After some delays, 7 Days To Die is finally launching the big 2.0 Storm’s Brewing update on June 30. Storm’s Brewing adds deadly elemental effects and completely changes how biomes work on the map. The experimental beta build is currently available to play on PC, and here we’ll guide you through how to earn biome badges and unlock all areas of the map.

New biome progression change

In the 1.0 build of 7 Days to Die, you could traverse each biome without weather or elemental effects, but 2.0 adds new conditions to survive for each one. You’ll need to complete challenges and craft consumables and remedies for surviving damage from smoke, heat, cold, and radiation.

The game still starts you in the forest biome. There are no elemental hazards in the forest, but in order to venture beyond this starting area, you’ll need to complete a series of challenges and earn a biome badge for each. The biome badge will grant you the ability to survive the deadly element for each.

This obviously means you can’t set up camp or loot beyond the forest until you start earning those badges, so this is something you want to focus on right away.

All biomes and effects

• The Pine Forest: Starting biome with no hazards
• The Burnt Forest: Combat the hot embers & thick black smoke
• The Desert: Overcome the extreme heat
• The Snow: Survive the freezing temperatures and windchill
• The Wasteland: Conquer the high radiation fallout

These biomes are listed in order of severity and completion. This means you’ll need to start with the Burnt Forest. Earning the burnt forest badge will give you full access to explore the area, and you’ll be able to start the desert challenges.

This update adds an interesting level of progression to the game, but the Biome Progression setting can be disabled in the game and server options, which will turn off the biome hazards and requirements for badges. The setting is on by default.

How to survive longer in each biome

There are seven survival challenges for each biome that you must complete while inside the area. However, you’re taking elemental damage and can only survive for short periods of time. For example, the wasteland can kill you in a matter of seconds.

I recommend trying to stay as close to the edge of the biome when possible, so you can flee back into the forest or other unlocked biomes when needed.

For example, the mushrooms needed for your first challenge can easily be found on the edge of the burnt forest. I was able to collect all of my mushrooms without spending much time in the biome. I was also able to lead burned zombies close to the edge to kill them for the challenge, but you do want to make sure you are standing in the burnt forest when you actually kill them; otherwise, the kills won’t count.

The most impactful way to survive is by crafting the game’s new smoothie drinks.

Craft smoothies

You’ll want to craft smoothies to temporarily survive the elements while working on a biome badge. Yes, drinking smoothies is how you can survive the apocalypse. Each biome has its own specific smoothie recipe.

The smoothies provide very brief immunity to the elements, so you’ll need to craft several for each biome you tackle. Luckily, these smoothies can be crafted in your inventory, so you don’t need to have a cooking pot on hand. It is also worth investing in the Master Chef perk to decrease the time it takes you to craft them, and decrease the amount of resources it takes to make them.

This update also makes mushrooms more valuable to harvest in 2.0, because they’re used in most of the smoothie recipes. Harvest a few and start growing them to make sure you always have a good supply.

For more 7 Days to Die guides, make sure to check out our general tips for surviving the 2.0 Storm’s Brewing update.

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