State of Decay 2: Understanding the Differences Between Campaign, Heartland, and Daybreak

The world of State of Decay 2 offers a multifaceted zombie survival experience, extending beyond the core gameplay into distinct modes that each provide a unique take on the apocalypse. These modes—the Campaign, Heartland, and Daybreak—cater to different player preferences and offer varying gameplay styles, objectives, and overall experiences. Understanding these differences is key to appreciating the depth of the game and choosing the best mode to suit your style.

The core difference between the three modes boils down to this: the Campaign serves as the sandbox, open-world experience, where you develop a community of survivors, manage resources, and shape your own story. Heartland delivers a more structured, narrative-driven experience set in a familiar location, featuring a new set of characters and enemies. Daybreak, in contrast, provides a replayable, wave-based horde mode focused on cooperative gameplay as elite Red Talon soldiers. In essence, the campaign is about long-term survival and community building, Heartland emphasizes narrative and unique challenges, and Daybreak is all about immediate action and team-based combat.

Campaign: The Open-World Survival Sandbox

Key Features

The Campaign is the heart of State of Decay 2. This mode throws players into a randomly generated map with a small group of survivors. The goal here is not just to survive, but to establish a thriving community and manage all aspects of their survival. You will need to establish and upgrade a base, manage resources, recruit new survivors, complete missions, and deal with zombie threats, including plague hearts. The freedom to choose your leader and pursue their unique legacy missions adds another layer of replayability and personalization.

Core Gameplay

• Open World Exploration: Explore a large, open map with diverse locations to scavenge for resources and new recruits.
• Base Building: Establish and upgrade a base of operations by adding facilities to support your community’s needs.
• Community Management: Recruit, develop, and manage a community of survivors, each with their own unique skills and traits.
• Legacy Goals: Select a leader type and work towards completing their specific legacy storyline, which culminates in “ending” your community’s story.
• Progression: This is a long-form experience, designed for countless hours of gameplay as you improve your community and try to outlast the zombie hordes.

Key Differences From Other Modes

Unlike Heartland, the Campaign provides a broader, more sandbox-like experience. You are not tied to a specific storyline, and there is a greater emphasis on community building and overall strategic decision-making. Unlike Daybreak, the Campaign is not a wave-based horde mode; it is about resource management and long-term survival.

Heartland: Narrative-Driven Story Mode

Key Features

Heartland shifts the focus to a specific storyline centered in the familiar Trumbull Valley. This mode presents players with bespoke playable characters and blood plague mutations not present in the regular campaign. The primary objective is to unravel the mysteries surrounding the return to this iconic location and see how it’s been changed by the apocalypse. The experience is more linear and story-focused compared to the Campaign, providing a more structured journey with distinct objectives.

Core Gameplay

• Story-Driven: Follow a specific storyline with unique characters and dialogue.
• Trumbull Valley Return: Explore a remade map of Trumbull Valley from the first State of Decay game.
• New Enemies: Face off against stronger and mutated versions of the blood plague zombies.
• Unique Characters: Experience the story through the eyes of specifically designed survivors, each with their own background and objectives.
• Set Base Locations: Unlike the main campaign you are placed in particular bases with no option to change early game.

Key Differences From Other Modes

Unlike the Campaign, Heartland has a definite beginning, middle, and end, and players are not given the same freedom to shape their own narrative. Heartland focuses more on the storyline rather than the long-term community progression seen in the main campaign. Unlike Daybreak, the mode is not centered on a repetitive wave-based challenge. Instead, it is about delving into a story with a set start and end. Furthermore, the characters in Heartland cannot be transferred to the main campaign, and vice versa.

Daybreak: Cooperative Zombie Siege Mode

Key Features

Daybreak is a replayable, wave-based tower defense mode where players take on the role of elite Red Talon soldiers. This mode focuses on high-intensity, cooperative combat against waves of increasingly difficult zombies. Players are equipped with powerful weapons and must strategically defend their position from the relentless hordes. This mode contrasts with the survival and management emphasis of other modes, placing it firmly in the action-oriented corner of the game.

Core Gameplay

• Co-op Focus: Team up with up to three other players to defend your position against waves of zombies.
• Elite Red Talon Soldiers: Play as powerful Red Talon operators equipped with high-end weapons and skills.
• Wave-Based Survival: Fight through increasingly challenging waves of zombies in order to survive.
• Prestige Rewards: Earn prestige points for surviving waves, which can be used to unlock new gear and characters.
• Repeatable Challenge: Daybreak offers a consistent, repeatable challenge, perfect for players who enjoy a high-action experience.

Key Differences From Other Modes

Unlike the Campaign and Heartland, Daybreak does not feature open-world exploration or base building. Instead, it focuses on immediate combat and cooperative strategy. The progression in Daybreak is based on unlocking gear and characters through the prestige system, rather than community growth or a singular storyline. It is the most distinct of the three modes, offering a vastly different playstyle and goal.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Can I transfer characters between Campaign and Heartland?

No, characters in the Campaign cannot be transferred to Heartland, and vice versa. They are tied to their respective modes.

2. Is Heartland set before, after, or during the main campaign?

Heartland is set slightly in the future compared to the main campaign and features new blood plague mutations that are exclusive to the story.

3. Do I need to play the Campaign before Heartland?

While not required, it is recommended to play through the main Campaign before jumping into Heartland for better story context. Heartland is a sequel to State of Decay 1, which is recommended to play first.

4. Can I play Daybreak solo?

While Daybreak is designed for cooperative play, it can be attempted solo. However, it will be significantly more challenging.

5. What is Prestige in Daybreak?

Prestige is the currency earned by completing waves in Daybreak. It’s used to unlock new equipment, weapons and characters.

6. How long does it take to unlock everything in Daybreak?

It can take roughly 20 successful runs to unlock everything in Daybreak, assuming you win each match. This translates to about 15 hours of playtime.

7. Are there different endings in the Campaign?

Yes, there are multiple endings in the Campaign, each based on the type of leader you choose for your community.

8. How many survivors can I have in a Campaign community?

The maximum number of survivors in a Campaign community is 12. Opportunities to recruit new members become rare after reaching 9 survivors.

9. Is Heartland DLC worth it?

Yes, many players find Heartland to be worth it for the new story, unique characters, and a fresh look at Trumbull Valley.

10. How is the map in Heartland different from the main campaign?

The Heartland map is a detailed remake of Trumbull Valley from the first State of Decay, featuring specific locations that are important to the story.

11. Can I replay Heartland after finishing it?

After completing Heartland you do not get to keep your progress. You have to restart from the beginning.

12. Do plague hearts respawn in Heartland?

No, plague hearts in Heartland do not respawn, they are permanently removed from the map once destroyed.

13. What are the best base locations in State of Decay 2?

Some of the best bases include the Pterodactyl Ptark and Farmland Compound in Trumbull Valley, Barricaded Strip Mall and Mike’s Concrete in Drucker County, and Lumber Mill in Providence Ridge.

14. What is the ideal community size in the Campaign?

While you can have up to 12 survivors, a community of 9 or less allows you to recruit more often, as recruitment becomes rarer after this threshold.

15. How do I “win” State of Decay 2?

You “win” the main Campaign by completing the legacy missions tied to your chosen leader. These tasks can be unlocked after destroying all of the plague hearts.