To this day, years after its initial release, State of Decay 2 continues to pull in new players and entice returning players to dump hundreds of hours into the game. Why? Because developer Undead Labs continually provides massive, worthwhile content updates. So, if you’re new or returning, early game survival in State of Decay 2 is not to be trifled with.
There’s so much new content and features to mess about with!
Early Game Survival in State of Decay 2
First and foremost, I would highly recommend checking out our other guides on, say, the top State of Decay 2 tips and tricks or how to properly deal with Blood Plague. Both gameplay guides off an excellent basis for your new playthrough.
Finish the Tutorial
If you’re like me, the idea of finishing a tutorial for the umpteenth time sounds…fun. Right, yeah, fun. The reality is, we often think of ourselves as all-knowing players who remember every combo and gameplay mechanic if we’ve even remotely touched a video game.
That’s fine. State of Decay 2 isn’t an overly difficult game when it comes to controls and mechanics. You smash zombies, loot, and build up your base. Easy!
But don’t knock those starting survivors. You get to choose two from a selection of various backgrounds, including a couple, friends, brother/sister, etc. Their backgrounds don’t matter much, as there is little to no character development, story-wise, in the game.
Their starting stats and leader type, however, make a difference. All of them come with useful stats and, depending on your playstyle, a leadership type that you’ll want to focus on first. I would recommend a Trader or Builder.
Rush An Infirmary
Depending on your difficulty level, zombie strikes and Blood Plague may prove fatal. Therefore, it only makes sense to rush the construction of an infirmary at your first base.
For that, you need to locate and return materials rucksacks to your base. Easy!
Where do you find materials in State of Decay 2? The easiest way is to climb up a recon point, like a tower or billboard, to scope out the surrounding area. You’ll quickly discover points of interest, like homes under construction or storage units, both of which generally spawn bags of materials.
Furthermore, the lower your difficulty, the fewer materials it costs to construct an infirmary.
Save Your Blood Plague Samples
The earliest quest you’ll receive in State of Decay 2 is to help out a nearby enclave in search of Blood Plague samples. They want anywhere from two to three samples, depending on game difficulty, and in return, they’ll usually provide you with influence, trade opportunities, and rucksacks.
Is it worth doing? Sometimes, yeah. If you need influence and want friends, then sure, help out other enclaves.
But remember: Your community comes first. If you’re playing on, say, Nightmare or Lethal Zone, then those Blood Plague samples prove ever-useful for your own purposes.
Don’t Worry About Firearms
State of Decay 2 features a large assortment of firearms. I mean, seriously, there are a lot of guns to choose from and play around with.
Instead of rushing out to find a handgun or shotgun to dump rounds into undead heads, learn melee combat first.
You can get genuinely good at melee in State of Decay 2 through practice. You’ll soon find yourself dodging, stealth killing, and throwing zombies to and fro.
State of Decay 2 is an exceptional game with hundreds, if not thousands, of hours of gameplay to enjoy, but it all starts with your early game survival.