When starting, you’ll be greeted by Marcus, Ed, and Maya. Think of them as your apocalypse starter pack:

Marcus: Your all-rounder. He’s like a Swiss Army knife but less sharp.

Ed: The comic relief, with all the survival skills of a wet sock.

Maya: The sniper and badass soldier, aka the person who will carry your group when Ed inevitably screws up.


Pro Tip: Don’t get attached to anyone. This is the zombie apocalypse, not a soap opera. Everyone is expendable. Especially Ed.

Building a base is like picking roommates in college—except instead of worrying about dirty dishes, you’re worried about zombies eating your face. Here's what you need to know:

Outposts: Think of them as your neighborhood watch. Except instead of keeping out burglars, they’re for keeping out the undead. Place these strategically, or just wherever looks cool.

Facilities: Build a kitchen if you like eating. Build a medical area if you like not dying. And for the love of all things undead, build a workshop so you can fix your busted weapons.


Pro Tip: Always have a toilet. Morale goes down the drain faster than Ed’s usefulness without proper sanitation.

Scavenging is the bread and butter of survival. You’ll spend 90% of your time looting abandoned buildings while praying a feral zombie doesn’t decide to turn you into brunch.

What to Grab: Medicine, ammo, food, and construction materials. Leave the antique clocks and decorative pillows behind unless you want your survivors to hate you more.

What NOT to Do: Don’t sprint through the house like it’s a mall Black Friday sale. Zombies hear everything, and they don’t care about your 50% off deal on canned beans.


Pro Tip: Always bring a backpack. Showing up to loot without one is like going to a buffet without a plate.

When it comes to combat, there are two kinds of players:

The Tactical Player: Carefully sneaks up behind zombies to perform stealth kills.

The Chaotic Player: Charges in screaming, swinging a frying pan, and hoping for the best.
(We know which one you are.)


Weapons Guide:

Blunt Weapons: For the “I’m just here to smash things” vibe.

Bladed Weapons: Great for decapitations and looking cool.

Guns: Use sparingly because ammo is rare and zombies have excellent hearing for headshots.


Pro Tip: Always have a fallback weapon. Nothing is worse than standing in front of a horde holding nothing but a broken cricket bat and a dream.

Your group of survivors is both your greatest asset and your biggest headache.

Morale: Keep it high by feeding them, giving them beds, and not getting everyone killed.

Personalities: Some survivors are helpful, others are whiny, and a few are borderline psychotic. Choose wisely who to keep and who to “accidentally” leave behind during a supply run.


Pro Tip: Always recruit survivors with unique skills. A medic or an engineer is worth 10 whiny loafers any day.

Cars are great for mowing down zombies and getting you from point A to point B. But they’re also noisy, require fuel, and will break faster than Ed’s ankle on a supply run.

The Perfect Zombie Squisher: SUVs and trucks. They’re durable and have the power to flatten hordes.

Avoid: Sports cars. Sure, they’re fast, but good luck explaining to your group why you traded functionality for style.


Pro Tip: Always park your car facing outward. Nothing says “panic” like trying to do a three-point turn with zombies crawling through your windows.

The game introduces a variety of "special" zombies, which is a polite way of saying “zombies that will ruin your day.”

Feral Zombies: Think Usain Bolt, but undead and homicidal.

Juggernauts: Massive tanks that can turn you into a Marcus pancake with one swipe.

Screamers: Zombies with no arms but a scream that attracts every undead in the area. Basically, the worst party guest ever.


Pro Tip: Always carry distractions like firecrackers or Ed (use him wisely).

If you’re playing the Lifeline DLC, congratulations—you’ve just signed up for the most stressful experience of your life.

The Goal: Defend a military base, rescue civilians, and not lose your sanity.

The Reality: Zombies will attack in waves, resources will run out, and you’ll question why you ever thought this was a good idea.


Pro Tip: Don’t waste resources on NPCs who look like they’re already one bite away from turning.

From random survivor requests to mysterious infestations, the game loves to throw curveballs. Just remember:

Not every survivor is worth saving. If someone asks you to find their missing dog during a zombie apocalypse, that’s natural selection at work.

Don’t trust strangers. They might join your group—or stab you and steal your food.

Zombies don’t run marathons. You can outlast them.

Never underestimate the power of a good door. Zombies hate doors.

When in doubt, blame Ed.


Now go forth, survivor! Build your base, scavenge those resources, and remember: If all else fails, you can always restart. It’s the Year-One Survival Edition, not the Year-One Perfect Edition.