Difficulty: Stalker
Optional Features: Cougar enabled, Scurvy enabled, Trader enabled
Format: No commentary gameplay + written logs
I picked Mystery Lake as the starting region because I wanted familiar ground while Stalker does what it does best: quietly building a plan to ruin my week.
This hub collects every log in the series, plus the key links so you can jump in without hunting around the site like a frozen goblin.
What This Series Is
- Stalker difficulty — more predators, more pressure, fewer “free” mistakes.
- Steam Deck — handheld survival, portable panic.
- No commentary — just the wind, my decisions, and the consequences.
- Optional features ON — Cougar, Scurvy, and Trader enabled from the start.
Run Notes
- If the weather says “no”, I listen. Mostly.
- Blizzard days still count. Sometimes surviving the day is the content.
- Prepper caches: 9 possible locations, 3 stocked, 6 empty. Yes, I will probably investigate them. No, I won’t pretend it’s wise.
Logs
Watch the Series
Each log includes an embedded video, but if you want the full playlist in one place, it’ll live here:
Stalker Instinct (YouTube Playlist)
Start Here
- Log #1 — the calm before Stalker remembers what it’s paid to do.
More from The Long Dark
- The Long Dark Hub — all playthroughs, guides, and maps.
- The Cold Chronicles — Voyageur diary entries.
- Customloper Diaries — Interloper weather, fewer regrets.
- Customloper Settings — my “Easier Interloper” setup.
Survivor Incognito 