

If new to The Long Dark don’t worry, in the first few attempts its just about getting to grips with the base mechanics. The start of a new game heralds the opportunity for you to practice what you learnt in your previous play through, maybe getting a better understanding of the map and its regions or perhaps changing your approach for long-term survival. For the experts and perhaps slightly masochistic people among you, there is the Interloper mode if you watched Predator and thought Arnie was a wimp, you might like this! This gives you time to learn all the deep game mechanics and makes for a more rewarding Stalker experience in the long run, as you spend more time surviving the elements rather than just trying to figure out how to play. However due to the game’s depth and many mechanics it is recommended that you get some play time under your belt in the easier ‘Pilgrim’ or ‘Voyageur’ settings.

The Long Dark is at its core a brutal survival game and is most enjoyable when played in its Hardcore mode ‘Stalker’. This beginner’s guide will not ruin The Long Dark experience for you, there will be no maps with key locations in this guide, no exploits, just pointers to help you get in the right mindset for enjoying the game and having your own wonderful journey of discovery. It’s the magic of the journey and struggle to survive in a startlingly captivating environment with the need to constantly adapt. The beauty behind Hinterland Studio’s wilderness survival game, The Long Dark, is that its rewards don’t just come from the completion of the challenge modes, or even in the story mode when it releases.
