This guide includes light story and progression spoilers, especially the distinction between the original game, Deep Threat and Wall World 2.
Fast answer
The answer before the background
The original Wall World has no confirmed selectable cast of heroes. You control one walldigger pilot in a mining exosuit, supported by a giant robospider that acts as your mobile battle station. The meaningful unlocks are equipment, weapons, buildings, drones, resources and classified upgrades. The white robospider called Zeus is a named machine variant mentioned in official patch notes, not a separately selectable character. If you are searching for a full character roster, that applies more naturally to Wall World 2, whose official store page confirms new characters in Sphere City but does not publish a complete named list.
Roster
Who counts as a character in the original game?
The practical answer is that the original title is built around one playable expedition identity rather than a roster. You are the walldigger pilot, connected to the robospider and its systems. The official store description presents the core loop as mining, fighting, upgrading the exosuit and improving the robospider, with no character-select screen or alternate hero list described.
The two parts of the player setup have different roles. The exosuit is the pilot’s tool for entering mines, breaking blocks and fighting at close range. The robospider carries the expedition, travels along the Wall, survives surface attacks and uses its own combat systems. Treating them as two characters can make the upgrade menus confusing, but they are one playable expedition team rather than two switchable heroes.
- Playable role: the walldigger pilot who explores mines and uses the exosuit.
- Mobile battle station: the robospider that carries combat systems, buildings and expedition upgrades.
- Enemies and bosses: threats encountered during runs, not recruitable or selectable party members.
- Named machine variant: Zeus, identified in an official patch note as the white robospider.
| Entry | Role | Playable? | How it changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walldigger pilot | Exploration, mining and exosuit combat | Yes, as the single player role | Improved through exosuit upgrades and run progression |
| Robospider | Movement, surface defense and station systems | Yes, as the player’s vehicle | Improved through combat systems, modules and buildings |
| Zeus | White robospider variant referenced in patch notes | Not confirmed as a separate character | Appears to be a machine variant or story element |
| Zyrex and other threats | Enemies encountered on the Wall | No | Learned through combat and equipment choices |
The single-role description is supported by the official store page’s wording about exploring on a giant robospider and upgrading the exosuit and robospider. The game does not provide an official character roster in that description, so a larger named cast should not be treated as verified.
Roles
What should you upgrade instead of characters?
Because there is no confirmed hero-switching system, build decisions come from equipment and modules. Early runs are mainly about making the exosuit faster and stronger so you can clear mines before the next attack. The robospider side of progression then determines how safely you can defend the Wall, move between locations and convert collected resources into combat power.
This division is more useful than looking for character classes. Choose exosuit improvements when mining speed, movement or personal survivability is holding you back. Choose robospider upgrades when waves are reaching the station, when you need stronger weapons or when a building-based defense is more efficient than direct shooting.
- For mining-focused runs, prioritize movement, mining speed and tools that reduce time spent inside caves.
- For combat-focused runs, improve the robospider’s weapons, damage, survivability and support systems.
- For defensive runs, use blueprints to expand the station with structures such as turrets, repair stations or resource harvesters.
- For experimentation, use newly discovered weapons and modules rather than expecting a new hero to change the play style.
| Need | Best progression target | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Clear caves faster | Exosuit movement and mining upgrades | More time remains before the next attack |
| Survive surface waves | Robospider combat and defensive systems | The station is exposed while you mine |
| Improve long-term runs | Meta upgrades and classified items | Benefits carry into later expeditions |
| Test a new play style | Weapons, drones and buildings | These provide the game’s main functional variety |
Do not save resources for a character unlock that the original game does not appear to have. Spend them on the bottleneck you can identify in your current runs: mining, combat, mobility or station defense.
Unlocks
How progression actually works
The main unlock loop is discovery followed by workshop or menu progression. The official store page confirms that technologies, weapons, buildings and upgrade materials are found while exploring the Wall. Community explanations from the developer-marked Steam discussion add a useful detail: blueprints for classified upgrades are found in mine rooms, and each level of a classified item requires its own blueprint.
This means a locked item is normally an equipment or system unlock, not a hidden character. Search mines thoroughly, especially rooms and anomalies that contain blueprints or weapons. After returning from a run, check the upgrade interface and distinguish permanent progression from temporary bonuses collected during that expedition.
- Explore mine branches fully instead of leaving unexplored rooms behind.
- Collect blueprints when you find them; a single blueprint may unlock only one classified upgrade level.
- Return to the upgrade screen after a run to spend permanent resources and review newly available systems.
- Use the scanner and other exploration tools to identify important rooms when available.
- Do not treat a new weapon, drone or building as a new character; each is equipment for the same expedition setup.
| What you find | What it unlocks | Permanent or temporary? |
|---|---|---|
| Resources | Meta upgrades and equipment improvements | Usually permanent after spending them |
| Blueprints | Classified upgrades and later upgrade levels | Permanent discovery, then purchased or activated |
| Weapons | Additional combat options | Unlocked for future runs, then used during expeditions |
| Run bonuses | Immediate bonuses for the current expedition | Temporary unless the game explicitly says otherwise |
| Buildings and modules | Robospider support and defense options | Progression unlocks, with run-specific use |
Exact drop locations, spawn rules and completion rates are not stated consistently in official material. Treat community route advice as practical guidance rather than a guaranteed map rule.
Named questions
Answers about Zeus, the pilot and sequel characters
Is Zeus a playable character? No confirmed evidence supports that interpretation. An official August 22, 2023 update refers to Zeus as the white robospider and adds a warning sign when it launches a homing rocket. That identifies Zeus as a robospider-related named entity or variant, not as an alternate pilot selectable from a roster.
Can you unlock another pilot? No confirmed unlock path has been published for the original game. The documented progression centers on blueprints, weapons, modules, buildings, resources and upgrades. If a menu or guide calls something a character, verify whether it actually means a machine, enemy, story figure or upgrade category.
Does the expansion add characters? The Deep Threat store page describes new enemies, biomes and technologies and says that no robospider had gone beyond the Great Rift. It does not advertise alternate playable pilots, so the safe answer is that it expands the same player setup rather than adding a confirmed hero roster.
What about Wall World 2 characters? The sequel is different. Its official Steam page says you can meet new characters in Sphere City, but it does not publish a full named database in the store description. Do not import sequel NPC names or roles into the original game without a source specific to the sequel.
- Pilot question: one confirmed playable expedition role in the original.
- Zeus question: named white robospider reference, not a confirmed hero.
- DLC question: new content and technologies, but no verified alternate pilot roster.
- Sequel question: Sphere City characters exist, but a complete official name list is not established by the cited store page.
| Question | Evidence-led answer |
|---|---|
| Who is the main character? | The unnamed walldigger pilot controlled by the player. |
| Is the robospider a second character? | No. It is the player’s mobile battle station and vehicle. |
| Can Zeus be selected? | Not verified. Official material identifies Zeus as a white robospider. |
| Are there unlockable heroes? | No confirmed hero-unlock system is documented for the original. |
| Does the sequel have more characters? | Yes, its official page confirms Sphere City characters, but not a complete named roster. |
The original game’s story may refer to people, creatures or machines by name, but that does not automatically create a playable character entry. This page lists only roles and identities that can be supported without inventing names or unlock requirements.
FAQ
Common questions
How many playable characters are in the original game?
There is one confirmed playable expedition role: the walldigger pilot. You operate the exosuit and robospider together rather than choosing from multiple heroes.
How do you unlock new characters?
You do not have a confirmed character-unlock route in the original. Progression unlocks weapons, buildings, modules, technologies and classified upgrades through resources, mine discoveries and blueprints.
Is Zeus a character or a robospider?
Official update notes call Zeus a white robospider and mention its homing rocket. That supports treating Zeus as a machine variant or named robospider, not a selectable pilot.
Does Deep Threat add playable characters?
The official expansion description confirms new enemies, biomes and technologies, but does not confirm alternate playable pilots. Expect more content for the same expedition setup.
Where are the Wall World 2 characters?
The sequel introduces characters in Sphere City, its hub area between expeditions. The official store page confirms their presence but does not provide a complete named roster, so individual names and unlocks require separate verification.
Sources
What we checked
Official listings establish current availability and product facts. Community pages are used for mechanics and build history, then labeled separately.
- OfficialOfficial Steam store page for Wall World
- OfficialOfficial Steam page for Wall World: Deep Threat
- OfficialOfficial Wall World update notes covering Zeus and robospider systems
- CommunityDeveloper-marked Steam discussion explaining blueprint unlocks
- OfficialOfficial Steam store page for Wall World 2