A complete guide to unlocking all endings in Until Dawn

Introduction

Until Dawn is a cinematic horror adventure from Supermassive Games, renowned for its branching narrative, butterfly effect system, and a multitude of possible endings. Every decision you make—whether a dialogue choice, a quick-time event (QTE), or a seemingly minor action—can mean the difference between life and death for the eight main characters stranded on Blackwood Mountain. This comprehensive guide will help you unlock all possible endings, from saving everyone to witnessing the darkest outcomes, and provide tips for 100% completion.

Understanding the Butterfly Effect and Game Mechanics

At the heart of Until Dawn lies the Butterfly Effect: small choices can have massive, sometimes unforeseen, consequences. The game tracks your decisions, relationships, and actions, weaving them into a complex web that determines who survives until dawn.

Key Mechanics:

Butterfly Effect: Every choice, big or small, can ripple through the story.
QTEs: Timed button prompts that often decide a character’s fate.
Don’t Move Segments: Keep your controller perfectly still to avoid detection.
Totems: Collectibles that provide premonitions of possible futures.
Clues: Divided into The Mystery Man, The Twins, and 1952 categories; some are essential for specific endings.

For a deeper dive into branching narratives and endings in other games, see A complete guide to unlocking all endings in Fire Emblem: Three Houses.

Character Survival and Key Decisions

Each character’s survival hinges on specific decisions and successful QTEs. Here’s a summary of the main survival factors:

Character	Key Survival Factors	Survival Tip
Sam	Final chase sequence, Don’t Move segments	Hide successfully, don’t move during QTEs
Mike	Confrontation choices, don’t shoot Emily	Be cautious, avoid risky actions
Chris	Shooting decisions, path choices	Make compassionate choices, save Ashley
Ashley	Trap door decision, voice investigation	Stick with the group, don’t investigate alone
Emily	Mines escape, bite revelation	Don’t get bitten, don’t shoot her
Matt	Cliff and tower choices	Take safe routes, avoid antagonizing Emily
Jessica	QTE success, mine path choices	Be quick and alert
Josh	Finding all Twins clues	Discover the truth about Hannah

For more on unlocking secret characters and collectibles in other games, check out How to unlock secret characters in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Achieving Major Endings

The “Everyone Survives” (Golden) Ending

To achieve this, you must:

Make the right choices for each character.
Succeed in all critical QTEs and Don’t Move segments.
Collect all Twins clues to save Josh.
Avoid unnecessary risks and keep the group together.

Critical Steps:

Save Jessica by taking all fast/risky paths and succeeding in QTEs.
Don’t attack the deer with Matt; save Emily on the tower.
Don’t shoot Emily if she’s bitten; Ashley will find a clue that proves bites aren’t infectious.
Chris should be supportive of Ashley and succeed in shooting sequences.
Ashley must not investigate the voice in the tunnels alone.
In the final lodge scene, Sam should hide and stay still until the right moment to flip the switch.

The “Everyone Dies” (Darkest) Ending

To see the bleakest outcome:

Purposely fail QTEs and make antagonistic or reckless choices.
Ignore clues and totems.
Have Ashley investigate the voice in the tunnels, Mike fail Sanatorium QTEs, and Sam move at the wrong time in the lodge.

Mixed Endings

Every combination of survivors results in a unique ending. For example, you can have only Sam survive (the “Final Girl” scenario) or see Josh’s transformation if all Twins clues are found.

Special Endings and Unique Outcomes

Josh’s Secret Ending: Find all Twins clues so Josh recognizes Hannah as a Wendigo, leading to his transformation instead of death.
Sole Survivor Endings: Ensure only one character survives by selectively making fatal choices for the others.
Twins Reunited Ending: Focus on Josh’s fate by uncovering the truth about Hannah and Beth.

Collectibles: Totems and Clues

Collecting all totems and clues not only enriches the story but can also influence outcomes:

Death Totems: Warn of possible deaths.
Guidance Totems: Show helpful actions.
Loss Totems: Reveal potential losses.
Danger Totems: Warn of imminent threats.
Fortune Totems: Show positive outcomes.

For a full list of totem locations, see PowerPyx’s Totem Locations Guide.

Tips for Unlocking All Endings

Use Chapter Select: After your first playthrough, replay specific chapters to change outcomes.
Keep Multiple Saves: Save at key points to experiment with different choices.
Track Key Decisions: Use the Butterfly Effect menu to see how your choices branch the story.
Consult Walkthroughs: Use detailed guides for tricky sections or collectibles.
Experiment: Try different approaches and combinations to see all possible endings.

For achievement hunters, see Complete guide to unlocking all trophies in God of War: Ragnarok for tips on thorough completion in narrative-driven games.

Conclusion

Unlocking all endings in Until Dawn is a rewarding challenge that showcases the depth of its branching narrative and the real weight of your decisions. Whether you want to save everyone, doom them all, or see every possible combination, careful planning, attention to detail, and a willingness to experiment are key.

For more on branching narratives, collectibles, and completionist guides, explore:

Happy surviving—and remember, in Until Dawn, every choice truly matters.