The Long Dark is by far one of the hardest survival-type video games available on any platform, while still maintaining quite a few realistic survival elements (in my humble opinion as an Eagle Scout, of course). That being said, it is an extremely rewarding experience that may end up teaching the player a few things about surviving in the harsh north Canadian wilderness, or any desolate and inhospitable place in the world. With over 300 hours of playtime and the release of the latest Fearless Navigator update, I would like to impart some of my “expert survivalist” knowledge to anyone attempting to get into this game or for those repetitively succumbing to the cruel, unforgiving wilderness.
In this game, there are 4 categories that play into the player’s condition (essentially, your “Health-bar”): Temperature, Fatigue, Hydration, and Food; represented by their corresponding circle in the player’s HUD (Heads-Up-Display). If any of these categories falls to zero, the player will begin to lose condition. If your condition itself falls to zero, your player character will die and you will lose all progress in that particular game and will have to restart from scratch. The best ways to maintain the temperature category are fairly simple: Don’t spend an exorbitant amount of time in the outdoors if you lack the proper clothing, don’t take unnecessary risks (yes, you may want to harvest that deer carcass because you are low on food, but it’s not worth fighting a wolf in hand-to-hand combat), and avoid travelling during inclement weather (i.e. blizzards or heavy snowfall) or throughout the night. Temperature is by far the fastest way to perish in this game, and can lead to Hypothermia and Frostbite – two afflictions that will hinder your play-through permanently. Your second priority should be staying hydrated, which can be done by boiling water at a campfire or stove, drinking soda (one of the few less realistic elements of the game) and through various foods such as canned peaches or canned soup. If you put in a situation where you have to choose between drinking non-potable (possibly dangerous, unfiltered/non-boiled) water or not drinking anything at all, drink the water. The Survivalist’s Rule of Three is probably the most reliable advice that I could possibly give any player on maintaining their condition in-game: “3 hours in a harsh environment, 3 days without water, and 3 weeks without food.”
The last piece of advice that has saved me on numerous occasions is to utilize spray-paint whenever you can. This mechanic was very recently added with the Fearless Navigator update, and allows the player to “tag” locations of importance (such as a dangerous bear cave or stockpile of important supplies) with specific symbols that will appear on the player’s map. I would highly advise obtaining spray-paint as early as possible and using it on every location that could be considered a landmark. Not only will this tell you where certain dangers or niceties are located, it is an extremely efficient way to triangulate your position on the immense map; something that can save your life if you get caught in a blizzard or have become inexplicably lost. I hope these tips will help some of you “aspiring survivalists” to last just a little bit longer in this trying (but enjoyable game). Good luck and stay safe!
Truthful Game Reviews for the Adult Player 