Quick Start: Your First Goal
You are trapped on a sinking ship. Before it goes under, quickly grab useful items and throw them into your lifeboat. Choose one crew member to bring along. Then survive at sea — fish for food, repair your boat, manage your energy, and handle the deadly events that strike each night.
New players should prioritize flexible survival items: Fishing Rod, Anchor, Duct Tape, and Bait. Save rare rescue items like Flare Gun and Flashlight for later — they are critical for the Rescue ending.
Controls
- WASD — Move around the ship
- E — Pick up and throw items into your lifeboat
- Left-Click — Interact with objects, crates, and barrels
- F (hold) — Fast-Forward night event intro animations (v1.1.3, enable in Settings first)
- ESC — Pause menu
Phase 1: Emergency Evacuation
You have limited time before the ship sinks. Your scavenging priority should be:
Priority order — grab in this sequence:
- Fishing Rod + Bait — Primary food source. Without these, you starve.
- Flare Gun — Critical for Rescue ending. Do not waste.
- Anchor — Counters Giant Squid and Whirlpool.
- Duct Tape — Counters Leak and Eerie Melody. Repair is optional.
- Flashlight — Backup rescue signal + Shadow Figure defense.
- Medical supplies — Life-saving in dangerous encounters.
Phase 2: Crew Selection
Frederik (Repair & Crafting — Best All-Rounder)
Better repair efficiency saves energy. Support action guarantees bait catches. Less essential post-v1.1.3 due to fishing nerf.
Row (Combat & Defense)
Defends against Eyes, Anglerfish, and monster events. Repairs cost less energy. Best for monster-heavy nights.
Laurel (Morale & Support)
Improves mood recovery. Strong during Hope rescue events. Food restores more hunger. Best for Rescue/True Ending.
Captain Whiskers (Fishing & Luck)
+1% fishing catch chance. Passive bonus always active. Unique lore interactions. Best for completionist runs.
Phase 3: Sea Survival — Day-by-Day
- Fish — Requires Fishing Rod and Bait. Bait only consumed on catch. Junk fishing scales slower after Day 30 (v1.1.3).
- Eat — Maintains health. Track hunger closely — starvation is the most common death.
- Repair the boat — A damaged boat sinks. Duct Tape repair is optional — save it for event counters.
- Match shipmate to day plan — Frederik on fishing days, Row on repair days, Laurel on recovery days.
Common Beginner Mistakes
- Not bringing an Anchor — Giant Squid and Whirlpool can destroy your boat instantly.
- Wasting Flare Gun early — Critical for Rescue ending. Do not use on non-Hope events.
- Ignoring Bait — Without it, fishing fails and you starve.
- Forgetting to repair — A damaged boat sinks regardless of health.
- Bringing the wrong shipmate — Different endings require different crew members.
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