Your Cozy Corner of Chaos in The Survival Genre
Another week, another set of chaotic survival tales. If you blinked, here’s what went live on the blog:
One story wraps up, others carry on. Thanks for tagging along—more survival chaos ahead next week.
She never asked for this.
She never wanted to be shrunk down and tossed into a backyard where everything — ants, mites, bees, spiders, the wind — wanted her dead.
She just wanted to craft a lean-to, maybe roast some gnat meat, and figure out why the grass was taller than a skyscraper.
But she was brave.
She fixed lasers. She investigated an oak tree that promptly exploded.
She learned to fear the sounds of tiny feet in the grass.
She fought valiantly with spears, fists, and panic as her most reliable tools.
In the end, it was the bugs that got her. As they always do.
Not the spiders, no — that would’ve at least made sense.
No, her end came via something smaller. Meaner. Possibly several somethings.
The logs are unclear. The screaming was not.
She will be remembered for her resilience, her questionable armor choices, and her ability to stay alive just long enough for things to get interesting.
Rest in pieces, Backyard Explorer.
You were small, but your chaos was mighty.
Read their tale here: The Backyard Trials: Grounded Permadeath
Day 4 of my Grounded permadeath run ends in tangled webs and tragedy. I go on a grub hunt, dodge danger, and fall victim to a tag team of Crab Weavers in a very sticky situation.
Missed the previous day? Find it here:The Backyard Trials: Grounded Permadeath – Day Three
I wake up ready to dig. A shovel in hand and dreams of juicy grubs in my head, I set off convinced today will be the day I solve my hydration issues.
The game disagrees.
Despite digging around like a hyperactive mole, I can’t find a single grub. My thirst level’s tanking faster than my optimism, so I do the one thing I swore I’d never do again—drink the dirty water.
Let’s just say it quenched the thirst, but also quenched a small part of my soul.
With no grubs in sight, I pivot to exploration. Maybe I’ll find a new science pod. Maybe I’ll find some dew. Maybe I’ll finally catch a break.
I find another science pod—score!
I also find a Crab Weaver—less of a score.
I do a tactical retreat (read: panic sprint) and live to fight another moment. Once the coast seems clear, I try heading back in.
What I don’t realise is that a Crab Weaver Jr. is nearby. It spots me. It’s faster than me. And worse, my weapons might as well be cocktail sticks.
I attempt a second retreat.
That’s when Crab Weaver Sr. shows up again. I get stuck in a web.
I’d love to say I fought bravely. I didn’t. I flailed, screamed, and got tag-teamed into the afterlife by two angry arachnids.
Run ends: Day 4
Cause of death: Crab Weaver Jr. and Sr. – A United Front
Final thoughts: If you’re thirsty, drink dew. If you can’t find dew… maybe just accept your fate.
Just a quick post today to say a big welcome to everyone who’s recently stumbled into the chaos of Survivor Incognito. Whether you came for the haunted fish, the frozen lakes, or the exploding oak tree, I’m glad you’re here.
If you’re new, here are a few good places to start:
This week marks the end of the Grounded permadeath run — the backyard won, basically. But starting next week, we’re trading bugs for busted axles with the debut of SnowRunner: The Permagear Diaries. Expect mud, ice, and a lot of “well that truck’s gone now” moments.
Thanks for reading — and remember: surviving is optional. Storytelling the downfall is the point.
Oh — and if you think playing on easier difficulties makes survival games easy? It doesn’t. I’m living proof that you can still freeze, starve, drown, fall off cliffs, and get stomped by wildlife with the difficulty slider turned all the way down. Turns out survival isn’t just about the settings — it’s about the decisions. And mine are… let’s say “narratively interesting.”
A look back at the survival chaos from this week on Survivor Incognito: from haunted seas and freezing wilderness to dino disasters and exploding oaks.
It’s been a week full of questionable decisions, close calls, and new beginnings here at Survivor Incognito. In case you missed any of the madness, here’s your survival cheat sheet!
The search for one stubborn fish continued, along with a steady descent into darkness and dread.
Charcoal maps, rabbit stew, and a sudden storm — because survival in The Long Dark is never boring.
A behind-the-scenes update! I’m working on expanding the ARK Survival Evolved map page to cover all Switch maps. All the regions, all the doom.
Vampires, arrows, and highly questionable footwear choices. My Argonian had quite the day.
The lasers were fixed, the oak tree exploded (as it does), and the backyard remains terrifying.
Punching trees, hallucinating plants, and being reminded why Aberration is not the friendliest place to spawn.
More chaos, more permadeath, and maybe even a few victories (no promises). Stay tuned!
The lasers are fixed, the oak tree explodes, and my survival odds finally start looking up… until a Crab Weaver reminds me who’s in charge. Day 3 brings progress, panic, and a near-death lesson about checking my map.
Missed day two? You can find what happened here: The Backyard Trials Day Two
With the mysterious laser issue still unresolved, I decide today’s the day I track down the problem. A short hike later, I find the culprit: lawn mites have developed a taste for high-powered laser wiring. Excellent.
I follow the damaged wire underground, spear in hand, clearing out every mite that dares cross my path. Eventually, I reach a rock wall marked with a hammer symbol — a clear message from the backyard itself: “Come back when you’re better equipped.” Noted.
As I head back topside, I spot one final mite chewing away. One quick jab and—problem solved. The laser is fixed. Victory! Soon, I’ll be big again! (Or so I naively believe.)
I return to the mysterious machine, filled with hope. I press the button. The lasers power up, align… and then the oak tree explodes. That wasn’t part of the plan.
New objective: Investigate the oak tree.
Of course it is.
Not entirely sure how to get to the oak tree, I open my map to drop a waypoint for my base camp. That’s when the game teaches me a very valuable permadeath lesson:
The map does not pause the game.
Right as I’m happily setting my waypoint, the words Threat Detected! flash up. I close the map and—surprise!—a Crab Weaver is charging directly at me. My tactical response? Immediate and panicked retreat.
Pro tip for future runs: check your surroundings before opening the map.
On my retreat, I have a small moment of clarity—I actually already have a hammer. So technically, I could’ve broken that underground wall earlier. That’s a tomorrow problem.
I do, however, discover a giant juice box while escaping, which might help solve my ongoing water concerns. Small wins.
With hammer in hand, I head back to the wire tunnel, smash through the blocked path, and find 500 raw science waiting for me. I’m starting to feel like a backyard archaeologist.
Back at base, I cook up some meat (and immediately learn that cooked food spoils fast), craft myself an ant helmet to boost my carrying strength, and research a few more materials. More blueprints unlock, and for the first time, I feel cautiously optimistic about my survival chances.
As night falls, I spot something burrowing under the ground. A little research tells me these are grubs, and I’ll need a shovel to dig them up.
Tomorrow’s mission: craft a shovel and go grub hunting.
If you want to know more about this, please checkout the The Backyard Trials: Grounded Permadeath page
It’s been another action-packed week of survival, chaos, and questionable decisions over at Survivor Incognito. If you’ve been busy wrestling giant crabs, flipping trucks, or dodging ghost fish, here’s your chance to catch up!
I broke down the logic (or madness?) behind turning SnowRunner into a permadeath challenge. Because nothing says “relaxing drive” like knowing one bad flip could end it all. [Read More Here]
The sea giveth, the sea taketh away… and sometimes it just giveth more terror. Day Four of my Dredge permadeath series saw the madness meter creeping ever higher. [Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival – Day Four]
Another day, another frostbite risk. My Voyageur survivor braved the cold and the chaos as we inch further into this brutal Long Dark journey. [The Cold Chronicles Day Seven: A Voyageur’s Tale of The Long Dark]
The Argonian archer continued slinking through Skyrim, proving that stealth is great—right up until it isn’t. Day Nine brought more dragons, more necromancy, and more “how did that go so wrong?” moments. [Sneak, Snipe, Repeat: Skyrim Survival Day Nine]
The backyard is still terrifying. Day Two brought more bugs, more base-building, and more moments of me asking why I ever thought permadeath was a good idea here. [The Backyard Trials: Grounded Permadeath – Day Two]
Big news! I announced the upcoming Day One Diaries for ARK: Survival Evolved. Expect dinos, disasters, and probably a lot of running for my life. [Get the details here]
Day Two of my Grounded Permadeath run. Panic still lingering, but I’ve secured food, water, armor, and narrowly avoided becoming ant food. Progress!
Missed day one and want to find out how this journey started? Find it here: The Backyard Trials Day One
I wake up to a familiar feeling: low-level dread. I’m hungry. I’m thirsty. I have very little idea what I’m doing. Survival in the backyard is a constant balancing act between problem-solving and quiet panic.
Thankfully, some form of insect-based miracle has occurred overnight. There’s an aphid corpse conveniently placed right next to my lean-to. Did it explode? Was it eaten and discarded? I don’t know — but in my current state, it’s dinner.
The thirst problem is less cooperative. Another ill-advised sip of dirty water reminds me that my standards need to rise if I want to avoid adding “constant food poisoning” to my growing list of concerns.
In the midst of my slight panic spiral, I spot a glimmer of hope: dew, perched high on a blade of grass. After some awkward jumping that likely looked ridiculous to any nearby insects, I manage to secure a drop of clean water. The panic dial lowers slightly… but only slightly. I still can’t carry any extra, so the problem is only delayed, not solved.
Back at the science station, I start trying to piece my situation together. I craft a Workbench, which unlocks more options, including a Roasting Spit. Finally, I can cook meat instead of risking stomach-churning raw snacks. My diet now consists of roasted aphid and weevil. It’s not exactly fine dining, but I’m not dead — which is honestly my only metric of success right now.
With food and water temporarily under control, my brain returns to its default state: “What’s going to kill me next?” The answer, probably, is “everything.” So I decide to take the edge off by crafting Clover Armor — a full set covering my head, chest, and legs.
It won’t stop anything truly dangerous, but it’s comforting. Like wearing a raincoat in a hurricane. It technically helps, but you wouldn’t want to test it.
Armed with a spear and new-found confidence (read: mild overconfidence), I pick a fight with an ant. It goes well… until his buddy shows up. The fight escalates, I take some hits, apply a bandage, and add “don’t poke ants unless absolutely necessary” to my mental rulebook.
Later, while trying to understand how my hotbar works, I accidentally hurl my spear at a completely innocent patch of grass. At least I didn’t spear myself. Small victories.
Before dark, I scout a little further and discover a giant baseball, which offers a perfect vantage point for surveying my surroundings. Unfortunately, I also nearly stumble into a fight with a soldier ant and two backup dancers. A brief surge of panic kicks in again, but I manage a tactical retreat before things get ugly.
Nighttime approaches. I may have a torch now, but I’m not insane enough to go wandering in the dark just yet. Panic management remains the most critical skill in my early days.
Day Two ends with clean water, cooked food, basic armor, and a strong undercurrent of low-level panic. Progress has been made, mistakes have been narrowly avoided, and tomorrow I’ll venture even further — anxiety levels permitting.
Day One of my Grounded permadeath run. I wake up microscopic, clueless, and desperate for clean water. Let the backyard chaos begin.
I wake up. I don’t know where I am, how I got here, or why everything around me is suddenly the size of skyscrapers. I’m not ant-sized. I’m smaller than an ant. That’s never a great start to the day. But if panic has taught me anything, it’s that panic can wait. First, I need to get my bearings.
Pebblets. Lots of pebblets. I grab a handful because even tiny rocks feel better than empty hands. As I cautiously scout my surroundings, I stumble across a strange science station. Naturally, I press every button that doesn’t scream “self-destruct.” Turns out, I can analyze items here. Good news.
—
I analyze the pebblets and some plant fibers I’ve picked up. That unlocks some basic blueprints. More importantly, I can now craft an axe. Primitive, sure, but it’s better than yelling at bugs and hoping they go away.
Water quickly becomes a concern. I sip some nasty puddle water because desperate times, but I know I can’t rely on swamp juice forever. Clean water will need to become a priority.
—
While wandering, I discover a massive machine, along with a tape left behind by someone who sounds a little too excited about being tiny. I hit the giant power button (as you do). Only two lasers fire properly. One’s blocked. Clearly, there’s a puzzle here, but it’s not my priority while I still have a growling stomach.
—
Food is now problem number one. Aphids sprint away from me like they’ve seen this horror movie before, so I craft a spear to even the odds. After confirming that yes, I can throw it, a weevil helpfully volunteers to be my first meal. The spear works. The weevil doesn’t.
A short time later, I find an aphid who wasn’t paying attention and deal with it too. I then stumble upon a patch of mushrooms. Crisis temporarily averted.
—
The game suggests building a lean-to. For once, I listen. A few quick chops and gathers later, I’ve got my shelter set up right next to the science station. I analyze my newly acquired bug remains, unlock more blueprints, and watch my brainpower level go up. Apparently scanning stuff makes you smarter.
As night falls, I set my respawn point (which, let’s be honest, I probably won’t need in permadeath) and call it the end of Day One.
Survived the first day. No spiders yet. That counts as a win.
—
Current Status: Alive
Location: Science Station Lean-To
Major Achievements: Crafted axe and spear, discovered giant machine, avoided spider-related trauma.
Biggest Threat: The growing suspicion that things will only get worse.
—
Stay tuned for Day Two of The Backyard Trials: Grounded Permadeath.
—
If you want more information on what this is, please check out: The Backyard Trials: Grounded Permadeath
Also: A Sunburnt & Sinking Tease You Didn’t Know You Needed
Permadeath. The challenge. The chaos. The deeply personal betrayal when a lovingly named character walks off a cliff because you misjudged a ledge.
This post is part ruleset, part philosophy, and part gentle teaser — because yes, one of my current runs has already ended. And no, you won’t find out how for at least two months.
I play ahead — sometimes way ahead — because it gives me time to write, screenshot, cry, and recover before you all read about it. So yes, I already know how some of my stories end. That doesn’t mean I’m any more emotionally prepared.
🛑 One life. Always.
If the game lets me die permanently, I do. No save-scumming. No reloads. If I glitch through the map, we roll with it.
🧤 Difficulty is flexible.
I don’t always play on the hardest difficulty — because surviving should be intense but still fun. I tailor it per series: Customloper for The Long Dark, Apprentice for Skyrim, standard settings in Stranded Deep.
🪦 Once they die, they go to The Graveyard.
Every character gets an obituary. Sometimes dramatic, sometimes… deeply stupid. Either way, the blog remembers them.
🎣 Runs are usually played a month or two ahead.
So if something goes wrong? You’ll find out… eventually.
Yes, Stranded Deep is on the way. Yes, the series is called Sunburnt & Sinking.
Stay tuned. It’s equal parts sunstroke and sharks.
If you’re wondering why I don’t always crank the difficulty to maximum chaos, there’s a reason for that — and it’s not just because I like my limbs frostbite-free.
Check out my full page:
👉 Why I Play On Easier Difficulties
And if you’re curious about the rules behind each of my survival runs, from Customloper to Backyard Trials:
👉 Rules of Survival – According To Me
Because every survival story has its own set of ground rules — even the weird ones involving crows and deer that somehow win the fight.
Survivor Incognito 