HOW TO SURVIVE : Your first darkest days

A quick startup guide to hopefully increase your practical and survival mindset for the first few days of the game.

THINK FAST. Don't linger around when you first enter an area.

Certain areas,especially early game have wandering zombies that WILL alert a horde on your location. The zombie scream will activate background enemies (the ones that are slumping around not doing anything) I've noticed this on the upper left of the starting area unsure about the rest of the map. Caution in the motel and hardware store.

When starting a scavenging run try to keep a few bottles handy and try to climb a roof/place that makes out of view quickly.

It is not cowardly to run away,you ensure your survivor's life and you can remember the layout of an area if you mess up in the beginning. If you're conrnered by several zombies and CANT run away ,try pressing Q to dodge and attempt to climb over objects,close doors or just sprint through them in an attempt to escape.

UPGRADES people UPGRADES!

Most upgrades (benches) carry over from base to base. That is one of your first priorities.

The Barricade health doesn't carry over. But the upgrade level does. (Level 2-3 of barricade makes you cover more barricade health PER PHASE)

Different bases have some unique locations like gardens or water collections but they all have access to the basic stuff like a crafting table, beds, and kitchen and stuff. It is more about what do you build and upgrade first with your limit resources.

For convience and slight ease of use,build a dimsntaling bench first so you can get more resourches by breaking down items. Survivor Joe (recruited from Texway Gas Hurt St) has an increased dismnatling perk and bigger backpack. You get 1 more resourches from each item he breaks down.

Tips & Advice

DON'T STAY IN ONE PLACE! This is important. Move from base to base.

The attacks on the barricade will become stronger every few days,becoming 2 and 3 damage per barricade every turn. From what i've played myself the goal being to wander from shelter to shelter to explore the block of houses, the shops and the stations in order to progress with the workbenches and to discover the clues of the story via the flyrs (to reach the ending) and other places with the telescope. Your survivor get wounded if neglect your barricade health and zombies break through.
Switching to a different shelter (regardless if it's new or old) will reset this back to 1 damage per attack. Consider moving to a different shelter once attacks start taking 2 damage. Definitely move when attacks are taking 3 damage per attack on your barricades. Wood is one of the resources that are always a must and you need it basically everywhere.
Locations that have this symbol means that you can interact with a telescope (its either pujt on roofs or windows overlooking the distance) to unlock new area of the map. IMPORTANT for progression



You can't (and wont) solo more than 2-3 zombies on melee combat. Taking advantage of running away,obstacles,closed doors and hiding spots to break pursuit/line of site. You're not an undead genocider in this game,you just need the supplies. The core gameplay revolves around luring zombies away from loot spots OR hiding.
(If you've played this war of mine you know this well)
Later game areas will be complently OVERUN with the undead,15 and more zombies in an area,you can't fight them all. Play it smart. NOTE the noise of a weapon,iron pipe IS LOUD,it WILL attract other zombies (if they're close) * when you execute or fight a single zombie. If there are multiple enemies,try to stick to low noise weapons.
(Penny-Starter Survivor. Is an exceptional pick if you want to sneak around and use bladed weapopns.)
*If you close doors i beleive the noise (at least it worked in the demo like that) is negated/toned down. If you're going to smash around with a loud blunt weapon,close the doors at least.

SCRIPTED EVENTS : Certain areas have random events play out when you explore them for the first time,floor breaks and you fall down a zombie infested floor. You unlcok a ladder but the drop makes a ♥♥♥♥ ton of noise and you've now attracted background zombies. If you're too loud while fighting or walking sometimes there are hidden zombies in the background/2D enviroment that will come out. Pretty cool mechanic,if you die. You died,transform your L to a Lesson.

Not so 2D : certain objects can be intreacted with/climbed upon. You can use scafolding and pipes to climb somewhere,most of this places are in obvious spots but blend into the enviroment very well,most times it has a good enough reward there or an escape clue.

Most if all weapons have the durability of a 2x4 plank i.e they're flimsy like a wet noodle,it is what is it. Craft melee weapons and move on with life for now. (Hoping for a reparing mechanic in the future)

Always peek around Doors and WAIT for the undead to make the complete patrol pattern. You can shorten the patrol route if you clsoe a door.

Every few days ,certain areas have an increased zombie densitiy/threat. More zombies appear in those stages,keep track of this







If you're potioned in-between the stairs,you can both observe whats happening Above and Below. You are also undetected by the undead,UNLESS they're attracted by a noise and climb the stairs. Crouch around and you'll be safe most of the time.









DEATH IS NOT THE END : You might be tempted to end a run if your most usefull survivor gets killed. Regrets make you weaker,you are better than this. Learn from your defeat and use your other survivors and possibly recruit new members. What matters is gathereing enough clues and surviving long enough to get out alive.

Survivors & Clues

I am unsure if Survivor's traits are randomised,correct me in the comments if thats the case.

Farily easy location ,has decent stuff/regular haul,survivor is on the top of the gas station,you need to go full left and climbe over the roof,jump into the building again where you'll find a ladder leading you to her.
Barb really unties your hands/saves resourches whenever you want to craft weapons. Her morale penatly can be countered/worked around by giving her goulash.




A decent base to start off. Joe (mechanic survivor) location AND a Clue on the far right (someone moves a manhole) Extra backpack space, +1 resourche when dismnatling items. (VERY GOOD. Items that can be broken down,cameras and stuff like that are a TOP LOOTING PRIORITY),his last trait lowers his morale if his hunger bar is red. Can be countered by communal space level 3 AND/OR keeping the hunger to orange/medium.



Paramedic survivor location
Miguel (Paramedic)
Depending on your starter survivors you might or might not need him. He can create +1 medical items,increase damage on low health (talk ♥♥♥♥ get hit i guess). His restless trait is manageable through level 3 comunal area.
this one needs slighlty more caution than usual due to having A LOT inactive/background zombies. Try using hatchets and knives (low noise weapons) to execute zombies safely. On the far right of the map has a broken pistol in a duffel bag.





Isabel (Student) cinnamon roll survivor
School needs cautions but has decent loot. There's a collapseable roof midway through. (so don't run or stand up,only sneak). Isabel is on the roof of the school near the telescope.
Not much to say,good for coming back to a cleared location to loot.




on a billboard on the roof of the Walton Taxi company/station. Semi-easy,just know how to sneak and use hiding spots.





You need a heavy stomach for this one. There's a clue ESCAPE ITEM in the evidence room (second floor far left). Place is complently OVERRUN,power goes out constantly. This place has a LOT OF GIMMICKS (top tier horror) : Power gets cut off constantly,zombies burst from closets,jailcells and come crawling under tables and the roof. Be extra careful on the basement (pistol location and a horrifying discovery) and the morgue (if you're being chased you can escape from there but there's inactive zombies that are hidden in the background,thus running/GOING LOUD activates. Mid way through the level you'll find a locked door and someone speaking (radio guy from the demo) he gives some lore about the infected. To reach the blocked area where He Is. You need to reach the roof on the other side (next to the morgue above the basement.) There is a zombie facing the entrance/you,quickly kill it before it can alert the other.

Climbing inside the window it has 2 police zombies,you can use your high damage/2 handed weapon to kill them OR bait them out. Whatever suits you better. (this is where the roof zombies is standing. On the left is the room with the radio you contact Kirk and the 2 zombies)

Survivor Kirk (Police Officer)
This one seems to take a lot of melee punishment. Haven't played with him yet but he looks very promising.

-My personal tip is to go in with a lot of low noise weapons and one high damage + durability one in the scenarion you get caught. DO NOT stand your ground,you'll get swarmed. Run away and jump over objects and change floors to make the undead lose intrest. You're going to have to come to this place a few times to complently loot it,its very loaded with stuff but high risk.
BRING AT LEAST 2 LOCKPICKS
--In the scenario you mess up big time and have to escape. Press shift(run) to push past zombies and sprint towards the second floor and push towards the morgue,there's a ladder you can escape can climb down. DON'T STOP RUNNING,there is a horde is waiting for you once you step off the ladder. You can escape if you dont stop sprinting.

Raul and Clue location
Raul isn't that special,has 2 negative traits and one positive (chemist),very niche.
[previewimg=40369708;sizeThumb,floatRight;20250411161819_1.jpg][/previewimg][/previewimg] Griffith and Sons Hardware (on the left of the map,near a locked truck. Climb the pipe and enter a room)
Griffith and Sons Hardware (on the left of the map,near a locked truck. Climb the pipe and enter a room)

Afterword.

If you experiance bugs or have useful feedback send it to the devs through the Pause Screen.
Be the change you want to see. Don't sit and complain around about the game being in early acess.
This guide will become outdated soon , as it's written on day 2 of the game's Launch. I had the intent to make this as a quick starter guide to spread awareness about some mechanics and tricks to make your gameplay easier.

BIG SHOUTOUT to https://steamcommunity.com/id/ordisoftware for moderating the discussion page and making it less flooded with the same questions and conversations. Very knowledgable and helpfull.


This game is extremly unique and i have high hopes for it. I hope this guide taught you something.

[Baldwin IV]

Lord Joe,that's a good idea. currently trying to figure this out. Some clues are not where they were in the demo (church area after the tutorial had an evacuation clue in the beginning)

Also I am testing my luck with survivors(still first play though) unsure if the locations are randomised. I've heard that certain survivors have some randomised traits though. I will try to push the story forward and publish a guide when I find enough survivors AND/OR find clues.

[LORD JOE]

could you make a map where it shows where survivors are? and clues

[Baldwin IV]

Seems like 2 handed blunt weapons/heavy weapons like plumber pipe and makeshift bat can damage multiple zombies. Makes a shit ton of noise though be carefull.

[AverageGaming102]

good guide. I will be using this for my current run

[masureiyu]

Thanks! Your guidance helped me understand the game a bit!