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About The Long Dark
The Long Dark drops you into a frozen Canadian wilderness after a geomagnetic disaster. With no zombies, only cold, wildlife and scarce supplies, you must manage hunger, thirst, fatigue and temperature to stay alive. The game offers a free‑form Survival Mode where death erases your save, and the episodic narrative mode WINTERMUTE, which lets you save progress. Both modes share a vast 50+ km world, over 100 gear items and a range of wildlife threats.
01 / THE GUIDE
Survival Mode
Survival Mode is a non‑narrative sandbox where every decision matters; death deletes your save. You monitor hunger, thirst, fatigue and cold while gathering resources, hunting wildlife and crafting gear. The mode includes four Experience settings—from quiet Pilgrim to harsh Interloper—and a Custom option for tailored difficulty.
The world spans more than 50 km across twelve regions, offering tools, weapons, clothing and first‑aid items. Time and calories are limited, so careful planning of routes and actions is essential.
- Track your calorie burn to avoid unexpected exhaustion.
- Start with Pilgrim Mode to learn mechanics before increasing difficulty.
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WINTERMUTE Episodes
WINTERMUTE is the episodic story mode featuring four released episodes and a fifth pending release. Players control bush pilot Will Mackenzie or Dr. Astrid Greenwood as they search for each other after a plane crash, encountering towns, convicts and mysterious trappers.
Unlike Survival Mode, WINTERMUTE allows you to save progress at any time and does not feature permadeath. All five episodes are included with the base purchase.
- Use the save function frequently to avoid losing narrative progress.
- Listen to voice performances for additional story context.
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Wildlife Threats
The game populates the wilderness with wolves, bears, moose, rabbits, deer, crows and more. These animals can hunt you, and you can also hunt them for food and materials. Encounters are part of the survival challenge and can lead to injury or death if unprepared.
Some challenge modes focus on specific wildlife, such as Hunted, where you must escape a murderous bear.
- Carry a weapon before entering known predator zones.
- Learn animal behavior patterns to avoid surprise attacks.
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Challenge Modes
Beyond the sandbox, The Long Dark offers standalone Challenge Modes lasting 1‑3 hours each. Examples include Whiteout, a race to gather supplies before a blizzard, and Hunted, an escape from a bear. Completing challenges unlocks Feats that provide long‑term benefits in Survival Mode.
Additional challenges such as Hopeless Rescue, Nomad and Archivist expand the variety of short‑term objectives.
- Attempt a short challenge first to learn its specific goals.
- Earn Feats to ease future Survival runs.
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Platform and Controller Support
The Long Dark runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, and supports full controller input, including DualShock, DualSense and Steam Input API. Features such as Adjustable Text Size, Camera Comfort and Subtitle Options improve accessibility.
Steam Cloud, Remote Play on TV and Family Sharing are also supported, allowing progress to sync across devices.
- Enable Adjustable Text Size for clearer UI on small screens.
- Use Remote Play on TV for a couch‑friendly experience.
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