ZombiU (Remake)

ZombiU (also known as ZombiU: The Blight in North America), is an upcoming first-person survival horror game developed and published by Ubisoft, serving as a remake and reimagining of the 2012 survival horror title of the same name. Unlike the original, which was a Wii U exclusive, the remake integrates the various capabilities of the Nintendo Switch to enhance the overall gameplay experience. The game will be released on October 24th, 2024. 
==Setting==
Much like its predecessor, ZombiU takes place in a zombie-ravaged London, with significant changes made to the original setting to make it more realistic and closely resemble the actual locale. Many locations have either been completely modified or added to enhance the immersive experience. Unlike the original ZombiU, howeved, which restricted players to tight, confined spaces and linear paths, the remake offers an expansive, interconnected map of London from the start. Players have the freedom to explore the city on foot or by various means of transportation, such as cars or the underground subway system, all while also incorporating elements of RPGs, Metroidvanias, and crafting into its survival horror framework. This open-world environment transforms the city into a vast playground for survival.
As players navigate the desolate streets, they face the constant threat of the undead. In addition, the game introduces iconic locations that are modeled after real-life UK landmarks. Players can either stealthily move through a distorted Trafalgar Square, delve into the underground labyrinth of the London Tube, or seek refuge within the eerie confines of St. Paul's Cathedral.
==Gameplay==
*Main article: ZombiU (Remake)/Jobs & Professions
*Main article: ZombiU (Remake)/Status Effects
*Main article: ZombiU (Remake)/Perks
*Main article: ZombiU (Remake)/Skills & Upgrades
The gameplay of ZombiU (Remake) remains largely similar to the original, retaining its first-person survival horror essence with elements of Metroidvania and shooter genres. Players assume the role of a survivor in a zombie apocalypse, guided by a mysterious figure known as the Prepper, who instructs them to maintain his safe house for survival. At the same time, however, the survivor seeks a cure for the infection under the direction of Dr. Knight, a scientist stationed at Buckingham Palace.
Players can confront zombies using a variety of weapons, including firearms, melee weapons, gadgets, and explosives. Weapon skills can be developed over time but are lost upon the character's death, necessitating the acquisition of new skills. The noise from firearms can attract more zombies, requiring players to push them away or use stealth to avoid detection. All weapons can shove enemies back, but this only temporarily halts them before they attempt to grapple and bite. If bitten, players can use a hypodermic needle (if available) to take down the attacking zombie. Fallen zombies can be executed, but they can still crawl and attack if not dealt with properly.
Exploration is a key component of the game. Players are encouraged to explore to find beds (save points) and routes back to their safe houses. New weapons, ammunition, and scarce items can be collected by searching areas or looting dead bodies. As players discover new items, they gain access to previously inaccessible areas. Items are stored in the player’s inventory (a bug-out bag) or in a cache at the safe house.
If the player’s character dies, they will permanently die, and the player will assume the role of another survivor. The previous character will become a zombie, and the player must kill this zombie to reclaim their inventory. Death results in a return to the safe house but does not reset objective progress or undo previously completed tasks, such as unlocking doors. There is no checkpoint system, but players can save the game at special beds, like the one in the safe house. Weapon upgrades remain intact after death, but equipment, weapons, food, and other inventory items are lost unless they are stored in the safe house chest. To recover all equipment, players must retrieve it from the location where the last survivor died by killing the infected former character. Infected survivors can cross into other players’ games, risking permanent loss of items if not retrieved in time.
===Difficulty Modes===
==Storyline==
* Main article: ZombiU (Remake)/Missions
*Main article: ZombiU (Remake)/Characters
Centuries past, a brilliant English mathematician and alchemist known only as John Dee, delved into the arcane corridors of knowledge, driven by an insatiable curiosity to unravel the mysteries of the future. His calculations yielded startling predictions, coalescing into the foreboding tapestry known as the Black Prophecy, a looming doom that cast a shadow across time.
As time marched forward, the Black Prophecy slumbered in the annals of history, its significance concealed. Yet, it did not elude the notice of those discerning enough to grasp its potential gravity. Among them was the Prepper, a grizzled ex-army veteran and former member of the British Royal Marines with a pragmatic ethos. Motivated by his interpretation of Dee's prophecy, he ardently prepared for the impending apocalypse. Meanwhile, a secret organization known as the Ravens of Dee diligently delved into the depths of Dee's predictions. Driven by a conviction that they held the key to averting a catastrophic fate, they view themselves as the guardians of the prophecy, resolute in deciphering its true meaning to spare humanity from an imminent and unknown calamity.
===The Outbreak===
The origins of the nightmare that engulfed the nation are shrouded in the haze of history, pinpointed roughly between November 2 and November 6, 2023. During those initial hours, the military's rapid response materialized in the form of an "exclusion zone," hastily established to resist the encroaching darkness. However, this decisive action only amounted to a temporary bulwark against the relentless tide that was about to unfold.
At the onset, the government carefully crafted a facade to misrepresent the outbreak, concealing the true horror that was gradually unfolding. They portrayed it as a mere flu-like illness, sowing confusion and panic among the infected populace. The virus, an ominous specter lurking in close human contact through scratches and bites, defied containment. Five days after the barricades went up, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a chilling decree, halting all international flights not directly tied to military or medical efforts. This drastic measure plunged the nation into chaos, and frustration with the international response simmered beneath the surface of the Prime Minister. Globally, government leaders denounced Great Britain for a lack of clarity and purpose. A single photograph, smuggled out from the heart of the Exclusion Zone, portrayed a man soaked in blood, bearing bite wounds and missing an arm amidst a desolate street. It served as a haunting scream echoing through the world's consciousness, a visceral testament to the grim reality taking hold.
After eight uneasy days of containment, shots and explosions pierced the exclusion zone's perimeter, creating a grisly symphony that attracted the infected like moths to a flame. The once-unyielding blockade began to crumble as hundreds, perhaps thousands, of the afflicted broke through its defenses. Within a fortnight, the contagion traced its malevolent path from Manchester to the heart of London, leaving a macabre trail of death in its wake. The streets transformed into charnel houses, filled with lifeless bodies and echoing with the anguished cries of survivors. From there, an insidious twist unfurled upon the beleaguered land, as people manifested symptoms without discernible contact with the infected — a chilling revelation that defied explanation.
The Blight, as it came to be known, erupted with a ferocity defying containment. The fabric of society unraveled, and the contagion spread beyond the island's shores, casting Europe, Asia, and Africa into a vortex of despair and uncertainty despite the WHO's desperate lockdown on international flights.
Amidst the ensuing chaos, the rift between the Prepper and the Ravens of Dee deepened. While the Ravens believed in the emergence of the Black Angels as a mysterious and powerful force to save the world, the Prepper held a contrasting belief. He was convinced that Dee's prophecy foretold something far more ominous, a challenge to the very essence of humanity. As London crumbled and survivors grappled with this nightmarish reality, the Prepper, the Ravens of Dee, and the mysterious Black Prophecy became intertwined in a desperate race against time. Their differing interpretations of Dee's enigmatic words would shape their actions, alliances, and ultimately, the fate of a world teetering on the precipice of annihilation.
How long would you survive the apocalypse?
==Items==
*Main article: ZombiU (Remake)/Weapons & Ammo
*Main article: ZombiU (Remake)/Prepper's Gadgets
*Main article: ZombiU (Remake)/Equipment
* Main article: ZombiU (Remake)/Clothing
* Main article: ZombiU (Remake)/Food & Drinks
*Main article: ZombiU (Remake)/Crafting Materials
*Main article: ZombiU (Remake)/Medical Supplies
*Main article: ZombiU (Remake)/Books & Magazines
*Main article: ZombiU (Remake)/Miscellaneous Items
==Locations==
*Main article: ZombiU (Remake)/Locations
==Enemies==
*Main article: ZombiU (Remake)/Enemies
==Multiplayer==
ZombiU features the following multiplayer game modes:
===King of the Zombies===
King of the Zombies is a competitive asymmetrical 4v1 game mode in which four players take on the roles of survivors, while the fifth player assumes the role of The Director.
In this game mode, survivors must work together to escape a series of maps within a set time limit. They are assigned various tasks and objectives, which vary from map to map. These include collecting a specific number of items, repairing generators, or reaching specific locations. At the beginning of each round, each survivor will always be equipped with a virucide shot, which allows them to incapacitate zombies when grappled by them. These shots are limited, but additional ammo, weapons, medical supplies, and other equipment can be found scattered throughout the map. When survivors sustain excessive damage, they enter a downed state. Teammates can revive them if they reach the injured survivor in time. Failing to do so results in a respawn, costing valuable time. However, if a survivor succumbs to infection from a zombie bite or contaminated water, they will respawn as a zombie instead. Survivors accumulate Gifts as they kill infected units, with automated turret kills also contributing. These Gifts are essentially rewards that can be exchanged for useful items, such as recovery items or better weapons.
The Director assumes a commanding role, manipulating the environment and controlling the undead horde to thwart the survivors' escape. The Director views the Survivors' actions through a minimap and security cameras placed strategically throughout the map. This vantage point offers insight into the survivors' progress and enables the Director to plan their actions. The Director can impede the survivors' advancement by locking doors, placing traps, and strategically summoning zombies and other creatures. To perform any of these aforementioned actions, the Director relies on the "Mutagen" system, a resource that regenerates over time. Mutagen is used to spawn new creatures, deploy traps, or arm security cameras with manually controlled guns or automated turrets. As the Director spawns more infected units and hinders the survivors, they can level up. Upon leveling up, the Director gains access to a selection of three random upgrades, which can range from enhancing zombie abilities to unlocking unique environmental hazards
==Trivia==
*Originally, since it is going to be a port for the Nintendo Switch, the ZombiU remake was supposed to be titled ZombiSWITCH. This was changed after Dr. H.W. Richardson realized how stupid it sounds.
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