The Long Dark Episode 1 Guides:
- The Long Dark – Memories Walkthrough / Episode 1 Chapter 1
- The Long Dark – The Crash Walkthrough / Episode 1 Chapter 2
- The Long Dark – The Grey Mother Walkthrough / Episode 1 Chapter 3
- The Long Dark – Paradise Lost Walkthrough / Episode 1 Chapter 4
Chapter 4: Paradise Lost Walkthrough
Well that was sad. I don’t know about you, but I really like Grey Mother. For those who just wanted to steal her rifle from the get-go, take solace in the fact that you don’t have to deal with her anymore.
Anyways! Head upstairs and unlock the chest. You’ll get some nice items and the all-important mountaineering rope. Take any magic soup left out for you and use Grey Mother’s magic fire to do any last-minute cooking. And talk to Grey Mother if you want to activate the sidequest “One Last Thing”.
Time to head out! Leave Milton as if you’re going to the gas station and follow the signs with the hiker on them.
Keep going, past the ranger station until you come to a picnic area. You want to attach your mountaineering rope to the rock pictured below.
As Will says, you won’t be coming back to Milton once you go down the rope. So, finish up your remaining side-quests, check every corner of Milton, etc…
You can’t go down the rope if you’re encumbered, so this is a good time to practice inventory management. The next area is generous with the items, so don’t worry too much about messing up. Make sure your clothes are ~100% condition (cloth is heavy), and don’t leave the hatchet behind! Coffee is also nice to bring. When you’re ready, click on the rope and head down the cliff.
Ouch. Time certainly took a toll on that rope. Well, gotta move forward. It’s a mostly linear path, but keep an eye out for climbing area signs.
And look who we have here! It’s Methuselah, who has somehow moved from the gas station without Will noticing.
Anyways, go ahead and speak to him. The dialogue will change based on whether or not you killed Hobbs. If you spared him, Methuselah wonders if Will can maintain his merciful nature through the trials to come. If you killed him, Methuselah questions if such an unforgiving attitude is the right one to take in a world where civilization as we know it has ended.
Either way, you should keep moving. As you follow the signs, you’ll eventually come across another climbing area with a rope already set up.
Since you’re climbing up instead of down, this trip will exhaust you much more. Make sure your tiredness bar is at least half full (completely full is best). Drink any coffee if you have it, and start climbing the rope.
Once you’re at the top, it’s pretty much a straight shot. If you’re not sure where to go, head for the waterfalls. You’ll have to climb over the fallen tree to advance. After some time, you’ll come across a cave. Like the previous one, this cave is linear; any detours will lead to dead ends in short order. So, keep going until you find the cave exit. There’ll be an exciting scene where Will sees a man being mauled by a bear and then the episode ends (yay cliffhangers!).