Category: survival horror

Black Tides – A Dredge Survival Diary Log 6: Gale Cliffs at Last

Black Tides – Log 6: Gale Cliffs at Last

Platform: Steam Deck
Mode: Normal
Format: No Commentary

Video: shrine puzzle solved, boat upgraded, Gale Cliffs reached, strange waters discovered, and Hermit quest begins (no commentary)

After loading back in, it became clear I hadn’t learned anything from the last trip. I went straight back out into the dark, realised almost immediately that was a mistake, and turned around for Greater Marrow. I waited for dawn instead of pushing my luck again, then went back to what I should have been doing in the first place — fishing.

The shrine I found earlier kept coming to mind. It wanted curved fish, and the only thing I’d caught so far that fit that description was cod. They sit at a right angle in storage, so that seemed close enough. I went out looking specifically for them, and while I was at it I realised I had enough materials to upgrade the boat again. This time I added more space for fishing rods, which should make things easier once I start working deeper water.

Once I had enough cod, I headed back to the shrine. That meant going out at night again, which I wasn’t thrilled about, but I wanted to be ready to head for the Gale Cliffs at first light, so it made sense at the time. After dropping the fish into the shrine, I was given a new rod — a sinew spindle. From what I can tell, it slightly increases the chance of catching aberrations. If that’s true, I expect I’ll be seeing more of them whether I want to or not.

As soon as dawn came, I set a course for the Gale Cliffs. On the way, I came across a wreck that looked strangely familiar. The hull shape was the same as my own boat, just less equipped. I don’t know if that means anything, but it didn’t feel like a coincidence. I pulled what materials I could from the wreck and continued on.

I stopped at Ingfell once I reached the Cliffs and spoke to a few of the locals. One of them, a whaler, didn’t seem too happy about being there. Another asked me to catch an aged conger eel, which apparently means letting one rot first. Naturally, that means night fishing again.

I also met the travelling merchant, who might be the most cheerful person I’ve met since this started. They’re willing to buy fish, sell equipment, and even handle ship upgrades, which makes this place a lot more useful than I expected. They also mentioned the photographer again, which I’d completely forgotten about, and asked me to keep an eye out for certain fish while I was working the area.

While exploring the Cliffs, I saw something I still don’t have a proper explanation for. Water was shooting upward out of the sea, like a whirlpool going the wrong way. When I got closer, it vanished. I decided not to question it too much and kept moving.

Night fell while I was still out, and I spotted a red light near what looked like a small town further along the cliffs. I couldn’t reach it directly, but I did find a place to dock nearby. There I met a hermit who said he wanted to return to Ingfell to speak to his brother, but refused to leave without a family crest that had been lost somewhere in the cliffs. He marked the location on my map and warned me to watch out for some kind of creature in the area. Not exactly reassuring.

I tried to reach the town the red light was coming from, but the way forward was blocked. After speaking to the hermit again, he suggested I talk to the whaler back in Ingfell, which I decided could wait until morning. The last time I went chasing red lights in the dark, I ended up at the bottom of the sea. I’m not making that mistake twice in the same day.

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Black Tides – A Dredge Survival Diary Log 5: Faster Engines, Worse Decisions

Black Tides – Log 5: Faster Engines, Worse Decisions

Platform: Steam Deck
Mode: Normal
Format: No Commentary

Video: Engine damage, night fishing, strange shrine discovered, upgrades installed, and a failed night run (no commentary)

The plan was simple this time. Head for the Gale Cliffs and see what was waiting there. Naturally, it didn’t go to plan. I decided to make use of the haste ability the Collector gave me, and while it did exactly what it promised, it also destroyed one of my engines in the process. With the boat down to half speed, I didn’t have much choice but to limp back to Greater Marrow and get it repaired.

That made the decision for me. If I’m going anywhere new, I need better equipment first. Better equipment means upgrades, and upgrades mean money. So the next few days were spent doing what I seem to do best — fishing.

I split my time between day trips and short runs at night, staying close to the coastline around Greater Marrow. I caught a few abnormal fish along the way. If I’m honest, they don’t unsettle me as much now. At this point I almost expect to pull one up every time I head out. They sell well enough, which makes it easier to justify keeping them.

After a bit of grinding, I finally had enough money saved to upgrade my engines. The plan was to replace both of my current outboards with improved ones. I bought the first, sold my old engines, and went to buy the second — only to realise the shop only had one available. Apparently I need to wait until the next day for another to come in. That one’s on me for assuming I could do it all at once.

With the new engine installed, I started getting a little more confident and began heading out at night more often, though still keeping close to the coastline. During one of those trips I came across something glowing in the water. It looked like a stone covered in carvings of fish, almost like it was asking for something to be offered to it. I had no idea what it meant, so I left it alone for the time being.

Later that night, after catching another abnormal fish, I headed back to the dock to sell it. On the way in, I noticed something moving in the water behind the boat. I couldn’t get a clear look at it, but it stayed with me long enough to make the trip back feel longer than it should have. Whatever it was, it didn’t follow me into the harbour.

The next day I continued working the coastline and found what looked like the remains of a wrecked dock. There were materials scattered around it, along with a research part and a few trinkets I could sell. Worth the detour.

While I was out that way, I remembered the Builder I helped move to Steel Point and decided to stop by. It gave me a chance to properly test the new engine, and the difference was noticeable straight away. The boat feels quicker now, which should make longer trips a bit less painful.

The Builder thanked me again for the help and handed me a book, saying I could use her dock whenever I needed. Having another safe place to stop for the night isn’t something I’m going to complain about.

Once I had enough money saved again, I upgraded the light on the boat so I could see further into the dark. That seemed like a sensible improvement, so naturally I went out to test it straight away.

While heading along the water, I spotted a red glow in the distance and decided to take a closer look. I didn’t get the chance. Something came out of the dark and started chasing the boat. The only way I can describe it is like a giant angler fish. I tried to reverse away from it, but hit the rocks instead. That was enough for it to catch up, and the next thing I knew the boat was gone.

So that answers one question. I won’t be heading out at night any time soon if that’s the sort of thing waiting out there.

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Black Tides – Log 4

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Black Tides – A Dredge Survival Diary Log 4: Steel Point Before the Cliffs

Black Tides – Log 4: Steel Point Before the Cliffs

Platform: Steam Deck
Mode: Normal
Format: No Commentary

Video: Steel Point delivery, Builder relocation, new aberrations caught, reel upgraded, and engine planning (no commentary)

I know where the Collector told me to go next, but if I’m heading anywhere new, I’d rather upgrade the vessel first. I also said I’d help the Builder relocate to Steel Point, and that still needed doing. Money doesn’t appear on its own either, which means fishing, which means accepting that I’m going to see more abnormal specimens sooner or later.

Steel Point was my first priority. I was slightly surprised not to see the Builder there already. I assumed once I delivered the lumber and scrap she would appear. Instead, I found myself doing some careful inventory management while dredging for the remaining materials. There’s only so much space on the boat, and every time I have to throw fish away it feels wasteful. Fresh fish sells better, though, and if I’m out longer than planned the profit drops. With the fog hanging thick over the water, I knew there was little chance of safely making it back to Greater Marrow at night. Thankfully, Steel Point allows docking. I rested there rather than forcing the crossing in poor visibility.

Even after completing the material delivery, the Builder still wasn’t present at Steel Point. That was unexpected. I eventually returned to Greater Marrow, fishing along the way to avoid wasting the trip, and only then did I realise she was still standing exactly where I had left her.

After selling my catch and reviewing potential upgrades, I set my sights on new engines and a reel capable of handling oceanic fish. If I’m going to the Gale Cliffs, I want the boat capable of dealing with deeper waters.

When I spoke to the Builder, it turned out she required transport to Steel Point as well. Fair enough. I ferried her across and received a couple of research parts in return. That was enough to unlock a new engine upgrade. The Gale Cliffs are still a distance away, but they’re beginning to feel more reachable. The Builder also said about visiting her so that is now on the to do list.

I’ve also noticed lightning in the sky since handing the key over to the Collector. I can’t say whether the two events are linked, but the timing stands out. I’ll keep an eye on it as things progress.

The following day or two were spent building funds and materials. Fishing, dredging, refining the boat. I encountered more abnormal specimens during that time — a Lumpy Mackerel and a Horned Grouper. Whatever they are, they sell well enough. Between them and the rest of the haul, I earned enough to upgrade one of my reels. Oceanic fishing is now possible.

I still want better engines before committing to the next region. The Gale Cliffs aren’t going anywhere. Progress has been steady, and the vessel is improving piece by piece. I’d rather arrive prepared than regret rushing it.

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Black Tides – Log 3

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Black Tides – A Dredge Survival Diary Log 3: Haste, Cliffs, and Loose Ends

Black Tides – Log 3: Haste, Cliffs, and Loose Ends

Platform: Steam Deck
Mode: Normal
Format: No Commentary

Video: Grotesque Mackerel caught, Little Marrow revisited, shipwreck explored, key delivered, haste unlocked, and Gale Cliffs introduced (no commentary)

I had intended to head straight to Blackstone Isle, but those plans shifted quickly. My first catch of the day was a Grotesque Mackerel. I’m not entirely convinced it counts as an aberration. It may simply be an unfortunate-looking fish. Either way, I brought it to the fishmonger. It was exactly what he wanted. He handed over a couple of research parts, told me to leave, and promptly locked the door behind me.

With the fishmonger closed for the time being, I decided to head back to Little Marrow. I had meant to speak to the trader on my last visit and forgot. He offered to buy any trinkets I dredge up, which seems practical enough. I had one item I could sell him, so the introduction was productive.

At the docks, I spoke to a grieving father. He told me of a shipwreck where his son had been lost and asked me to retrieve a belt buckle. When I asked about anything unusual happening around here, he mentioned an old mayor who used to throw items into the sea. That was as much as he was willing to share.

I made for the shipwreck location. I recovered the belt buckle along with a few materials useful for upgrading the boat. I returned the buckle to the father, then spoke to the painter about customising the vessel. I haven’t decided whether that’s necessary.

From there I returned to Greater Marrow, selected some upgrades to research, and visited the shipwright to install a new fishing line. She mentioned that the red light I had been watching for had disappeared. That answers that, for now.

I rested until dawn and then made for Blackstone Isle. I handed the key over to the Collector. In return, he read from his book and granted me the ability to cast haste. It provides a useful boost to the engines, though it increases panic while active. He then suggested I travel to the Gale Cliffs to retrieve the next artifact. I have other matters to attend to first.

Instead, I spent some time dredging for additional materials before returning toward Greater Marrow. I tested haste along the way. It works as described. Faster travel, though not without consequence.

The lighthouse keeper greeted me when I docked, though she seemed momentarily confused. She said my engine sounded like that of an old friend’s vessel. I didn’t have much to add to that.

The fishmonger had reopened, so I returned to fishing. The haul was decent, including a Snag Squid. I sold what I caught and docked for the night.

If I’m heading toward the Gale Cliffs, I want the boat properly prepared first. I still need to complete the delivery to Steel Point and secure further upgrades. There’s no reason to rush into rougher waters unprepared. That can wait until next time.

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Black Tides – A Dredge Survival Diary Log 2: Blackstone Isle and Better Judgement

Black Tides – Log 2: Blackstone and Better Judgement

Platform: Steam Deck
Mode: Normal
Format: No Commentary

Video: Crab pots deployed, abnormal specimen caught, Blackstone Isle visited, dredging unlocked, and a key recovered at dusk (no commentary)

With the debt settled, I needed something practical to focus on. The fishmonger still wanted two different crabs, so that seemed straightforward enough. After learning how to use the crab pot properly, I dropped it in and left it to work. While moving between fishing spots, I realised I had a telescope mounted to the boat. Using it made identifying fishing locations much easier, which meant my inventory filled quickly. I made a short return trip to Greater Marrow to sell the haul. The fishmonger reminded me about the red light I’d mentioned wanting to investigate. I still didn’t know where it was exactly. I just knew I intended to find it.

A little more fishing later, I completed the sustainable fishing book. Convenient timing, as I had three more fish ready to sell. The fishmonger mentioned abnormal specimens and how sometimes you can spot them by the way the surface of the water looks. He didn’t say it like it was unusual. Just part of the job.

As daylight started to thin, I aimed the boat toward where I believed the red beam might be. I didn’t have a precise direction, only a rough idea. The fog rolled in quickly and reduced visibility to almost nothing. I couldn’t see far enough ahead to feel comfortable continuing, so I turned back toward Greater Marrow. On the way, I collected a crab from the pot, sold what I could, installed a new engine for a bit more speed, and ended the day there. No reason to get stranded trying to prove a point.

The next morning, I moved the crab pot into deeper water. I wasn’t certain it would improve the catch, but it seemed worth testing. While scanning for fishing spots, I found one emitting a strange glow beneath the surface. I didn’t have the appropriate equipment for it yet, so I left it alone, though I did retrieve a message in a bottle nearby. Not long after, I located a usable fishing spot and pulled up a Cyclopean Flounder. It matched the description of the abnormal specimens I’d been told about. It didn’t look right, but it didn’t look impossible either.

I brought it back to the fishmonger. He inspected it calmly and found a handkerchief tucked inside. He handed it to me without much comment. I sold the rest of my catch and returned to the boat.

That was when I noticed someone watching through the cabin window. He said he knew about the handkerchief and asked me to meet him at Blackstone Isle. It was close enough to reach before dark, so I agreed.

Blackstone Isle houses a mansion. The man introduced himself as a collector. I gave him the handkerchief, and he confirmed it came from a ship he was searching for. In return, he offered to upgrade my vessel with dredging equipment if I agreed to retrieve five items for him: a ring, a necklace, a watch, a music box, and a key. He didn’t provide locations, only suggested I look around shipwrecks. I accepted. The dredging equipment was fitted immediately.

Before leaving the area, I checked the crab pot again and found the second crab required for the fishmonger’s order.

Back in Greater Marrow, the mayor asked if I had encountered a photographer heading south. He suggested I introduce myself if I found her. I handed over the final crab, and the fishmonger immediately gave me another request: bring him an abnormal fish. He didn’t care which one.

I spoke to a builder who wanted to leave town. She needed two units of lumber and two units of scrap delivered to Steel Point. After that, the lighthouse keeper told me about a nearby shipwreck. By the time I reached it, dusk had almost fully settled in, but I located one of the collector’s requested items: a key.

I considered continuing on in search of the source of the red light, but the fog was already thickening and visibility was poor. I knew I would struggle to navigate safely. Instead, I turned back toward Greater Marrow and docked for the night. Blackstone Isle was within reach, but I saw no reason to risk myself for a man I had only just met.

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Black Tides – A Dredge Survival Diary Log 1: Fog, Favors, and Fishing on Borrowed Time

Black Tides – Log 1: Fog, Favors, and Fishing on Borrowed Time

Platform: Steam Deck
Mode: Normal
Format: No Commentary

Video: Shipwreck, first days in Greater Marrow, loan boat upgrades, special orders, fog panic, and the red light sighting (no commentary)

We begin on a boat with no context and a single instruction: Angler Wanted. Before I can decide whether that was a good idea, the sea answers for me. Fog rolls in thick and immediate. Rocks appear too late. The hull gives way without ceremony. The next thing I know, I’m waking beside a lighthouse that apparently exists more for decoration than navigation.

The town is called Greater Marrow. The mayor meets me at the dock as if shipwrecked strangers are part of the morning routine. He’s calm, helpful, almost like he rehearsed it. He replaces my ruined vessel with another and suggests I fish to get my bearings. One instruction matters more than the rest: return before dark. I don’t question it. I head out, fill the hold with whatever bites, and turn back while the sky still holds light.

Back at port, the mayor informs me my original boat is beyond repair. The replacement is mine on loan. I sell my catch to the fishmonger, and part of the earnings go toward the debt. Fifty dollars. Manageable. Survival often is, at first.

The mayor hands me a research part and points me toward the shipwright. They deal in upgrades and repairs. I install an extra engine and use the research to unlock an improved outboard. Day one ends with a slightly faster boat and a slightly smaller debt.

Day two begins smoother. The new engine makes a difference immediately. I fish efficiently and find a note sealed inside a bottle. It feels deliberate. I suspect there will be more of them. I stay out later than intended. Darkness creeps in faster than expected. Behind Greater Marrow, a red pillar of light cuts into the sky. It stands there, patient. I ignore it for now.

The fishmonger has a special order: a gulf flounder and a grey eel. That means new equipment. I dent the loan again, visit the shipwright, and purchase the required rod. Preparation ends the day.

On the third morning, the lighthouse keeper questions my presence. I tell her I’m here to fish. She listens, but I don’t think she believes that’s the whole story. The mayor asks for a simple delivery to Little Marrow. It’s a short crossing. The dockworker pays me with a book on sustainable fishing. Useful. It reads itself as I travel.

I catch two stingray. They occupy more space than they’re worth, but they clear my remaining debt when sold. The mayor opens access to the dry dock, though upgrades require materials I don’t yet have. Expansion will have to wait.

I return to finish the fishmonger’s order. Arrow squid and black grouper follow. The squid shift locations as if aware they’re being hunted, or perhaps the fog distorts more than visibility. Panic rises when I linger in it too long. I learn quickly that staying out after dark carries consequences that aren’t always visible.

The eel is delivered. Another special order replaces it. Then another. This time: crabs. I’m handed a crab pot and instructed to wait. Patience becomes part of the trade.

Before ending the third day, I strengthen the boat further. A more powerful light. An upgraded engine. Small advantages against a coastline that doesn’t feel entirely natural.

Three days in, the debt is cleared. The boat is faster. The sea is watchful. And the red light remains.

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Isolation Protocol: An Alien Isolation Survival Diary – Log 4: The Cost of Opening Doors

Isolation Protocol Log 4: The Cost of Opening Doors

Platform: Steam Deck
Difficulty: Medium
Rule Set: Apex Predator Rule Active

Video: Lockdown disabled, Xenomorph encounter, motion tracker acquired, Working Joes escalate (no commentary)

I need to lift the lockdown. I’m not convinced that is the right move.

The corridor I needed was sealed off completely. Doors red. Shutters down. No obvious way around it. I checked a nearby terminal first, hoping for something reassuring in the logs, but all I found was confusion. Staff unsure what was happening. Systems failing. No one really in control. It read like a station that already knew it was in trouble.

Eventually I disabled the security measures. There wasn’t another viable route forward. The moment I did, there was a metallic shift above me — subtle, but unmistakable once you recognise it. I barely had time to register the sound before it dropped from the ceiling.

The Xenomorph.

It landed with control. No rush. No panic. Just deliberate movement. I slid under the nearest desk and stayed perfectly still, forcing myself not to adjust position or overcorrect the camera. Its tail moved in and out of view at the edge of my vision, slow and patient. I couldn’t tell if it genuinely hadn’t seen me or if it simply hadn’t decided I was worth the effort yet.

After a stretch of silence that felt far longer than it probably was, it moved through the doorway I had just reopened. That was when it settled in. I hadn’t cleared an obstacle. I had expanded its territory.

The Rule Becomes Real

This was the moment the Apex Predator Rule stopped being theoretical. Five deaths to it and the run ends. If I complete the station and finish the game, I win. Everything else is background noise. The humans don’t decide the outcome. The androids don’t decide the outcome. The thing in the vents does.

Narrowing the threat makes it sharper. I don’t have to fear everything equally. I just have to respect it.

The Room Beyond

The next door required another hack. I matched the symbols more carefully than usual, fully aware that the ceiling mattered just as much as the floor. When the door opened, I heard screaming before I saw anything. It was already in the room.

I stayed back and watched it move. It was quick and disturbingly controlled. There was no frenzy in the way it hunted — just intent. Then it climbed into a vent. Right above where I needed to go to progress.

For a moment I stood there weighing whether to wait or gamble. I also noticed something I hadn’t seen before: it left someone alive. I’ve watched it clear this exact room without hesitation in previous playthroughs. This time it didn’t. That unpredictability unsettled me more than the violence did.

I moved carefully after that. Another terminal. Another quiet hack. When the door shut behind me, I saw it further down the corridor. Not charging. Not searching wildly. Just present.

That felt intentional.

The Working Joes

The Working Joes were calm at first. Polite. Neutral. One instructed me to sit down and wait for assistance. I declined. Waiting has not proven to be a reliable survival strategy here.

I explained that I needed to contact the Torrens. The response was measured but unhelpful. Whether they couldn’t assist or simply wouldn’t was impossible to tell. Their tone never changes, and that makes them difficult to read.

I kept moving and eventually found something more useful than conversation: the motion tracker.

The Motion Tracker

It’s a small device, but it changes everything. For the first time, I wasn’t relying purely on sound and instinct. When it pinged behind me and I was already prepared for movement, I realised how exposed I had been before.

It doesn’t remove the fear. It just gives it structure.

The Shift

The change didn’t build gradually. It flipped.

A man panicked. I didn’t fully understand what he was trying to do, but his actions triggered something within the station’s systems — within Apollo itself. Whatever line the Working Joes had been standing behind vanished.

Their tone flattened further. Their posture shifted. The polite distance disappeared. It wasn’t random aggression. It was a response.

His decision caused it.

From that moment on, they were no longer passive obstacles. The station had reclassified the situation, and I was now part of the problem.

The Elevator

An elevator blocked the path forward, monitored by a security camera. I watched its sweep pattern carefully before slipping into a nearby room to disable it. Even after turning it off, I waited a few seconds longer than necessary. This station punishes impatience.

Calling the lift felt louder than it should have. The wait stretched. With the tracker in hand, every quiet second felt temporary.

When the doors finally closed, I caught sight of the Torrens again through the glass. Verlaine was still broadcasting for help. I don’t know who is left on this station capable of answering her.

The Xenomorph moves through the ceilings. The Working Joes control the corridors. I’m trying to survive in the narrow spaces between them.

Continue the journey:
Isolation Protocol Log 3 |
Isolation Protocol Log 5
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Isolation Protocol: An Alien Isolation Survival Diary – Log 3: Lockdowns, Keycards, and False Hope

Isolation Protocol Log 3: Lockdowns, Keycards, and False Hope

Game: Alien: Isolation
Platform: Steam Deck
Location: Seegson Communications

Video: Seegson Communications exploration, human hostiles, Security Tuner repair, Level 1 access unlock (no commentary)

Seegson Communications sounded like progress. It felt more like being lost in someone else’s mistake.

Axel’s last useful direction pointed toward Seegson Communications. With Transit behind me and no better option available, that became the objective. The route there wasn’t difficult in theory. In practice, I circled the same section more than once, missing an obvious door and questioning whether the station was confusing or I simply was.

The map didn’t help. It showed lines and boxes, but not intent. I eventually found the correct path almost by accident. The station doesn’t guide you forward. It waits for you to notice what you’ve overlooked.

Human Resistance

I saw someone working near an elevator ahead. Before I could close distance or consider options, they spotted me and fired. No warning. No attempt at conversation. Just immediate violence.

They retreated, but not alone for long. Others joined them quickly. Whatever alliances remain on Sevastopol, I am not included in them.

I chose patience over confrontation. Crouched movement. Controlled breathing. Hard cover whenever possible. The revolver I’d picked up felt more symbolic than practical. Limited ammunition against a coordinated group is not a reliable strategy.

At one point they tracked my direction, following me through adjoining corridors. Then they stopped short of heading downstairs. I didn’t understand their hesitation, but I used it. If they avoided that level, I would use it to create distance.

Tools and Oversights

In the aftermath of the encounter, I found a broken Security Tuner. Damaged, but clearly repairable. It felt important. Sealed doors across the station hinted at systems layered behind security protocols I didn’t yet have access to.

I also collected a keycard.

And promptly forgot I had it.

I tested locked doors repeatedly before the obvious solution occurred to me. Once I used the card, the barrier that had stalled me opened instantly. The station isn’t always the obstacle. Sometimes it’s inattention.

The Nostromo Recorder

The objective here was specific: retrieve the flight recorder from the Nostromo. Something concrete. Something that felt like forward motion instead of wandering.

I reached it without incident. Accessed the data. Waited for something meaningful.

The file was corrupted.

No insight. No leverage. No answers. Just static.

The station responded to my access with a lockdown. Shutters descended. Systems shifted. I was instructed to remain in place and wait for assistance.

Waiting has not improved my odds so far.

Security Level 1

Searching nearby offices and terminals revealed the missing component for the Security Tuner. Repairing it required a careful symbol match sequence — controlled inputs, steady pacing. Calm in isolation. Potentially disastrous under pressure.

When the final confirmation tone sounded, I had Level 1 security access.

It didn’t feel triumphant. It felt incremental. Doors that were previously sealed now recognised me as authorised. That doesn’t make the station safer. It just expands where I can be unsafe.

Reassessment

I returned to the save station I’d used earlier. Not because the area was secure, but because it wasn’t. The armed group remained somewhere above. Their patrol patterns were unpredictable. I had one revolver and very few rounds.

The Xenomorph had not yet re-entered the picture in this section of the station. That absence didn’t comfort me. It felt temporary.

Seegson Communications did not provide answers. It provided access.

Access means movement. Movement means exposure.

Next entry, I move forward.

Continue the journey:
Log 2 | Log 4
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Eight Pages – A Slender: The Arrival Survival Diary Log 2: Strike One

Eight Pages – Log 2: Strike One

Platform: Steam Deck
Rule Set: Apex Predator Rule Active (1 / 3 Strikes)

Video: First strike recorded, a choke point mistake, and a second attempt under pressure (no commentary)

The forest drew first blood.

A little transparency before we begin properly. I had already stepped into this map once, collected the scrapbook items, and then realised I wasn’t recording. That’s why those pickups don’t show the usual notification. A strong start. Completely intentional. Obviously.

We continue where Log 1 left us. Survival instincts of a potato fully engaged, I head deeper into Oakside Park. As I pass what I assume is the canoe rental building — based entirely on a large sign suggesting that it is — my character slows. I hear something. It sounds like whispers carried on the air. Or maybe just wind doing a very good impression.

The pace returns to normal, but something has shifted. This is where the chapter really begins.

I reach the park layout sign and stop. The paths are mapped out clearly. Landmarks marked. I try to commit as much of it to memory as I can. I know this is going to matter later. Behind the sign is the first page. I take it.

And then I hear that sound.

It’s been over ten years since I last heard it, but it hasn’t lost its edge. That low, deliberate cue that signals one thing and one thing only: Slender has taken his first step.

Eight pages are scattered across the park. I need to collect them before he catches me. Simple objective. Complicated execution.

I didn’t make it to eight.

On page five, I entered a building. It had one entrance and one exit. I knew that. I went in anyway. I grabbed the page and turned around. He was already standing in the doorway.

No dramatic chase. No narrow escape. Just a blocked exit and rising static. I tried to push past him. He didn’t move. The screen filled with noise and the forest claimed its first strike.

Strike One.

Before going back in, I want to peel the curtain back for a moment.

This map never changes its shape. The paths stay where they are. The landmarks don’t move. There are nine key locations across the park, and eight of them will contain a page. Which eight changes each run, but the layout itself remains constant.

Slender’s behaviour escalates with every page collected. The more you gather, the more aggressive he becomes. By page seven, he is relentless. Sprinting feels like control, but stamina drains quickly, and once you commit to a bad position late-game, there’s little room for error.

Entering a single-exit building at five pages wasn’t unfair. It was poor timing. The forest didn’t cheat. It capitalised.

So I went back in.

Same park. Same layout. Different page placements. This time I found that same building early and cleared it immediately. I didn’t want to face that choke point near the end again. With the landmarks fixed in place, it becomes possible to track where you’ve been. Once you confirm a location has no page, you eliminate it from consideration. The park starts to shrink.

He appeared several times. Close enough to raise the static. Close enough to make me question my route. But not close enough to end it.

Seven pages collected. One missing.

I reached a fork in the path and hesitated. I took the right route first. It led back toward the car. Not what I needed. I doubled back, expecting him to be waiting. He wasn’t.

The other path led to a tent. And pinned against it, almost casually, was page eight.

I grabbed it. The footsteps stopped.

He appeared behind me. My character suddenly decided cardio was a priority and broke into a sprint before everything faded to black.

Map cleared.

But the forest has already taken one strike.

Two remain.

Log 2 Takeaways

  • A single-exit building at five pages is a calculated risk, not bad luck.
  • The map layout stays the same — page placement does not.
  • Slender escalates with every page collected.
  • Clearing choke points early changes the late-game pressure.
  • Strike One proves the Apex Predator Rule is active.
Continue the journey:

Log 1 |
Log 2 (You are here) |
Log 3

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Isolation Protocol: An Alien Isolation Survival Diary – Log 2: Guns, Generators, and a Very Bad Introduction

Isolation Protocol Log 2: Guns, Generators, and a Very Bad Introduction

Game: Alien: Isolation
Platform: Steam Deck
Location: Sevastopol Station – Arrivals & Transit

Video: Arrivals scavenging, orange-lock hunt, Axel meet, stealth tutorial, and first Xenomorph encounter (no commentary)

I saw people run. I decided copying them was a solid life choice.

The last log ended with survivors sprinting for their lives. I followed.
They rewarded that decision by locking the door behind them.
So, plan B: keep moving, keep quiet, and keep pretending I’m not the most lootable person on Sevastopol.

I drifted through what felt like the off-duty end of Arrivals/Departures and caught a glimpse of the Torrens.
Of course, they didn’t see me. Of course, the shutters chose that exact moment to drop like they had opinions.
New objective: find a way to contact the ship before I become another unread terminal entry.

Loot Goblin Behaviour (With Added Dread)

Progress is slow. Not “enjoy the scenery” slow — more “every door is either locked, unpowered, or mocking me” slow.
I kept scavenging anything not bolted down, reading terminals, and listening to messages from people who used to live here.
I still don’t know what happened on Sevastopol, but I’m confident it was loud, messy, and not solved by good manners.

Then I found it: a door with a big orange lock.
Not my problem yet, but definitely my future problem.
And it wasn’t the only one. The station’s decorating theme is apparently “sealed access points and regret.”

The Maintenance Jack Incident

A message mentioned someone going nuts with a maintenance jack, and that they’d been locked in a room.
I eventually found them… and it looked like one of two things happened:
something killed him, or he killed himself.

The room had an orange lock. If he had the tool to open it, he could’ve walked out.
So I’m leaning toward something got in — and that “something” didn’t leave a note.

Before committing to the obvious route, I did a quick sweep through the one other door I could open,
grabbed what I could, and then headed back toward the big, bright, orange problem.

Meet Axel: The Gun-Point Welcome Committee

Cutscene time. I meet Axel, who opens negotiations by putting a gun to my head.
I offered him a way off Sevastopol: help me contact the Torrens, and he gets a seat.
Fair deal. Mutually beneficial. Sensible.

Axel doesn’t share that offer with the two other people we bump into, though.
Which, in hindsight, should’ve been my first clue that “teamwork” isn’t exactly thriving here.

Flashlight, Batteries, and the Stealth Crash Course

Axel takes me to his hideout — apparently where he’s been camping for the past week —
and hands me a flashlight and batteries.
Great. Useful.
Also: we literally just avoided armed survivors, and he told me to avoid armed survivors,
so giving me a beacon-on-a-stick feels… optimistic.

Then it’s stealth school.
I get sent to turn off a generator so a group of people — who have been told to shoot on sight —
go and investigate it.
At this point I’m already regretting offering Axel a lift.
I didn’t realise “help me escape” included “use me as bait.”

Axel Immediately Does the Opposite of His Own Advice

Axel’s big survival tips are: stay low, keep quiet, don’t draw attention.
Five minutes later he’s standing around like he’s waiting for a bus.
Not even hiding. Just… existing loudly in a corridor.

I ended up taking charge and basically herding him where he needed to go,
because apparently I’m the responsible adult now.
Which is terrifying, considering my main skill so far is “pick up scrap.”

And then Axel does it again: he headshots someone.
Loud. Clean. Final.
The exact opposite of “keep it down.”
So now we’re sprinting, because subtlety is dead and we’re trying not to join it.

The Xenomorph Introduces Itself

Another cutscene. And this time the station finally shows its real problem:
the Xenomorph.
It appears, it moves like a nightmare, and it removes Axel from my list of concerns.

I had a brief moment of wondering why Ripley doesn’t grab the gun.
Maybe it feels wrong. Maybe it’s shock. Maybe the game isn’t letting me.
Either way, I’m unarmed, underqualified, and very aware of how loud my breathing is.

Transit becomes the next lifeline — a long, stressful wait while my brain replays what I just saw.
The Xenomorph took Axel out like it was swatting a fly.
There’s absolutely no reason it wouldn’t do the same to me.

Transit finally arrives, and I step in like it’s salvation.
I’m hoping I’ve left the Xenomorph behind.
I’m also not stupid enough to believe that will last.

Log 2 Survival Notes

  • Loot everything, but assume every corridor has a consequence.
  • Orange locks = future progress gate. Make a note, don’t spiral.
  • Terminals and recordings tell you what happened here. It isn’t comforting.
  • Stealth matters, even when NPCs refuse to participate.
  • If someone says “keep it down” and then fires a gun, don’t follow their life advice.
  • Transit is safety… until it isn’t.
Continue the journey:
Log 1 | Log 3
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