The PvPvE extraction genre is an interesting one. You're left to your own devices in an expansive landscape, usually with minimal gear, and you need to get out alive with as much loot as you can possibly carry. With both human enemies and demonic entities threatening your survival and the loss of your inventory threatening real consequences of death, there's so much potential for thrilling, non-stop gameplay - yet the genre is often overlooked. This Halloween, we get our first taste of a dark new PvPvE experience that is set to revive the genre as World of the Dead combines PvP, environmental threats, FPS gameplay, survival, crafting, and eldritch horror - and a Steam demo is available right now.
World of the Dead is a dark and terrifying PvPvE shooter set after the apocalyptic decimation of Earth. As a strange virus spreads, some humans gain otherworldly powers while others succumb to its more horrifying effects, transforming into monstrous mutants. If that wasn't enough, a gate to Hell has been opened, inviting other beasts and demons to join in the chaos. These foes range from fire-breathing zombie dragons and muscled, chainsaw-wielding zombies to gigantic spiders and winged demons, so it's easy to see why this demo has been given an October launch.
As a human in this horrifying world, you have only what's around you to survive the hordes, so gather resources and weapons and get out of dodge. The more you extract with, the more superior weapons you can craft, and the greater your chances of survival moving forward. With so many enemies around, it's easy to get in and out with some half-decent gear from the get-go, so there's no steep learning curve before you're forging your first custom weapons.
This crafting element is a massive part of World of the Dead and is not as simple as picking weapons up off the ground. You'll kill foes - both human and AI - collect resources, parts, and mods, and turn them into weapons that suit you. You're encouraged to freely customize your weapons' appearance and performance, and create a cool, post-apocalyptic-appropriate arsenal. With a range of weapons feeding into chaotic and gory hack-and-slash combat, it's up to you how to take out foes both near and far, large and small - human or otherwise.
This in itself could be the makings of a thrilling game, but this is PvPvE, and those human opponents are controlled by players with the same goals as you. With such a looming threat out there, it's every person for themselves, and this is where strategic components come into play. Other teams of survivors are trying to get out alive just like you are, so do you leave them be, try to work together, or is it kill or be killed? This PvP gameplay only adds to the claustrophobic psychological dread of World of the Dead as unimaginable horror closes in from all sides.
This is exactly what Wonder People, the developer behind World of the Dead, wants you to feel when playing its new horror game. This isn't just an FPS. This isn't just extraction. It's more than a battle royale, and it goes "beyond allies versus enemies." While exploring the dark, atmospheric map, shrouded in fog and shadows, dangers can appear from anywhere - be it monsters or enemy teams. Demonic AI foes can even appear from beneath the ground or the sky above you, so you can never let your guard down.
Thanks to this constant threat, the gameplay cycle is never boring. In other battle royale, FPS, and even some extraction games, you can sometimes run around for ages without finding any opponents, and this is one of the things the Wonder People team has actively tried to avoid. As the combat area closes in and these foes appear from anywhere, there is even the chance to battle huge bosses. Take the Zombie Dragon, for example. This fleshy, flying abomination requires multiple players and strategic team tactics to defeat. You might find other players nearby as well, which adds more strategic detail once the battle is over. Do you let them live and risk being killed yourself, or take them out and keep all that boss loot for yourself? Rest assured, there is never a dull moment in World of the Dead.
It's clear the team has thought of every gameplay aspect here. The game does a lot without doing too much and finds that natural balance between genres while hinging on satisfying and challenging FPS mechanics. Hur Min, founder of the dev, says "We're constantly thinking about how to return to the essence of FPS and make the impact and thrill of shooting guns easier and more comfortable than any other FPS game."
The World of the Dead demo is available to play from now until October 21, 2024, and is perfect for some Halloween scares. At present, there is no confirmed release date for the zombie game, with an estimated full launch set for sometime in 2025 and an early access release between now and then. So, make the most of the demo right now and wishlist World of the Dead on Steam for more updates.