When the Darkness comes - Walkthrough + 100% Achievements

Walkthrough and guidance for obtaining 100% achievements!

We are but dust and shadows.

When the Darkness comes is a unique walking simulator featuring 32 Steam achievements.

The game will create files on your desktop and in your documents folder. It will even change your desktop background if there is any inconsistency in the save files or you achieve the bad ending.

You can exit the game holding down the Enter and pressing Alt+F4.

If you are interested in the game's secrets please refer to this guide by mn2014.

Chapter I - Welcome

Walk towards the fireplace and the piano.

Thanks for playing!
You won the game!

Wait for the "Welcome" lettering and try quitting by pressing Alt+F4.

No Escape
Try to exit the game by conventional means.

Instead of approaching the exit door, wait for approximately 60 seconds.

You're a patient one, aren't you?
Wait a long time for that first red door.

Walk to the exit door, wait until the narrator opens it and enter the exit portal.

Try to go through the next door and wait for another ~60 seconds before pressing the button:

Just press the button!
Wait a long time before pressing the first button.

Finally, press the red button.

Chapter II - Factory

Press any green "Yes" button and fall off the platform before touching the blue "No" buttons:

Really?
Try to escape from the platform.

Press any blue button and complete the chapter by interacting with the last red "No" button.

Chapter III - City

Follow the path and avoid the shadows.

Go closer to the market and continue walking to the left. Look for a small passage:

You should have known.
Try to escape in the City.

Head back to the market and enter it.

Chapter IV - Forest

Go closer to the marionette. The choices during the conversation don't matter.

Wait, jump off the platform and approach the light:



Go down the avenue and jump into the well of light.

Chapter V - Light

Slowly walk along the bridge. The light indicates the abyss.

Faith in the Light
Find the Light at the end of the Bridge.

Walk through the metro.

Keep going.
Progress in the Metro.

Continue walking straight ahead, but stay at the right and look for a misty exit.

Go towards the sun and avoid stepping into the water.

Chapter VI - Poem

Follow the illuminated path.

Chapter VII - Snow

Get in the cubic elevator and follow the light reflection on the ice to a piano.

Approach the people until they form a circle and alarm clocks fall from the sky:



Wait until you get back to the entry scene.

Chapter VIII - Cabin

Go left and upstairs through the darkness:



Approach the monitor.

Yes, it was yours.
Discover the secret room.

Go downstairs and wait in front of the fireplace.

Chapter IX - School

Your goal is to collect eight clocks. You can follow this section or refer to the official map guide. But make sure to obtain "There is actually nothing here." before leaving through the final door.

Turn around and go through the light door. Jump into the second pool and pick up the first clock.

Leave, go along the left path and get closer to the "There is nothing here" sign.

There is actually nothing here.
Try to find meaning where there is none.

Head back to the crossroad and take the path to your left. Step on the light spot:



Follow the water flow and obtain the second alarm clock. Climb up the ladder to leave.

Get back to the path and go through the leftmost door:



Enter the locker room and find another alarm clock in one of the lockers to the very right. Leave.

Stand in the middle of the small football field and take the leftmost door again:



Go upstairs twice and enter the seventh dorm room the right to find the fourth alarm clock:



Leave and go through the door which is in front of you in a distance:



Find the fifth alarm clock in the left rear corner. Interact with the paper and leave.

Look to the right and approach two lights:



Get behind the wall and interact with the "Clock dispenser" to obtain the sixth alarm clock:



Follow the music to a barricaded door and take the middle path.

Turn around to discover another door after a few seconds:



Pick up the seventh alarm clock.

Go back to the barricaded music door and enter the area northwest of it. Find the cantina.

Pick up the last alarm clock. It is hidden behind the counter.

Time tick ticks away.
Find all the clocks in the School level.

Complete the chapter by walking through the music door.

Chapter X - Breathe

Appoach the aquarium:



Jump on the platforms.

Breathe
Successfully reach the end of the platforms.

Chapter XI - Dream

Go downstairs and enter the kitchen to your left. Pick up the remote controll:



Go out of the house and stand on this ledge:



Then jump and try to land on the garage roof:



Look at the wall to find the easter egg.

Speed Ninja!
Find the Speed Ninja easter egg.

Jump off the roof and inspect the back of the house:

Aah, the fresh air of Mother Nature.
Go behind the Hermitage.

Enter the house again and turn on the TV.

Run upstairs and enter the room on your left!

Chapter XII - Black Hole

Walk towards the black hole, turn around and run to the door before the glass shatters:

Running away.
Run away from your fears.

Go through the red door and wait.

Chapter XIII - Meaning

Walk straight ahead and leave the scene through a light door on your right.

Wait until you can choose your purpose in life:



Pick "None" (between the monitors, after a few seconds) and wait.

Well, that was unexpected.
Select no purpose in life.

Chapter XIV - Choice

Jump into the light tunnel and DO NOT hang yourself. Answer the call:

I'm glad.
Survive the first run.

In the credits room, exit the game by pressing the green button next to the piano.

Second Playthrough

Restart the game.

Again?
Relaunch the game after the first run.

Press the button and replay the entire game.

Oh, this is different.
Discover the Sunny Factory.
Note: Story-related, unlocks at the beginning of Chapter II.

Isn't this lovely?
Discover the Sunny City.
Note: Story-related, unlocks at the beginning of Chapter III.

Are you, really?
Get a different answer.
Note: Story-related, unlocks at the end of Chapter VIII.

Chapter IX - School

I can see!
Discover the Sunny School.
Note: Story-related, unlocks at the beginning of Chapter IX.

Before entering the dorms keep pushing the ball until you score a goal:

Goal!
Put the ball in the goal.

Change in the dorms: Go upstairs twice and enter the fifth dorm on the left to find the clock.

Chapter XI - Dream

The remote control is on the 2nd floor now, in the last room to the left from the starting point:

Chapter XIII - Meaning

Pick any purpose and close the game by holding down the Enter key and pressing Alt+F4.

Load Chapter XIII from the main menu and repeat the previous step, picking all purposes once.

Creation
Choose Creation as your purpose in life.


Fame
Choose Fame as your purpose in life.


Money
Choose Fame as your purpose in life.


Happiness
Choose Happiness as your purpose in life.


Knowledge
Choose Knowledge as your purpose in life.

Chapter XIV - Choice

As soon as the chapter starts, open "...\Documents\Darkness\_meaning" and delete:

• creation.m
  
• fame.m
  
• happiness.m
  
• knowledge.m
  
• money.m

to prevent a ban which triggers by choosing dissimilar life purposes during your playthroughs.

Make a backup of your remaining save files!

Jump into the light tunnel and DO NOT hang yourself. Walk towards the phone twice.

Go straight into the light during the chess scene:



Finally, answer the call.

Always there for you..?
Reach the end of the second run.

In the credits room, exit the game by pressing the green button which is next to the piano.

True Ending

Note: This ending is only available after successfully completing the second playthrough.

Restart the game and press the red button.



Walk towards the fireplace and the piano.

Go downstairs and try to leave through the front door, then answer the call on the upper floor.

Stand in front of the TV and take a place on the couch downstairs. Wait.

Follow the staircase all the way up during the chess scene:



Turn around and press the "Open" button. Go straight ahead to the light and break free:

Light.
Find your light.

In the credits room, exit the game by pressing the green button next to the piano.

Restart the game.

True End.
You have reached the end of the journey.

If you want to continue playing you must delete all save files or replace them with a backup:

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⊰︎ "...\Documents\Darkness\_meaning" ⊱︎

Bad Ending

Load your backup from the second playthrough.

At Chapter XIV, jump into the light tunnel and hang yourself.



Restart the game one more time.

D\4rkn37s hAs C0M3#A@I$A
¢}{°[]se |he o|3A+}{ end|/\\/g.

If you want to continue playing you must delete all save files or replace them with a backup:

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⊰︎ "...\Documents\Darkness\_meaning" ⊱︎

[fourninenine499]

for those steam deck players: the gamedata folder location is /home/deck/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/compatdata/1021950/pfx/drive_c/users/steamuser/Documents/Darkness/

[💙 Nowa Chan 💙]

Hello, regarding this "Really?" achievement, it seems like game had an update or something because in that level i have these walls :/ Can't even run out, any idea how to get this achievement then?

[Wehzy]

How do i get into the chapter select?

[DeathHero®]

THX

[zk ٩(˘◡˘)۶]

NEED HEEEELP PLSSSS !!!

I was pressing enter+alt+f4 on chapter 13 to get all the achiviments of choices and now when I open up the game it shows the "CHEATER" place yk, but I cant ever play the game normally again? I would like to get all the achiviments but I dont know how to get out of here, every time I close and open up the game again, it brough me here. heeelp

[bonitasantana]

perfect, thanks!

[Tsu]

For people who play in future there is a way to change it back if moving the original save file back into its place after the true ending isnt working.

Remember you also have to move the most recent files that have been created in the documents darkness meaning folder out of it. I dont remember the names specifically but it will be the ones that were updated last/ around the time you quit.If you also wish to go back to your true ending file after the bad ending the same thing applies where you have to remove both the save data and the newest documents

Hope this helps, i had it and fixed it so im sharing. Have fun !!

[话说过头会伤人]

Thanks for your guide I get full achievements

[XANADU]

how to restart?I mean, I quit and start again , it just cannot work out.

[Maria Wednesday]

how do you run?