Zombie Army 4: Dead War Review Summary

Satisfying zombie killing and an excellent horde mode shine in solo or co-op, but weapons locked behind excessive DLC pricing and repetitive gameplay hold it back.

Zombie killing is satisfying: Players consistently praise the core loop of shooting and killing zombies, describing it as extremely satisfying, stress-relieving, and fun. The act of mowing down hordes with various weapons never gets old.

Game is very fun: The game is widely described as fun, enjoyable, and engaging, with good graphics and gameplay. It is considered a great game overall and a lot of fun to play.

Horde mode is excellent: The horde mode is highlighted as a standout feature, being very fun, addictive, and a huge improvement over previous titles. It offers challenging rounds, bosses, and map unlocking, providing extra hours of fun.

Great solo and co-op: The game is enjoyable both when played alone and with friends, offering a fun experience in both solo and cooperative modes. It is particularly noted as being more fun with friends.

Graphics are beautiful: The game's graphics are consistently praised as great, beautiful, and detailed, with a fantastic visual style. The high graphic quality is a notable positive aspect of the game.

Weapons locked behind DLC: Many weapons, including cool ones, are locked behind paid DLC, and even after purchase, additional tasks are required to unlock them. This paywall significantly limits weapon variety for non-DLC players.

DLC pricing is excessive: Players consistently complain that DLCs are overpriced, with many describing the cost as robbery and noting that buying them individually drains money. The sheer number of paid DLCs adds to the feeling of being nickel-and-dimed.

Gameplay is repetitive: Players find the gameplay repetitive and soul-draining, especially after the early game. The lack of variety in missions and level design contributes to the monotony.

Story is weak: The story is consistently criticized as mediocre, weak, and not a reason to like the game. It is often described as superficial, unclear, and predictable.

Solo play is boring: Playing solo is often described as boring and not as fun as co-op. The game seems designed for multiplayer, and solo play fails to capture the same magic.

Cooperative multiplayer modes: The game supports cooperative play for up to four players, both in the campaign and in horde mode. It can be played solo or with friends, with options for local and online co-op.

Zombie horde shooter gameplay: The game is primarily a zombie shooter where players face hordes of zombies, often with a World War II or Nazi theme. It features wave-based survival and cooperative play, similar to Left 4 Dead.

Extensive weapon upgrade system: Weapons have deep customization with up to 15 upgrades each, including mods, perk trees, and camouflage. Players can unlock upgrades through progression and challenges, making weapons highly varied and customizable.

Adjustable difficulty and enemy counts: Players can tweak difficulty levels and enemy spawn counts independently, even when playing solo. This allows for a tailored experience, with options ranging from easy to brutal and nightmare modes.

Sniper Elite style mechanics: The game is based on the Sniper Elite formula, featuring third-person shooting and signature X-ray kill cams. It retains the series' ballistic system and precision shooting mechanics, appealing to fans of the franchise.

Performance is inconsistent across systems: Some players report severe lag and poor optimization even on good computers, while others experience smooth performance on low-end hardware. This suggests the game's performance varies greatly depending on system configuration.

Runs well on low-end hardware: Multiple players confirm the game runs smoothly on old or weak PCs, including integrated GPUs and potato PCs. This indicates good optimization for lower-end systems.

Optimization praised by many: Many reviewers explicitly praise the game's optimization, noting it runs smoothly without performance issues. This positive feedback suggests the game is generally well-optimized.

Crashes and stability issues: Several players report crashes, including frequent crashes, crashes on specific actions, and initial crashes. This indicates stability problems that can disrupt gameplay.

High frame rates on powerful PCs: Users with strong GPUs report very high FPS, such as 150+ FPS, 250 FPS on Ultra with an RTX 3070, and stable 120 FPS on ultra settings. This shows the game scales well on high-end hardware.

Recommended for zombie game fans: Many reviewers recommend this game to players who enjoy zombie-themed shooters, especially those who like cooperative gameplay. The game is praised for its zombie-slaying action and is considered a good fit for fans of the genre.

Best experienced with friends: A significant number of reviewers emphasize that the game is more enjoyable when played with friends, particularly in co-op mode. Playing with others enhances the fun and overall experience.

Worth buying on sale: Many reviewers recommend purchasing the game when it is on sale, noting that it offers good value at a discounted price. Some suggest waiting for a deep discount or a historical low.

Good for co-op multiplayer: The game is recommended for multiplayer and co-op play, with reviewers noting that it is best enjoyed with friends. Voice chat is suggested for maximum enjoyment.

Recommended for Sniper Elite fans: Reviewers who enjoy the Sniper Elite series or similar horde-based shooters like Left 4 Dead recommend this game. It appeals to players who like sniping mechanics and cooperative zombie action.

Community fair range: $10.00 - $20.00.

Story completion: 25.0h.

Session length: 3.0h.

Zombie Army 4 is immediately fun, especially in co-op, but becomes repetitive and tedious after several hours, causing enjoyment to drop.

Co-op Chaos Seeker: Co-op focused, coordinating with teammates, using different roles and strategies. Motivation: Playing with friends and experiencing chaotic, rewarding teamwork. Stance: buy.

Solo Grinder/Completionist: Solo, methodical, grinding challenges and achievements. Motivation: Completing all content and unlocking upgrades, but frustrated by grind and DLC barriers. Stance: no buy.

Value-Conscious Veteran: Plays both solo and co-op, focusing on mechanics and comparing to previous games. Motivation: Enjoying the improved gameplay of the series while being critical of pricing and DLC practices. Stance: sale.

Performance is generally positive on lower-VRAM Windows systems, but the 12-15GB VRAM cohort shows significant stability issues.

Windows <8GB VRAM / <16GB RAM: positive. Mostly recommended, though some users report low FPS and audio stutter on low settings.

Windows 12-15GB VRAM: negative. Many reports of crashes, bugs, and poor performance, though a few users report smooth gameplay.

Windows <8GB VRAM / 16-31GB RAM: positive. Mostly positive with good optimization, but one user reports low FPS on DX12.

Steam Deck: The game is generally well-received on Steam Deck with many users reporting it runs out of the box. However, there are notable tinkering steps such as disabling the Steam overlay and configuring Steam Inputs for gyro, as well as concerns about Denuvo/launcher and occasional stability/network issues. Overall, it's playable but not completely seamless.

Monetization: The game features a substantial amount of content locked behind paid DLC and season passes, with many players complaining about paywalls, high total costs, and content being cut from the base game. However, some reviews highlight free DLCs and the game's value when purchased on sale. Overall, the monetization is aggressive due to content fragmentation and high prices, but not fully predatory as there is no pay-to-win or gacha mechanics.

DLC weapons and content required: Many reviews mention that a significant portion of weapons, levels, and characters are locked behind paid DLC, with some content only accessible through DLC purchases. This is a common complaint, indicating that the base game feels incomplete without additional purchases.

Comparison to Zombie Army Trilogy: Many reviews compare this game to Zombie Army Trilogy, noting similarities in gameplay but also differences in difficulty and immersion. Some prefer the trilogy, while others find this game's mechanics improved.

Comparison to Sniper Elite series: The game is frequently compared to the Sniper Elite series, as it shares the same developer and engine. Reviews often note that it feels more like Sniper Elite 4 or 5 than the original trilogy, with some praising the evolution.

Free DLCs and season passes: Some reviews highlight that many DLCs, including Season Pass 1, are free to claim, providing a substantial amount of content at no cost. This is seen as a positive aspect, balancing the paid DLC criticism.

Comparison to Left 4 Dead: The game is often compared to Left 4 Dead, with mixed opinions on which is better. Some find this game richer, while others prefer the fun factor of Left 4 Dead.