Tag: Directive 8020

After collecting a sample of the alien substance for the crew to analyze in The Dark Pictures Anthology: Directive 8020, the fourth episode begins with Simms still missing somewhere near the crashed Cassiopeia. The crew continues searching for her, and at least one of your team members has already died, possibly more.

Several factors in episode four, called Dragnet, will vary based on the choices you’ve made previously. Your decisions and the lives you choose to save or not will significantly influence the story progression during this part of Directive 8020.

Ghost – The Growth

During the first part of episode four, you are again trying to hide from Williams, this time as Cooper and Anders. Your immediate goal is to scan the door beyond Williams to distract him, allowing you to sneak past once it’s safe. Anders recognizes that she can use nearby security cameras to guide Cooper, making her insight valuable. This kicks off the Overwatch scene.

Wait for Williams to go into the room you just opened, then quickly slip behind him. Be cautious to stay out of sight from the windows ahead, as Williams will look through them regardless of how fast you are. Once he leaves, head through the door on the right of the locked one he’s peering into and enter the vents. Proceed to the end, but don’t exit yet — wait for Williams to pass again, as he opens the vent cover and might spot you if you’re not behind the wall.

When he’s gone, leave the vent and run toward the kitchen, prepared to hide. Duck behind the desk to the left of the door and wait for Williams to pass, then enter the kitchen. Exit through the window as Anders advised, and be ready to hide again behind the desk when you emerge, since Williams will be nearby. He’ll check the far right and left sides before leaving, giving you a clean shot to override the door on the left and allow Anders inside.

Follow Anders as she moves through the open door to finish this scene by reaching the elevator and returning to the present. Several potential outcomes for the Overwatch scene depend on your earlier decisions:

• If you manage to escape without being caught and Stafford is alive, you’ll leave this scene unscathed, unlocking the Escaped path.
• If you’re caught by Williams and Stafford is dead from the Tau Ceti F crash, she will fight him and find a way to escape, unlocking the Defend path.

Both scenarios lead to Eisele providing a damage report on the Cassiopeia, and your choices here will influence character traits, helping to shape their destinies.

Trap – Fight

Based on a strategy meeting, Simms is known to be in the maintenance tunnels. Most of the crew are hesitant, but Eisele has designed the system to help trap Simms by sealing the tunnels gradually. You’ll control Young, checking the comms unit for optional conversations that can affect her traits. Your main task is to move between checkpoints in the vents and locate three waypoints to corner the enemy.

If you saved Simms earlier in the game, her body will be found here. After Young emerges from the vents, Eisele notes she still senses movement, even though no one appears to be caught. Suddenly, Young is attacked from behind and falls to a lower level. Cooper tells her she needs to extend the drawbridge to escape her attacker.

The monster wakes up and continues to attack, pushing you into the Drawbridge scene. In this dark, tight space, escaping requires careful navigation and constant checks of your waypoint and scanner. You’ll have to run around behind yourself, loop back to the stairs, and follow the waypoint to the Bridge Control panel.

Restore power to the panel by visiting the battery box marked on your map. Then, override the sealed door while keeping enough distance from the monster. If it catches you, you’ll trigger the Spotted outcome; if not, you’ll proceed further.

During the fight scene where Young defends herself, success depends on quick reaction to QTE prompts. You have a limited number of chances to stun the monster, making timing crucial. If you’re caught, the scene will end differently depending on your choices—either young escapes unharmed, or she gets injured, such as losing an eye.

The chapter concludes with a message from Eisele, who reports on the ongoing situation, and your decisions here will continue to influence character development and the unfolding story.

No matter if Carter managed to send a message in the previous part of Directive 8020, the fifth game in the Dark Pictures series, you’ll start the second episode with the rest of the Casseopeia crew waking up without Carter and Simms. They’re confused about what stopped them from waking properly.

Explore different parts of the ship and get to know the crew a little better. The choices you make for your crew members will influence their personalities and how their stories unfold in this second chapter.

BIRTHDAY – 0 DEATH
[Image of Eisele sharing her concerns with Stafford]

The second chapter of Directive 8020 introduces you to Brianna Young, a new astronaut on the mission to Tau Ceti F, and Nolan Stafford, a veteran commander heading out on his last mission before retirement. Stafford used to work with Brianna’s father. The first main scene celebrates what would have been Bill Young’s birthday.

EYES OPEN
You’re back on the Casseopeia as Brianna is woken from deep sleep by Laura Eisele. Laura is frantic because the ship’s computer, Oracle, woke her up unexpectedly, instead of Carter and Simms. Throughout the episode, Laura expresses her concerns, and Brianna’s mission is to talk with Stafford at the far end of the ship and wake Mitchell as best as possible.

Along the way, Stafford and Eisele discuss Eisele’s irritation that the Sleep Crew didn’t wake them up. She suggests checking security cameras. Stafford might try to persuade her either way. Then the scene shifts to Little Faith, where Mitchell asks Stafford how he feels about Anders, the science officer called in to replace a crew member whose situation remains uncertain. This moment is a key turning point for the game.

[Image of approach decision]: You can choose how to approach a conversation about the new recruit:

– Trust: Convince Stafford to dismiss suspicions about Anders and trust the ship’s system.
– Doubt: Reassure Mitchell but express some doubts about the new crew member.

Afterward, control returns to Young, who and Eisele head to the Reactor Room to restore power in the scene called Ship Shape.

When restoring power, you’ll decide whether to cut power to the Fire Control systems or the Landing Computer, affecting how the ship’s systems respond. This choice triggers the second major turning point of the episode, where Oracle suggests shutting down one system before fully restoring power. Either action will complete the power check.

Stafford and Eisele discuss Young and Mitchell, with Eisele again questioning Carter and Simms. She considers reviewing their logs. You can agree or dismiss her concerns, impacting Stafford’s traits:

– Accept her proposal but remind her everyone is on the same team.
– Dismiss her suspicion and focus on fixing the ship.

Next, the scene titled 0 Death begins with Mitchell and Young discussing what to do if they die in space. Mitchell jokingly asks if she’d open the airlock and send him floating out. You can choose to disapprove or joke along, which updates their characters’ traits.

Once finished, the episode moves into the Evidence – Booster Ring scene. No matter how you handled the earlier scenes, Eisele checks security logs, reviewing footage from the previous episode. She notices anomalies in the recordings, which vary depending on who survived the last episode—Simms or Carter. Eisele then shares her suspicions with Stafford.

You have options here:

– Question her suspicions: Leads to a trait change later.
– Accuse her: Opens more dialogue options and opportunities for trait updates.

In the scene called Radio, Simms reports interference affecting communication. This is followed by Booster Ring, where Eisele explains the ship’s approach to Tau Ceti F’s orbit. Mitchell prefers landing as scheduled, but Stafford emphasizes their operational priorities. The scene ends with the booster ring detaching from the ship.

SLEUTH – DEAD WEIGHT
[Image of exploring crew quarters]

Eisele again controls the story and decides to investigate the Sleep Technician’s Quarters, despite Stafford’s orders. She searches for clues that might confirm her suspicions about the crew. The investigation involves exploring the crew quarters, including the second floor, which overlooks a statue in the center of the area. Unlocking the locked door involves scanning a lockdown panel; inside, you can find secrets like the code to Carter’s computer or collectible notes.

In Carter’s quarters, find her computer and enter the birthday on the calendar—August 28, or 0828—to access her files. There are 11 secrets scattered throughout the quarters plus a recording from Simms.

As Eisele, you can choose to Question or Accuse her. Questioning offers paths to gather more details, while accusing may lead to different reactions and traits.

[Image of Eisele approaching the vent]

Eisele then attempts to leave through the door Simms used, but she’s quick to lock it and shut down the airlock in an effort to kill her. You have Quick Time Events (QTE) where you can plead, threaten, or stay silent. The outcome depends on your choices. If successful, Eisele escapes, heading toward a vent system to contact the crew.

Once outside, she finds an obstacle blocking the vent. She must identify the source of the obstruction to finish the episode. Moving through the vent system, she eventually reaches a point where she must act fast to avoid being caught or suffocated.

Finally, after making her way out, Eisele encounters an obstruction that needs to be cleared from the vent to proceed. The episode closes with her efforts to contact the ship’s crew and survive.