Project Zomboid Apocalypse vs Survivor Difficulty Guide

When creating a game in Project Zomboid, players have the choice of three game modes to set as their difficulty: Apolyocapse, Survivor, and Builder. Players may wonder what the difference is between Survivor and Apolyocapse mode, as it's pretty clear Builder is just easy mode. That said, here's what you need to know about Survivor and Apolyocapse mode in Project Zomboid.

Apocalypse vs Survivor Difficulty in Project Zomboid

If you are wondering what the difference is between Project Zomboid's Apocalypse and Survivor difficulty, it comes down to how hard both modes are. Survivor difficulty is what players can consider the normal mode and the default Project Zomboid experience. Apocalypse difficulty is the game's hard mode, as it takes the base difficulty of Survivor mode and increases it with tougher zombies. These tough zombies can drag the player down easily if they surround them. In Survivor mode, it takes more than three zombies to drag the player down, but in Apocalypse difficulty, this requirement is reduced, thus making combat more deadly. 

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There's also an increased chance for zombies to bite the player if they approach them from behind, and players cannot swing at multiple zombies at a time. Because of this, the game recommends focusing on stealth and avoiding combat encounters whenever possible when playing on Apocalypse difficulty.

This makes combat and zombies the main difference between both difficulties, as in Survivor difficulty, players have a more open approach to combat encounters with the undead. In Survivor mode, players can choose either a stealth or heavy combat approach to zombies and other players. Survivor mode tends to be more open because zombies tend to be weaker and easier to deal with (without being too easy), and players can deal with multiple zombies at a time. 

So, if you are wondering which difficulty you should choose, determine which combat and zombie difficulty best suits you. In short, most settings remain the same between Survivor difficulty and Apocalypse difficulty, and the only differences are when it comes to combat and zombies. Because of this, we recommend choosing Survivor difficulty for a more default and rounded combat experience. Choose Apocalypse difficulty if you want a more hardcore combat experience. 

For more on Project Zomboid, we at Pro Game Guides have you covered with a ton of guides like All Admin and Cheat Commands for Project Zomboid and Will Project Zomboid come to consoles?