Lessons learned and “things the game doesn’t tell you”
I may add builds, weapon comparisons, etc.
This guide will update if there are well-justified comments.
If you’ve played Space Marine 2 (also developed by Saber Interactive) these suggestions are very similar to my controls guide for that game.
What works for me may not work for you.
May at least one change help you, if only to inspire customizing your settings to better slay zombies!
G or
O or
This makes it easier for your human teammates to see and be aware of the special, and tells bots (and your drone, if you’re the Operator class) to prioritize your marked target.
Marking is an easy and important way to communicate with your team in the midst of chaos and uncertainty.
Start a solo game and practice only pushing – you will be surprised at how untouchable you are against roamers (specials are another story).
You can time a push at the very end of a reload to both skip some frames and defend yourself; this takes some practice.
Pushing is powerful – do not forget or ignore pushing!
- Any weapon will kill a roamer on any difficulty with a headshot
- Conserve ammunition by taking your time for headshots
- Consider using your secondary weapon
- Significantly conserve ammunition by using your melee weapon for staggered individuals (and larger groups if you know how to push them)
- Learn how to push them
- Keeping a vehicle between you and the goon is typically your best/most available way to avoid their charge
- Focus on headshots for efficient kills
- Shooting the weakspots on the back is fine, but only if it takes little effort
- Prioritize shooting them at a distance and when they are near other enemies to maximize efficiency
- Push them! Then get a little distance and shoot them
- If they’re targeting an unaware player, consider shooting them at medium to close range because they will do even more damage if they detonate point blank
- You can shoot their bodies to preserve their explosive ball; usually this is only worthwhile if the nuker is by itself at the end of a defensive wave
- Skunks are not-obvious high priority targets
- They buff roamers, move fast, and go unnoticed more than any other special zombie
- Listen for the audio callouts regarding their smell to find them, mark them, and kill them early
- Slobs are obvious high priority targets
- Slobs climb much slower than you can
- If the slob is targeting you, empty your magazine into it while focusing on kiting it (vertically, if possible) while your allies bring down its high health pool
- A reason to stick together
- Snares are weak and reward awareness and fast targeting
- Skilled players with quick reactions can go off on their own if they must and kill these
- Stalkers are more dangerous combined with skunks as they can knock you down in the middle of a tough swarm
- Maintain awareness of their target and your nearby cover
- A balanced team is almost always superior to a team with the same classes.
- Special abilities charge passively (the Strike’s Intensification skill removes this) and through kills.
What this usually means is to let your Strike use static weapons like machine guns during ranged defenses (like Church of the Damned) to charge (and use) their ability faster.
If you’re the Strike, try to get these and remember to get off the gun and use your ability when it’s charged.
This synergizes with letting the barrel cool down.If you have a high level Aegis-Repulsor Defender during closer defenses (like The Drop) let them charge up so they can run through enemies more often.
- You can cancel special abilities by holding the button down.
Medics with the Aftercare and Rapid Response skills can heal their teammates over time while preserving their ability by canceling.
Decent, though their stickiness is rarely useful.
A contact grenade that explodes before something gets close to you is better than a sticky grenade that explodes when something is close to you.
Limited in placement; you can stagger them.
Easy to use nearly anywhere against anything, a great offensive and solid defensive choice.
Great vs hordes and defenses, not as great against specials.
Allows for some combinations for high damage and distractions to save a mission.
Better with team communication and planning.
Not as versatile as contact grenades for when you need damage immediately.
Allow you to self-revive when downed/incapacitated (not dead).
Stimulants also reset your incapacitation counter.
They are more powerful on higher difficulties when you have fewer incapacitations.
Provides AoE clear after a small delay; does not harm commandos.
Most useful in tight spaces, when the team cannot disperse (or has come together to save each other, usually when things begin to go poorly) or when overwhelmed by swarms.
Riskier and more problematic to use defensively as they require access for placement and team coordination (especially regarding timing for manual detonation).
A niche but extremely powerful choice when used offensively by a mobile Defender.
Somewhat limited in placement through being directional, but trigger and range is easier to work with than landmines.
Powerful and versatile when used defensively, especially in smaller areas serving as “last lines of defense”.
Omnidirectional, increases firepower but requires manning. A solid choice for a less mobile, less offensive class like the Medic.
Directional, but an excellent default choice as it increases your firepower simultaneously.
Generating special ability independently synergizes well with the Strike.
Hybrid sights cannot be toggled.
Magazine drops and replacements are faster than magazine retention and replacement.
In other words, you reload faster after emptying your magazine.
*Mission: The Drop only has two (2) sets for a total of 8 for all players.
Typically best saved for the last part of the mission.
Unlocking gates to let a vehicle in also creates a path for zombies. Be aware.
- Machine Guns
- Combat Gear (especially if 2 players have Auto Turrets)
- Turrets
- Medical Supplies
- Heavy Weapons cases
- Static defenses like barbed wire and electric fences
- Mortars
Gas tanks respawn after 180 seconds (3 minutes), so stick around if you accidentally shot a tank you needed.
You can use the winch for more than breaking things down.
- Speed up by pulling the vehicle forward
- Cornering speed and control
- Clearing vines
- Doing something vs elites while your passengers shoot them
You do not need to spend a spare part part to get the HMMWV out of the elevator.
Drive over the ammo box, using it as a ramp over the elevator’s yellow bar barriers.
Then, you can use the HMMWV’s heavy machine gun and EMP during Rebooting the System – Survive (space is tight, use the winch to help maneuver around corners) and the end of the mission.
During the final part of the mission (Defending the Church – Protect the Wounded), you can drive vehicles in front of the doors, blocking them and funneling the zombies.
Doors A and C are best for this, leaving clear lanes of fire to Door B.
During the final part of the mission before you speak with Gallagher at the church, you can drive a vehicle (preferably a HMMWV with the EMP) in between the walls, on top of the electric fence.
Position it so you can easily enter the driver’s seat and use the EMP.
You do not take damage while destroying a node, which will kill all nearby zombies.
You can quickly drive or sprint in, destroy an exposed node, and leave.
Sludgite cap – maximum 100,000
Residuum cap – 10,000
Mortite cap – 3,000 (I think)
Spend your currencies on things you want before they hit the cap so they do not go to waste.
Sludgite, residuum, and mortite pickups in mission are shared with all players.
Sludge seeds (xp boost if you finish the mission, one-time revive if you use it up) are not shared.
Profile level 10 unlocks all Combat Gear (Sticky Grenades through Auto Turrets) and Weapon Prestige.
Weapon upgrade tiers cap at 3 (violet/purple).
Each zombie kill grants 20 xp for the weapon used.
Difficulty does not affect this.
Weapon xp cap per mission – maximum 3,000 xp per primary and secondary weapon (150 zombie kills each).
Prestiging caps at 3.
Unlocking prestige removes weapon levels, attachments, and purchased tier upgrades.
The only benefit to unlocking prestiges are the cosmetic skins.
If you want the skins, the most efficient way is to replay the first mission “The Drop” on normal difficulty.
The most efficient mission for currency, profile xp, class xp, and weapon xp is “The Drop” on the highest difficulty you can reliably manage.