DN1: The Basics

Introduction
You play as a man suffering from pavor nocturnus (also known as night terrors), a sleep disorder characterized by intense nightmares. The game is divided in 7 nights. Each night is a level you have to beat in order to progress to the next one. Each night is slightly harder than the previous one and easier than the next one. This page contains information for both the original and the remastered version of the game available exclusively for the Nintendo Switch. When there are differences, they are pointed out.

Loading screen
Each time you click “Start Night #”, the game gives you a tip.

This does not happen in the remastered version.

Saving
The game automatically saves when the player survives a night, then quit and relaunch the game. The game will continue from the next night onward.

Quitting the night
By pressing Esc, the game immediately leads the player back to the main menu. Overall progress won't be lost, which means that relaunching the game will lead the player to the same night they quitted while playing. Note: Be careful not to press Esc by accident, as there’s no confirmation screen before exiting to the main menu.

Remastered: Press + to open the "Exit the game" confirmation screen and then select "Yes" to exit.

Permadeath
This game features permanent death, which means that once the game is lost, it’s game over and players have to start over from Night 1. So, be extra careful and ready for everything.

Pause screen
True horror games never let the players relax, not even for a few seconds. This game does not offer an official way to pause.

In the original version, displaying the map pauses the game. However, it is impossible to pause the game, if you are playing thge remastered version.

Map
A map is always available. Press M to view the map. It works more like a GPS, which means that you can see your location, your orientation and where you have been. As you walk, a line is automatically drawn on the map. You can still move the camera while viewing the map (the arrow rotates on the map), but you cannot walk, or run while viewing the map.

REMASTERED: The map is randomly generated and is being revealed as the player explores the dungeon.

Structure
The dungeons consist of two types of places. Hallways and chambers. Any place that is narrow is a hallway, any place wider than a hallway is considered a chamber, no matter how big, or small it is. Looks can be deceiving when viewing the map and this discrimination is vital for later parts of this guide, or when planning where to look first for tables containing items, chests and the exit.

Objective
The player is supposed to navigate the dungeon-like maze to find and collect the artifact in each Night. After this artifact is collected, the player must also find and use the exit, while avoiding the dangers the dungeon has to offer. If the exit is found before the artifact is, the exit but it cannot be used. The player will be reminded to first find the artifact before exist. The locations of the artifact and the exit are random (but each map has a set area in which the exit will always be in i.e. a specific corner of a said room). Regardless if the player gets the same map layout multiple times in a row, the artifact and the exit location(s) are randomly generated.

Threats
Three are the true threats the game has to offer. Anything different from these encountered is NOT a real threat to the player.

Mary

Skeletons

Paintings

Traps (Remastered only)

Some specific scare-effects (Remastered only)

Life
The player's life regenerates over time. After taking damage, blood can be seen in the edges of the screen for a few seconds. When that wears off, it indicates a full recovery from the injury.

The Exit
The exit is a hole in the ceiling with a ladder leading to what looks to be an outside area. A lot of light is coming from the hole, making the exit visible from a distance.

Items
There are several items in the game. You can find any of the items below in 2 ways:

- Inside treasure chests (Hold the left click to open the chest). - On tables

- On barrels (Remastered only)

- In small boxes on the floor (Remastered only)

Facts about items
In both versions. items are automatically collected when approached by the player. There is no need to press a key to collect them.

ORIGINAL: Items can only be found inside chambers, not in hallways. This is important to know, especially when attempting a 100% run, as it will save time.

REMASTERED: Items can only be found in chambers mostly, but sometimes, there might be a treasure chest in a dead end of a hallway, that could very well contain the Artifact. But the same rule goes here as well, look for items and the artifact when inside a chamber. Dead ends are quite rare in the randomly generated maps of the remastered version.

Corpses
Blood-covered skeletons can occasionally be found lying on the floor. These corpses emit a sound of flies buzzing when stood over/next to them. These are just props, like chairs, debris etc. They are not dangerous.

Surviving a night
After successfully escaping a dungeon, a score screen appears, in which players can view how much time it took to beat the dungeon and the percentages of the items collected. After that, a message appears, warning the players about the next night.

Doors
There are lots of doors in the dungeon. When unlocking a door for the first time, hold the left click (touch the door and hold on mobile). An animated bar appears, emptying as the door is being unlocked. The time required to unlock a door is variable and is not always the same. Some doors take less time, while others take more time to unlock. If the player stops holding the left click, the unlocking procedure will be cancelled and it has to be started over again. Once it’s open, click on it again to close it. Unlocked doors can be reopened it by just clicking on it again while closed. There is no need to hold the left click to reopen a door.

ORIGINAL
There are 3 maps in total. They are not randomly generated. The game randomly selects one of the three mapsindependently of the night number (level). There are very specific spots within the chambers of the map, that are capable of hosting tables, chests, skeletons, paintings the exit and even spawning points for the player, or Mary. A spot can host only one type of object/prop/enemy. It’s either that, or nothing (for example, the same spot cannot contain a skeleton and another time host a chest). Not all of these contain something each time. There are rooms, where no chests, or tables are ever found, so, experienced players never look there for items. By playing the game repeatedly, it is possible to memorize the spots, in which chests spawn in each map and where not. The same is true for skeletons and the possible locations of the exit. This will help save time and make it easier to collect 100% of the items.

The demo (mobile only) that used to be available before the release of the free version, came with a fourth, unique map, which is smaller than the 3 maps included in the full game and it was the only map it had.

REMASTERED
Maps are randomly generated and are being revealed as the player explores the dungeon.

Fog
ORIGINAL: While running, dust is left behind the player, in the form of fog. This effect may vary depending on the graphics configuration of the game. All this dust creating the fog will remain in the air for about half a minute. This fog can actually help the player see further back without the need of a candle. In case of a need to backtrack, it is possible to take advantage of the fog to spare candles for new, unexplored rooms. Anything can be seen (objects/skeletons/props/Mary) as shadows through the fog in the distance.

Please keep in mind that in order to be able to see an object, or a character of interest, it/he/she needs to be within the foggy area. Anything, or anyone that stands beyond the fog is not visible.

REMASTERED: Fog is everywhere and irrelevant to the player's movement. It cannot be used to the player's advantage.