The world of Project Zomboid is a dangerous one, especially when you’re just starting out and get hit with a ton of things that you have to manage.
Sandbox survival games come in different shapes and sizes nowadays. Project Zomboid is an isometric zombie survival game that throws you into a rather accurate rendition of a part of the state of Kentucky during the 90s. A zombie outbreak has occurred, and you’re one of the few survivors fending for themselves. But survival is easier said than done when playing for the first time, since Project Zomboid has a ton of systems to take into account. So let’s have a look at some beginner tips that might help you make it through your first few days of survival.
Choose your Traits Carefully
When making your character, you will be given the chance to choose a profession and multiple positive and negative traits. The trait system is easy enough to understand. Negative traits will provide you with points to spend on positive traits. However, not all traits are created equal, and you should pay careful attention to what each of them offers before choosing them. When starting out try to focus on negative traits that are worth fewer points, since those won’t impose huge challenges for your character. After you’ve gained a little bit of experience with the game, you can try out some of the more difficult ones as an added layer of challenge.
Master the Basics of Movement
Movement is easy enough to get used to if you’ve ever played an isometric action game. Control your character’s movement with WASD and the direction that he is facing with your mouse. Crouching should be your default movement speed when not engaging any zombies, as it will make you harder to detect by the bloodthirsty hordes. This works even better if you try to stick to walls or fences, as this increases your chances of not being spotted. You will also need to understand how climbing over fences or through windows works. Zombies that follow you over a small fence will stumble and fall, giving you a great opportunity to take them down easily. The only real danger is if more of them pile up some will get a chance to lunge at you from the floor. This also works when going through a window. Both of these can also create a great opportunity of putting some more distance between you and the horde that is following.
Approach Combat with Care
Combat is rather easy to understand but surprisingly hard to master. The main thing you need to understand is how many zombies you can engage at a time. Two or three zombies won’t be a problem if you have a decent melee weapon equipped. Simply constantly backpedal while swinging and shoving them as they approach. If you get them all to fall, quickly step onto their bodies and start stomping. Keep in mind that while you’re on top of a fallen zombie they will be unable to get up. Use this to your advantage and keep fallen zombies inactive while you take care of other incoming ones.
If you’re facing four or more zombies you should start worrying. Try breaking them up by using obstacles or buildings or simply run away. With enough combat experience under your belt, it is possible to take on much larger hordes with a good melee weapon. But one small mistake can still spell your doom. Never put yourself in a situation that you can’t quickly run from. Unless you’re playing with sprinter zombies (and why would you torture yourself like that as a beginner), running away is always a valid option.
What Items should you Prioritize
There are a ton of items that you can pick up throughout the world of Project Zomboid, and most of them actually have some uses. Here is a short list of the items that you should prioritize while looting:
- A decent bag to store all your equipment on the go. If you’re struggling to find a good bag or backpack, plastic or garbage bags can work in a pinch. The only downside to these bags is the fact that they will take up one of your hands, forcing you only to use a one-handed weapon.
- A good enough melee weapon. Some of the best two-handed options include baseball bats, axes, or crowbars. One-handed weapons you should be looking for include metal bars, hand axes, or knives. There are also some scarce weapons that you might come across and should always take with you, the katana and the machete.
- Always have a full water bottle with you. Keeping it in your main inventory will allow your character to automatically drink from it occasionally.
- Skill books are a very important part of leveling up your skills. While they won’t net you direct experience, they will give you a multiplier for that particular skill, allowing you to raise that specific skill faster.
- It would be best if you always held on to some clean bandages and other medical equipment like disinfectant or painkillers. Danger is never too far from you, and being able to treat wounds on the go will save your character’s life.
- A lighter or matches so you can easily start a fire when outside. While you can easily start any oven in the game without the help of these, starting a campfire when in the safety of the wilderness will require one of these two items. Plus, you will also need them if you’ve picked up the Smoker trait.
- Duct Tape, Glue, Adhesive Tape, and Wood Glue are all extremely useful items you should always pick up. With their help, you can repair some of your strongest melee weapons.
Conclusion
Struggling with Project Zomboid when starting out is normal for every new player. As the game states, this is a story about how you died. You’re not really expected to survive easily, and the end of any run is never too far. But with every failure you will learn something new about the game and how to prepare accordingly for future runs. Like everything else in life, practice makes perfect.
