Survival Mode stand-alone or Base + DLCs

[Juanen]

Hi, I'm a bit confused about this game, so before purchasing anything, I prefer to ask to make sure I know exactly what I'm buying. All I want is a pure survival game that is relaxing, but still a challenge. Everywhere I search, this game is recommended for that. The thing is, I know the base game + DLCs include a story mode, which seems similar to The Forest, but honestly, I don't mind the story. I was about to buy the standalone Survival Mode, but I'm not sure because it seems like some DLCs add new mechanics and ways to play, like new options, etc. So my final question (sorry for the long message), If I buy the Survival Mode, will I be missing any mechanics or features if I stick to playing Survival?

[Courteous]

The Story Mode contains kind of a tutorial in the beginning, an introduction to interface and some basic features of the game. Except that, you won't be missing anything if you'll play Survival Mode only. You may also watch tutorial videos instead of buying it. The DLC, on the other hand, contains new regions and some really cool features, so if you'll like the base game, you would most likely want the DLC too.

[Wheelie]

If you buy the Survival Mode + the Tales From The Far Territory DLC you will have everything in Survival Mode only. No Wintermute Story Mode.

Tales From The Far Territory does add a number of enhanced contents like Frontier Cooking, the Trader, and the cougar. It also adds an optional set of 3 Tales- narrative driven quest lines with a win state that plays within a Survival mode save and does not end the save once the win state is reached. Again, the Tales content is completely optional, but does add some unique rewards.

I am not sure if you have looked at the Tales Roadmap that outlines what has been added and breaks down what is in the base game as free added content, and what is added only in the paid DLC, but I will link it here for you or anyone else who has not seen it: Tales From The Far Territory[www.thelongdark.com].

[HuskyDynamics]

Survival Mode is the base version of the game, with all of the main regions but no story elements, just purely survival against the elements.

Wintermute is a pure, at least semi-scripted story mode (I think there's still the regular survival elements too, but I haven't played it, so I'm not sure).

The Tales from the Far Territory DLC ("Tales", "TFTFT") is an expansion for Survival Mode that introduces new regions, mechanics, and wildlife, as well as a few optional "mini-story" narrative quests that give you additional lore and reason to explore the DLC regions.

Personally, I'd recommend buying Survival Mode if you're not interested in the story, and then buying Tales at a later date if you want more than just the base game (which, even by itself, already has a lot).

[HangarPilot]

Based on what you said, I'd suggest "The Long Dark: Survival Mode" ... The "Wintermute" story isn't actually even complete (final episode releases next year).

For about $12 you can see if this is what you're looking for. If you completely fall in love with it, you can add the Survival Mode DLC (Tales from the Far Territory) later to get the new areas and such.

One of the cool features is the completely customizable difficulty. You can choose a present difficulty level (Pilgrim, Voyager, etc.) or you can completely customize every little detail to find that "relaxing, but still a challenge" experience you are looking for.

[Juanen]

Originally posted by Volunteer_Moderator_Wheelie:

If you buy the Survival Edition + the Tales From The Far Territory DLC you will have everything in Survival Mode only. No Wintermute Story Mode.

Tales From The Far Territory does add a number of enhanced content like Frontier Cooking, the Trader, and the cougar. It also adds an optional set of 3 Tales- narrative driven quest lines with an win state that plays within a Survival mode save and does not end the save once the win state is reached. Again, the Tales content is completely optional, but does add some unique rewards.

I am not sure if you have looked at the Tales Roadmap that outlines what has been added and breaks down what is in the base game as free added content, and what is added only in the paid DLC, but I will link it here for you or anyone else who has not seen it: Tales From The Far Territory[www.thelongdark.com].

That's something I wasn't sure about either, because I didn't know if I could buy any DLCs after purchasing the survival mode, or if I needed the base game + DLCs to use it in survival. So, if I buy survival + Tales, I'll have everything to play survival, which is great, as that's what I wanted

[Wheelie]

Originally posted by Juanen:

That's something I wasn't sure about either, because I didn't know if I could buy any DLCs after purchasing the survival mode, or if I needed the base game + DLCs to use it in survival. So, if I buy survival + Tales, I'll have everything to play survival, which is great, as that's what I wanted

Correct. The less expensive The Long Dark: Survival Mode + The Tales From The Far Territory DLC will give you everything that is available in Survival Mode only. (And my apologies- it used to be called the Survival Edition instead of Survival Mode).

The more expensive full game- The Long Dark -also includes Wintermute Story Mode, which it sounds like you have no interest in playing.

The Wintermute DLC is only for people who buy the Survival Mode and decide later that they want to add the story mode to their game.

[Lazarus Long]

Wintermute is a fairly linear story line with minimal crafting allowed. It's a good story so far but lacks a lot of the survival sandbox features. To be honest I have never made past the first chapter of it. I have watched others stream it enough to know it well and when I play I focus on survival runs.

Survival Mode isn't going to give you a lot of (or really any) goals, so you will need to set them for yourself. You may feel lost and unsure a lot and that is natural, even realistic.

Just remember that TLD is not a game that is easy to judge until after you have played it a while. I thought I would like the story mode and hate the survival but it turned out the other way around. If you are unsure then I suggest watching streamers play survival for a but to see what it is like.

[Japa Amazônico]

Wintermute = Story mode; Its alright, hit or miss, i personally like it but it sometimes can def feel like a slog

While the " award winning survival mode " is... well... the survival mode, a sandbox without any of the story beats of Wintermute

Theres the DLCs, Tales from the far territory, they add more maps for survival and, if im not mistaken, they also have their own little campaigns