It's safe to say that zombie-based media and entertainment is nowhere near as popular as it was between 2008 and 2013 when, for some reason, the world had a fascination with books, films, and video games featuring the undead creatures. However, the gaming industry has held onto many of the mechanics that were popular in the zombie genre, such as base building and reward-driven killing reminiscent of the arcade era of gaming. Zombie Army 4: Dead War was released in 2020 and heavily leaned into the "reward-driven killing" side of the zombie game spectrum.
One form of rewards available to players in Zombie Army 4 is perks. The perks are similar to those from the Call of Duty franchise in the sense that they offer players supplementary abilities that will give them a significant edge on the battlefield. Like any games with perks, the individual playstyle of players will often determine which are best for them, though the ten on this list will be the most beneficial for the majority of players.
Updated on August 18, by Patrick Armstrong:Players looking for a good zombie-killing experience have no shortage of options to choose from, but Zombie Army 4 stands out for its blend of fun mechanics. Its perk system allows players to distinguish themselves from every other battlecry-yelling, undead-blasting soldier on the battlefield, giving them an edge in certain circumstances.
With many perks and perk combinations to choose from, it can be hard to figure out which are the best. These perks make an excellent case for being the strongest in the game.
14 Rejuvenation
Rejuvenation increases the max health that the player can regenerate, and though the player doesn't unlock this perk until they're quite a few levels into the game (64, to be exact), it's a lifesaver once it's available. Aside from the level requirement, unlocking this perk can be a challenge due to the prerequisite for unlocking gold: beating a level without being healed by other means.
With a literal army of the undead chasing the player in the hopes of tearing the flesh from their bones, it's easy to see why having more health would be a welcome thing. It isn't flashy or skill-dependent like some other perks, it just keeps the player in the fight a bit longer, and that's all it needs to do to earn a spot amongst the game's best perks.
13 Tightly Knit
Some players prefer to play solo, tackling challenges without the assistance or input of others. Zombie Army 4 can certainly be played that way, but it's nice when someone's around to have one's back if everything goes wrong.
Tightly Knit is a multiplayer perk built around good teamwork and clear communication, reducing damage when the player is near a teammate. This perk's buff radius starts off at only 3m, which is too limited to be effective, but the 7m buff radius gives teammates a healthy amount of mobility and strategic wiggle room without shutting down Tightly Knit's defensive bonus. For players who want a little more security when playing with others, Tightly Knit is the answer.
12 Combat Medic
Combat Medic is an all-around healing perk with multiplayer in mind. It provides several healing-oriented buffs, transforming a killing machine into a character who can save lives as effectively as they end them with their best weapons.
Combat Medic allows players to heal teammates using Divine Ammo, revive downed teammates faster, and increases Medkit usage speeds. Together, these healing buffs allow players to survive even the toughest battles against the dead. The fight might be messy, but as long as a player with Combat Medic is still standing, there's still hope.
11 Hardened
Zombies aren't the smartest creatures around, so most of them must resort to killing players with their hands and teeth. While it's nice that the majority of zombies aren't running around with heavy weapons, being torn to shreds by hand isn't much better. Hardened directly counters this, reducing melee damage.
The number of zombies the player will encounter in melee combat throughout Zombie Army 4 can be a little overwhelming, so having a built-in shield to reduce a chunk of incoming damage from melee attacks is extremely helpful. While it's generally a good idea to maintain one's distance and pick zombies apart from afar, the Hardened perk gives players another option, allowing them to play in a much more straightforward and aggressive manner than they otherwise could.
10 Bulletproof
Bulletproof only narrowly makes it onto this list, as it was close to being replaced by Hardened. The Hardened perk is handy to have as it reduces damage taken from melee strikes, which is how most zombies in the game will attack.
However, Bulletproof makes it onto this list as although gun-wielding enemies aren't as frequent, they're far more difficult to deal with. The Bulletproof perk doesn't make players immune to gunfire as the name suggests, though it's still convenient to have equipped.
9 Bombardier
On the complete other end of the spectrum to Bulletproof is Bombardier, an offensive perk that allows players to cause devastating amounts of damage with their grenades. The perk is perfectly suited for Zombie Army 4 as enemies tend to attack in crowded groups, making them prime targets for a well-placed grenade throw.
With the Bronze, Silver, and Gold tiers all unlocked, Bombardier can make grenades a precious commodity.
8 Sniper Focus
Considering how closely tied the Zombie Army franchise is with the Sniper Elite series, it should be of little surprise that long-ranged sniping is a very appealing strategy in Dead War.
The game's snipers not only provide the devastating damage that one would expect, but they also let players utilize the Sniper Elite series' Empty Lung mechanic to greatly improve their accuracy, letting them pull off headshots from incredible range.
7 Enhanced Vigour
In any game that offers perks, an option to increase maximum health is almost always included, and it's almost always one of the best options. Zombie Army 4 is no different, as the Enhanced Vigour perk can help players survive some tricky situations.
Players won't notice too much of a difference with the perk at its most basic form, but once Gold has been unlocked, the reduced delay in regeneration and overall increase to maximum health will make players wonder how they ever survived without it.
6 Stamina Defence
Another perk that will help players from reaching an untimely death is Stamina Defence. The perk does exactly what it says on the tin, as enemy attacks will potentially reduce players' stamina instead of their health.
Similar to Enhanced Vigour, the perk can feel fairly lackluster when first equipping it, though it's worth holding onto until Gold is unlocked, as it can make players feel like they have a second health bar.
5 Pistol/SMG/Shotgun/Rifle Ammo Pouch
There are four Ammo Pouch perks in Zombie Army 4 that all provide the same benefits but for different weapons. The perk is worth equipping for players who heavily favor a specific weapon, as ammo can be fairly scarce in the game.
Moreover, having increased ammo won't only help players prevent being stuck with just hand-to-hand combat as a final measure, it will also give them more confidence to use heavy weaponry and grenades, as they don't need to worry about holding onto them in case their firearms deplete.
4 Second Chance
Although the other nine perks on this list all intend to prevent the player from losing all of their health, the inevitable will happen from time to time.
However, Second Chance can give players one final trick up their sleeve, as it will let them survive if they can kill an enemy. The Silver tier makes the perk especially tantalizing as players will receive a small health increase upon revival, potentially giving them the boost needed to get out of their dire situation.
3 Heavy
From one of the game's most defensive perks to one of its most offensive, Heavy lets players turn the table on enemies by allowing them to use heavy weaponry.
The perk becomes extremely powerful when Gold is achieved as players will have enough Heavy Weapon ammo to comfortably see them through a significant chunk of any given level. In a game where mowing down hordes of enemies is the key, it should be of little surprise as to why Heavy makes it so high onto this list.
2 Combo King
Combo King is a great option for players who are confident will their zombie-slaying abilities. Reaching a combo with a multiple of 50 can feel like a significant achievement in any game, though few offer the level of reward as in Zombie Amy 4.
With the perk equipped, players will receive a plethora of benefits when hitting a multiple of 50, which will immediately give them a second wind and allow them to continue their onslaught in a rejuvenated state.
1 Vampirism
Similar to Combo King, the Vampirism perk is ideal for anyone who trusts their skill in Dead War, as it will reward those who can nail numerous headshots. The Vampirism perk exemplifies everything that the game is about, as it encourages players to take the initiative and be aggressive rather than sit back and simply try to survive like in other Zombie games.
The perk also makes the game's excellent sniper mechanic even more rewarding by giving players a satisfying health increase.
Zombie Army 4: Dead War is now available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, and Google Stadia