Project Lazarus Getting Started Guide

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Cody has been in the video game business as part of media and content creation for more than 10 years. During that time, he has contributed and even led some of the largest sites in the world dedicated to gaming and entertainment. He has also dabbled some in PR and was a tester for Activision in the past working on the Call of Duty series. When not playing games or writing about them, he enjoys cooking, sharpening his Japanese skills, and watching the latest anime shows.

Bottom Line Up Front

Project Lazarus was released in 2016, being the sequel to a similar game known as Call of Robloxia: Zombies. Though it had a name change, the clear inspiration for the Call of Duty Zombies franchise is seen through and through.

From building barriers to the mystery box to how the guns feel, this is as close as you get outside of the Treyarch-developed games to a COD Zombies experience. Project Lazarus is the second-best wave-based undead FPS game you will find in Roblox since it is only available on PC.

Before You Even Begin

Here’s the general information that you should know about Project Lazarus before even jumping into the game.

Project Lazarus Overview and Platforms

I’ve been around the Robloxia neighborhood for a long time now, so I find that it is hard to impress me.

However, a few years ago, I discovered the game Project Lazarus while scrolling through the various Roblox experiences one night. I remember distinctly that I was looking for enjoyable horror experiences to play with my family then.

Project Lazarus instantly shocked me and became a memorable experience due to how high quality it feels. Few games in Roblox genuinely have that superstar gameplay feel, and Project Lazarus is one of them.

The premise behind the game is that you and up to five other players hop into a lobby and begin surviving wave after wave of seemingly endless zombies. The gameplay is heavily FPS-focused, involving some of the best examples of gunplay that you can find in all of Roblox.

What is a little bit surprising about Project Lazarus, though, is the fact that it hasn’t hit off with players in the Roblox community as much as you would expect. Despite coming out in 2016, it only has around 122 million total visits, which is quite low for a game of its caliber.

The reason behind this likely has to do with the worst part of the game: how restrictive it is. For some odd reason, you can only play Project Lazarus on PC, and that is it at this time. This could be because it’s in the alpha state currently, but there is no excuse.

The game has been out for more than six years now, and I’ve been playing on Xbox and mobile for around that same amount of time. I have seen countless newer games arrive on Xbox and it isn’t like the gameplay wouldn’t translate easily to both platforms.

I would play Project Lazarus a whole lot more if it were on Xbox and mobile since I don’t really play on PC much. In addition, this substantial missing feature holds back this game from being the very best zombie experience on Roblox.

Inspiration: Project Lazarus Is Literally COD Zombies Roblox

The inspiration behind Project Lazarus is quite clear. The moment that you jump into a game, you will find that it is absolutely trying to be the new Call of Duty Zombies experience but for Roblox. In all honesty, it does an admirable job and probably the best you possibly can in Roblox.

Everything in Project Lazarus feels ripped out of Treyarch’s amazing experiences that defined my teenage and young adult years. The gunplay is nearly identical but tweaked to work in Roblox; the mystery box is here, the barriers are here, and the zombies have that creepier Treyarch style to them.

I can’t help but be impressed by how well-constructed Project Lazarus is without copying the maps of COD Zombies and possibly getting a copyright strike in the process. There is such a high level of quality to the game, which only worsens the fact that I basically can’t play it. And neither can the vast majority of Roblox players.

That said, if you have a PC that you can play on or you’ll able to use a streaming service like Shadow on your mobile device, you’ll find that Project Lazarus is more than worth your time.

Core Mechanics Guide

The general gameplay of Project Lazarus centers around the first-person shooter style. Players have a gun and knife that they can use to slice and blast away the seemingly endless zombies that come at them.

The game takes place in close quarters maps, emphasizing the fear factor of the Roblox game and providing a neat exploration touch. Here’s what you need to know about the gameplay to get started in Project Lazarus.

FPS Mechanics Breakdown

The best part about Project Lazarus is its gunplay. The game takes place from a first-person perspective, with players starting out with only the Beretta pistol and their knife. Right from the start, you can aim down the sights, look for headshots, and slice away at your foes with melee attacks.

The FPS gameplay is a bit slower than some of the other similar titles that you might find in Roblox. This is intentional, though, as it is there to give that classic Black Ops Zombies feel that Treyarch is known for. Each bullet’s speed and power make it so that players must shoot to kill the undead in this game.

The movement is a little bit slow, too, with the ability to just barely jog around the map at best. The corridors are narrow and short, and the maps are generally pretty small, at least at first. Because of this, the player’s speed isn’t too big of a deal unless, of course, you get trapped with some zombies rapidly approaching you.

Maps are generally moody and dark, giving a nice touch horror touch to this gruesome game. Guns feel different from one another, so it is recommended that players find what works best for them.

You have your starting pistol that is solid at headshots but somewhat slow and not the most powerful gun around. Then you have something like a shotgun that can decimate not just one but multiple zombies at once within close enough range.

There are assault rifles and SMGs that are much faster than most other guns and can shoot at longer ranges, too. Then there are still the long-range rifles you can use if you’re into slow but near instant kill shots.

The idea in each round is to survive and kill every zombie in that round. Once you defeat them, you have a few seconds to breathe and recuperate before the next round automatically begins.

Rounds can take a good bit of time even with an entire squad, with many matches in Project Lazarus taking upwards of two to three hours to complete. It is absolutely a time commitment, much like Call of Duty Zombies is.

Repairing Barriers

Part of surviving each round is using the points that you gain from killing zombies in the right way. Every single shot you land on a zombie will net you some points, with kills, headshots, and stronger zombies netting you more points in the long run.

With these points, you can do various activities, but one of the most important is repairing your barriers. Around your map area, some barriers and windows are there to protect you from the incoming zombie hordes.

The barriers never last too long in the game, but they are worth repairing since they will occupy the zombies for a period of time. This buys you some time to get ammo, a new gun, or just take out the zombies before they can attack you directly.

When you take out a zombie, there is a chance that they will drop a buff that you can pick up. One such buff will actually automatically repair all of your barriers on the map instantly.

I see a lot of players who ignore the barriers and don’t repair them because they take a few seconds to do and cost points, but they are so worth it from round to round.

How to Unlock New Weapons

The pistol you receive at the start of the match will only get you through the first couple of rounds at best. The pistol isn’t a horrible weapon, but you want to ditch it as soon as you can. There are a couple of ways that a player can unlock a new weapon in Project Lazarus.

The first is by looking for model weapons on the walls around the map. There will randomly be weapons like shotguns and SMGs on the wall that you can interact with. For a certain number of points, you can interact with the gun and unlock it to start using it in battle instantly.

This is the quickest weapon of getting a new weapon, especially in those earlier rounds of a match. There are some benefits to wall weapons, the first of which is knowing exactly what you are getting.

The other is the fact that you can actually get ammo for that gun by approaching its wall version once again and paying some points.

This makes the wall weapons the most reliable guns in Project Lazarus since you always have a chance to get more bullets when you need to. But there is another way of getting new weapons in a round. There is the classic mystery box from Call of Duty that makes an appearance here.

This randomized box costs some points to use, but when you do, it will randomly choose a weapon to give you. The problem is that RNG is involved, so you may not get a weapon class you prefer. But, at the same time, the mystery box has a wider variety of weapons, including the best the game has to offer.

I don’t know about you, but I always want to find that classic ray gun in zombie games like this one, and the mystery box is the only way to find it in Project Lazarus. Once I have enough points in a match, I don’t mind wasting time trying to find the ray gun there.

The First Hour In-Game

The progression of Project Lazarus hinges on you exploring the map to its fullest as soon as you can. When you start a match, you won’t have the entire map available to you, which is similar to the traditional Call of Duty Zombies modes.

The idea is that you will spend your points to unlock new areas as you go. Not only does this expand your map size so that you can run away from the zombies for longer, but you unlock new locations in the process.

In fact, you won’t be able to buy every perk or even use the mystery box from the start of a match unless you get to these new locations.

You have to unlock the areas where all of that stuff is located, which is why it is crucial that you expand the map as early as you possibly can in a match. That is how I usually start out a match. In the beginning, there are fewer zombies, and they are easily dispatched with even a knife.

I will save my bullets and knife the enemies to rack up as many points as I possibly can, then start expanding areas. I won’t spend money in the first few rounds on the barriers or new weapons. From there, I either prioritize using my points on perks or the mystery box once I unlock them.

After settling on my perks and weapons, then I will focus on finishing unlocking the map, pack-a-punching my favorite weapons to make them stronger, repairing barriers, and/or the Easter eggs.

Essentially, your first hour in the game should be focused on saving up points from killing zombies and expanding the map as much as you possibly can.

Tips We Wish We Knew

Here are some of the tips I’ve learned throughout the years of playing Project Lazarus that can make matches easier:

Leave one zombie alive: Sometimes called a “crawler,” I like to leave a single zombie alive and let it chase after us. You only get a few precious seconds between rounds but leaving one easily avoidable zombie alive lets you freely spend your points, get new weapons, and ammo without fear of time running out and zombies overwhelming you.
Get perks as soon as possible: Perks can literally change the outcome of a match. Being able to quickly revive your teammates can mean the difference between a comeback and a game over.
Aim for the head on zombies to get the most points and quickest kills. Only avoid headshots when leaving a final zombie alive or when using a weapon like a shotgun or explosive.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Here are some of the common problems that I find some newer players make in Project Lazarus. These are easily avoidable issues that will help ensure you survive most rounds:

Don’t spend all your points at once: The most common mistake in Project Lazarus is newer players spending their points as soon as they get them. There are vastly more critical projects, such as perks, that you should save up for.
Don’t expand the map too much: While I recommend expanding as soon as you can, it is best to do this in a careful manner. You don’t want the entire map unlocked at once, or else you’re using up your points and not being able to do anything else. I recommend only expanding to the areas you know you’ll need soon, such as the perk machines and/or the mystery box, and stopping there at first.
Avoid joining late matches: Sometimes, you’ll join a lobby only to find they’re more than 25 rounds in. Avoid this whenever possible, as the game doesn’t give you a good enough boost to help you adjust. I’ve seen lots of players, both new and veterans, die quickly because of this.

Long-Term Goals to Consider

These are the areas of gameplay that you need to remember for the long term. Though they may not be necessary for the first couple of hours, you play the game, or even the first dozen rounds necessarily, there comes a point in Project Lazarus where you should make these features routine in your matches.

Perk Upgrades

Another prominent place to spend your hard-earned points is with the perk upgrades in Project Lazarus. Like Call of Duty Zombies, there are perks you can unlock from various vending machines around the map.

There are five perks in total in Project Lazarus, but the catch is that you can only carry around four of them. You could work along with your team and select certain players to get certain perks, but I will just break down what they are and which one I recommend you skip right here.

The five perks in Project Lazarus are as follows:

Double Tap Root Beer: Two bonuses unlock with this perk. First, your overall fire rate will increase by 33% for every weapon you have. In addition, every shot will include two bullets instead of one for possibly double the damage. This costs 2000 points.
Juggernog: This perk will double your overall health from just 100 to now 200. This perk costs 2500 points.
Mule Kick: This perk gives one more weapon you can hold in a match. Instead of holding only two weapons at once, you’ll be able to carry around three. Costs 4000 points.
Quick Revive: You receive two boosts with this perk. The first is that you will revive your teammates in half the time you usually would, and the other is that your health regeneration takes half the time to get going. Costs 1500 points.
Speed Cola: This perk will help you build barriers in nearly half the time. In addition, you will reload your weapons twice as fast as you usually would. It costs 3000 points.

As you can see, all five perks are generally worth getting, no matter if you are playing solo or with a team. Even the Quick Revive is helpful for solo players due to the health regen buff. As such, the one perk that I recommend players ignore is Speed Cola.

The faster barrier repair speed pales in comparison to the other perk abilities, and the ability to reload your weapon faster just isn’t worth it. So long as you have a solid fast-firing weapon and maybe another slower shotgun or close-range weapon, the faster reloading won’t be too helpful.

I could see some solo players trading out Quick Revive for Speed Cola as their final perk if they are good at avoiding getting hit. However, that would be the only possible alternative that I would recommend.

Easter Eggs

Yes, the classic story-based Call of Duty Zombies-style Easter eggs is in Project Lazarus.

The Easter eggs are notably more subtle and less involved but still a nice touch for teams looking to get the most out of their zombie runs. For instance, one map has two cassette tapes that appear randomly that you can collect to hear some wonderful music while playing the rounds. It’s a neat idea that I hope the team expands upon in the future.

Best Alternatives

Sadly, Project Lazarus is a tale of what could be but is currently not. This could easily be the number one best zombie game in Roblox, but that isn’t the case. The lack of support for the vast majority of Roblox players on mobile and Xbox platforms is a darn shame of the highest order.

This is especially the case when the competitors that Project Lazarus has are on both of those platforms. In fact, offering a mobile version would fix the issue with Call of Duty Mobile, where Zombies is either missing or in a shameful state compared to its true version.

If you aren’t on PC, here are the best alternatives to Project Lazarus:

Zombies Uprising

The very best overall zombie game on Roblox. Available on all platforms, it is also a better multiplayer experience than Project Lazarus.

The progression of unlocking new permanent weapons while still retaining perks and the mystery box is tremendous. I love the gameplay, too, especially when it comes to snipers and the large maps.

Zombie Attack

A cartoony, goofy arcade-style game of taking down waves of zombies with your friends. For a lighter and more chaotic experience that is fast-paced with lots of players always online, this is a solid zombie game.

All of Us Are Dead

Based on the hit Netflix Korean series, this game nicely adapts the high school the main characters are from with a little bit of the surrounding areas.

The large map is nice, with third-person gameplay that some players may prefer. The fact that some players can get infected and join the zombie side elevates this game to a new level.

FAQs – Project Lazarus Getting Started

Question: How can I get better at Project Lazarus?

Answer: You can get better at Project Lazarus by, first, playing with some friends you can communicate with. Make sure to save up points to unlock areas and perks.
Then focus on getting the ray gun or your favorite weapon and pack-a-punch it for the most firepower. Work together as a team and find a strategy like repairing barriers that work for you.

Question: What is the Best Gun in Project Lazarus?

Answer: The best gun in all of Project Lazarus is the ray gun, hands down. Especially if you pack a punch to its best potential. The speed and strength of this alien weapon are unmatched.

Question: How do you Play Project Lazarus?

Answer: Project Lazarus is a first-person shooter zombie game. If you want to play it, you’ll have to be on PC (not mobile or Xbox) and use a keyboard and mouse.

How to Improve Your Weapon Skills

At the end of the day, Project Lazarus is the best zombies experience that you will find in Roblox for PC players. Though I still lament the fact that it is only available on that platform, there is the chance that it will come elsewhere in the future. Until then, though, PC players, enjoy this brilliantly designed COD Zombies experience.

If you want to improve your weapon skills in Project Lazarus, the best way to do that is by understanding all of the guns that you can find in the game. I recommend finding out more about all weapons in Project Lazarus so you can start figuring out your favorites and which ones work best for you in battle.

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