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](https://sup.ai/articles/gaming/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](https://sup.ai/articles/gaming/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](https://www.powerpyx.com/until-dawn-all-totem-locations-guide/). --- ## Tips for Unlocking All Endings 1. **Use Chapter Select:** After your first playthrough, replay specific chapters to change outcomes. 2. **Keep Multiple Saves:** Save at key points to experiment with different choices. 3. **Track Key Decisions:** Use the Butterfly Effect menu to see how your choices branch the story. 4. **Consult Walkthroughs:** Use detailed guides for tricky sections or collectibles. 5. **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](https://sup.ai/articles/gaming/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: - [A complete guide to finding all secret stars in Super Mario 64](https://sup.ai/articles/gaming/a-complete-guide-to-finding-all-secret-stars-in-super-mario-64) - [Total number of achievements in Hollow Knight](https://sup.ai/articles/gaming/total-number-of-achievements-in-hollow-knight) - [Complete guide to obtaining all mounts in Final Fantasy XIV](https://sup.ai/articles/gaming/complete-guide-to-obtaining-all-mounts-in-final-fantasy-xiv) Happy surviving—and remember, in *Until Dawn*, every choice truly matters.

A complete guide to unlocking all endings in Until Dawn

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