Surviving a zombie-filled post-apocalypse could be tough to do without a little help. So, we put together a handy guide that will help you build a thriving community in Undead Labs' State of Decay 2, which is available now for Xbox One and PCs.
Here are seven key tips for getting started.
Rest often
Survivors can get fatigued or injured, and become infected with the blood plague. It's important to switch out characters after spending time scavenging for resources, to give them time to rest and recover. One of the facilities you should definitely build at home base is an infirmary.
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Keeping it well stocked with medical supplies is key to making sure those left at home base are ready to take on the zeds should they attack while you're gone, or when you need to switch over characters. Don't forget: Once people die, they are gone forever. There's no shame in running away to live to fight another day.
Never go alone
All the preparation in the world can't help you if you've got no one watching your back. Thankfully, you can enlist one of your followers to help join you. In State of Decay 2, you should take advantage of the four-player online co-op: You and three friends can put together epic supply runs and bring back valuable resources to your base.
Online players are tethered to the host and can't venture too far on their own. Strength in numbers means you can stay out in the Frontier a little longer. A neat thing to do is give a player a car, which becomes a killer convoy your team can use to haul back a ton of well-earned loot.
Use your radio
If you're ever stuck or need some direction, using your radio is an easy way to give yourself an objective. The radio can provide you with the location of supplies and survivors, given you have enough influence to spend. If you're looking to make your life easier, use your radio to find the location of Plague Hearts.
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Taking out a Plague Heart will reduce the number of Plague Zombies that could affect your community members. Just make sure you load up with explosives and bring a buddy, since Plague Hearts are likely to be swarming with zombies. Earn enough reputation with neighboring factions and you can unlock things like Rooftop Recon, which will highlight points of interest on your map without you needing to survey the landscape.
Be quiet!
Everything you do makes noise. Gunshots, car horns, looting — it all attracts more zombies. Fortunately, you can use the sound against zombies, too. Firecrackers can be tossed to distract zeds, and if you need to clear out a house, you can just drive up and honk your horn. Once the zombies start piling out, you can run them down with your car without putting yourself in harm's way.
Remember that sneaking around can save your life. Upgrade your workshop to unlock silencers for your firearms; this way,if need to you can let off a few rounds without waking your undead neighbors.
Expand your territory
Resources are finite in State of Decay 2. Once you've picked an area clean, consider claiming outposts. Outposts offer daily resources and contain shared community lockers, which give you the ability the change characters. You can't claim every outpost you see, though. In order to expand the number of outposts you can have, you'll have to upgrade your home base.
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Make sure the outposts you claim produce the resources you're having trouble finding, like medical supplies or food. If you outgrow your base, there's no shame in moving into a bigger homesite to accommodate your bustling community.
Always be prepared
Once you've figured out what sort of trouble you're going to get into on an expedition, make sure you've got everything you need for it. Bring explosives if you're dealing with Plague Hearts, or plenty of ammo if you're taken other rogue survivors. Make sure you've stocked up on bandages and weapons, and have plenty of space for loot.
A repair kit and fuel cans are crucial if you plan to go on long supply runs. If you see that you're low on ammo, bandages or fuel, you may have to consider heading back home to restock. In State of Decay 2, playing it safe is what is going to keep you alive.
Mind your survivors' skills
When deciding who should be part of your anti-zombie coalition, you'll want to consider what skills each potential community member can bring to the table. Skills like handling a weapon and exhibiting mental sharpness can be improved the more you scavenge on expeditions and tussle with the undead. In fact, maxing out on those skills will unlock even new skill paths.
What you want to look for are folks with passive skills you can't build up, like gardening, chemistry and first aid. These skills will improve life at home base. In addition, this will cut down on how long it takes to build facilities, and how long it takes your people to recover from injuries. Since space is limited, it'll pay off in the end to turn away a person who's good with a gun, and keep someone with a medical degree or a green thumb.
Credit: Microsoft
