Zombie Army 4: Dead War is the first sequel in the Sniper Elite spin-off series that really builds upon its predecessors with more ways to take down Nazi zombies than ever before. This game seems to be particularly great with being self-aware. It doesn't really push the bar but it offers up so much gameplay experimentation that should make it a joy to play with a team of four.

The game takes place in 1946. Your four main characters have been fighting zombie hordes for some time making post-apocalypse Europe a playground filled with safe zones, traps, and lots of guns in the process. My demo began in one of these safe areas, moments before it came under attack by a huge horde. Same as previous titles, Zombie Army 4's zombies move at a slower pace. What makes them intimidating is their sheer numbers. One zombie can dish out some heavy damage so it's important for you to be mindful of how the horde approaches, and to take them down accordingly. It has a very classic Night of the Living Dead feel to it that I was totally all about.

Guns in Zombie Army 4: Dead War feel more dynamic than ever before as you can equip some really quirky attachments to each gun. For instance, one of the electric attachments I had caused my bullet to rip through one zombie and electrocute surrounding foes. It's campiness like this that makes the Zombie Army games feel really self-aware and all the more fun. I can see Zombie Army 4: Dead War as being one of those games that you boot up with three of your friends on a Saturday night to have fun and just run through.

Zombie kills are grotesque and over the top. They crunch and spew out chunks of flesh as you land shots. Sniper Elite's slow-motion kills make a return on top of other fun surprises that make your glorious kills all the more satisfying. There are also special zombie types that'll definitely be fun to take down.

[pullquote]"Zombie Army 4: Dead War offers everything fans of the series want and more."[/pullquote]

I previously mentioned traps, and there are some really creative ones that can help you in a pinch. One of my favorites is a giant fan that pulls in all of the surrounding zombies when shot, chomping them to bits in the process. Guns feel very powerful and feel particularly good when you're emptying a machine gun mag into a big cluster of enemies. Snipers, of course, are as good as you'd expect from the developers of Sniper Elite. The slower movement of the zombies allows you to time your shots and switch weapons on the fly when your enemies close in.

You can also mix and match perks on top of your gun loadout, making for some solid customization options that offer more variety than Zombie Army Trilogy. Perks come in many different forms, so you'll have to experiment and find that one that fits your playstyle, or go into each mission with a different one each time. One perk can bring you back after you've been downed, others are combat related, but I personally didn't get to explore perks too much so I'll be excited to dive in with them once the final game launches.

At a glance, Zombie Army 4: Dead War offers everything fans of the series want and more. It knows exactly what it wants to be and does a great job at being exactly that. While it might not set the world on fire, Zombie Army 4: Dead War is a really solid game from what I've seen so far, and you should absolutely check it out if you're looking for your next cooperative Nazi zombie fix.

Zombie Army 4: Dead War is coming to PS4, Xbox One, and PC via the Epic Games Store in early 2020. A Steam version will follow sometime in 2021.