Money for these purchases is either found in-game as a pickup or awarded on completion of a level based on the player's performance. Weapon upgrades are specific to each weapon type and apply to all copies of that weapon, regardless of vehicle. Upgrades exist for either weapons or vehicles vehicle upgrades are for speed, armor, and momentum statistics and stay with the vehicle. Once all required objectives have been completed the player can return to the safehouse in order to progress to the next level.Д«etween each level the player is given the opportunity to purchase upgrades. Objectives are time-sensitive and can be failed if not completed quickly. Optional objectives yield greater point and money awards for the level if completed, and may also unlock additional weapons or vehicles. The number of survivors, both in one location or throughout the level, may require multiple trips to rescue.Д®ach level has a number of mandatory objectives, such as rescuing a set number of survivors, rescuing specific survivors, clearing a specific area, or any combination of the three levels also typically have at least one optional objective, again being one or any combination of the three. Survivors may then be returned to the main safehouse or can remain in the vehicle while the player completes other objectives. Missions typically consist of clearing certain areas of zombies or rescuing survivors from specific locations all zombies in the immediate area must be eliminated, after which the player can stop their vehicle and pick up survivors.

The objective of each level is to navigate the vehicle through the confines of the city while completing missions. Running into zombies will slow the vehicle down and slightly damage it, both to a degree which is affected by the vehicle's statistics. Zombies can be destroyed by driving into them with the player vehicle, by using acquired weaponry, or by using certain limited in-game hazards such as fires or explosives. Zombies are uniformly hostile towards the player and will attack and damage their vehicle using a variety of attacks depending on the specific zombie type. The game takes place in varying areas of a single, unnamed city besieged by a disease-borne zombie outbreak. Ammo capacity varies by weapon but is not affected by the vehicle driven. Only one weapon can be equipped at a time, with new pickups completely replacing the previous weapon. Vehicles can be outfitted with a variety of weapons, ranging from machine guns to rail drivers, which are available in the world as pickups. Each vehicle controls in the same fashion with regards to steering, movement, and weapons, but has different properties regarding acceleration, top speed, momentum, manuverability, passenger capacity, and resistance to damage. The player controls one of 6 available 4-wheeled vehicles. Zombie Driver is presented in a top-down perspective, similar to games like Grand Theft Auto 2.

Zombie driver cheats