ZombiU (Remake)/Locations

ZombiU (Remake) unfolds in London, the capital and the largest urban expanse in England and the United Kingdom.

With the advent of the long-foretold Second Blight in 2023, the city plunged headlong into bedlam, succumbing to an inexorable wave of infection. The law enforcement and military proved powerless in their attempts to regain authority. Such casualties, stemming from both direct fatalities and the insidious spread of the contagion, were devastating.

Overview
In the 17th Century, the enigmatic John Dee received a prophecy known as the Black Prophecy, imparted to him by Enochian Angels. This foretelling envisioned a catastrophic plague named "The Blight," poised to sweep through London and England in 2012. Modern society, including the British Prime Minister, largely dismissed this prophecy as mere folklore. Yet, staunch believers in the Queen's court, the enigmatic Omega Group, and the secretive Ravens of Dee took the prophecy seriously. They embarked on preparations for the impending cataclysm, constructing safe havens and research facilities to unearth the elusive Panacea.

On November 2nd, 2023, the first ominous signs of the Blight emerged. Three individuals in South-East London succumbed to an enigmatic ailment, presumably transforming into reanimated horrors and propagating the affliction throughout the city. In those early hours, the military acted swiftly, establishing an "exclusion zone" to stave off the impending darkness. However, their actions, although resolute, merely served as a transient defense against the relentless tide.

Initially, the government's portrayal of the outbreak concealed the unfolding horror. They portrayed it as a mere flu-like illness, sowing seeds of confusion and panic among the infected populace. The virus, a malevolent specter lurking within, transmitted through the most intimate of contacts—scratches and bites. Five days after the barricades were erected, the World Health Organization (WHO) delivered a chilling decree, grounding all international flights unrelated to military or medical endeavors. This drastic measure thrust the nation into chaos, with the Prime Minister's simmering frustration at the international response bubbling beneath the surface. Across the globe, global leaders censured Great Britain due to the absence of clear and purposeful action. A single photograph, clandestinely smuggled from the heart of the Exclusion Zone (presumed to be taken by the Prepper), resonated like a haunting scream in the world's collective consciousness. The image depicted a man, drenched in blood, bearing grievous bite wounds and missing an entire arm, amidst an abandoned street teeming with lifelessness—a visceral testament to the grim reality taking hold.

Eight days into the uneasy containment, a cacophony of gunfire and explosions shattered the exclusion zone's fragile perimeter. The racket served as a grim orchestra, luring the infected like moths to a flame. The once-unyielding blockade began to crumble as hundreds, perhaps thousands, of the afflicted breached its tenuous defenses. In just two short weeks, the contagion traversed 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, choked with the lifeless and reverberating with the anguished cries of the survivors. Then, a sinister twist unraveled its tendrils across the beleaguered land. People began exhibiting symptoms of infection without apparent contact with the infected—an eerie enigma defying explanation.

By November 19th, the virus had sprawled across most of South London, ultimately crossing the River Thames to infiltrate North London. Anarchy consumed the city, society crumbled, and the armed forces and police proved impotent in restoring order. The government sought refuge, but in vain, within Westminster Palace. Fifteen days following the outbreak, London lay in ruins, with the majority of its population either dead or infected. Only a scattered few survivors persevered.

The Safehouse
The safehouse in ZombiU: The Blighted is a crucial bastion of safety and strategic planning within the perilous urban landscape of zombie-infested London. It stands as the survivors' primary sanctuary, offering a brief respite from the unrelenting horrors of the outside world. It is strategically positioned in a central and relatively secure part of London. While the specific location can be decided by the player, each option is thoughtfully chosen to pay homage to a film, video game, or book, creating a unique and immersive experience for the player. These references not only add a layer of depth to the game's lore but also grant the player a distinct advantage at the onset of their journey.