This Week on Survivor Incognito โ€“ From Frozen Lakes to Flooded Engines

Stranded Deep Day 2, a winning Dead by Daylight survivor build, The Long Dark Day 10, Subnautica Day 1, and SnowRunner Day 4โ€”chaos included

This week was all about variety โ€” and a little bit of chaos.

Sunburnt & Sinking โ€“ Day Two (Stranded Deep):
Water was scarce, knives kept breaking, and island life felt less โ€œtropical paradiseโ€ and more โ€œDIY dehydration challenge.โ€

Survivorโ€™s Dread โ€“ Dead by Daylight:
I tried a survivor build that shouldnโ€™t have worked on R.P.D.โ€ฆ and somehow it did. Consider me pleasantly confused and very alive.

The Cold Chronicles โ€“ Day Ten (The Long Dark):
The Voyageur dream continues: careful route planning, stubborn weather, and only the occasional questionable decision.

Submerged โ€“ Day One (Subnautica):
Ship explodes, pod catches fire, I jump into alien waters armed with optimism and a fire extinguisher. Classic first day energy.

Snowrunner Survival โ€“ Day Four:
More permagear trucking through icy mud. Reminder: โ€œoff-roadโ€ sometimes just means โ€œoff my sanity.โ€


Thanks for reading! If you like chill survival (with a side of chaos), stick aroundโ€”more diaries and guides are on the way.

๐Ÿ›  Something Big Is Brewing

A quick update post from me.

Behind the scenes, Iโ€™m working on somethingโ€ฆ complicated. Itโ€™s going to take time, screenshots, formatting, and far too many tables. Possibly a mild headache or two.

Iโ€™m not saying what it is. Not yet. But if youโ€™ve followed the blog for a while, youโ€™ll probably guess. It involves survival. It involves chaos. It may or may not involve dead livestock and unsafe generators.

Content might slow slightly while this gets stitched together, but regular playthroughs will continue soon.

Until then, stay sneaky. And maybe donโ€™t blow any skill checks near me.

โ€” Survivor Incognito

๐Ÿ“ข New Series Launch Alert!

๐ŸŒŠ Submerged: A Subnautica Survival Diary Begins This Week

Itโ€™s time to dive in โ€” our newest survival series officially launches this week, and weโ€™re starting exactly where youโ€™d expect: falling out of the sky in a flaming escape pod and into an alien ocean full of fish with bad attitudes.

Day One of Submerged is coming this week, with more entries arriving weekly. Follow along as our unfortunate multiverse survivor tries to make sense of a PDA full of blueprints, a lifepod that’s already on fire, and a world where hydration comes from bleach.

  • ๐Ÿ”ง Expect chaos. Expect crafting. Expect at least one poorly timed encounter with a Reaper Leviathan.
  • ๐Ÿš€ All played on the Nintendo Switch, because survival is better when itโ€™s portable.

And if you’re just joining us from The Long Dark, Skyrim, or Stranded Deep โ€” welcome! Hope you brought your flippers.

Customloper Diaries Day Five: Moose-terious Happenings

Customloper Diaries โ€“ Day 5: Moose Standoff, Bullet Disappointment, and Frostbite Gordon Ramsay

Weather: Overcast โ†’ blizzard remnants โ†’ cold, tense calm
Loot Highlights: 32 revolver bullets (without the revolver), coffee, stew ingredients
Mood: Caffeine-fueled paranoia

โ—€ Missed Day 4? Read it here  | 
What is Customloper?

Moose-terious Happenings and Bullet Mockery

I wake up cold, hypothermic, and shivering in a shelter that feels like itโ€™s holding back winter by sheer stubbornness. Outside, the air is still heavy with yesterdayโ€™s storm. I light a torchโ€”not for light, but for moraleโ€”and step outside to grab sticks for a fire.

Thatโ€™s when I hear it. A low, deliberate snort. Snow crunching under something big. My brain takes about two seconds to put it together: the Moose is still here. Still patrolling. Still grumpy. All Iโ€™ve got is a flare gun, three flares, and zero confidence this will be anything but moose-poking practice.

Later research confirmed flare guns actually can scare or even injure moose. At the time, though, I pictured wasting all three shots and ending up as hoof-print art in the snow.

Sidebar: Flare Guns vs Wildlife

  • Wolves: Scared of everything, including your hesitation. Flare gun = instant retreat.
  • Bears: Works if youโ€™re quick and accurate. Miss, and youโ€™ve just upgraded it to โ€œangry bear.โ€
  • Moose: Vulnerable, but charging moose leave little margin for error. Pray your aim is better than your panic management.

Fire, Coffee, and False Confidence

I retreat inside, break down a couple of stools, and get a fire going. Coffee brews while my temperature climbs from โ€œfreezer aisleโ€ to โ€œslightly uncomfortable.โ€ Caffeine courage in place, I decide to make another break for it.

I crack the door. Two cautious steps outsideโ€”then I hear it again. This time I actually see the moose, casually stomping away from me like it owns the place. Which, frankly, it does.

I seize the chance to sneak toward the picnic area, hoping Iโ€™ll finally find a revolver or rifle. Spoiler: no. Just more snow, more silence, and the nagging sense Iโ€™m on borrowed time.

Panic Sprint to Orca

Plan B forms in my head: head to Orca Gas Station and regroup. The snow crunches under my boots, the wind whistles between the treesโ€”and then I hear a noise behind me. Could be the wind. Could be antlers. I donโ€™t check. I just run. Full panic sprint, torch flaring wildly, straight to Orcaโ€™s door.

Inside, adrenaline still in overdrive, I make a silent vow: if I live through this, Iโ€™ll cook everything I can get my hands on. Meals will be my legacy.

Bullets Without a Gun

The walk back to Grey Motherโ€™s is uneventful, which feels like winning the lottery. I throw myself into cooking: rabbit stew, venison stew, boiling waterโ€”anything to nudge my Cooking skill higher. Somewhere in the process, I drop off 32 revolver bullets into storage. The universe clearly thinks this is funny.

Three separate attempts to repair my climbing socks all fail. Morale drops. I sweep Grey Motherโ€™s house again just in case a revolver is hiding in the corner. Itโ€™s not.

I end the day reading a book to boost my harvesting skill, the flickering lantern light casting long shadows. Outside, the moose is probably still wandering. Inside, Iโ€™m still stubborn, still alive, still armed with only a flare gun and misplaced optimism.

Day 5 Summary

  • Location: Milton Region
  • Finds: 32 revolver bullets, coffee, stew ingredients
  • Wildlife Watch: Persistent moose
  • Conditions: Cold and tense
  • Status: Warm, fed, moose-adjacent

Continue the Journey

โ—€ Customloper Diaries โ€“ Day 4: Prybars, Pancake Plans, and the Blizzard Lock-In
Customloper Diaries โ€“ Day 6 โ–ถ

Customloper Diaries Day Four: Locked Trunks, Blizzards, and Pancake Promises

Customloper Diaries โ€“ Day 4: Prybars, Pancake Plans, and the Blizzard Lock-In

Weather: Clear morning, moose-level tension, full blizzard finale
Loot Highlights: Prybar, Storm Lantern, memento cache hint, acorns
Mood: Energised โ†’ cautious โ†’ โ€œnope, not stepping outsideโ€

Missed Day 3? Read it here.  | 
What is Customloper?

Moose Tracks and Memory Trunks

Morning at Paradise Meadows Farm is deceptively calmโ€”blue skies, crisp air, and the kind of silence that makes you think โ€œsafe.โ€ Which, as Iโ€™ve learned, is usually the universe setting you up for trouble. My goal is simple: get back to Grey Motherโ€™s without freezing, starving, or becoming wildlife entertainment.

Before I even make it to the main road, I spot circling birds. If youโ€™ve read my blog before, you know this usually means a corpse. And corpses mean loot. Sure enough, todayโ€™s offering is a prybar lying beside the unlucky owner. I take a respectful momentโ€”then take the prybar. Survival first, sentiment later.

Miltonโ€™s Got Loot

With my new tool in hand, I march into Milton like a one-person locksmith service. Every locked trunk and locker Iโ€™d previously ignored is now fair game. The results? A couple of sodas, some gloves, and various odds and ends. Not exactly jackpot material, but the sense of clearing my โ€œto-openโ€ list is its own reward.

My real prize comes at Orca Gas Station. Perched on top of a ladder, basking in the weak winter sunlight, is a Storm Lantern. Iโ€™d have climbed Mount Timberwolf itself for this. Itโ€™s not just lightโ€”itโ€™s morale. No more groping around in the dark like an amateur escape artist.

Signs in the Snow

Lantern in my pack, I head toward Milton Park. Thatโ€™s when I see itโ€”moose rubbings etched into a tree. My mood shifts instantly from โ€œpleasant strollโ€ to โ€œscan every shadow for large, angry silhouettes.โ€ I havenโ€™t actually seen a moose yet this run, but Iโ€™m not eager to test my odds.

Nearby, I gather acorns. Theyโ€™re a small thing, but they bring me one step closer to Lilyโ€™s Pancakesโ€”my long-term culinary goal. The catch? I still need Cooking Level 4. Which means at least seventy cups of tea, or possibly cooking every edible thing on the island. Twice.

Before heading out, I also find a memento cache hint. A promise of future loot, assuming I make it that far. If past runs are anything to go by, the odds are… letโ€™s call them โ€œvariable.โ€

Blizzard Becomes the Boss Fight

By the time I start for my shelter, the snow is falling thicker. A few minutes later, Iโ€™m in the middle of a full blizzard. Visibility drops to โ€œcouldnโ€™t find your own footprints,โ€ and the wind is howling like itโ€™s trying to blow the entire town off the map. Somewhere out there, I think I hear movementโ€”could be a wolf, could be my imagination. Either way, the door stays closed.

Inside, I get a fire going, boil water, and cook whateverโ€™s left in my pack. The mattress here is old, musty, and about as supportive as a wet paper bag, but compared to freezing to death, itโ€™s luxury. Outside, the storm rages. Inside, Iโ€™m dry, warm, and in possession of a prybar, a storm lantern, and a future pancake dream. Could be worse.

Day 4 Summary

  • Location: Milton Region
  • Finds: Prybar, Storm Lantern, memento cache hint, acorns
  • Wildlife Watch: Potential moose spawn
  • Conditions: Blizzard-bound
  • Status: Warm, fed, slightly paranoidโ€”but alive

Continue the Journey

โ—€ Customloper Diaries โ€“ Day 3: Charcoal Maps, Rabbit Stew, and a Surprise Wolf Hug
Customloper Diaries โ€“ Day 5 โ–ถ

Here’s What You Missed at Survivor Incognito

Another week, another set of chaotic survival tales. If you blinked, hereโ€™s what went live on the blog:

  • Tuesday: Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival โ€“ Day Six
  • Wednesday: The Cold Chronicles โ€“ Day Eight
  • Thursday: Sneak, Snipe, Repeat โ€“ Day Eleven
  • Friday: The Backyard Trials: Grounded Permadeath โ€“ Final Entry

One story wraps up, others carry on. Thanks for tagging alongโ€”more survival chaos ahead next week.

How I Handle Permadeath (and Still Sleep at Night)

Also: A Sunburnt & Sinking Tease You Didnโ€™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 โ€” because yes, one of my current runs has already ended. And no, you wonโ€™t find out how for at least two months.

I play ahead โ€” sometimes way ahead โ€” 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 doesnโ€™t mean Iโ€™m any more emotionally prepared.

My Permadeath Rules (Across the Blog)

๐Ÿ›‘ 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.

๐Ÿงค Difficulty is flexible.
I donโ€™t always play on the hardest difficulty โ€” 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.

๐Ÿชฆ Once they die, they go to The Graveyard.
Every character gets an obituary. Sometimes dramatic, sometimes… deeply stupid. Either way, the blog remembers them.

๐ŸŽฃ Runs are usually played a month or two ahead.
So if something goes wrong? You’ll find out… eventually.


๐ŸŒด Coming Soon(ish): Sunburnt & Sinking

Yes, Stranded Deep is on the way. Yes, the series is called Sunburnt & Sinking.

Stay tuned. Itโ€™s equal parts sunstroke and sharks.


๐Ÿงญ Want to Know More?

If you’re wondering why I donโ€™t always crank the difficulty to maximum chaos, there’s a reason for that โ€” and itโ€™s not just because I like my limbs frostbite-free.

Check out my full page:
๐Ÿ‘‰ 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:
๐Ÿ‘‰ Rules of Survival โ€“ According To Me

Because every survival story has its own set of ground rules โ€” even the weird ones involving crows and deer that somehow win the fight.

Here’s What You Missed This Week โ€“ Survival Recap


From rabbits with better reflexes than me to undead sniper ambushes, hereโ€™s the full recap of what went live this week on Survivor Incognito.

The Week in Review

Another week, another round of chaos, permadeath, and poor life choices in the name of survival. Letโ€™s take a look at what went live:

๐Ÿ‡ Monday: Survivorโ€™s Shorts โ€“ The Rabbit Which Got Up and Left
Yes, I stunned a rabbit. No, I didnโ€™t catch it. Yes, it got up, looked me dead in the eyes, and walked away like it had somewhere better to be.

Survivorโ€™s Shorts: The Rabbit Got Up and Left Like I Wasnโ€™t Even Worth It


๐ŸŒŠ Tuesday: Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival โ€“ Day Two
The paranoia sets in. Fish with extra eyes, fog with extra vibes, and a to-do list that mostly reads “donโ€™t die.” Just another day on the water.

Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival โ€“ Day Two


โ„ Wednesday: The Cold Chronicles โ€“ Day Six
Itโ€™s cold. Itโ€™s bleak. There are wolves. So naturally, I went exploring. Because thatโ€™s never gone wrong before.

The Cold Chronicles Day Six: A Voyageurโ€™s Tale of The Long Dark


๐Ÿ—ก Thursday: Skyrim Survival โ€“ Day Seven
Sneak, snipe, and regret. The Argonian continues the journey through frost, bandits, and the occasional vampire attack.

Sneak, Snipe, Repeat: Skyrim Survival Day Seven


๐ŸงŸ Friday: Day One Diary โ€“ Zombie Army Trilogy
The zombies were waiting. The rifle jammed (emotionally, not mechanically). Welcome to permadeath mode, where the first day might also be the last.

Survivor Incognito: Zombie Army Trilogy โ€“ Day One Diary


Stay Frosty (and maybe carry a torch)

More survival tales are just around the corner. Thanks for reading, and remember โ€” if something looks too quiet, itโ€™s probably a wolf.

Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival โ€“ 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 yesterdayโ€”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 yesterdayโ€™s version of me green with envy. At 1:37pm, my inventory is maxed out, so I rush back to townโ€”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 orderโ€”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, Iโ€™m back in the water.

I fish up eight Arrow Squid while trying to stay near the light and far from danger. Thatโ€™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 couldnโ€™t see. My flawless streak is over.

At 00:41am, I limp back into the dock and am greeted by a woman who clearly didnโ€™t expect visitors.

Sheโ€™s the Lighthouse Keeper, and sheโ€™s less than thrilled. I tell her the truthโ€”just here to fishโ€”and she tells me I should leave. Thatโ€™sโ€ฆ encouraging.

Suspicious Mayoral Package

The Mayor is waiting with a new task. He wants me to deliver a package to Little Marrowโ€”and quickly, because it might spoil. I donโ€™t ask questions. I just take the box. (Mistake? Possibly. But that’s tomorrowโ€™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. Iโ€™m sure whateverโ€™s in that box wonโ€™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

Survivorโ€™s Shorts: Interloper โ€” The Desolation Point Debacle

Sometimes Interloper doesnโ€™t kill you with cold or wolves โ€” 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 letโ€™s be honest โ€” I wasnโ€™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 โ€” the forge is nearby, and this could have been a solid starting run. But todayโ€™s goal was simple: survive one single day.

And thatโ€™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.

Antlered Tank Incoming!

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 Survivorโ€™s Shorts

Blog at WordPress.com.

Up ↑