State Of Decay 2: Beginner Tips

State of Decay 2 is the follow-up to Undead Lab's 2013 zombie survival game. The sequel expanded upon the original with more in-depth mechanics and a wider array of options at the player's fingertips when it comes to defending against and combating the undead horde.

Going in blind with State of Decay 2 will likely lead to a lot of deaths and missed opportunities as the game can be tricky to get the hang of with hard-hitting enemy types who'll catch players off guard if they're unprepared. Plus, there's a whole host of things to keep on top of like resources, community morale, plague hearts, and other survivor camps that can become allies or enemies.

8 Take Care Of Your Cars

State of Decay 2 Car attacked by zombies

Cars are a valuable commodity in State of Decay 2 as they're not only a fast way of traversing the map but can be used for storage, distracting hordes, and taking down zombies. However, they're not very common, especially when playing on higher difficulties with there usually only being around one or two per town.

It can be tempting to drive full speed into a group of zombies, but players should avoid doing this, at least until they upgrade their car. This is because groups of zombies, especially the special zombie types, can quickly render cars useless by ripping off doors, covering them in toxic gas, or blowing them up if they get enough hits in.

7 Stealth Will Save Your Life

With the wide variety of weapons and explosives available in State of Decay 2, players may want to jump right in and start bashing in zombie skulls but a slower and more tactical approach will save ammo, items, and lives. Stealth is an essential skill to master, so players should try to learn how it works as soon as possible.

While it may take longer to do things while sneaking around, it can guarantee safe passage in and out of an area. Players should only quick search if zombies are already heading their way and avoid smashing any windows or breaking down doors where they can. If a building is crowded with zeds and stealth isn't viable then a good tactic is to use a car horn to lure them all out and then sneak in once the coast is clear.

6 Always Go For Instant Kills

Stamina plays a big part in State of Decay 2's combat so knowing how to use as little as possible while maximizing lethality will be invaluable when taking on hordes. The most consistent way to kill zombies is by using the instant kill move.

When zeds are in a vulnerable state such as having been hit several times or being approached from behind, players will have the option to execute it instantly. This can use a chunk of stamina, but it ensures that the zed won't get back up. A nifty way of fully utilizing this ability is to dodge past a zed and execute it from behind. This will save the player from having to use up more stamina by hitting it repeatedly.

5 Stock Up When Taking On Plague Hearts

Plague Hearts are where the biggest challenge in State of Decay 2 lies. There are multiple hearts scattered across every map in the open world and each of them covers a certain radius which leads to the spawning of plague zombies in that area who can infect the player with blood plague. Taking out these plague hearts will not only give the player rare items but make exploring the area much safer.

The hearts won't go down without some heavy firepower though and attacking one will bring dozens of zeds crashing through every entrance in an attempt to defend it. Players should stock up on plenty of consumables such as pills and snacks, bring a powerful gun and melee weapon, as well as a vehicle to make a quick getaway if things get too hairy. Some other useful items which will make all the difference are bombs, especially Molotovs and Bloater gas grenades, decoys such as fireworks, and finally don't bring a partner as they're more likely to get killed than help out.

4 Know Your Zombie Types

There are seven types of zombies in State of Decay 2, and they vary in their abilities, strengths, and weaknesses. Understanding how these zombies differ will help with gauging situations and knowing what approach should be taken.

Standard Zombies: These are the most common and weakest type, a few attacks or a shot to the head will finish them off.
Plague Zombies: They are the same as standard zeds but will infect the player with blood plague if they land a hit.
Screamers: They are as weak as standard zombies but will let out a shriek that attracts zeds and disorientates the player.
Armored Zombies: They require more hits or shots to remove their helmets, so stealth and executions are recommended.
Bloaters: Will release toxic gas if the player gets too close or shoots their stomach but Molotovs will burn the gas.
Ferals: They are extremely fast and hard to hit, so it's best to avoid them when possible or use a shotgun to land a headshot.
Juggernauts: A juggernaut is the toughest enemy and will require a lot to take down, use 50-cal ammo or run away.

On higher difficulties, there will be plague variants of the special zombie types all of which can infect the player with the blood plague so exploiting their weaknesses is key when attempting these harder modes.

3 Learn Where The Loot Is

There are hundreds of buildings on each map in State of Decay 2 so getting through them all is going to take a long time, time which players won't have before their base is attacked by hordes of zeds. In which case it's handy to know where to look for certain things.

Food is the easiest resource to find and can be found almost anywhere. Medicine can be located in clinics and in some bathroom cabinets of residential homes while fuel is commonly found at gas stations and in garages or industrial buildings. Materials are harder to find and limited but are likely to appear in construction sites and warehouses. Ammo is another tricky resource to find but the best places to check are military outposts, gun stores, and police stations.

2 Claim The Right Outposts

Outposts can be claimed in all buildings with each one providing a different resource for the players' community. Choosing which outposts to claim is a tough decision because players can only have a limited amount and every resource is necessary for survival.

There is no correct answer as to which outposts are the best as it depends on how the game is played and what each individual player values more. Some may want to grow larger bases with big communities so food, power, and water will be vital to keeping morale high. On the other hand, things like medicine and fuel are more useful for certain facilities and if a player chooses to have a facility like the watchtower then an ammo outpost is going to prove more useful than a safe house or food outpost.

1 Enclaves Aren't All That Useful

Enclaves will give out quests and ask for help regularly and while they can be traded with and offer perks once they've been helped enough times, these benefits are rarely ever worth the effort. The rewards given can usually be found by scavenging and traders will appear on the map frequently enough and usually with better gear.

The only real incentive to befriend enclaves and help them is to gain the ability to recruit one of their survivors as this is the fastest way to build up a community. Hostile enclaves on the other hand are something to be wary of as they can be especially dangerous and will take a player out quickly. A good strategy for hostile enclaves is to attract zeds to their location who will either kill them or provide enough of a distraction for the player to get close and do it themselves.

State of Decay 2 is now available on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.

More: Best Games Made With CryEngine