After the Virus

To set up After the Virus, each player chooses one of the four available characters, taking their respective player boards and character tokens. Assemble the starting decks according to the specific character rules—for example, Adam starts with a Machete in play and a specific set of cards, while other characters have different starting items and zombie counts depending on player count. Shuffle the area and zombie decks, place the wave tracker at level 1, and ensure all health tracking markers (brain, arm, leg) are set properly on the character board.

The objective varies by scenario. In Scenario 1A (Chaos), the goal is to end the turn with six prepared cards in play. Other scenarios feature different challenges, such as defeating hordes, protecting survivors, or managing specific deck requirements. Players must carefully navigate these goals while managing their hand size and avoiding fatal brain damage.

A player's turn involves drawing cards from their area deck, dealing with any drawn zombies, and playing cards from their hand. Players can discard cards to pay the preparation cost of weapons, training, traps, or survivors, placing them face up in their play area. Prepared cards provide ongoing benefits or powerful actions, but players must manage their hand carefully and ensure they do not leave unaddressed zombies that cause injuries.

After the Virus is a cooperative or solo survival game, so traditional victory points do not apply. Success is measured entirely by completing the scenario's defined win criteria.

The game ends immediately when a player successfully completes the scenario requirements, such as reaching the target number of prepared cards, or when a player takes damage to their brain, resulting in death and defeat.