State of Decay 2 Summary
State of Decay 2 is the Xbox and PC-exclusive zombie apocalypse survival game. Releasing in 2018 roughly 5 years after its predecessor State of Decay, State of Decay 2 retains many of the core gameplay mechanics of the original game but expands upon them in the sequel. One of the more notable additions is the inclusion of cooperative multiplayer. Nearly 2 years after the original release, an updated Juggernaut Edition was released in 2020. This version features overhauled graphics and a brand-new map.
Despite calling itself a survival title, many critics take issue with the lack of depth in State of Decay 2‘s survival mechanics. The combat and base-building aspects are recognized as highlights of the title, but the survival systems leave many wanting. Still, the addition of cooperative multiplayer has helped the game to garner a strong community of players that attempt to survive the virtual zombie apocalypse together.
Just months after its release State of Decay 2 reached over a million players, steadily increasing over time. Recent figures place the game as having a community of over 10 million players, and development on State of Decay 3 is currently ongoing. Outside the overhauled Juggernaut Edition, the title has several DLC expansions and additional content.
State of Decay 2 Premise
Just like its predecessor, State of Decay 2 is a third-person zombie survival game with heavy emphasis on action. Players need to scavenge for items in the surrounding area of their safehouse while also avoiding the undead. Gameplay takes place in an open-world and, for the first time in the series, players can team up with up to 3 other survivors. Players choose a location on which to build their safehouse and then gradually reinforce and improve it through scavenging. Some of the potential upgrades include watchtowers, workshops, medical facilities, and gardens.
Similar to other survival horror titles, one of the main gameplay mechanics is careful resource management. Food and ammo are scarce, creating a need for players to scavenge. As soon as players venture outside their safehouse, they put themselves at risk against the undead hordes. Unlike zombies in other titles, the undead in State of Decay 2 can sprint like the player. Additionally, they spawn indefinitely unless players construct an outpost. They are sensitive to sound and more active at night, making evening excursions especially dangerous.
Taking place in an open world, the player has several modes of transportation available to them. Players can traverse the environment on foot or in vehicle. Vehicles such as cars have their own stats related to handling and speed, but they are subject to damage over time. In addition to needing to scavenge for the player’s safehouse, vehicle upkeep requires the collection and use of resources.
State of Decay 2 Main Characters
At the start of State of Decay 2, players will choose one of four different starting duos of survivors. These pairs have fixed appearance but randomly selected traits and names. Each of the survivor duos has a particular gameplay focus, making them suited for specific play styles. The main characters in State of Decay 2 include:
- The Surly Siblings: This brother and sister duo are reunited at the start of the zombie apocalypse. After starting the game as the sister of the duo, players can switch by the time they reach their safehouse. While their names and traits will be slightly randomized, the sister will always have greater agility while the brother has higher strength.
- Perpetual Breakup: This duo is useful for players wanting to use stealth or hit-and-run tactics when fighting zombies. Both survivors will have high stamina, making them ideal for players wanting to sprint across the map.
- Odd Couple: These two survivors are a good mix of abilities for State of Decay 2‘s two gameplay halves. One survivor will be skilled at scavenging and crafting, while the other will have higher stats for combat.
- Old Buddies: Two friends caught together during the apocalypse, the buddy duo is a great choice for starting players. These two will have skills that complement each other, such as one character having good weapon skills and the other being able to provide combat buffs.
Games in the State of Decay Series
Since its beginning in 2013, State of Decay continues to be a popular open-world survival title. It is one of the few Xbox-exclusive survival games and has a continually thriving community of players. Developer Undead Labs announced the next game in the series in 2020, with development currently ongoing. Games in the State of Decay series include:
- State of Decay (2013)
- State of Decay 2 (2018)
- State of Decay 2: Juggernaut Edition (2020)
- State of Decay 3 (In Development)
State of Decay 2 Cheats
State of Decay 2 Cheats for PC
Much like many other games with both console and PC versions, State of Decay 2 does not have any officially supported cheats on console. The PC version, however, does have several cheats available thanks to mods and cheat engines. The WeMod cheat engine, a third-party verified cheat engine software, currently has a trainer for State of Decay 2. Trainers are verified cheat files that can be scanned and uploaded into the game’s files after installing the WeMod cheat engine. The trainer for State of Decay 2 can be found here and contains the following cheats:
Player Cheats
- Unlimited Health
- Unlimited Stamina
- No Fatigue
- Instant Upgrades
- Unlimited Car Fuel
- Instant Radio Commands
- Set Time of Day
Game Cheats
- Easy Craft
Inventory Cheats
- Unlimited Items
- Unlimited Resources
- Unlimited Weight
Weapon Cheats
- No Recoil
- No Reload
- Unlimited Ammo
- Better Accuracy
- Unlimited Durability
State of Decay 2 Secrets for Xbox One
Even though there are no actual “cheats” for the Xbox One version, that doesn’t mean there aren’t helpful tips that will make the early game easier. The following are helpful reminders of some systems that the game might not make clear for players.
Collecting Resources – Getting into the habit of exploring with a vehicle is key to careful resource management. Use the trunk of a car or bed of a truck as a convenient storage space for crafting supplies and resources. As a result, you’ll have backups to rely on instead of needing to scavenge in an emergency.
Community Bonuses – Listening to the members of your community and building the structures they want grants bonuses. It pays to be a people person.
Explore Close to Home – In the early game it will be important to not venture too far away from the safehouse. Start in the immediate area and scavenge everything you can from the surrounding buildings, bringing it back to your outpost.
Influence – Save the Influence gained from the first two outposts instead of using it for trading.
Ladders – Holding LB while climbing up or descending down a ladder makes you move faster. Climbing up in this way consumes stamina but sliding down a ladder does not.
Radio Supplies – A fast and convenient way to get needed supplies is to radio for them, but be aware it can’t be abused. You can only call in for supply drops every few minutes.
State of Decay 2 Cheat FAQs
How do I enable cheats in State of Decay 2?
In order to enable cheats, you need to download and install a third-party cheat engine. While we suggest WeMod, there are several others available. Once the cheat engine has been downloaded and installed, allow it to scan the files with your games. From here you will be able to download and install Trainers that contain several cheat options.
Do cheat engines work in State of Decay 2?
Yes – currently there are several verified cheat engines that all have the same general cheat options. From unlimited health and stamina to quick crafting, these cheats are helpful for those looking to gain an edge in State of Decay 2.