The Last Stand 2

Introduction

The Last Stand 2 is a zombie survival game developed by Con Artist Games, released on May 12, 2008. It is the second installment in The Last Stand series, following the protagonist Jack, who survives a helicopter crash after the events of the first game. Set in a post-apocalyptic world overrun with zombies, the game tasks the player with reaching Union City within 40 days to catch the last evacuation bus before the mainland is sealed off. The player must travel through infected towns, scavenge for supplies, recruit survivors, and defend barricades against hordes of zombies each night.

How to play

The game alternates between daytime (resource management and planning) and nighttime (defending against zombies).

Daytime Phase

• Time allocation: After each night, you have 12 hours to allocate across activities:
  • Repair barricade: Restore barricade health (5% per hour) to withstand zombie attacks.
  • Search for weapons: Find new firearms or melee weapons to improve combat effectiveness.
  • Search for survivors: Recruit allies who can help defend the barricade or carry supplies.
  • Travel to new location: Move to the next town if you have enough supplies (appears as an option when ready).
• Resource management: Collect supplies (e.g., food, materials) to enable travel. Balance time between repairs, scavenging, and recruitment to prepare for tougher nights.
• Locations: Start in Glendale, then progress through towns like Whistler’s Grove, Claysburg, Aspenwood, Jonestown, and Fort Tran, each with unique challenges and resource availability

Nighttime Phase

• Defend the barricade: Zombies attack in waves, aiming to breach your barricade. If the barricade’s health reaches zero or zombies overrun your position, the game ends.
• Controls:
  • WASD or Arrow Keys: Move Jack left or right along the barricade.
  • Mouse: Aim and shoot at zombies.
  • R: Reload your weapon.
  • Spacebar: Switch between main and backup weapons.
• Survivor AI: Recruited survivors assist in combat but have limited shooting frequency and a generic reload animation. Equip them with high-damage, low-shot weapons like shotguns to maximize their effectiveness.
• Zombie Types:
  • Runners: Fast-moving zombies; prioritize killing them to prevent barricade damage.
  • Walkers: Slower zombies; survivors can handle ~50% of them, but assist during lulls.
  • Rushes: Groups of zombies, often runners, requiring quick reactions.

Weapons and strategy

• Weapons: Start with basic firearms (e.g., 9mm handgun) and progress to more powerful options like the Uzi, AK-47, Minime, or Rocket Launcher. Each has unique stats:
  • Uzi: 50 bullets/clip, rapid fire, wide spread, quick reload. Ideal for headshots and killing 3-4 zombies per clip.
  • AK-47: 30 bullets/clip, powerful semi-automatic, 4-5 headshots to kill. Conserve ammo and pulse-fire.
  • Minime: 200 bullets/clip, wide spread, less damage per bullet. Best for rushes but has a long reload (~5 seconds).
  • Rocket Launcher: Single-shot, slow reload, devastating damage. Endgame weapon for large hordes.
  • Chainsaw: Melee backup weapon; effective for emergencies but situational
• Tactics:
  • Positioning: Stand centrally to reduce recoil and improve accuracy. Aim for headshots to conserve ammo.
  • Ammo Management: Keep 15-20 bullets in reserve for unexpected rushes. Reload after runner waves when safe.
  • Survivor Roles: Assign survivors weapons that suit their AI (e.g., shotguns for high damage, short reload). Avoid automatic weapons like the AK-47 for survivors due to their low shooting frequency.
  • Traps: In later towns, place traps (e.g., barbed wire, explosives) to slow or damage zombies, easing nighttime defense.