The connections you make in The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes can significantly influence how the game unfolds and determine who survives the narrative. It can be quite challenging to keep all characters alive due to a series of quick-time events and pivotal decisions you’ll encounter, with numerous key moments potentially leading to a character’s demise.
Note: This article contains spoilers for the conclusion of House of Ashes.
In the game, you will guide up to five characters, each with intricate relationships that can change based on your actions. As they become trapped in a Sumerian temple, they are forced to collaborate in order to navigate the threats lurking within. Throughout House of Ashes, special premonitions provide hints that may direct you away from perilous decisions, although interpreting these can often be tricky.
How to Save Everyone: Steps 1–5
Cultivate Strong Bonds Among Characters
To achieve the best possible ending in House of Ashes, it’s essential to nurture positive relationships between characters whenever possible. Start by making choices that build up their connections rather than create conflict. For example, opting for kind, sincere, or optimistic dialogue options early on strengthens relationships and unlocks further choices as the storyline progresses.
Without guidance, preserving all characters can seem nearly impossible, even when you have a basic understanding of the best choices. Following the steps below increases your chances of saving each character:
| Step | Recommended Action |
|---|---|
| Air Support | At the story’s outset, Eric should request air support as Jason advises. This can eliminate certain threats later on. |
| The Farmer | Avoid shooting the farmer with Jason during the raid. This choice fosters a future alliance that helps both Salim and Jason. |
| Merwin | Keep Merwin alive; fail Nick’s quick-time event during his morphine scene and take the safer route to ensure his survival. |
| The Rope | When Dar chases Rachel and Eric, decide to allow Rachel to fall, ensuring her survival while risking Eric’s. |
| Salim’s QTE | Successfully completing a quick-time event while Salim runs from the monster reveals its weakness, which proves helpful later. |
There are over 60 distinct deaths in House of Ashes, making it tough to ensure the survival of all characters, especially with some quick-time events being less impactful than they appear.
How to Save Everyone: Steps 6–10
Be Supportive, Not Combative
The subsequent steps to ensure everyone’s safety hinge on how you manage character interactions. Despite the tense atmosphere, fostering supportive relationships will unveil new choices if you maintain a calm demeanor. Watch the video by YouTube creator 100% Guides for further insights.
Following a similar strategy to that used in A Little Hope and other installments of The Dark Pictures Anthology, the next crucial decisions as the story unfolds are outlined below:
| Step | Recommended Action |
|---|---|
| Medical Kit | When Nick hears Joey, send Jason to watch Merwin and bring Eric to seek Joey. Take the left, darker path for the medical kit. |
| Nick and Salim | Enhance the bond between Nick and Salim by selecting encouraging dialogue when Salim discusses the monster. |
| Sneak By The Monster | Successfully execute a series of quick-time events while sneaking past the monster. |
| Clarice | Support Clarice emotionally when she reveals the monsters’ parasite. Rachel needs to abandon Clarice during her transition. |
| The Stake | In the prologue’s chamber, have Jason pick up a stake for defense against Joey. |
If you’ve followed these actions correctly, you are likely well on your way to saving everyone. However, the final choices are crucial, and any misstep during the last intense quick-time event for a character could undo all your prior successes.
How to Save Everyone: Final Steps
Make Your Last Decisions Count; It All Comes Down to This
Similar to previous titles in The Dark Pictures Anthology, the outcome of your choices culminates in the final hour or two of gameplay, where you face frantic scenarios requiring swift action. House of Ashes amplifies this, demanding you remain poised for any situation as you approach the final sequences:
| Step | Recommended Action |
|---|---|
| Machine Gun | Have Rachel operate the machine gun to allow for team escape by successfully completing the QTE. |
| Crucifix | Choose the crucifix over the rifle when facing Kurum. |
| Salim’s Shot | During the assault, have Salim prioritize shooting the creature attacking Rachel to keep her alive. |
| Saving Eric | While playing as Rachel, opt to save Eric instead of retreating during the assault. |
| The White Phosphorus | When Rachel raises her knife, wait out the QTE instead of slashing, leading to unforeseen consequences. |
| Going Back For Salim | As Jason, return to aid Salim during his distress call. If you succeed at the QTE during this attempt, both can survive. |
| The Final Stand | Successfully completing a QTE for every character during the last mission is essential, as failing one can lead to death. |
If you navigate each of these sequences correctly during the Final Stand, all characters can survive after the events of the game. Completing the story with everyone alive unlocks "The Golden Path" trophy/achievement, a rare acknowledgment of your relationship-building efforts throughout the gameplay. By sticking to your plan and paying attention to the premonitions, you’ll boost your chances of saving every character in The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes.
Source: 100% Guides/YouTube