Additional Modes
The normal “Campaign” mode represents the original design of State of Decay 2, but there are two other ways to play the game.
Daybreak
Daybreak is the “arcade mode” for State of Decay 2. It’s great for a quick drop-in, session-based experience, and it’s ideal for multiplayer.
Instead of playing a community of survivors with long-term survival goals, you play a soldier who must defend a position against seven timed waves of attacking zombies. Up to 4 players can cooperate in Daybreak, and you’ll want as much help as you can get!
Playing Daybreak unlocks two different types of rewards. First, your success during the session unlocks better weapons and gear that you can use in future Daybreak sessions. This better gear lets you survive longer, which in turn lets you earn even more gear! These unlocks occur after surviving waves 3, 5, and 7 during a session of Daybreak.
Second, your progress also grants you Prestige, which can be used by any of your regular communities to purchase some of the weapons and gear found in Daybreak (or even for more potent rewards). Over time, you’ll slowly unlock more purchase options (each time you complete wave 3, 5, or 7 during a session). Use your radio commands to access these special options.
Surviving multiple zombie waves in Daybreak isn’t easy. Managing your resources–such as your ammunition, or your soldier’s Health–are critical to your success. The fewer resources you use in the early rounds, the more you have available when the horde becomes harder to manage. Some additional resources become available between each wave starting after the second, but these are not enough to overcome poor decision-making!
Heartland
Heartland is a special stand-alone story for State of Decay 2. As you play through the story, you’ll meet intriguing, unique characters, face new and terrifying threats, and learn more about the mystery of the blood plague.
When you start a game of Heartland, you choose from between two different pairs of heroes. Each of these characters brings their own twist to the story, allowing you to play Heartland a second time for a different experience. Note that Heartland only allows one active save, so you’ll want to finish one version before starting another.
Heartland includes familiar foes such as plague zombies, juggernauts, and plague hearts. In addition, this story introduced plague-infected versions of ferals, bloaters, and screamers that push your survivors to develop new combat strategies.
As a special treat for fans, Heartland sends you to a familiar location: Trumbull Valley, the region featured in the first State of Decay. Whether you’re new to the game or have been around for years, this map has plenty of fun locations to discover and explore.
It is easy to confuse Heartland and Homecoming (the Trumbull Valley map in campaign mode). The Heartland update provides a narrative-driven experience featuring a specific storyline with predefined characters and missions. Read more about the Heartland update in Update 9’s patch notes.
The Trumbull Valley map, also known as the Homecoming update, offers the same open-ended gameplay as other maps. Players can explore the area, establish and upgrade their base, recruit survivors, and manage resources without a fixed storyline. The stories in Homecoming take place after Heartland and form Part 3 of the Trumbull Saga, a story that began all the way back in the original State of Decay. However, you do not have to complete Heartland to access the Trumbull Valley campaign map. For more on the Homecoming update see Update 26’s patch notes.
