Umbrella Corps is a competitive multiplayer shooter that features zombies. Players play as a mercenary from two different corporations, and they are tasked to co-operate with their fellow mercenaries to eliminate all the hostile players. Players can choose to play from a first-person perspective, or a third-person perspective.
The game's maps are described as "compact battle zones" which have traditional historic Resident Evil themes and environments. The game features gadgets like semi-automatic rifles, shotguns, pistols, grenades and explosives, as well as unusual melee-weapons like Brainer combat axes. In order to travel between maps in an effective way, the game features repurposed climbing gear, as well as "Terrain Spikes", which can be used for traversing tough ground. There are three classes available for players to choose from; namely assault, short range, and tactical. Each class is equipped with different weapons.
In order to protect themselves against enemies, players can hide behind structures like walls. The game features a cover system called "analog cover", which highlights objects that can be hid behind with a blue color. Players can peek out from the cover to attack enemies. The more players lean out from the cover, the higher the accuracy of their weapons. In order to reduce their visibility to their competitors, they can choose to crouch and prone. However, these actions sacrifice movement speeds. The brainer combat axe can also be used to deflect attacks from enemies. Players who are killed enter a spectator mode, in which the locations of opponents are revealed to them. They are unable to combat, but they can communicate with the surviving members of the team.
The game's maps are infested with zombies. Players are equipped with a gadget called "Zombie Jammer", which makes zombies ignore their presence. However, they would still get attacked by them if they were intentionally or accidentally shot. Players can disrupt their opponent's Jammer with the use of their "Jammer Buster", which would make them visible to zombies, and therefore, forcing them to deal with more threats. Zombies can also be grabbed by players, and can be used as a shield. The game will also feature a progression and customization system; however, most customization items are purely cosmetic.
The game does not feature a main campaign. Instead, it features a single-player mode known as "The Experiment". It is a horde mode that has up to 20 missions and tasks players to fight against waves of enemies.
