Something in the water is not at rest.
First steps, core mechanics and introductory quests
Configure controls and familiarize yourself with basic mechanics before proceeding.
Advance through the main campaign while watching for cutoff points
Cross the climactic point of the main storyline to complete the game.
Side objectives that must be cleared prior to the story climax
Reach the “Justice” ending. Significantly more Discoveries than Kills (PowerPyx); GameRant: at least 20 more, under 60 kills.
Reach the “Forever” ending. Slightly more Discoveries than Kills (PowerPyx); GameRant: about 5 more, under 60 kills.
Reach the “Abandoned” ending. More Kills than Discoveries. Kill everything on the all-collectibles run and this is the one you get.
Reached the “Dog” ending. New Game+ only: three coins into three dog banks.
Reached the “Sci-fi” ending. New Game+ only: three books, the hotel button door for the Strange Access Card, then the keypad at the end of Chapter 15.
Finish the game in under 4 hours. The hardest of the set, and lenient: under 2 hours on objectives only, under 3 collecting every document. The timer only stops in the pause menu; turn on Game Options, then Show Time Played.
Call all the phone numbers found in St. Amelia. 13 numbers; wait through each call and the hang-up for it to register.
Collect 50% of all documents. Progress carries between playthroughs.
Collect all of the documents. All 85 Clues and Documents; tracked across playthroughs, but with no in-game list of what you already have.
Collect all of the strange postcards. 15, Simon only. Already in your inventory on a new playthrough.
Tune into all signals on the CRTV. The 18 video channels, not the enemy-tracking ones; carries between playthroughs.
Obtain the Pistol-3000. NG+ after the Sci-fi ending: the Axe's storage area for Simon, the Boardroom table for Richard.
Obtain the Axe. NG+ after any ending: the storage area past the For Sale houses as Simon, or beside the shed before Mr. Stewart's house as Zoe.
Kill at least one enemy with Plank, Pipe, Pistol, Shotgun, Flare Gun, Bottle and Brick in a single playthrough. Excludes the NG+ weapons. Shotgun kills come as Richard; bottle and brick kills on the Clara Woods corpse enemies.
After meeting Richard, do not use a phone to save the game. Never call 100 again after the one prompted save; autosaves still happen and cover the objectives, not exploration.
Unlock all resource containers. All 7, each with its own Lockbox Key.
During the missions “Rounds” and “The Patient”, don't use any healing items. Chapters 5 and 7 as Zoe. Far easier in NG+ with the Axe.
Gathering remaining collectibles and securing 100% completion
Justice, Forever and Abandoned on a first run, decided by Discoveries against Kills; Dog and Sci-fi only in New Game+. Requirements only — no ending is described here.
1 platinum, 5 gold, 9 silver, 22 bronze; 17 are missable because there is no chapter select. Cumulative ones count across playthroughs.
Every text pickup in order, by part and chapter. These are the Discoveries that decide the three main endings; Clues also carry puzzle answers. Observation at half, Thorough Inspection at all 85. Some by-type lists hold 84; the 85th — the Inquiry Preparation Notice in the CEG HQ lobby — appears only in the Part 4 walkthrough.
Call each one where, and as whom, listed below — most only connect in their own chapter — and wait through the whole call and the hang-up before it counts. Cold Calling (silver).
Simon only. They stay in your Document inventory on a new playthrough and do not reappear in the world, unlike every other collectible. They hint at the Sci-fi ending without being required for it. Blur Your Eyes (silver).
The channels that play video, not the ones that track enemies; none is needed for the story and progress carries between playthroughs. Sweeping Signals (silver).
Seven lockboxes of consumables and ammunition, seven Lockbox Keys, each key in the same area as its box; Simon only. Resourceful (bronze).
The stat screens call all of them Others. The walkthroughs and the trophy list name the Widows, the Weight and the corpse enemies; the reviews describe the rest.
The CRTV and Zoe's pager, the seven weapons the trophy list names, the two New Game+ weapons, and the small things — IV bag, gauze, lockbox keys, the phone — that keep you alive.