Survival Tactics Zombie State is a strategy RPG for Android and iOS devices that has over 500k downloads. It is developed by 6waves, and while its story is pretty cliche with the game being set in a post-apocalypse where a zombie virus has spread throughout the world, the different gameplay mechanics are an absolute treat.
There’s multiplayer, a story mode, alliances, turned-based combat, action-shooter combat, and so much more that Survival Tactics Zombie State is quite a bewildering experience. Be that as it may, Survival Tactics is quite overwhelming too. If you’re looking to get into the game right now, there will be a lot to take in, so here’s our ultimate beginner’s guide to help you get settled in.
Survival Tactics Zombie State Gameplay – Perfect mix of strategizing and going in guns blazing
The gameplay in Survival Tactics Zombie State changes depending on the mode you play. In the Survival Zone mode, the gameplay is a top-down shooting. You move across a linear map, progress the story, and kill zombies that spawn along the way. It’s simple to grasp yet difficult enough to keep you on your toes.
The other combat system in Survival Tactics Zombie State is turn-based. However, here you will only be picking the characters that participate in the battle and the actual fighting will play out automatically.
This does sound underwhelming, but the turn-based battles are full of story moments. Sometimes an NPC comes out of nowhere, and sometimes, you gain a new Hero to include in your party.
There’s also a PvP multiplayer mode in which you set up a squad of your available Heroes and then send them out for battle.
The combat here happens automatically as well, but is different from the turn-based and tactical shooting described above as your troops and the opponent’s troops will attack each other continuously in real-time.
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Survival Tactics Zombie State Characters & Abilities
Characters in Survival Tactics Zombie State are called Heroes, and over the course of the game, you’ll unlock a dozen of them. Every character possesses unique attributes, weapons, and skills. There are a lot of them in the game like shields, rifles, shotguns, and skills such as healing or damage boost. You’ll be learning them across the course of the game so there’s no need to be worried.
Also like in all RPGs, Heroes in Survival Tactics Zombie State can be leveled up and be increased in rarity, though here specifically that is done by obtaining the character’s Hero Shards.
Best Heroes In Survival Tactics Zombie State
There are a total of 19 Heroes in Survival Tactics Zombie State. While all of them are useful, some are way better than others in battle. So here are our top picks for the best characters in the game.
| Tier | Hero Name | Tags | Attack Power | Defense | HP |
| 3* | Dante | Warrior, Tank | 10618 | 7961 | 42804 |
| 3* | Megan | ALL, DPS | 10721 | 7916 | 42384 |
| 3* | Anon | Builder, DPS | 10924 | 8022 | 42762 |
How To Unlock Heroes In Survival Tactics Zombie State
There are two ways to unlock Heroes in Survival Tactics Zombie State. The first one is by going to the Hero Tower, a building you can construct, and then using Recruitment Orders to obtain Hero Shards. Once you have 10 Shards of a specific character, you can unlock them by going into your bag and using the Shards.
Some characters, however, can only be unlocked via Story mode or Battle mode, so that’s where you’ll need to head. Either way, both processes involve you getting your hands on Hero Shards of the character you want.
Survival Tactics Zombie State Levels & Stages
The main story in Survival Tactics Zombie State unfolds in chapters in the Survival Zone mode. During each chapter, you’ll have to complete specific objectives that will be represented in the Tactical Map. It’s a sort of checklist style of gaming, but it does a great job of initiating you into Survival Tactic’s world.
Furthermore, the Survival Zone mode allows you to choose different levels that ultimately lead to a boss fight.
However, not all things that progress the main story are in the Survival Zone mode. Sometimes you’ll have to build structures back at the Base, the main area of operations you’ll be introduced to after the tutorial ends.
You’ll have to construct new structures, upgrade facilities, play the Survival Zone mode, and initiate some turn-based fights in the Battle mode to progress specific parts of the story. It’s a complex mix of objectives that need to be completed for the narrative to unravel, but the Tactical Map keeps track of everything that needs doing.
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Survival Tactics Zombie State Maps & World Exploration
The map in Survival Tactics Zombie State is huge, to say the least. By zooming out from the Base screen, you’ll be able to see the entire world map of the game. The Bases of other players, nearby resources, and patrolling zombies will all be visible here.
Besides the Survival Zone and Battle modes already discussed above, PvP multiplayer and Alliance Rally are the only two game modes. Here’s a table showcasing the rewards and unlock conditions for each.
| Game Mode | How To Unlock | Rewards |
| Survival Zone | Unlocked from the beginning | Heroes, Resources |
| Battle Mode | Unlocked as a part of the story through Tactical Map | Heroes, Resources |
| PvP Multiplayer | Unlocked after tutorial ends | Resources |
| Alliance Rally | Unlocked after you join an Alliance | Resources |
Survival Tactics Zombie State Resources & Currency
Various resources and currencies exist in Survival Tactics Zombie State inducing Food, Steel, Wood, and Diamonds. Most of the resources are used to build and upgrade structures, while currencies such as Recruitment Orders or Shards are used to unlock Heroes, rank them up, or purchase items.
Here are the main currencies and resources you’ll be using a lot of in the game.
| Currency/Resource | Use | How To Get |
| Recruitment Orders | Used to obtain Hero Shards from the Hero Tower | 1 attempt reset daily, purchased from the shop, given during chapter missions |
| Hero Shards | Used to unlock Heroes | Tactical Map chapter completion rewards, Battle mode, Purchased from shop with real-life currency, Hero Tower |
| Diamonds | Used to speed up upgrading processes as well as acquire upgrades | An amount is given to the player for free when starting the game, purchasing from the shop for real-life currency, joining an Alliance for the first time |
| Wood | Resource for building and upgrading structures | Survival Zone, Chapter Rewards |
| Steel | Resource for building and upgrading structures | Battle mode, Survival Zone, Alliance Rally |
| Food | Resource for building and upgrading structures | Battle mode, Survival Zone, Alliance Rally |
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Survival Tactics Zombie State Tips & Tricks
As is the case with all giant RPGs, there are a bunch of tips and tricks we can give you for Survival Tactics Zombie State. Here’s one of each that’ll help you out.
Don’t Stick To The Tactical Plan
The Tactical Plan is textbook checklist gaming. Following that in Survival Tactics Zombie State will get you far into the story, but not the most overpowered team or the best base.
Avoid using the Tactical Plan. Mess around with the Alliances menu, attack other players in PvP multiplayer, play the Survival Zone mode, upgrade your base as much as you can, and by the time you’re done actually having fun, you’ll see that what’s left for you is to simply watch a bunch of cutscenes and click through dialog boxes.
The story unfolds slowly otherwise. So if you’re a player who loves the story side of a game more, complete missions and side activities first, and then witness the narrative in big chunks.
200 Free Diamonds
Diamonds are the premium currency of Survival Tactics Zombie State. You start the game with around 200 of them, and you can use them to upgrade your structures, purchase items, or speed up different upgrade processes. That said, they are absolutely useless when it comes to unlocking Heroes.
The only benefit of having Diamonds is that you can quickly level up your base, and in turn progress the story rapidly and get some rewards as a result. An easy way to get an additional 200 Diamonds is by joining an Alliance once your HQ is level 5.
Head over to the Alliance tab. Find an Alliance that is “Open to All” and press Join. Wait for a moment and once you’re a part of the Alliance, you’ll receive 200 free Diamonds.
Conclusion – A refresher of the zombie RPG genre
Survival Tactics Zombie State is one of the best strategy RPGs you can play on mobile right now. There’s basically something in it for everyone. Whether it’s the PvP multiplayer or the near-endless story mode where you keep on building the world around you, Survival Tactics keeps things fresh. The zombie virus plot isn’t anything special. But because of the top-notch gameplay and different game modes, there is some beauty in the way the story unfolds.
On top of that, things rarely feel repetitive. Different events, boss fights, and story missions all keep introducing new enemy types, bigger hordes, and better weapons, so things are always changing and you get easily hooked on playing. There’s so much to do in Survival Tactics Zombie State that even after spending a dozen hours, you’ll only have scratched the surface of what it has to offer. It’s definitely among the top RPGs that have been released in recent memory. And judging from how much love 6waves has put into it, Survival Tactics will only keep on getting better.
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