The Atrium

"CEDA's not gonna save us. Any ideas?"

- Nick "Okay, So plan A is to find this car...Plan B is we stay in this mall and die."

- Rochelle

The Atrium is the final chapter to the Dead Center campaign, serving as the campaign's finale. In gameplay terms, it is a derivative of Scavenge Mode requiring players to collect a set number of Gas Cans depending on game mode (e.g. in Single Player mode the target number is eight cans and AI bots will not help complete the task) and refuel a stock car while under attack from Common and Special Infected―including Tanks.

Finding Liberty Mall completely overrun and abandoned by CEDA, Ellis comes up with the idea of escaping in Jimmy Gibbs Junior's stock car, which fortuitously had been put on public display in the mall just before the Infection hit Savannah. Unfortunately for safety reasons, the car has had its gas tank emptied and this requires the Survivors to scurry around the zombie-infested mall atrium retrieving a requisite number of Gas Cans and pour them into the car's gas tank before the car can be started and rammed out of the mall's front doors.

The chapter opens with the Survivors entering the mall atrium and instantly gaining the sickening realization that, yet again, CEDA has failed them and they must fall back on their own wits and resources in order to escape. Ellis' stock car escape plan is quickly conceptualized as they descend to ground level in an elevator and put into effect immediately thereafter. Gas Cans are distributed singly and in pairs in three zones in the mall atrium: the ground floor, up the stairs to the stock car's right-rear, and up the stairs to the car's right front quarter.

An ammo pile and four health packs are in plain sight on the counters of a central atrium service kiosk.

Common Infected spawn as a series of mini-hordes seemingly triggered by players entering a map hot spot. As a general rule, these are not particularly daunting on account of their small group sizes and the long distances they must cover in order to attack players (for example, they are nowhere near as numerous as their counterparts in Dark Carnival's The Barns gauntlet crescendo event). In the normal scheme of things, Tanks appear periodically in this finale and follow the usual choreography of appearing after a momentary lull in Common Infected activity. Special Infected do make a sporadic appearance, but again these are somewhat underrepresented.

Campaign
Grab a weapon and search the bathrooms for any potential supplies. Follow the short and simple path to the elevator. In unfortunate cases, a Witch may spawn in the vicinity and needs to be startled in order to progress. Once everyone is in the elevator, press the button to close it.



It's time to get gas for the car! On single player mode, you only need to collect 8 gas cans. On all other modes (including Mutations), 13 gas cans must be collected instead. The cans spawn randomly around the finale area. One gas can is right in front of the elevator and is the only one that is alone. All other gas cans are always found in pairs. All the gas cans are illuminated with a white outline which will help players locate them. When carried, they turn yellow. If destroyed, the gas can will respawn in the spot that it was originally grabbed from.

You can bring a gas can from previous chapters if you found one. It will count towards the required cans but can occasionally glitch the game.

There are several methods to collecting gas cans:
 * Carry and use - Grab a gas can, and go back to the car and fill it up. A relatively simple method but is somewhat time consuming.
 * Juggling - Carry multiple gas cans at once. Try to ensure the gas cans are close to each other so you can pick them up quickly. When you grab a gas can, use the "fire" button; this will throw the gas can in front of you. Pick up another gas can nearby and repeat until you reach the car.
 * Stockpile - A variant of the juggling method, the team grabs all the gas cans and drops them off near the car. For the gas cans in the higher floors, throw them to the car.

Players should be wary that on multiplayer modes with human-controlled Infected, Spitters can destroy gas cans with their spit if they have been picked up. As a result, stockpiling is not advised on those game modes.



Most gas cans are located with other supplies, such as throwables, temporary health items and melee weapons. Try to take utilize them the best you can to stop the Infected from swarming you.

There are several "shortcuts" of the sort in the finale area which can be used to drastically speed up the time it takes to move around. Don't jump from one floor to another, as it will often result in incapitation or death.

With the stockpiling method, it is possible to get the needed gas cans before the Tank can spawn or reach the team. Finding an adrenaline shot in the area (or keeping it from the previous chapters) is extremely valuable, as it will speed up the amount of time it takes to expend a gas can. In games where there are Survivor bots on your team, ensure your health is high enough or the bots don't have a health kit. This is because if the bots try to heal you while you fill the car, the game will freeze.



Once the car is filled, everyone should get on the podium to finish this level.

The Survivors
The Survivors can use nearly the same tactics as in campaign mode. The only major difference is that human-controlled Spitters may try to destroy gas cans dropped from higher floors.

Half and half

This method requires two players to cover each other at the car, while the other two go around collecting gas cans and throwing them down to the two players on the ground. One person can pour the gas while the other person covers them. This is risky when doing Scavenge or Versus, as a pair of Infected such as the Hunter, Jockey, Charger, or Smoker may ambush the two stationary Survivors before they get the chance to save the other.

All for one and one for all

This method has all Survivors travel together to collect gas. Two players will grab gas cans, while the other two take care of swarms. Once you collect a pair of cans, DO NOT throw them down! Walk down and pour them both in, then go collect two more. This is a good strategy for Versus or Scavenge games since it prevents the Spitter from igniting cans that have been tossed down.

Risky Procedures

This method has (like All for one and one for all) all four Survivors traveling together. However, instead of simply going downstairs and pouring each gas can in, the Survivors toss several gas cans down, fairly separated from one another, and once a few have accumulated (usually every can on a given floor) the Survivors go down and pour them into the car. This is exceptionally useful if the players know that they can defend themselves well.

The Infected
The Boomer: When playing as the Boomer, cause as much havoc as possible. Vomiting on those with gas cans could cause them to panic and drop their can. This could also lead to shooting the can. A popular strategy in this level is spawning and waiting either behind the car (or in the upper floor levels right behind it), waiting for Survivors to start pouring, and puking on them. If you happen to explode next to a dropped (yellow) can, your explosion will send the can flying away.

The Charger: DO NOT attempt to charge from a height, because you will fail. Attacking groups or loners, the Charger is always the best shot. There are a lot of straight hallways that the Survivors must travel through to get cans. Also, a Charger can break through the glass railings on the upper floors while he's charging. If he manages to charge a Survivor off these ledges, it can cause incapacitation or death. Charging a Survivor while he/she is pouring makes an easy target for a charge, seeing as they can't move for a few seconds while pouring. The Survivor also drops the can, and can potentially be very far from the rest of the Survivors.

At the top floor of the far staircase (by the car), a good Charger can pull off the '''Insta-kill. '''As long as at least two Survivors reach the base of the top floor section of the stairs you can charge one and send the other crashing to their death on the atrium floor below!

The Hunter: Aim for those with gas cans—they will drop them directly next to you, and any savior with a shotgun is sure to hit it. If a Smoker has somebody, pounce someone else, preferably the ensnared Survivor's rescuer. Also, if you stand on the fourth-story ledge, just above the car, and you wait until a Survivor tries to pour a gas can inside, they are helpless for a 25+ point pounce. Another spot for this devestating 25+ pounce is on the top floor to the right of the lift shaft when looking at the car. Crouch on the glass ledge and aim directly above the car enlined with the hight of the third-floor walkway oposite. If lined up correctly, you will be able to knock off 25 health from the unsuspecting Survivor. If you go to the third floor and go to the cans on the right of the staircase, a Hunter can hide in the hole above it. There is also a closed door in the hole that doesn't lead anywhere. Another spot for a 25 damage pounce is near the elevator the survivors must go to in order to have access to the first floor. Pounce on the top of the wooden support frame from the opposite direction of the elevator. Move forward a bit, and then look upwards and pounce. You will get on a invisible, see-through wall. Just go forward, wait for a survivor to pour gas into the car, and pounce.

The Jockey: Aim for Survivors on their own—these can be easily dragged into the many closets where hordes spawn. When attacking groups, aim for Spitter goo or attack in a pair, one Survivor will take massive damage. Try to get Survivors that are pouring cans into the car (they are usually by themselves), plus there is a chance they might panic and drop the can, which a Spitter can easily destroy.

There is a spot on the third floor, between the stairs from the ground floor and the pillar next to it, that does not have a railing and never has any glass. It is easy to steer a Survivor off this ledge, forcing them to hang from it until someone comes to help.

The Smoker: Go to a high vantage point in the atrium and cause plenty of damage. Remember, you need to be able to run away and recharge after an attack. Alert a Hunter to pounce your prey's rescuer and wait patiently. Smoking Survivors that are pouring is a great way to buy more time, separate the Survivors, and expose a can to be destroyed.

The Spitter: Spitters are very valuable in this level, as they can hide in the upper levels (specifically the 4th that only Infected can access) and constantly spit on the car or any other high-value target on the lower floors. Spitter goo can ignite dropped gas cans (the ones with orange highlights). This is an invaluable ability when Survivors are throwing down cans from upper levels, as this will greatly delay the time it takes them to recover more cans. There is a spot right above the car which can be used on Scavenge and Versus. Simply wait here and spit at those trying to fill the car; you do not need to aim much.

The Tank: Remember to use concrete for those pesky, fast Survivors. If on the second floor, whack your opponent over the edges. Be careful of the many fuel tanks that survivors may scatter about the place in case of fire, but this could be used to your advantage to delay the other team's progress. You are vulnerable when you are out on the ground in the open and especially when you are climbing, so ensure that you spend minimal amounts of time on ground floor.

Scavenge
In this level, you can use nearly the same tactics used in Campaign mode. Keep in mind that:
 * Unlike campaign mode, the amount, location, and types of supplies always stay the same. Gas cans are always in the same location, as well.
 * There are now 16 possible cans to collect. Three are on the first floor, seven are on the second floor, and six are on the third floor.
 * No Tanks spawn in Scavenge mode
 * All Survivors automatically start with a medkit and pills
 * There are three adrenaline shots on one of the kiosks in the safe area. These can prove to be valuable (as you run faster and can't be slowed down while carrying the cans), can revive teammates quicker, and can fuel the car quicker.
 * There are usually multiple items laying around the can locations (i.e. Pills, Molotovs, and even Tier 2 weapons)

Survival
This map takes the Survival round. Players start off near the info booth where they would find health kits, weapons, ammo piles, etc. The info booth contains a Propane Tank, two gas cans, an Assault Rifle, Combat Rifle, Tactical Shotgun, Sniper Rifle, both ammo upgrades, fourth health kits, and two Bile Bombs. The closed booths contain the radio to start the horde, a grenade launcher, a Magnum, and throwable items such as the Molotov and Pipe Bomb.

Rusty Woud has dared to do the impossible and actually set up a "run-round" where the survivors use mobile strategy to gain good time. Him and his team have put expert skills to set up a "racetrack"ish style mode of surviving where they run round a chosen path around the mall floors with tanks burning out behind them. This tactic is only effective with good communication and skills.

As for general stationary tactics, there are 4 nice spots to hold:

Top Floor
Pros Cons
 * Ammo is available.
 * Some Molotovs and Pipe Bombs.
 * Some Pain Pills and Adrenaline.
 * Escape hatch nearby (shoot the glass).
 * Infected take a long time to climb up.
 * Can be flanked several ways by the Infected (four "Infected" ladders)
 * The high elevation can kill a player if they are knocked away by a Charger, punched by a Tank or dragged by a Smoker.

Second Floor
Pros Cons
 * Much closer to weapon area.
 * Ammo refill.
 * Same items as the above floor.
 * A defibrillator by the ammo.
 * A Propane Tank.
 * Falling from this floor leads to incapacitation.
 * Can only be accessed by the stairs on the elevator's side or by climbing all the way up to the third floor and jumping down.
 * Close to two Infected spawn points.

Starting Area
Pros Cons
 * Large volumes of supplies nearby.
 * Some gas cans and a Propane Tank.
 * Very easy to get surrounded.
 * Tanks and Hordes cause problems.

Information Kiosk Roof
Pros Cons
 * Very good vantage point, difficult for most infected to reach you.
 * Supplies very close by.
 * Smokers and Spitters are an obvious threat to your team.
 * Survivors that have fallen off will have difficulty getting back up with relentless hordes.
 * Unless the initiator is quick, s/he may not make it to the roof unscathed.
 * Bots cannot pathfind their way onto the roof.

Gas cans and Propane Tanks are all over the place; place them in a spot you want to stay in for a long amount of time. Each floor has throwable items such as the Molotov and Pipe Bomb, Pain Pills, Adrenaline, and ammo replenisher. The third (or second if you call your starting place ground), is close to the staircases. The second (or first), is not recommended because this is where Special Infected and the Tank usually like to spawn at.

Mini-hordes also seem to come; they don't come in massive amounts like their other Survival maps.

Easter Eggs

 * The stock car and its driver are likely references Dale Earnhardt Jr., a NASCAR Sprint Cup driver who drives the 88 car and Richard Petty who drove a Dodge Daytona and a Plymouth Superbird in 1969-70, respectively, in NASCAR with the characteristically huge spoiler and blue paint. He would get his name from five-time NASCAR champion owner Joe Gibbs.
 * The Uncommon Infected is Jimmy Gibbs Jr. himself. He is said to have 1000 health and will spawn, though only once and very rarely. He is immune to fire and covers your screen with motor oil like a Mudman with mud. The Survivors also have special lines when seeing his zombie.