Zombies are the main antagonists of the World War Z franchise. They are the reanimated corpses of dead humans and are extremely violent beings that attack anything living to eat, kill, and infect.
World War Z video game is primarily based on the film adaptation. In the game, zombies are depicted as fast runners with similar physical features such as black veins and cloudy eyes. They exhibit behaviors like increased aggression, attraction to loud noises, and the ability to climb over obstacles quickly.
Newly infected humans turn into zombies in a brisk 12 seconds or less while convulsing uncontrollably. Some zombies display hints of self-preservation, such as jumping out of the way when running towards a survivor aiming at them.
Gameplay has shown that zombies can be killed with sufficient damage to their bodies, not just headshots. While headshots are quick and effective, other methods like electrocution, gas, or shots to different body parts can also be effective. Zombies occasionally react to pain, like clutching their legs when shot in the knee or reacting to fire damage.
Reguler Zombies
Zeke
These are the common zombies and the primary undead threat in the game. Most zekes appear to have been infected for some time. While individually not very dangerous, they become a serious threat in large groups. They often rely on overwhelming survivors with their sheer numbers.
When trying to reach survivors at higher levels, they stack on top of each other to form a pyramid, enabling them to climb up quickly. If enough zekes surround a survivor, they can pin them down, requiring assistance from others to get back up.
When they spot a survivor aiming a weapon, they may attempt to dodge to avoid gunfire and disrupt the survivor’s aim. On higher difficulty levels, they become smarter, more resilient, and come in even larger hordes, making them a formidable challenge.
Zombified Survivor
When a survivor is either not rescued in time after being incapacitated, has been incapacitated too many times (the number of times depends on the difficulty level and class perks), or fails to cure themselves from infection, they will writhe uncontrollably on the ground for a short while before turning into a freshly transformed zeke.
These zombified survivors, having recently turned, are slightly faster and more resistant to damage, making them tougher to kill. Otherwise, they behave like regular zekes. If the survivor was carrying items like a Medkit, a defense kit, or other supplies, those items will be dropped for other living survivors to pick up. However, if the survivor was carrying a Virus Sample, it will be lost.
Zombified Soldier
Soldiers, and sometimes armed or unarmed civilians, can come under attack in certain scenarios within a chapter. If they are not promptly assisted by clearing the zekes around them or if they sustain too much damage, they will be infected by the attacking zekes and eventually turn into a zeke themselves.
These zombified soldiers, having recently turned, are slightly faster and more resistant to damage, making them tougher to eliminate. However, they behave just like regular zekes. When infected, soldiers often shout to alert survivors that they are in danger of turning or if they are surrounded, serving as a warning to the others.
Special Enemies
These are distinct threats that pose a greater danger to survivors than the average zeke. They are easily identifiable by their unique appearance, outfits, and sometimes special abilities or traits that set them apart from regular zombies.
Special zombies may have unique behaviors and traits that make them more challenging to combat compared to the standard zekes. These characteristics often stem from the individual’s background or the circumstances surrounding their death and infection. Additionally, most special zombies demonstrate higher cognitive abilities and intelligence than regular zekes, making them formidable adversaries.
There are several types of special zombies in the game:
Lurker
Lurkers are special zombies identifiable by their red track pants. They are notorious for their stealthy behavior and are often found hiding in concealed spots like corners or behind cover. Lurkers remain crouched, vigilantly monitoring their surroundings, waiting for an opportunity to strike.
When a survivor comes into their sight, Lurkers pounce on their victim and engage in a relentless attack, pinning the survivor to the ground. They continue their assault until either the survivor is killed, incapacitated, or freed by fellow survivors using various methods.
If a Lurker is detected by a survivor out in the open or is attacked, it will abandon its stealthy approach and make a direct lunge toward the survivor who discovered it. The presence of a Lurker in an area can often be identified by the hissing or growling noises they emit. Lurkers are known to exploit chaotic moments during swarms to ambush unsuspecting survivors.
Gasbag
Gasbags are special zombies distinguishable by their bright yellow air-fed suits. These suits make them easily visible during confrontations. When provoked, the Gasbag’s suit releases a toxic gas in the vicinity, inflicting gradual damage to any players caught within it.
Upon their demise, Gasbags emit a substantial cloud of gas at their location. This cloud serves as a green smokescreen, obstructing vision for several seconds before dissipating. If survivors enter the gas, they will experience a brief window to exit before suffering continuous damage and having their vision obscured by green liquid droplets. Even when near the gas without being harmed by it, players will cough and wheeze, making them more noticeable.
Due to the danger posed by the gas, it effectively denies access to an area until it disperses. Precise shots to a Gasbag’s head can prevent the release of poisonous gas upon death. However, shooting the corpse afterward will result in some gas being released, albeit without any harmful effects.
Bull
Bulls are special zombies outfitted in riot armor, making them formidable adversaries. When a Bull spots a player within its range, it pounds the ground and emits a deafening roar of rage before charging at its chosen target with incredible speed. If successful, the targeted player is lifted into the air for a brief moment by the chest before being brutally slammed onto the ground repeatedly. The Bull maintains its grip on the victim until it is killed, the captive survivor is incapacitated or killed, or they are freed using various methods.
If a Bull collides with a wall or obstacle during its charge, it temporarily staggers in place. While Bulls don’t always charge at survivors immediately, they may attempt a few melee attacks before doing so. Their riot gear provides significant protection against damage, but once the helmet visor is shattered with enough damage, Bulls become vulnerable to headshots from the front. Attacks to their exposed back are also highly effective.
Screamer
Screamers are special zombies identifiable by their high-visibility uniforms. Each Screamer is equipped with a megaphone that amplifies their screams to ear-splitting levels. When a Screamer unleashes their signature scream, it attracts the attention of both the living and the dead, causing more zekes to converge on the survivors’ location. Failing to eliminate a Screamer promptly can lead to an overwhelming horde of zekes that the survivors may struggle to handle, making it a top priority to kill them swiftly.
Screamers often position themselves in locations that are difficult for survivors to reach but easily visible. In some cases, they can be approached directly. When Screamers scream, they emit a shockwave that affects a large circular area around them. If a survivor is within the shockwave radius when the scream occurs, they become disoriented for a brief duration.
Infector
Infectors are special zekes recognizable by their straitjackets. They attack survivors from short distances by spitting a deadly fluid projectile. When this fluid makes contact with a survivor, their vision becomes partially obscured by dark blotches that gradually dissipate. Infected survivors must promptly disinfect themselves, or they risk turning into zekes.
While infected, the survivor’s screen borders pulsate and darken, dark red veins encroach towards the center of their vision, and their view becomes increasingly blurry over time. Survivors can bring an Infector to the ground by dealing sufficient damage. However, if left unattended or not properly disposed of, she will revive with full health and continue her infectious assault. To prevent her revival, survivors must finish her off with additional gunfire, explosions, or a melee attack. Due to her resilience, a melee execution is the quickest and most efficient method to eliminate her for good. The Infector was introduced in the Undead Sea Update.
Bomber
These are specialized zombies wearing military gear and carrying explosives. They are extremely dangerous up close, as they trigger a countdown to a deadly explosion when near survivors. Shooting their explosive vests from a distance can set them off early, taking out the Bomber and nearby zombies. When close or shot, their vests blink red, starting a countdown. Scatter to minimize damage or avoid the explosion. Precise shots to their legs or body besides the chest make them collapse, allowing for a melee finisher to defuse the explosives, rewarding players with loot. If not defused in time, the countdown speeds up, leading to an instant explosion if shot. Defusing prevents explosions; shooting the corpse won’t trigger it. Introduced in the Horde Mode Z Update.
Booster
Boosters are special zekes wearing tattered hazardous material suits. These zekes possess a unique ability to strengthen other zekes by emitting a fog created from damaged virus samples they carry. This fog enhances the strength of nearby zekes, enabling them to immobilize survivors without assistance from other zekes.
While Boosters do not gain increased strength themselves, they infect survivors through a few swipes, similar to the Infector’s spit attack. Furthermore, this ability can also affect infected survivors, civilians, and soldiers, enhancing their capabilities with the Booster’s fog.
Upon killing a Booster, the fog they emit dissipates, but the zekes that were previously strengthened by it will continue to exhibit enhanced strength until the effect naturally wears off or they are eliminated. The Booster was introduced in the Booster Zombie Update.
