tips & Tricks)

World War Z comes with a brutal ‘Horde Mode’ that can easily swamp players if they don’t think tactically. This guide will help with what to expect and how to gear-up for a fighting chance.

Based on the novel-adapted movie in 2013, World War Z was produced into a third-person shooter in 2019 by Mad Dog Games. Being a co-operative shooter, this game spans across 18 locations; New York, Tokyo, Jerusalem, Denver, Cairo, Seoul, Budapest, Auckland, Manila, Buenos Aires, Sydney, Oslo, Sydney, Barcelona, Berlin, Warsaw, Moscow, and Paris. Players team up in squads of four, that each come with six distinct classes. The “Fixer”, the “Medic”, the “Hellraiser” (a demolition expert),  the “Slasher” (specializes in melee) along with the “Gunslinger” and the “Exterminator”. Each location comes with a light story-mode in which players need to complete certain objectives, such as escorting survivors to safety.

Throughout each location, there are items strewn about and they’re randomly generated for each round. This game comes with a healthy mix of multi-player modes that range from; King Of The Hill, Swarm Domination, and Swarm Deathmatch. World War Z is packed full of flesh-tearing firearms and they all can be upgraded for maximum effect. This game isn’t a standard zombie shooter, because the infected have a few tricks up their rotten sleeves. Not only do they sprint toward you like cannibalistic Olympians, but they also climb on top of each other like fire ants to reach higher levels. There’s no safe place from these zombies and players are encouraged to constantly stay on their toes. One of the most popular modes with this game is the “Horde Mode”. Each match comes complete with 50 waves of evolving zombies as players scavage around for more hefty firepower. It takes a certain level of skill and commitment to ravage through the waves of festering flesh and to become triumphant.

Surviving Horde Mode in World War Z

Horde Mode doesn’t shy away from upping the challenges with each progressive round. Players will need to think ahead and plan what to do next. Communication is essential and being properly geared up in accordance with the classes’ strengths will ultimately win the day. The following is a list of getting started and laying out some tips on how to survive the mayhem.

• Know The Shops 

Between each round, players are strongly advised to find a “shop” and load up on what they need. There are two distinct shops to go to; one is a shop that solely sells gear for defenses and the other is a shop that sells; ammo, med-kits, and guns. To avoid being confused, look at how they are decorated. The “defense shop” will be laced with barbed wire and crates with explosives on the shelves, the “ammo shop” will be neatly stacked with ammo boxes and med-kits. This may be basic, but knowing this will avoid confusion and save time. At least one person on the squad should save up their money to unlock second-tier weapons, as early as they can. This will ease frustration when the zombies begin getting tough with the succeeding rounds.

• Switch Locations Every Fifth Round

Do not just camp at one spot during the entire match. Be flexible and move to another location on the map every 5 rounds. This will not only keep the game feeling fresh, but it’ll force the zombies to switch up their flow and it’ll provide a little time and wiggle room to blow them to Hades. Have one person at the very front, two in the middle of the map, and one in the back. It’s a good idea to have a heavy gunner in the front while everyone behind plays as the support.

• Look For Breaching Charges

Breaching charges can be the very thing that’ll save players from another tsunami of zombies when resources get low. They’re scattered throughout the map, so it’s advised to scour around between each round and try to collect as many as possible. They are used to blow open green military cache boxes (that have a big yellow exclamation mark) and they’ll give you 150 dollars to spend in the shops.

• The Best Defense Tools

Although every player may have their preferences, it’s widely considered that the best defense tools to use are the; “Voltage Grids” and “Auto Turrets”. Voltage Grids will stop any type of zombie coming after the team and the Auto Turrets are a good second choice. Always cover the rear entrance and any opening around. Barbed wire isn’t the best choice to use for defenses, so save money and try to get either a stationary auto turret or an auto one. These are especially useful at the last segment of the map (toward the end of the match) since the turrets have an outstanding range and the Voltage Grids can really break up a horde.

• Don’t Do Secondary Objectives 

Yes, a player can do the “secondary objectives” (if they feel confidant) but, don’t be obligated to do it. The reward received when completing one isn’t worth the risk. Of course, if players are in need of more points, then trying to do one might help. It all depends on the situation and where the players stand during the round.

• Know The Classes 

When it comes to ‘Horde Mode’, there are certain classes that are definitely more effective than the rest. It’s recommended that players use the; Fixer, Medic, and Exterminator during these modes. The medic comes with a ‘stim pistol’ that can revive teammates from a distance. Therefore, having one in the squad is a must-have. The Fixer comes with heavy ammunition support with their bandoliers and can hand out explosive ammo with ammo-crates. Thus, the Exterminator comes with “engineer perks” that can really help with the establishment of defenses.

The ‘Horde Mode’ in World War Z comes with many useful ways to play it. This guide establishes a basic foundation to help players get started and find out what works best for them. The amount of carnage in this game is endless and so are the ways of coordinating attacks. So, it’s encouraged to think “outside the box” and experiment with what this mode has to offer. There might be some pleasant surprises hidden among the action that could be players’ saving grace.

World War Z is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Microsoft Windows

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