Unturned is Nelson Sexton's free-to-play zombie survival game with blocky visuals that belie its surprisingly deep mechanics. Built in Unity with a single developer, the game features crafting, base building, vehicles, farming, and PvP across multiple official and community maps. Despite its simple graphics, Unturned offers complex survival systems including skill trees, vehicle repair, and raids. The game's modding community has created thousands of custom maps, weapons, and servers.
Unturned features distinct areas with increasing difficulty. This guide covers every major location in progression order — what to do, what to get, and when to move on. For the step-by-step path, see our walkthrough.
Area Progression Order
| Order | Location | Difficulty | Key Rewards | Recommended Build |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PEI | Beginner | Learn game mechanics, frequent loot, manageable size | Defense Tree |
| 2 | Washington | Intermediate | Military weapons, vehicles, larger base building area | Defense Tree |
| 3 | Russia | Intermediate-Advanced | Storyline completion, Liberator APC, deadzone loot, underground bunkers | Offense Tree |
| 4 | Germany | Intermediate | Coalition gear, unique weapons, German military vehicles | Offense Tree |
| 5 | Greece | Intermediate | Naval vehicles, unique weapons, island exploration | Offense Tree |
PEI — Starting Area
Prince Edward Island — the tutorial map and most beginner-friendly. Small size means frequent encounters. Charlottetown is the main city with diverse loot. The military base on the south has the best weapons. Best map for learning the game.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Key Rewards | Learn game mechanics, frequent loot, manageable size |
| Recommended Build | Defense Tree |
| Key Equipment | Grizzly |
What to Do Here
- Learn the basics of zombie types — this is where you practice without heavy punishment.
- Collect starting resources and your first equipment upgrade.
- Clear all main content before moving to Washington.
- If you're struggling, read our beginner's guide.
Washington — Early Game
A larger map with Seattle as the major city, military bases, and diverse terrain. The most popular map for PvP servers. Scorpion-7 research facility and military areas have top-tier loot. Good balance of PvE and PvP.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Intermediate |
| Key Rewards | Military weapons, vehicles, larger base building area |
| Recommended Build | Defense Tree |
| Key Equipment | Grizzly |
What to Do Here
- Focus on mastering vehicle repair — it's critical from this point on.
- Farm for Grizzly if you don't have it yet.
- Complete all objectives for maximum rewards.
- Prepare for the difficulty spike in Russia.
Russia — Mid Game
The largest official map with a significant storyline, underground bunkers, and the Liberator APC. Features the Soulcrystal questline and a deadzone (radiation area). The most content-rich map.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Intermediate-Advanced |
| Key Rewards | Storyline completion, Liberator APC, deadzone loot, underground bunkers |
| Recommended Build | Offense Tree |
| Key Equipment | Grizzly |
What to Do Here
- This is the main skill check. Bring an optimized build.
- Maplestrike becomes accessible here — prioritize getting it.
- Master farming for the boss encounters.
- Check our boss guide if you get stuck.
Germany — Late Game
A map with unique coalition military gear and a coalition base. Features unique vehicles and weapons not found on other maps. The Cologne arena is a popular PvP hotspot.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Intermediate |
| Key Rewards | Coalition gear, unique weapons, German military vehicles |
| Recommended Build | Offense Tree |
| Key Equipment | Maplestrike |
What to Do Here
- Full build optimization is expected by this point.
- Maplestrike should be your primary, fully upgraded.
- skill trees mastery starts mattering here.
- Farm resources for the push into Greece.
Greece — Endgame
A Mediterranean map with naval elements and island hopping. Features unique Greek military gear and a storyline. Boats are essential for traversal between islands.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Intermediate |
| Key Rewards | Naval vehicles, unique weapons, island exploration |
| Recommended Build | Offense Tree |
| Key Equipment | Maplestrike |
What to Do Here
- This is endgame. Best-in-slot gear and a perfected build are mandatory.
- See our boss guide for endgame fight strategies.
- The reward loop: clear content → upgrade → push harder content.
- Experiment with Spec Ops for variety once you've mastered the meta.
Exploration Tips
- Clear areas in order — PEI → Washington → Russia → Germany → Greece. Skipping areas means missing resources you'll need later.
- Check every corner — Hidden caches and secrets are often in non-obvious locations.
- Match your equipment — Some areas favor different equipment types.
- Read the walkthrough — Our walkthrough provides exact progression milestones for each area.
- Don't rush — Clearing an area fully gives more resources than speedrunning two areas.
More Unturned Guides
- Unturned Unturned Overview
- Unturned Best Builds
- Unturned Tier List
- Unturned Walkthrough
- Unturned Beginner's Guide
- Unturned Tips & Tricks
- Unturned Weapons Guide
- Unturned Combat Guide
- Unturned Boss Guide
- Unturned Crafting Guide
- Unturned Classes & Characters
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