Survivor Incognito: Zombie Army Trilogy – Day One Diary

The dead walk as Operation Z begins. My first steps into Zombie Army Trilogy involve headshots, missed shots, occult seals, suicidal zombies, and plenty of shotgun diplomacy. A new Day One Diary begins.

Welcome to Berlin. It’s… worse than usual.

Character: Hermann Wolf
Difficulty: Marksman
Enemy Setup: Suitable for solo play
Chapter: The Berlin Horror — Village of the Dead

I load in and am immediately greeted with a very angry Hitler standing in front of a map. His mood is about as good as you’d expect from someone losing a war. After shooting one of his own soldiers in cold blood, he calmly orders the others to initiate Plan Z.

Spoiler: Plan Z involves zombies. Lots of zombies.

With the undead now walking the earth, I stick with the default loadout for the mission and head out. The early zombies are pretty easy to deal with — basic headshots handle most of them — but the game is very quick to teach me a lesson: shoot for the head or they get back up. One particular zombie helpfully demonstrates this right in front of me. Noted.

My Aim Needs Some Work

I reach the village where an occult seal blocks my path forward. Naturally, the only way to break it is to wipe out every zombie in the area. Easy enough in theory — if I could actually hit all my headshots. Apparently, Marksman difficulty still expects me to be able to aim. This might be a problem.

Shotgun Solutions

Once I break through the seal, I spot what I assume is the safe room — only to find that zombies have already moved in. The housewarming party is very much still in progress.

Plan B: Shotgun. I head upstairs, camp at the top of the staircase, and turn the whole thing into a makeshift meat grinder. Zombies may be many things, but smart isn’t one of them. They obligingly walk straight into a wall of buckshot.

Of course, this strategy does have a minor flaw: limited shotgun ammo. Once I’m reasonably confident the room has stopped moving, I make a run for the actual safe room.

Just One More Room…

With some momentum, I decide to press on to the next safe room.

Early on, I manage to score a satisfying two-for-one kill with my sniper rifle — a brief moment where I start to feel almost competent. Naturally, that confidence doesn’t last: a zombie manages to sneak up behind me and reminds me why I shouldn’t get cocky.

I soon find another occult seal and am told to investigate a mysterious skull. Since nothing good ever comes from mysterious occult skulls, I lay down some trip wires before interacting with it. My instincts prove correct: I’m immediately thrown into a siege.

Suicidal Tendencies

Midway through the siege, I meet a new type of zombie: suicidal ones, complete with grenades strapped to them as they charge at me screaming. Lovely.

Fortunately, I have grenades of my own. No matter how many I take out, more keep arriving. Eventually, the wave dies down and I make a break for the second safe room — but not before one last zombie manages to slip past my shot, forcing a bit of panicked dodging. More suicidal zombies show up as well. I get the feeling this won’t be the last time I see them.

With the coast finally clear, I dive into the second safe room and slam the door shut. That’s enough zombie nonsense for one day.

Day One Summary

✅ Two safe rooms reached

✅ First siege survived

✅ New enemy type met (suicidal zombies)

✅ Sniper skills: mixed

✅ Shotgun skills: heavily relied upon

If you enjoyed this, please check out my other Day One Diaries | Survival Game Playthroughs & First-Day Survival Challenges

13th Jun 2025 2

Sneak, Snipe, Repeat: Skyrim Survival Day Seven

Missed the previous day? Find it here: Sneak, Snipe, Repeat: Skyrim Survival Day Six

Where Am I and What’s a Spellbook?

I set out from Ivarstead with big plans: make it back to Whiterun, restock, maybe actually figure out what I’m doing. Instead, I quickly discovered that I had absolutely no idea where I was going.

Rather than rely on my highly suspect sense of direction, I remembered I’d picked up a spellbook for Clairvoyance at some point. I read it, learned the spell, and just like that, I could now cast Skyrim’s version of GPS. A glowing blue trail lit the way toward my next objective—assuming I had enough magicka to keep it active, which I didn’t, but the principle was there.

A Lonely Cabin, a Note, and a Rabbit Named Thistle

While following the vague trail of clairvoyance (and mild panic), I came across an abandoned alchemist’s shack in the woods. Inside was the usual—alchemy gear, some scattered ingredients—and a rabbit. The note next to the rabbit revealed its name: Thistle. The game then offered me the option to feed Thistle a carrot, which I did.

Now I have a rabbit.
No dramatic bonding scene, no magical contract. Just: “You fed me, I guess we’re friends now.”

I decided to leave Thistle at the cabin for now. They’re safer there than following me through wolf-infested terrain, and I’m not quite ready to explain rabbit-related injuries to guards.

Wolves, Hunters, and the Temptation of Horse Theft

Continuing toward Whiterun, I encountered the usual:

A few wolves, which I dispatched with mild irritation.

A hunter on horseback who offered to trade. I was tempted to take the horse, but noticed they only had 10 gold to their name. Figured they needed it more than me.

Took the high road. The game didn’t reward me for it. Standard Skyrim.

Back to Riverwood and a Missing Torch

I passed through Riverwood and unloaded some gear. Remember the torch I accidentally sold to the Riverwood Trader earlier? Gone. Apparently, it was in high demand. Either that or it spontaneously combusted.

Sold some junk, didn’t freeze to death, counted that as a win.

Thieves and Stable Investments

Just outside Whiterun, a thief jumped me. Bad call on their part. I’m increasingly well-armed and increasingly done with nonsense. They dropped a few coins and a reminder that Skyrim has no shortage of opportunists.

At the Whiterun stables, I finally bought a horse. Cost me a chunk of gold, but now I’m mobile. Then I saw I could buy armor for the horse and, well, I’m not made of stone. Gold well spent. The horse now looks like it could take on a sabre cat solo.

Meet Jenassa: Professional Help for Hire

Instead of chasing down the Companions again, I walked into the Drunken Huntsman and hired Jenassa, a Dunmer mercenary with a very straightforward business model: pay her and she’ll stab things. I like her.

She joined up, and we set off toward Rorikstead, where I figured we could find some peace and maybe not be attacked by anything for five minutes.

Haunted Houses and Unexpected Assassins

On the way, we found a run-down plantation with a ghost standing out front. Naturally, the ghost was hostile—because nothing in Skyrim is just there for atmosphere. I dealt with it and went inside, triggering the Unquiet Dead quest.

That’s when an assassin ambushed me inside the house. Because of course they did.

Turns out the Dark Brotherhood wants me dead. Not sure what I did. Maybe I fed a rabbit that was on their hit list. Either way, they failed. I looted a contract from the assassin’s corpse confirming someone wants me very much gone.

After dealing with the ghost problem, I was handed the keys to the plantation. I now own a haunted house with no furnishings, no heat, and no privacy—but it’s mine.

Day’s End: Horse, Home, Henchwoman, and Homicide

So to recap:

Learned to use Clairvoyance to avoid constant map-checking

Adopted a rabbit

Resisted temptation to steal

Bought a horse and upgraded it

Hired Jenassa as backup

Survived an assassination attempt

Acquired real estate via murder and ghosts

Not exactly restful, but it’s progress.

For more information on this, please check out: The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim Survival Hub

12th Jun 2025 2

The Cold Chronicles – Day 6 Is Live!

Spoiler: Things didn’t warm up

Day 6 of The Cold Chronicles is now live—and so is my steadily growing sense of frostbitten despair.

Expect:

Another day of snow, moose anxiety, and questionable life choices

A desperate search for supplies that ends… poorly

And a reminder that even the sun looks cold in The Long Dark

 Read the latest entry here: The Cold Chronicles Day Six
❄️ Catch up on previous days via The Cold Chronicles: The Long Dark Hub

11th Jun 2025 0

The Cold Chronicles Day Six: A Voyageur’s Tale of The Long Dark

The Cold Chronicles – Day 6: Cartography, Carcasses, and Cold Feet

Difficulty: Voyageur
Optional Features: Cougar enabled (because paranoia keeps you alive)

“Snow, moaning about pack weight, and mapping everything that doesn’t bite. I dodge wolves, hallucinate bears, and risk the ice for some questionable meat. All in a day’s work.”

Missed Day 5? Read it here.

Morning Mystery: Where’s My Hide?

I start the day in that familiar state of survival-induced amnesia, wondering what I did yesterday and where I put that deer hide I worked so hard for. A quick look at my freshly updated map reveals it’s just a couple of houses down the road. I retrieve it without incident and decide today’s goal is simple: push further down the highway and fill in more of the map. No drama. Just exploration.

Which, in this game, obviously means I’m about to get hit by some drama.

Weather Warnings and Weight Woes

I step outside and immediately regret everything. It’s snowing, visibility is tanking, and I’m carrying 5kg more than I should be. My guy starts wheezing like he’s dragging a lead sled through molasses, and I know I’m going to hear him grumble about it all day.

Still, I press on.

Vehicles, Wolves, and Safe Sketching

I come across an abandoned car. Nothing useful inside, but it counts as shelter, and more importantly, it’s a predator-free place to update the map. I sketch it in while occasionally glancing at the frozen coast where wolves are loitering like bored mall cops. I carry on before they get curious.

Further along, I spot a closed fishing hut—unlooted and unvisited. Jackpot. I raid it for whatever scraps I can find and add it to the map.

Warm Feet, Flashbacks, and Phantom Bears

At the nearby fishing camp, I head into the first cabin and finally find a proper pair of boots. They’re heavier, but warmer, and my frostbitten toes thank me for the upgrade. I repair them, put them on, and get ready to head back out.

The moment I step outside, I freeze. Not because of the cold—but because I think I see a bear. Instant flashback to a past run in this same region, where a moose blindsided me outside the garage like it was collecting a debt.

Turns out this time it’s just a weird shadow and my overactive paranoia. No bear. Crisis imagined.

The rest of the cabins offer very little, but I do manage to:

Score a flashlight (Aurora prep)
Find more revolver rounds (now at 23 bullets)
Still weigh 40kg because I can’t stop picking up every slightly useful item I see

Birdwatching for Survival

As the light fades, I notice birds circling another fishing hut in the distance. That means one of three things: a body, a carcass, or a trap. I roll the dice and head over.

It’s a wolf carcass, right at the edge of some very sketchy-looking ice. I brace myself for a freezing swim but manage to harvest the meat without falling through. Back in the hut, I cook up the wolf and have my first proper meal in a while. Victory tastes like questionable carnivore.

The Long Walk Home (By Torchlight)

Darkness falls fast, and while the fishing hut is cozy enough, I don’t trust it to protect me through the night. I grab a torch from the fire and make the journey back to the fishing camp.

Somehow, no wolves. No bears. No moose. Just the sound of snow crunching underfoot and the occasional “ugh” from my overencumbered survivor. I make it to the cabin, crawl into bed, and let the darkness take me.

Final Thoughts

Day 6 down. I mapped half the coastline, got some new boots, hallucinated a bear, and ate a dead wolf. Still weighed down like a junkyard collector, but alive. That counts.

Continue the journey:
Day 5 |
Day 7

Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival – Day Two

I make a decent catch, brave the fog for squid, hit a rock, and find myself scolded by a lighthouse keeper. Also, the Mayor hands me a suspicious package. What could go wrong

Missed day one? Catch up here: Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival Day One

—

A Fishy Favour, Fog, and a Friendly Fright

I start the morning determined to buy that sweet engine I researched yesterday—except I immediately forget what I actually researched and stare at the rod section like it’s going to jog my memory. Spoiler: it doesn’t.

Instead, I head out and fill my boat with four Gulf Flounders and three Grey Eels, making the kind of efficient haul that would make yesterday’s version of me green with envy. At 1:37pm, my inventory is maxed out, so I rush back to town—this time beating the sunset like a responsible angler. I dock at 2:55pm and breathe a sigh of relief. No second Madness Strike today. Growth!

Oh Look, A Convenient Fish Order

The Fishmonger greets me with news: a special order just came in.

Naturally, curiosity wins. Turns out the customer wants one of each fish I already caught. For once, the universe is kind. I hand them over like a champion and get a new order—two Arrow Squid and a Black Grouper. One problem: squid only show up at night. Great. But since it’s an official Pursuit, that means I can break my “no sailing after dark” rule without earning a Madness Strike. Hooray for loopholes!

I sell the rest of my fish and knock my debt down to $21.44. Progress.

Vroom Vroom into Doom

Back to the Shipwright I go, and this time I make a solid purchase: a Rusty Outboard Engine. Sure, it looks like it might explode at any second, but it installs in 2 hours and makes me marginally faster. By 4:58pm, I’m back in the water.

I fish up eight Arrow Squid while trying to stay near the light and far from danger. That’s when I realize that the eye icon is my panic meter. Good to know! I head back, cautiously navigating the thickening fog, only to hit a rock I couldn’t see. My flawless streak is over.

At 00:41am, I limp back into the dock and am greeted by a woman who clearly didn’t expect visitors.

She’s the Lighthouse Keeper, and she’s less than thrilled. I tell her the truth—just here to fish—and she tells me I should leave. That’s… encouraging.

Suspicious Mayoral Package

The Mayor is waiting with a new task. He wants me to deliver a package to Little Marrow—and quickly, because it might spoil. I don’t ask questions. I just take the box. (Mistake? Possibly. But that’s tomorrow’s problem.)

Before bed, I give the Fishmonger two squid from my terrifying night voyage and sell the extras. My debt is now a laughable $9.48.

The Shipwright patches up my poor dented hull, and I decide to put off the Little Marrow delivery until tomorrow. I’m sure whatever’s in that box won’t mind sitting around for a bit.

—

Daily Summary

Fish Caught: 4 Gulf Flounder, 3 Grey Eel, 8 Arrow Squid
Debt Remaining: $9.48
Madness Strikes: Still just 1
Damage Taken: Rock collision in fog (1 hull hit)
Suspicious Package Count: 1

—

If you’d like to know more, please check out: Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival

For information on the rules, please check out: Dark Waters: Dredge Permadeath Rules & Survival Guide

10th Jun 2025 3

Survivor’s Shorts: The Rabbit Got Up and Left Like I Wasn’t Even Worth It

In Pleasant Valley, I stunned a rabbit in The Long Dark. I walked over, ready to claim victory—only for it to stand up, look at me, and run away. I’ve never felt so insulted by a ball of fluff.

Ah, Pleasant Valley.

Land of blizzards, wolves, and soul-crushing optimism.

I was low on food, lower on morale, and spotted a few rabbits hopping around like they hadn’t a care in the world. I grabbed a rock and let instinct take over.

Thwack.
Direct hit. Rabbit down. I stunned it.

Heart racing, I walked over like a proud predator. This was it—my big win.
Dinner secured. Survival extended. The tundra had finally thrown me a bone.

But when I reached it?

The rabbit got up. Looked at me. And left.

No panic. No zigzag. Just a calm, confident hop back to its fluffy little life—like I hadn’t just concussed it with a rock.

I tried to chase it, failed. I just stood there, rock still in hand, questioning my worth.
Turns out in The Long Dark, you don’t get the kill unless you earn it fast.
And that rabbit clearly decided… I wasn’t worth the effort.

Final Thoughts

The Long Dark is full of brutal wildlife encounters.
Turns out, sometimes the smallest animals don’t need claws or teeth — they just need perfect timing to humiliate you.

If you enjoyed this one, please check out my other Survivor’s Shorts | Survival Game Clips, Fails & Funny Playthrough Highlights

9th Jun 2025 2

Here’s What’s Coming This Week – June 9th – June 14th Preview

Survival, stunned rabbits, fishing horrors, and a lot of undead. Here’s what’s scheduled for this week on Survivor Incognito.

The Week Ahead

We’re keeping the survival streak alive with another full lineup of chaos, questionable decisions, and more permadeath fun. Here’s what’s coming your way:

🐇 Monday: Survivor’s Shorts — The One Involving The Stunned Rabbit

You’ll see. It involves a rabbit, a stone, and my general lack of coordination.

🌊 Tuesday: Dark Waters – Day 2

The sea grows darker, the fish get weirder, and the Madness meter keeps rising. Day 2 of Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival goes live.

❄ Wednesday: The Cold Chronicles – Day 6

The Long Dark journey continues. More cold, more danger, and probably more bad choices.

🗡 Thursday: Sneak, Snipe, Repeat – Day 7

The Argonian’s Skyrim Survival Mode adventure rolls into Day 7. Expect more sneaking, more sniping, and definitely more repeat.

🧟‍♂️ Friday: Day One Diary – Zombie Army Trilogy

The undead rise just in time for Friday. It’s a Day One Diary entry for Zombie Army Trilogy, and let’s just say the welcome committee was enthusiastic.

See You in the Wild

As always, stay tuned across the week as each new post goes live — and feel free to place bets on which run falls apart first.

8th Jun 2025 0

Here’s What You Missed This Week – June 1st Week Recap

Catch up on this week’s survival chaos: bears, zombies, Customloper runs, permadeath hubs, and one very questionable Interloper experience.

This Week in Review

Another week of survival, panic, and the occasional questionable decision. Here’s what went live across the blog:

🐻 Monday: Bear Meets Panic Rifle

Sometimes you bring a rifle to a bear encounter. Sometimes the rifle just brings panic. This week kicked off with a new Survivor’s Shorts entry where I learned that even with a firearm, bears remain terrifying.

The One-Shot Wonder: Bear Meets Panic Rifle

🌊 Tuesday: Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival – Day One

The boat launched, the paranoia began. My permadeath Dredge run officially set sail with the start of Dark Waters. The ocean may look calm, but we both know it isn’t.

Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival – Day 1

❄️ Wednesday: Customloper – Day One

The Customloper experiment is underway. A bit Interloper, a bit Voyageur, a lot of me desperately hoping I don’t freeze to death before leaving Mountain Town. So far, so… technically alive.

Customloper Diaries Day 1: A Woollen Windy Welcome to Milton

Side note, The Cold Chronicles and Customloper Diaries will be alternating weeks for the foreseeable. Until one of them ends of course. So next week will be the next entry The Cold Chronicles

🗡 Thursday: Skyrim Survival – Sneak, Snipe, Repeat – Day Six

The Argonian saga continues. Day Six saw more stealth, more arrows, and the usual healthy amount of questionable life choices while wandering Skyrim’s frozen wilderness.

Sneak, Snipe, Repeat: Skyrim Suvival Day Six

🪓 Friday: Grounded Permadeath Hub Goes Live

The hub page for The Backyard Trials: Grounded Permadeath is officially up and running! Rules, info, and upcoming entries are all ready for you.
I also teased what’s coming next Friday: a special Day One Diary for Zombie Army Trilogy—fittingly set for Friday the 13th.

The Backyard Trials: Grounded Permadeath

Zombie Army Trilogy – Day One Diary Coming This Friday the 13th

💀 Saturday: The Desolation Point Debacle

Today’s Survivor’s Shorts took us into Desolation Point on Interloper. It didn’t go well. (Shocking, I know.)

Survivor’s Shorts: Interloper — The Desolation Point Debacle

What’s Coming Next

The backlog grows stronger. Next week, expect more from Dark Waters, Customloper, Skyrim Survival, and our first look at Zombie Army Trilogy. More danger, more chaos, more very avoidable mistakes.

7th Jun 2025 0

Survivor’s Shorts: Interloper — The Desolation Point Debacle

Sometimes Interloper doesn’t kill you with cold or wolves — sometimes the moose does the honors. A short-lived but memorable run in Desolation Point.

I decided to try Interloper. To make it fair, I went full Interloper difficulty. Since the spawn is random (and a few regions are excluded), I let fate decide my starting point. I kept the Cougar on, but let’s be honest — I wasn’t going to live long enough for it to matter.

My spawn?
Desolation Point.

More specifically, right below the lighthouse. Under normal Interloper circumstances, I’d actually be thrilled — the forge is nearby, and this could have been a solid starting run. But today’s goal was simple: survive one single day.

And that’s where the brain fog set in.
Instead of going straight for the lighthouse like a sensible person, I somehow forgot the route entirely. So I did the only logical thing: head to the Riken for the forge.

Then I heard it.
The unmistakable sound of antlers and doom.

Please have sound on for this video

—

With nowhere to run and no cover in sight, I accepted my fate.

—

By the time the dust settled, I had broken ribs, my condition was down to half, and I was racking up frostbite risk and hypothermia risk like they were achievements. At that point, I decided to officially end the attempt.

—

If you enjoyed this one, please check out my other Survivor’s Shorts

7th Jun 2025 1

Zombie Army Trilogy – Day One Diary Coming This Friday the 13th

What better day to dive headfirst into Nazi zombies than Friday the 13th?

The latest Day One Diary arrives this Friday as I take my first steps into Zombie Army Trilogy. Expect undead soldiers, occult seals, suicidal zombies, and my usual mixture of panic, bad aim, and questionable survival instincts.

Character: Hermann Wolf
Chapter: The Berlin Horror – Village of the Dead
Difficulty: Marksman

Safe rooms reached? Yes.
Ammo well managed? Debatable.
Mental stability? Slipping.

Zombie Army Trilogy – Day One Diary goes live Friday the 13th. Consider it a very fitting start.

In the meantime, check out my other Day One Diaries | Survival Game Playthroughs & First-Day Survival Challenges

The week after Friday the 13th, begins my Grounded Permadeath adventure. Check out what is going to involve here: The Backyard Trials: Grounded Permadeath

6th Jun 2025 1

Welcome to Berlin. It’s… worse than usual.

My Aim Needs Some Work

Shotgun Solutions

Just One More Room…

Suicidal Tendencies

Day One Summary

Where Am I and What’s a Spellbook?

A Lonely Cabin, a Note, and a Rabbit Named Thistle

Wolves, Hunters, and the Temptation of Horse Theft

Back to Riverwood and a Missing Torch

Thieves and Stable Investments

Meet Jenassa: Professional Help for Hire

Haunted Houses and Unexpected Assassins

Day’s End: Horse, Home, Henchwoman, and Homicide

Morning Mystery: Where’s My Hide?

Weather Warnings and Weight Woes

Vehicles, Wolves, and Safe Sketching

Warm Feet, Flashbacks, and Phantom Bears

Birdwatching for Survival

The Long Walk Home (By Torchlight)

Final Thoughts

More from The Long Dark

A Fishy Favour, Fog, and a Friendly Fright

Oh Look, A Convenient Fish Order

Vroom Vroom into Doom

Suspicious Mayoral Package

Daily Summary

Final Thoughts

The Week Ahead

🐇 Monday: Survivor’s Shorts — The One Involving The Stunned Rabbit

🌊 Tuesday: Dark Waters – Day 2

❄ Wednesday: The Cold Chronicles – Day 6

🗡 Thursday: Sneak, Snipe, Repeat – Day 7

🧟‍♂️ Friday: Day One Diary – Zombie Army Trilogy

See You in the Wild

This Week in Review

🐻 Monday: Bear Meets Panic Rifle

🌊 Tuesday: Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival – Day One

❄️ Wednesday: Customloper – Day One

🗡 Thursday: Skyrim Survival – Sneak, Snipe, Repeat – Day Six

🪓 Friday: Grounded Permadeath Hub Goes Live

💀 Saturday: The Desolation Point Debacle

What’s Coming Next