Common Mistakes Players Make
Things I wish someone had told me before I started playing. Learn from my failures so you don't have to repeat them - trust me, I made enough mistakes for both of us.
Killed Tama Too Quick
First playthrough, saw the kill option and clicked it immediately. Turns out sparing him is essential for good endings.
💥 What This Costs You
- Locks out True Ending
- Locks out Alternative Ending
- Blocks 'Merciful Path' achievement
- Affects 'Perfect Run' achievement
- Permanently removes Tama from later chapters
- Changes Viktor's dialogue options
✅ How to Avoid This
- Read all diary entries in Viktor's basement BEFORE confronting Tama
- Pay attention to Viktor's dialogue about his past
- When you see the choice, pick 'Spare Tama' even if it feels counterintuitive
- Save right before the Tama encounter - this is a critical decision point
This mistake cost me about 3 hours of gameplay. If you're reading this and haven't reached Tama yet - please, PLEASE spare him. You can always go back for bad endings on subsequent playthroughs.
Walked Past Viktor's Basement Three Times
The basement entrance is right next to the bookshelf, but I was so focused on the main room that I completely missed it.
💥 What This Costs You
- Miss critical backstory about Tama and Viktor
- Harder to understand True Ending requirements
- Miss key item needed for Chapter 5 investigation
- No access to Viktor's diary entries
- Can't unlock 'Thorough Investigation' achievement without exploring basement
✅ How to Avoid This
- In Viktor's apartment, turn LEFT immediately after entering
- Look for the darker corner next to the tall bookshelf
- The basement door has a faint glowing outline when you hover near it
- If you're stuck in Chapter 3, the basement is probably what you missed
Face palm moment when I finally saw it. The door isn't hidden or anything - I was just tunnel-visioned on the center of the room. Moral of the story: check the corners.
Ignored the Delivery Timer
Spent 40 minutes exploring the first delivery area trying to find secret items. Timer ran out. There are no secret items.
💥 What This Costs You
- Wastes time with game over
- Have to restart delivery sequence from checkpoint
- No permanent consequences - just embarrassment
✅ How to Avoid This
- The delivery section is linear - just deliver the packages
- Don't overthink it - there are no hidden items during timed deliveries
- Focus on the three package destinations marked on your map
- Save exploration for the investigation chapters, not delivery chapters
This wasn't game-breaking, just really silly in retrospect. I was expecting a Yakuza-style game where every area has tons of side content. This game is more focused - which is fine, I just learned that the hard way.
Exhausted All Dialogue Options... in the Wrong Order
Talked to Valeria about the case before gathering evidence. She wouldn't take me seriously and I locked out her help.
💥 What This Costs You
- Miss Valeria's help in investigation
- Lose access to her special dialogue in Chapter 6
- Lower relationship score with Valeria
- Affects ending options
- Investigation takes longer without her help
✅ How to Avoid This
- BEFORE talking to Valeria in Chapter 5, collect evidence first
- Visit the warehouse, talk to Nathan, check the basement
- Only approach Valeria after you have at least 3 pieces of evidence
- Save before important conversations so you can reload if needed
This one frustrated me because the game doesn't give you a clear 'point of no return' warning. Most RPGs let you cycle through dialogue multiple times, but this game treats some conversations as one-shot deals. Lesson learned: gather evidence THEN talk to NPCs.
Hoarded 'Key Items' Instead of Using Them
Kept the air pump and knife in my inventory for four chapters thinking they'd be needed later. They're meant to be used immediately.
💥 What This Costs You
- Miss optimal paths in chapters
- Make puzzles harder by avoiding intended solutions
- Waste time looking for alternative routes
- Using items correctly is required for 'Resourceful' achievement
✅ How to Avoid This
- When you pick up a 'key item', look around the CURRENT area for where to use it
- Check your inventory regularly and read item descriptions
- Key items usually have a use case in the same chapter you find them
- Don't hoard items like it's a traditional RPG - this game wants you to use them
This mistake made me feel extra silly because the solution was literally 'use the item you're carrying.' My Dark Souls instincts of 'never use consumables' backfired hard. The game isn't punishing you for using items - it wants you to use them.
Skipped Tutorial Prompts Because 'I've Played Games Before'
Confidently dismissed all tutorial popups in Episode 1. Spent Episode 2 confused about basic mechanics.
💥 What This Costs You
- Steeper difficulty in early episodes
- Miss quality-of-life features
- Play less efficiently without knowing full controls
- Get frustrated because you don't know mechanics exist
✅ How to Avoid This
- Actually read the tutorial popups in Episode 1, even if you're an experienced gamer
- This game has some unique mechanics that aren't standard
- Tutorial reference is in Pause Menu → Settings → Tutorial
- The dialogue 'insight' system is particularly important to understand early
Humbling reminder that every game has its own quirks, even if the basics seem familiar. The 5 minutes I saved by skipping tutorials cost me way more time later. Just read the tutorials, people.
Accidentally Saved Over My 'Pre-Tama Decision' Save File
Only kept one save file. Overwrote it right after making the Tama choice. Realized my mistake two chapters later.
💥 What This Costs You
- Can lose hours of gameplay if you need to restart
- Can't undo major story decisions
- Locks you into certain ending paths permanently
- Extremely frustrating to restart entire game
✅ How to Avoid This
- Use multiple save slots - at least 3-4 rotating saves
- When you see a RED ICON warning about a 'critical decision,' make a NEW save file
- Keep a backup save before major story beats (Tama decision, Valeria confrontation, final chapter)
- Name your saves with chapter numbers so you know which is which
- The game allows up to 10 manual saves - use them
This was the most painful mistake I made. Seven hours gone because I didn't maintain proper save hygiene. Now I save obsessively and keep multiple backup files. Better safe than starting over.
Rushed Through Maps Without Talking to Everyone
Focused only on main objectives, skipped optional NPC conversations. Missed major context and hints for puzzles.
💥 What This Costs You
- Miss hints for puzzle solutions
- Waste time on trial-and-error
- Miss important context and backstory
- Harder to understand character motivations
- Lock out 'Thorough Investigator' achievement
✅ How to Avoid This
- Talk to EVERY named NPC in each chapter before progressing
- Optional conversations often provide puzzle hints or backstory
- Check corners and side areas of maps - NPCs aren't always near objectives
- Some NPC conversations change based on your progress, so check back multiple times
This mistake made me appreciate how much care went into the dialogue writing. The 'optional' NPCs aren't just filler - they add a ton of depth to the world. Slow down and talk to people, you'll get more out of the game.
General Advice From Someone Who Learned the Hard Way
1 Save Often, Save Smart
Use multiple save slots, especially before critical decisions. The game warns you with red icons - pay attention to them.
2 Exploration First, Conversations Second
Gather evidence and explore areas BEFORE initiating important conversations. Some dialogue options lock after one use.
3 Use Items, Don't Hoard Them
Key items are meant to be used in the chapter you find them. Check your inventory regularly and read descriptions.
4 Talk to Everyone With a Name
Named NPCs usually have useful information, hints, or are required for achievements. Don't skip optional conversations.