Tips for playing MW3 Zombies singleplayer

Of all the things I could recommend for you to play, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3’s Zombies (MW3 Zombies) single player is not one of them. Especially if you’d like to venture into the 2nd or 3rd tier areas, where things become inordinately more difficult.

But, I know some folks are going to read that last paragraph and think “git gud, m8” before proceeding to make an utter mockery of me by deploying solo and completing the entire game without anyone else in their party. Suffice to say, there are those who prefer deploying solo, and that’s valid so long as you remember a few very important things beforehand.

If you’d like to channel the immortal spirit of Solid Snake and deploy into Urzikstan alone, here are a few tips for not immediately dying upon hitting the ground in MW3 Zombies.

Staying Alive in Urzikstan

1. If you don’t have weapons on-hand, find some.

When initially deploying into Urzikstan, if you don’t have any weapons on hand, you’ll need to prioritize finding at least one when you land. It can be a bit daunting, but thankfully there are tons of weapons hidden in loot caches, which can usually be found in the buildings around you.

As tempting as it may sound to punch a zombie with your bare fists, I highly advise you don’t.

2. Don’t bother accepting certain contracts. You’ll probably die.

I have learned the hard way that some contracts, while they might be possible to do solo, aren’t advisable for lone wolves. Outlast and Defend Ground Station contracts are two that come to mind. Pretty much any contract that involves either mercenaries (their AI is a bit more smart than your typical zombie) or a horde of zombies is a no-go. I mean, you could try them, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.

3. Prioritize finding a Pack-A-Punch (or deploying with Aetherium Crystals).

I almost never choose to go it alone, the online matchmaking system chooses for me. To counteract that, I like to deploy with an Aetherium Crystal (refined if you have it, but if not, raw works). This is an item that allows you to upgrade your equipped weapon to Pack-A-Punch level I or level II, which comes in handy if you’re forced (or choose, for whatever reason) to deploy alone. 

If you don’t have any of these crystals, then as soon as you’ve completed enough contracts and earned enough points, make a beeline to the nearest Pack-A-Punch machine and upgrade your weapon. Even in the tier 1 area, it can be very beneficial to have an overly powerful weapon on your side.

Also, a side note, while we’re talking about items: If you have any Self-Revive items, bring them along as well. I can’t recall the number of times I had obtained a schematic or rare item only to die and be forced to leave the match and lose it all. I don’t want that for you. Please listen to me.

4. Stay in Tier 1, unless you have good reason not to.

I know some of y’all are going to scoff at this one, but I’m serious. If you are deploying solo, just stick to the contracts around tier 1, or the outer circle of the map. The zombies from this area are weaker than in other tiered areas; they usually only take a few shots from a decent gun and 1-2 shots from a good one. In the other tiered areas, it takes nearly a full reload from a good gun to take down one zombie.

If you follow my advice and deploy with a Refined Aetherium Crystal, then I can understand venturing out of the first tier. But if you don’t, I promise you’ll still have fun if you stick to where it’s safe. 

5. Don’t get over-confident. Exfil early, Exfil often.

I am an anxious mess, so I like to head for an exfil spot when there’s still 20 minutes on the clock. But I also understand some folks would prefer to wait until there’s less time and continue to take contracts until the last minutes of the game. I don’t judge; if that’s your strategy, that’s your strategy. 

But, I feel it’s better to exfil knowing your acquisitions will be safe than being over-confident and losing it all because you wanted to look or feel powerful. It takes a true warrior to know when to retreat and fight another day with a medium rucksack or armor upgrade than to lose them and be forced to downgrade.

In any case, now the ball’s in your court — are you going to try playing MW3 Zombies single player? Or, if there are regular solo warriors out there, what other tips would you offer newbies? Let us know in the comments; we’d love to read your strategies!