Overwatch has a new custom Zombies mode, so crack open a cold Jugger-Nog, lock in, and go wild
Overwatch has a new custom Zombies mode, so crack open a cold Jugger-Nog, lock in, and go wild
Zombie survival games are ten-a-penny, with the original 2004 Killing Floor mod trailblazing a path for horde-adjacent iterations. Nowadays, Call of Duty's Zombies mode is perhaps the most popular way to get your fix of adrenaline while scattering undead brains across the arena, though plenty of custom mode creators have taken the premise to other shooters. Overwatch has, naturally, had its fair share of Zombies modes over the years, but this latest attempt from 'Kanzuki' could become my favorite yet.
Simply titled 'Overwatch: Zombies,' the new PvE custom mode will let you and up to three other players run around a selection of the multiplayer game's maps, blasting wave after wave of shoddily-resurrected heroes. Here, you'll be able to use Overwatch's usual suite of perks to stay alive, but that's not all.
As Kanzuki shares on Reddit, Overwatch Zombies lets you hoover up power-ups, including CoD mainstays like Jugger-Nog, Stamin-Up, and Speed Cola - PSA: use the reload key to pick them up, otherwise you'll end up standing around looking lost like I did. The mode also features custom weapons, so presumably you'll be able to arm baby D.Va with Pharah's rocket launcher, which sounds like a pretty explosive combo. It's probably a good thing, considering there are boss rounds, which I'm sure will more than test the power of your loadout.

I've had a chance to play a few games of OW Zombies, and I have to say, I'm pretty impressed. Kanzuki's 'months of scripting and testing' have certainly paid dividends, even if I'm getting blasted. Sombra is already one of my least-favorite heroes to play against while climbing the Overwatch ranks, and being hacked on cooldown by a squad of them is particularly evil. Fortunately, it's easy enough to toggle off her abilities or remove her from the pool, but she's worth keeping in if you want a proper challenge.
Sombra's presence also made me think about which hero I wanted to lock in. With my health packs permanently hacked, it made sense to try someone with self-sustain like Roadhog, or Soldier 76 (the latter being the canon choice considering the mode's roots). From the limited amount I've played so far, high mobility, high damage options, like newbie Sierra, are ostensibly better for playing solo, while I'm sure playing with your mates will open up some interesting compositional options. Just keep an eye out for the "hidden secret in the moon" if you roll Horizon Lunar Colony, because everyone loves a good easter egg.