Build up from the survival loadout
Prepare around Survival Mode’s own starting equipment rather than assuming your story loadout carries over. Start with the pistol and kicks, then build up your equipment during the run.
Keep your movement going
Try Shift → Ctrl: kick, then slide shortly afterward while the kick still has momentum. Use WASD to steer. This air-slide method is described as working mainly on the first two kicks.
Combine kicks, slides and jumps while circling the arena. When collecting clips, move through the pickup area and leave promptly instead of standing among the enemies. Kicking a large enemy can push you backward and cost momentum.
Use the sharpener and serum loop
- Circle the arena and return to pencil sharpeners to replenish bombs.
- Once you have serum, use it near a sharpener so you can combine healing and bomb resupply.
- Keep attacking groups while you move, then use nearby corpses for recovery when needed.
The loop is harder to sustain early on. As the arena fills, avoid letting the extra explosions and enemies trap you in one place.
Equipment priorities
A useful player strategy prioritizes the machine gun, then adds incendiary rockets for groups and shielded enemies. Put frequently used weapons on convenient bindings so switching does not interrupt movement. Healing and serum upgrades are another useful way to improve the resource loop.
Be careful with nuclear rockets and point-blank explosions: self-damage can end a run, and crowded late waves can become difficult to read.
Avoid obsolete tricks
The v48 update fixed the survival time exploit and removed propjump from the mode. Pausing to accumulate time and relying on the old propjump setup are no longer routes to use.