Saber Interactive has released the new “Waves of Lead” update for World War Z, expanding the co-op zombie shooter with new mutators, heavy weapon perks, weapons and challenges. The free update launched Oct. 5 for players on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Steam and the Epic Games Store.
Waves of Lead Adds New Weapons, Perks and Mutators
The update introduces five new mutators, six heavy weapon perks and three unlockable custom frames. Players can also obtain a new double-barreled Bullpup Shotgun and Gas Pipe Wrench melee weapon.
The update extends Extinction Mode to the World War Z x The Walking Dead crossover DLC episode. Players who own the DLC can take on its higher difficulty while battling The Walking Dead’s slow-moving Walkers at locations including the Prison, Alexandria Safe Zone and Grady Memorial Hospital.
Six New Heavy Weapon Perks
Each of the game’s six heavy weapons receives a new unlockable perk.
Last Exhaust: When the SchreiTech Forest Warrior chainsaw runs out of fuel, the player gains a camouflage effect for three seconds.
Pillbox: Players cannot be grabbed while aiming with the MAG5 machine gun.
Cluster Bombs: The Hailstorm MGL’s grenades are replaced by cluster bombs. Their initial blast radius is reduced by 50%, but each explosion scatters smaller charges that detonate one second later.
Dragon Breath Shells: The Taiga-12 heavy assault shotgun fires incendiary rounds, while its ammunition capacity is reduced by 30%.
Two-layer Bullet: Rounds fired from the BF25 payload rifle pierce the first Zeke before continuing and exploding after hitting the next target. Total ammunition capacity is reduced by 30%.
White Phosphorus: The MRL202 Commando rocket launcher receives white phosphorus ammunition that affects a large area and sets enemies within the blast radius on fire without leaving a burning puddle.
Five New Mutators Change Zombie Battles
“Waves of Lead” also adds five gameplay mutators designed to alter the rules of combat.
Paranoid’s Reserves is available as a permanent mutator and introduces the possibility that equipment crates are booby-trapped.
With All-In, the maximum health of survivors and zombies is set to one. The time required to return to combat is also cut in half, survivors can be incapacitated an unlimited number of times, and recovery is faster.
Let Them Dance makes Zekes more vulnerable to shots targeting their legs while reducing damage from attacks elsewhere on their bodies.
Sharp Shards causes explosions from devices and heavy weapons to inflict bleeding, while Leaky Backpack causes players to gradually lose ammunition when grabbed.
Valhalla Raider Weapon Skin Pack Available for $4.99
Alongside the free update, Saber Interactive released the premium Valhalla Raider Weapon Skin Pack for $4.99.
The cosmetic DLC provides runic steel designs for five weapons: the Geist 17 machine pistol, ARK-103 assault rifle, BSG-12 bullpup shotgun, Paladin LMG light automatic rifle and Taiga-12 heavy assault shotgun.
World War Z Continues to Expand Its Co-Op Campaigns
Powered by Saber Interactive’s Swarm Engine, World War Z can be played solo with AI-controlled squadmates or cooperatively with up to four players. Full crossplay is supported between PC and console platforms.
The game is built around battles against large zombie hordes and includes campaigns set across New York, Moscow, Jerusalem, Tokyo, Marseille, Rome and Vatican City, as well as Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula.
Additional DLC campaigns have expanded the game to Las Vegas, Arizona and the world of AMC’s The Walking Dead.
World War Z is currently available for PC, PlayStation and Xbox.
The Waves of Lead update expands the long-running zombie shooter with additional combat modifiers, weapon options and progression rewards while giving owners of the Walking Dead crossover DLC a more difficult Extinction Mode challenge.
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