Zombicide Solo Review: Survival Through Campaign Progression

Zombicide At A Glance

When we begin playing, we start off with basic equipment and limited ability to take on zombies. As we continue through a campaign, the survivors will grow stronger by leveling up, unlocking new abilities and gaining access to better equipment. Meanwhile, the zombie threat will also grow in strength and number as we progress. We’ll be constantly operating near the edge of survival.

Therefore, it creates a sense of long-term tension; we are not simply completing separate scenarios. We are running a campaign in which each victory we achieve in the early stages of the campaign sets us up for challenges in the middle stages.

What Zombicide Really Is

We are survivors in a world overrun by zombies and we are trying to complete objectives while dealing with hordes of zombies. Every scenario includes its own set of objectives – to rescue other survivors, gather supplies, make it to the extraction point, etc. The core mechanism is simultaneous action selection; each survivor selects his/her actions at the same time. Once all survivors have selected their actions, zombies activate; they will move toward the closest survivor(s) and attempt to attack.

The zombie activation is straightforward, yet it produces true challenge. Zombies are not intelligent; they simply move toward the closest survivor(s) and attack. Their predictability produces strategic challenges — How can we position survivors to limit the amount of zombie threats we encounter while still making the greatest amount of progress possible toward achieving the objectives?

Character Progression: Survivor Advancement Through the Course of a Campaign

Here is where the campaign format of Zombicide really shines. Survivors advance across scenarios and with each level they advance, they earn new abilities. A character may have very little to offer when he/she starts out; however, once he/she reaches a higher level, he/she will have developed the skills to perform much better. For example, a character who begins with a limited shooting ability will be able to shoot much better at higher levels.

The progression of characters will occur mechanically and will also contribute to the narrative of the game. As players get attached to their survivors, they will remember which survivors have survived many encounters and will try to keep those survivors alive.

I have experienced campaigns where my top performing survivors were killed mid-way through the campaign. I was forced to alter my strategy using survivors who did not have the same abilities as the ones I lost. These losses would produce unique challenges that would not arise if the survivors did not advance throughout the course of the campaign.

The progression of the survivors will ensure that as players improve their skills, the zombie threat will increase. Players will unlock new abilities and the zombies will grow in number and strength. Therefore, the players will always operate at the limits of their capabilities.

Escalating Zombie Threats: Wave # Threat Levels

As mentioned earlier, the game features a zombie threat level that grows as players progress. At the beginning of the game, zombies will spawn in small numbers. In the mid-stages of the game, the zombies will spawn more frequently. In the late stages of the game, the zombies will overwhelm the players in massive hordes.

However, the escalation of the zombie threat is mechanical and not arbitrary. The game provides several mechanisms to spawn zombies, including searching locations, making noise and completing objectives. Players must control the zombie threat by making good tactical decisions.

The escalating zombie threat is a perfect representation of the zombie-survival genre. In the early stages of the game, the players can easily survive. In the mid-stages of the game, the players are fighting to survive. In the late stages of the game, the players are desperate and struggling to complete objectives before being overwhelmed.

I have completed several campaigns where I controlled the zombie threat perfectly. The zombies never overran my positions. I have completed campaigns where I made poor decisions and then suddenly found myself facing a massive horde of zombies.

Positioning: Strategic Placement of Survivors

Zombicide contains a high degree of tactical placement due to the zombies’ behavior. Zombies will always move directly to the closest survivor(s). If positioned correctly, players can direct the zombies into kill zones and protect each other. Additionally, players can determine line-of-sight and movement.

Each campaign features unique terrain and therefore requires unique tactics. Some campaigns lend themselves to defensive positioning while others require aggressive advancement. In some cases, players must position themselves in areas where they are exposed to complete objectives.

Players must think carefully about their positioning. Proper positioning will greatly assist players in their survival. Poor positioning will significantly hinder players in their attempts to survive.

Equipment and Resource Management

During the course of a campaign, players will discover equipment (weapons, armor, medical kits) and utilize these items to enhance their chances of survival. However, the availability of equipment is limited. Therefore, players must choose wisely and distribute their equipment accordingly. For instance, should players equip each survivor with a standard weapon or concentrate their efforts on equipping a few key survivors with superior equipment?

Additionally, players must consider whether to place emphasis on offense (many guns, little armor) or defense (little gun, lots of armor, many health packs). Depending on the type of equipment players assign to their survivors, they will either be aggressive and focused on killing zombies or defensive and focused on surviving and whittling down the zombie population through attrition.

The choice of equipment will result in different types of survivor groups. There will be aggressive groups that focus on overwhelming zombies and there will be defensive groups that focus on survival and attrition. Lastly, there will be balanced groups that attempt to do both.

Campaign Format: Scenario Composition Produces Campaign Story

A typical Zombicide campaign consists of multiple scenarios. Early scenarios typically introduce the player’s survivor group. Middle stage scenarios will typically present increasing challenges. Later stage scenarios will provide the narrative conclusion (either victory or defeat).

Different campaigns have different narratives. Some campaigns are about escaping a city. Other campaigns are about defending a location. Some campaigns involve reaching an extraction point. The sequence of scenarios in the campaign creates a narrative arc.

I have played campaigns with entirely different narratives based on the sequences of scenarios and which scenarios were used and in what order.

The modular nature of the scenario composition allows for a high degree of replayability.

Is Zombicide Still Relevant?

Zombicide has been on the market since 2012. It is currently 2026. Since that time, numerous other zombie-themed games have been produced. Zombicide remains one of the best zombie-survival experiences available.

The game’s components are strong. The miniatures of the survivors and zombies are of high quality. The token system is easy to follow. The modular board pieces allow for a great deal of customization. The equipment cards are clearly written and easy to read. The rules are well-written and organised. The teaching process can be accomplished in 15-20 minutes.

One criticism I have of the game – if you have a large team of survivors (therefore more actions per turn), the game can drag on. Conversely, if you are experiencing an onslaught of zombies, you will spend a lot of time controlling the zombies and less time advancing the game.

Setup and Ease of Access

Setting up a game of Zombicide takes approximately 15-20 minutes. Players will organise their survivors, lay out the board and prepare the zombie tokens and the equipment deck. Moderate organization required.

The length of playtime for each scenario varies between 60-120 minutes depending on the size of the team of survivors and the speed at which players work through the turns. With multiple scenarios in each campaign, players will spend a significant amount of time playing through the entire campaign.

Moderate rule complexity exists. Players are learning two major mechanisms – simultaneous action selection and zombie activation – and an additional mechanism, equipment. However, the core mechanics are relatively simple to grasp.

Replayability and Modular Design

Scenarios in Zombicide are modular. The combinations of scenarios create different campaigns. The selections of survivors create different gameplay experiences. The equipment that is spawned create different strategies that can be employed.

I have played 47 scenarios across multiple campaigns and none of the scenarios have felt repetitive. The modular nature of the scenarios combined with the variety in selecting survivors and the variety in equipment spawned create an enormous amount of replayability.

Why You Must Play Zombicide Solo

If you enjoy the concept of zombie-survival stories – Zombicide brings this concept to life in gameplay.

If you desire campaign structure with lasting effects – the death of a survivor impacts subsequent scenarios. The equipment acquired during a scenario impacts subsequent scenarios. Your decisions have consequences.

If you desire an escalating challenge that you are actively managing – Zombicide’s zombie threat escalates based on the players’ decisions and creates dynamic difficulty.

If you desire a game that captures the authenticity of zombie-survival – Zombicide captures the horror of survival: you are constantly managing limited resources against infinite threats.

Conclusion

Zombicide is a 10/10 campaign experience. The growth of survivors creates a meaningful effect. The escalation of zombies occurs both mechanically and within the context of the game’s narrative. The variety of scenarios creates unique campaigns. The game is designed specifically for solo play and does so exceptionally.

I have completed 47 scenarios across multiple campaigns. I intend to pursue harder difficulty levels. I want to develop the best combinations of survivors. I want to experience different campaigns.

This game demonstrates that licensed games can successfully express the heart of zombie-survival stories. Zombicide is not merely a zombie-themed game. It expresses the challenges associated with zombie-survival: escalating threats, limited resources and constant pressure from hordes of zombies.

If you wish to experience a multi-scenario campaign, with progressive survivors and escalating challenges, Zombicide will meet your expectations.

Nicholas

Nicholas teaches secondary school history by day and campaigns through fantasy worlds by night. He writes about legacy and campaign games—the epic, months-long sagas that build friendships, stories, and the occasional scheduling nightmare.